Marion Marlowe's Triumph, or, In Spite of Her Enemies — page 8: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

6 MY QUEEN., 3 CHAPTER III. A HINT AT -VERA’S PLAN. There were twenty members of the Bergen Square Theatrical Company in the house, enough to demoralize any well-regulated household. ~ By the time they hadsbeen there’ a week Mrs. Denison was in despair, for they were utterly regardless of the place as well as of the furniture. From six in the morning until noon the house was fairly quiet, but the chambermaids stood about, almost wringing their hands, for there were all the rooms to be done up after luncheon. Of course, there were boarders who were not “professionals,” but they were only ten in number, so they hardly weighed in the balance. About eleven o’clock the “professionals” began ringing for breakfast, for neither by “hook nor crook’ could they be induced to come to the dining-room. “The airs of them,’ said Mrs. Denison, as she saw Marion at breakfast the next morn- ing. with coffee and rolls exactly as if | was run- “Why, they expect me to serve them ning a hotel instead of a boarding house.” There were others at the table, so Marion did not reply. She had made up her mind not to say anything further in the matter. “Well, they are a noisy lot and I wish they were all in Halifax,” said a big fat man at her elbow, and Marion knew by the smile that went around the table that the other boarders quite agreed with him. “They aint ugly a bit, though,” said the landlady again. ‘They're noisy and de- structive, but there ain’t none of them vi- cious.” The door opened as she spoke, and Vera Villette entered. She was dressed in a flam- ing orange and black plaid wrapper. ever It was the first time that she had appeared at that early hour, and instantly every eye in the room was turned ypon her. “Well, Miss Villette! happened?” asked the landlady, well, “Ain't you made a mistake to git up so early?” == “I have been making a mistake to get Lae “T didn’t realize, Mrs. Denison, what a good breakfast so late,” said the actress, smiling. . I was missing.” She took her seat at the table with a genial bow. Then, as her eye fell tpon Marion, she smiled at her sweetly. “Oh, my dear Miss Marlowe, I was rude to you last night. me—I was Pray forgive so miserably cranky.” Her smile was so sweet that Marion for- gave her at once. In a moment it occurred — to her what Mrs.. none of these people was really “‘vicious.’ Soon the two were chatting pleasantly, so _ | pleasantly that when the others left the table ‘sg ¥ . Marion hardly missed thent. “Vou night,” must come to the iheales some “Te Do come, Miss urged Miss Villette, eagerly. see that you have a ticket. Marlowe.” Marion hesitated a little before she replied, and the actress thought instantly that she must be opposed to theatres. “She’s a little prude, I’Jl bet,” she thought to herself, but there was nothing in her face to show what she was thinking. “It’s a splendid play, strictly moral, and all that,” “and if you have never seen Lemadrid you have missed half Why, she’s the loveliest creature You really must see her !” she said, quickly ; your life! on the stage. “T should like to, indeed,” began Marion, politely, but once more the Spanish girl in- terrupted her. a4 “Or would you like to go behind the scenes?” she asked, with a strange light in “That might interest you, Miss Eomicbooks her eves, What has — | .Denison had ago ee * 7 com w - a t % kg