^
 
 Marjory
 
 etui. ** 
 
 MISADVEN URES 
 
 OF MARJORY 
 
 BY 
 
 JAMES BALL NAYLOR 
 
 Author of 
 
 "RALPH MARLOWE" 
 
 "THE KENTUCKIAN" 
 
 Etc. 
 
 THE C. M. CLARK PUBLISHING Co. 
 
 Boston, Massachusetts 
 1908
 
 Copyright, 1908. 
 
 By 
 THE C. M. CLARK PUBLISHING CO., 
 
 Boston, Massachusetts, 
 U. S. A. 
 
 All Rights Reserved. 
 
 Entered at Stationers Hall, 
 London.
 
 This is no treatise erudite 
 
 On Martian astronomy, 
 No essay learned teaching right 
 
 Political economy; 
 It does not deal, for woe or weal, 
 
 With socialist histology, 
 Nor does it show, nor claim to know 
 
 The tenets of psychology. 
 In short, it is no classic score 
 
 Of faultless style and diction, 
 Parading scientific lore 
 
 All in the guise of fiction. 
 
 A modest tale, its meager plot 
 
 Is noways allegorical; 
 It does not lay a claim God wot! 
 
 To characters historical. 
 It has no art to search the heart 
 
 Of every sect fanatical, 
 Nor feels the need to frame a creed 
 
 From scriptures emblematical. 
 In fact, the author did not look 
 
 Through musty tomes and hoary, 
 To glean material for his book 
 
 It's just a little story. 
 
 2137586
 
 It does not treat, in any way, 
 
 Of themes and things political; 
 And may not please I blush to say! 
 
 The critics hyper-critical. 
 It does not claim the right to name 
 
 Itself a modem novel, 
 Nor beg the fate to circulate 
 
 From mansion-house to hovel. 
 In truth, the author had no thought 
 
 Of future fame or glory; 
 He simply sat him down and wrought 
 
 A story just a story. 
 
 C'iutturt 
 
 Dear reader, let me just repeat, 
 
 Sans further inventory: 
 This. is no literary treat 
 
 Tis but a little story! 
 
 JAMES BALL NAYLOR
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY
 
 THE MISADVENTURES 
 OF MARJORY 
 
 i. 
 
 WELL, dear old chum and room-mate, 
 Sweet Nell of old Oberlin! agreeable to 
 promise given so long ago, I'm writing you 
 of all and sundry that has befallen me since 
 our tearful farewell and sobbing avowal of 
 eternal friendship and fond remembrance; 
 and, knowing myself as I do knowing my 
 proneness to drivel, to make much of small 
 and unimportant incidents, I must warn 
 you in advance that if you attempt to read 
 this bulky communication at one sitting, 
 you'll probably fall asleep over it, far in the 
 night, and miss chapel next morning. 
 
 But if y6u do, Nell Adams, it'll be worth 
 while indeed I believe it will! 
 
 Those were dear days dear dead days 
 now! when you were a sophomore in college 
 proper and I was a senior in business-school; 
 
 i
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 when we had rooms together at Mrs. Fram's 
 sweet motherly old thing! and took meals 
 at one of the "feed-'alls"; when we dreamed 
 our dreams and planned our plans and had 
 a royal good time, on the whole, seven days 
 out of the week; when the sun was always 
 shining in our eyes, and the birds were 
 always singing in our hearts. 
 
 Speaking of our dreams, Sweet Nell, of 
 course you haven't forgotten how you used 
 to laugh me to scorn and point the finger of 
 derision at me because my pet dream, my 
 highest and fondest ambition, was to return 
 to sleepy, Quakerish old Chesterville, the 
 village of my nativity, and live with Aunt 
 Dodo and help Jack run the general store. 
 Of course you haven't forgot! I can hear 
 you right now this very moment, saying 
 as you used to say so frequently: 
 
 "Marjory Dawes, you're a goose a pre- 
 cious little goose ! The bare idea of you think- 
 ing you'll be content to bury yourself alive 
 in that musty graveyard of a town after 
 having a taste of real life ! The mere thought 
 is preposterous. Child, you don't know 
 yourself; it's time you were forming an 
 
 2
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 acquaintance with your ego. Nay, nay! Mad 
 Marjory! You, the diminutive, the petite 
 you of the fluffy brown hair and hazel orbs, 
 were not born for the simple life; you were 
 born for adventure, for conquest and spoils 
 for a mad and merry career. And uncon- 
 sciously, I'll suppose for the sake of argument 
 you desire it, you want it; and fate has 
 willed that you should have it. I know; I 
 know!" 
 
 And then you'd go on and recite in proof 
 of your assertions, Nell, a list of all the mad- 
 cap pranks and wild escapades I had been 
 guilty of during my stay at Oberlin. I'd 
 bear with you patiently, you remember- 
 indeed I'd have you remember that! smile 
 complacently, albeit a little superiorly, shud- 
 der deliciously at thought that you might 
 be right, possibly, in your predictions; and 
 resolve to outwit fate if you were right 
 and end my days in drowsy old Chesterville, 
 with Aunt Dodo and Jack. But rarely did 
 I cry out against the charges you made against 
 my character as a decorous and circumspect 
 young woman; and then it was simply to 
 call your attention to the fact that you had 
 
 3
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 been my first aide, my prime abettor, in 
 every foolish frolic I had indulged in, and 
 that you were much more likely than I to 
 become a fascinating adventuress much more 
 likely to become an adventuress, in fact, than 
 a blue-goggled blue-stocking, as you proudly 
 anticipated and hoped. 
 
 If you're still of the notion, however, dear 
 Nell, that your forte and fate is literature, 
 here's material for your first story. 
 
 Well, the months sped they have the 
 sad habit of doing that very thing, I've 
 noticed! and we were delightfully, irre- 
 sponsibly, irrationally happy; happy in spite 
 of tiresome exams and galling restrictions 
 upon our liberties. For we loved each other, 
 chum mine, and were blissfully content in 
 the camaraderie that was ours. 
 
 Then like the slap of a wet towel in the 
 face came that letter from Jack ; from Jack, 
 mein grosser bruder saying that he was to 
 be married. To whom he did not say nor 
 when it was to be; it was just like the thick- 
 witted fellow to neglect to mention such very 
 important details. Jack to be married! 
 Jack, who was twenty years older than I 
 
 4
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 and big and poky and bald; who was every- 
 thing to me and nothing to any other woman 
 on earth excepting Aunt Dodo, and she 
 didn't count; who had protected me, pro- 
 vided for me, given me my schooling, humored 
 me and coddled me and spoiled me, and 
 lorded it over me ever since our parents' 
 death, when I was a tiny tot of two. Jack 
 to take unto himself a wife! Jack Dawes, 
 whom I had looked upon as the very best man 
 in all the wide world but an impossible 
 husband to any woman under any sun or 
 set of circumstances; whom I had considered 
 a little lower than the angels but far above 
 ordinary mortals so far above that the 
 association of his name with the mere thought 
 of marriage smacked of sacrilege. Jack was 
 to be married! And what of my blissful 
 visions of the simple life? Gone like frost- 
 palaces upon a sunlit window! Could I go 
 back home to live with Aunt Dodo and Jack 
 and help him run the store? No! Another 
 woman would have a place in his house and 
 his heart; and there would be no cozy corner 
 for me. Could I endure the sight of Jack- 
 overgrown, unsentimental Jack . spooning 
 
 5
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 and mooning with an old-maidish wife? 
 No! several times no! I just knew I couldn't 
 and I just knew I wouldn't. But what was 
 I to do; what could I do? 
 
 Though I write of the matter in a semi- 
 humorous way to-day, Nell, you will readily 
 recall that I was quite heartsick over it at 
 the time; that I bowed my queenly head, 
 think of bowing a queenly head that at best 
 is only five-feet-two from the floor! and 
 wept, boohooed right out loud; that you 
 tempted me, my beautiful, with hunks of 
 fudge and chunks of toffee but that I 
 refused to be comforted. 
 
 Then, suddenly, I can see you smiling! 
 I came out of the depths of my misery; I 
 got mad furious. I got up and walked the 
 floor, and stamped and said naughty things 
 under my breath; and straightway resolved 
 to set out for home, to cut the remaining 
 few weeks of the school-year, to forego the 
 reward of a blue-ribboned diploma, to save 
 Jack dear, blundering, innocent, Jack! 
 from the smiles and wiles of the arch temp- 
 tress, whoever she might be, and to save unto 
 myself my dream of a simple and blissful life.
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 That night you helped me to pack, Nell 
 and wasted a deal of sympathy and nervous 
 energy upon me, in a vain attempt to comfort 
 me and coax me into a semblance of resigned 
 cheerfulness; and the next morning I was off 
 on the train, bound for my native heath 
 waving you a tearful farewell from the car 
 window. 
 
 And now, old chum, to speed away from 
 the places and things you do know and get 
 to the scenes and events you don't know, Fll 
 state briefly that late in the afternoon I 
 arrived at Stockton, the nearest station to 
 Chesterville five miles away, across the hills. 
 While waiting 'for the lumbering hack that 
 was to bear me to my destination to get 
 ready to start, I went to the village hostlery, 
 bathed and brushed away all traces of grief 
 and marks of travel, and got a warm supper 
 thus fortifying myself for the ordeal I knew 
 was before me. 
 
 An hour later the clumsy, screaky old 
 hack had left Stockton behind and was 
 bowling and bumping over the gullied roads, 
 up one hill and down another. The sun 
 sank from sight; the evening shadows gath- 
 
 7
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 ered. I was the only passenger. The driver 
 was old and partially deaf, and uncommuni- 
 cative; and I was lonely unspeakably lonely, 
 in a literal sense, Nell. At the top of a red- 
 clay hill I leaned out of the vehicle and 
 looked far ahead and to the west. There 
 shone the twinkling lights of Chesterville, a 
 mile away across the deep valley of Wolf 
 creek; and you can imagine how I felt at 
 that moment I know you can. I was glad 
 and sorry, happy and miserable; eager to get 
 home, yet anxious over what the result of 
 my home-coming might be. 
 
 Down another long hill, through a covered 
 wooden bridge spanning the placid stream, 
 up the opposite slope turning and zigzag- 
 ging, and mounting ever higher and higher, 
 we rolled; and then came the summit 
 and the suburbs of the village. It was quite 
 dark by this time. I requested the driver 
 whom I knew, and who knew me to drive 
 first to my home, and warned him to say noth- 
 ing of my arrival. I felt sure Jack would be 
 down at the store, and I desired to see Aunt 
 Dodo alone and learn the true status of affairs 
 before I encountered my deluded brother.
 
 "Whoa ho-ho!" bellowed the driver, loud 
 enough to apprise the whole neighborhood 
 of my advent, had the inhabitants been on the 
 quivive. The dolt! I could have killed him 
 without compunction or chloroform, Nell. 
 After I had warned him that I didn't want 
 anyone to learn of my arrival, too! Then, 
 not content with the noise he had already 
 made, he jammed down the brake with a 
 rattling bang and surged back upon the lines, 
 grunting and muttering like the wild man 
 in a side-show. And the most-provoking 
 thing about the whole procedure was that 
 it was wholly unnecessary; the tired horses 
 had already come to a stop, of their own 
 accord. 
 
 But how good how deliciously, enchant- 
 ingly good! the old frame house looked to 
 me, homesick, heartsick, as I was! The front 
 hall door stood invitingly open; and a warm 
 red light was streaming from the sitting- 
 room windows. I had difficulty in swallowing 
 the lump in my throat; and was so blinded by 
 the moisture in my eyes that I stumbled and 
 almost fell as I alighted from the vehicle 
 my hands and arms full of skirts and parcels. 
 
 9
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Carry my trunk into the hall, Andy/' 
 I said crossly to the driver; "and get away 
 from the front of the house as quickly as you 
 can. And for pity's sake! remember what 
 I said: don't tell anybody I've come home." 
 
 I stood upon the broad flag step until the 
 dark hulk of the hack disappeared in the 
 darker shadows down the long street. The 
 smell of moist earth, tender grass and fresh- 
 blown apple-blossoms greeted me; the open 
 portal of my home stood ready to enfold me. 
 But, oh, I was wretched so wretched! At 
 last I entered the hall, moved slowly to the 
 sitting-room door and stealthily pushed it 
 open. No one was in sight; but I heard 
 Aunt Dodo pottering around in the kitchen 
 beyond. Her easy chair and small work- 
 table stood near a front window; her sewing 
 lay upon the floor near. 
 
 "Dear old Aunty!" I murmured, gulping 
 hard at the lump in my throat. Then I 
 managed to call aloud, plaintively, breath- 
 lessly : 
 
 "Aunt Dodo!" 
 
 The clatter of dishes instantly ceased, and 
 was immediately followed by the sound of 
 
 10
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 shuffling footsteps crossing the kitchen floor; 
 and there she stood in the doorway, surprise, 
 wonder, consternation almost, upon her 
 wrinkled countenance. 
 
 "Marjory Dawes!" she exclaimed, tragic- 
 ally throwing up her hands. 
 
 "Aunt Dodo I" I screeched hysterically, 
 in return. 
 
 I dropped my parcels, flew to her and flung 
 my arms around her neck, hiding my face 
 upon her bosom; and she enfolded me, drew 
 me to her portly person and rocked to and 
 fro with me, convulsive respirations heaving 
 her chest. 
 
 And, oh, I was sad and happy at one and 
 the same time! At that moment I felt that 
 though Jack dear, stalwart, foolish Jack! 
 and all the rest of the world might desert me, 
 Aunt Dodo would prove stanch and steadfast; 
 that I could rely upon her to see things as I 
 saw them, could depend upon her to aid me 
 in bringing the perverse and provoking Jack 
 to a sense of the true proportion of things 
 of the eternal fitness of things. But await 
 the sequel, my Nell await the sequel! 
 
 Aunt Dodo disengaged herself from my 
 11
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 clinging embrace, gently pushed me from her, 
 and murmured slowly, huskily, in awesome 
 tones : 
 
 "Marjory Dawes! You home!" 
 
 "You can see for yourself, Auntie," I 
 giggled, wiping the tears from my eyes and 
 weakly dropping into a chair. 
 
 "You sick?" she inquired with well-as- 
 sumed solicitude. 
 
 But I was convinced from the way she eyed 
 me and nervously patted and smoothed her 
 gingham apron, that she was not as ignorant 
 of the cause of my untimely home-coming 
 as she would have me believe; in fact, I 
 began to suspect that she had rather expected 
 me. 
 
 " Jest git homesick? " was her next question. 
 
 "No," I made answer. 
 
 "Y'r school ain't out, is it?" 
 
 I shook my head, looking her through. 
 
 " Well, you didn't git done didn't graduate 
 'fore the rest, I s'pose, did you?" 
 
 Again I shook my head, still gazing at her 
 steadily. 
 
 She grew so uneasy under my prolonged 
 stare, that she sought the depths of her favorite 
 
 12
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 chair and vigorously began to fan herself with 
 her apron. 
 
 But she pursued resolutely: "What brung 
 you home, then?" 
 
 "The train and hack, Auntie." 
 
 "Humph!" she snorted, but smiling in 
 spite of herself. "Don't try to be smart, 
 Marjory; you know what I mean." 
 
 "And you know what brought me home, 
 Aunt Dodo." 
 
 "What?" she persisted. 
 
 "Jack's letter, of course." 
 
 " He wrote you that that 
 
 "Yes, he did; you know he did." 
 
 "W'y, poor child, you needn't 'ave come 
 home on that account," she replied smoothly, 
 complacently; "Jack's gittin' 'long first rate, 
 makin' the arrangements fer his his wed- 
 din'." 
 
 "Indeed!" I fleered scornfully. 
 
 Then we sat and looked at each other for 
 several seconds; and I realized, Nell with a 
 sickening sinking of the heart that I was 
 to get neither sympathy nor support from 
 Aunt Dodo. 
 
 The strained silence grew embarrassing, 
 
 13
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 oppressive. Aunt Dodo fidgeted a moment, 
 then remarked tentatively: 
 
 "You hain't had no supper, of course, 
 Marjory." 
 
 "Yes, I have." 
 
 "You have? Where'd you git it?" 
 
 I told her. 
 
 "Well, won't you have a cup o' tea, any- 
 how?" 
 
 I declined, and asked: "Where's Jack?" 
 
 "Down to the store, I s'pose. He'll be 
 mighty surprised to find you home; an' I 
 don't b'lieve he'll more 'n half like it." 
 
 "I don't care whether he likes it or not," I 
 declared stoutly, recklessly; "I've come home 
 to keep him from making a fool of himself." 
 
 "You're talkin' 'bout his gittin' married?" 
 Aunt Dodo inquired, smiling frostily her 
 brows lifted. 
 
 "Yes, I am. Now, who's who's the 
 the" 
 
 "Who's the woman he's goin' to marry?" 
 
 "Yes," I snapped, setting my jaws. 
 
 "W'y, didn't he tell you her name in his 
 letter?" 
 
 "No, he didn't." 
 
 14
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Well, if that ain't jest like a man!" 
 And Aunt Dodo chuckled asthmatically, her 
 fat sides shaking "The idee of writin' his 
 own sister that he was goin' to git married, 
 an' never savin' who he was goin' to git 
 married to! I don't wonder at y'r comin' 
 home I don't a bit; an' I don't know as I 
 blame you, neither. I know jest how you 
 felt; you was worried to death fer fear he 
 was takin' up with some purty-faced good- 
 fer-nothin' as so many men does nowadays. 
 But you needn't 'ave been c'ncerned, Marjie; 
 he's showed re'l good sense Jack has, an' 
 made a good choice." 
 
 She paused impressively. 
 
 "Well?" I cried impatiently, irritably. 
 
 "He's goin' to marry Dor' thy Crewe." 
 
 "Dorothy Crewe?" I gasped. 
 
 Aunt Dodo nodded, looking me straight in 
 the eyes. 
 
 " Dorothy Crewe !" I murmured chokingly. 
 
 Again Aunt Dodo nodded, gazing straight 
 at me and through me. 
 
 "Humph!" was all I could say. 
 
 Then I arose and slowly began to remove 
 my hat and gloves. Dorothy Crewe! A little 
 
 15
 
 faded-out, thirty-year-old, namby-pamby, 
 village school-mistress, Nell think of it! 
 I wanted to laugh, I wanted to cry; and as I 
 couldn't decide which to do first, I took a grip 
 on myself and did neither. 
 
 "Surely you can't say no thin' ag'in her 
 ag'in Dor' thy Crewe?" Aunt Dodo remarked, 
 defiance in tone and manner. 
 
 I did not accept her implied challenge- 
 to her evident disappointment; but stood 
 viciously thrusting a hat-pin through the 
 crown of my hat and biting my lips, for sev- 
 eral moments. Then I tossed the unoffending 
 bit of headgear upon the table in the center 
 of the room, and collapsed wearily into my 
 chair. 
 
 "Tired?" Aunt Dodo inquired kindly. 
 
 "A little," I admitted. 
 
 "You'll be wantin' to go to bed purty 
 soon, an' git a good night's rest," she sug- 
 gested soothingly. "Pll tell Jack you've 
 come; an' you can see him in the mornin'. 
 He'll understand you're wore out, an' won't 
 think no thin' of y'r not stay in' up to meet 
 him. I'll go up an' fix y'r bed right now 
 this minute." 
 
 16
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 She arose to leave the room; but I waved 
 her back into her chair. 
 
 "I'm not so nearly exhausted as all that, 
 Aunt Dodo," I said, yawning to hide the 
 smile upon my face her eagerness to bundle 
 me off to bed, to keep me from pouncing upon 
 Jack, was so patent; "and I want to talk 
 further about about things. So Jack thinks 
 of marrying Dorothy Crewe, eh?" 
 
 "Thinks of marryin' her, Marjory?" Aunt 
 Dodo returned irritably. "W'y, he's goin' 
 to marry her, jest as soon's her school's out 
 which is sometime 'bout the last o' this 
 month 'r the first o' next. I b'lieve he did 
 mention somethin' to me 'bout settin' the 
 weddin' fer the last o' June so's you'd be 
 sure to be at home. But seein' you're here 
 now, maybe they'll set it fer a sooner date." 
 
 "They needn't consider my whereabouts 
 or convenience," I remarked acidly; "I 
 shan't be present." 
 
 "You won't be present?" exclaimed Aunt 
 Dodo, her eyes open wide. 
 
 "No, I won't," I said decidedly. 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 I kept silent. 
 
 17
 
 "You hain't got nothin' ag'in Dor' thy, 
 you said, didn't you?" 
 
 Still I maintained a determined silence. 
 
 "Marjory Dawes, what's the matter of 
 you, anyhow?" 
 
 And then I couldn't stay upon earth any 
 longer, Nell; I went up in the air like a rocket 
 fizzing, sputtering, scintillating. Such a 
 display of verbal pyrotechnics Auntie Dodo 
 had never before witnessed, I venture. Think 
 of me, Sweet Nell picture me out in your 
 mind! Me, Marjory Dawes five-feet-two, 
 striding the stage and playing the tragedienne ! 
 And here's some a few of the things I said: 
 
 "What's the matter!" with withering scorn 
 "You can ask such a question, Aunt Dodo? 
 This is what's the matter: Dorothy Crewe 
 can make a fool of Jack; the two of them can 
 make a fool of you; but all of you together 
 can't make a fool of me! So there! What's 
 the matter, indeed! The idea of Jack dear 
 big-hearted, ugly, old Jack! getting mar- 
 ried! And to such a little mummified, fish- 
 eyed creature! Bah! Auntie Dodo! Bah!" 
 Although I was so wrought up, so tragic 
 in the intensity of my feeling and expression, 
 
 18
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 I was closely observing the effect of my words 
 and actions upon my very select audience; 
 and I noticed that her seamed and ancient 
 visage was reflecting various and conflicting 
 emotions. Amusement, admiration, wonder 
 I read there; then something like quick 
 surprise and sudden consternation. I noticed, 
 too, that now she appeared to be looking past 
 me into fathomless space, instead of at me; 
 and I could not understand. But I went on 
 recklessly: "Jack marry Dorothy Crewe 
 and without consulting me! Well, he won't! 
 I'll not have it; I'll" 
 
 A. slight noise behind me like a snort of 
 smothered laughter attracted my attention. 
 I threw a glance over my shoulder. There 
 stood Jack in the doorway, grinning like an 
 inspired wooden Indian! 
 
 19
 
 II. 
 
 JACK continued his nasty grin; Aunt Dodo 
 chuckled her infinite amusement. Tears of 
 anger and mortification came into my eyes; 
 but I blinked them back, turned and walked 
 to the window and stood peering out into the 
 darkness saying never a word. 
 
 Jack came over and tried to put his arm 
 around me; but I pettishly drew away from 
 him. 
 
 "Why, what's the matter, Marjory?" he 
 said in a hurt tone. "Aren't you going to 
 kiss me?" 
 
 "No, I'm not!" I blurted out crossly, 
 moving farther away from him, but so blinded 
 by my tears that I was in danger of bumping 
 into the furniture and so miserable I did 
 not care if I did. 
 
 "Why aren't you going to kiss me, Mar- 
 jory?" succeeding in getting his arm around 
 my waist, and drawing me to him. 
 
 " Because because you made fun fun of 
 me, Jack; and 
 
 20
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 And then my face was pressed against his 
 shoulder; and I was sobbing heart-brokenly. 
 
 He dropped back into a rocking-chair and 
 pulled me down upon his lap ; and for several 
 minutes sat and rocked me, smoothing my 
 tousled tresses and patting my cheek as 
 one would soothe a fretful child. And what 
 else was I, Nell mine but a spoiled child 
 grieving over a broken toy? But, oh, it was 
 good to have a good cry especially in Jack's 
 arms! And hope effulgent hope, and wild, 
 ecstatic joy came into my heart! 
 
 "Jack," I murmured at last, lifting my 
 head and fixing my eyes upon his homely 
 face, "you're not going to to get married, 
 are you? Say you're not please do!" 
 
 "Don't you want me to get married, little 
 girl?" he questioned, in a tone of infinite 
 kindness. 
 
 "Of course I don't, Jack." 
 
 "And that's what brought you home 
 my writing you that I thought of getting 
 married?" 
 
 "Why, certainly." 
 
 "But why don't you want me to marry, 
 Marjory?" 
 
 21
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Why!" I felt my anger rising; and I 
 know the red must have flared up in my 
 cheeks, for Jack smilingly, deprecatingly shook 
 his head at me. "Why! Jack, you're as 
 unreasonable as Aunt Dodo. I don't want 
 you to marry because because oh, for so 
 many reasons! And 
 
 "No, you hain't got no reason, Marjie," 
 Aunt Dodo broke in on me, "why Jack 
 shouldn't git married if he wants to; but 
 the cause of y'r objections an' the only 
 cause is y'r own selfishness."- Wasn't that 
 mean wasn't that awful, Nell? And from 
 Aunt Dodo, who had always humored me and 
 taken my side in every difference of opinion 
 between Jack and me, heretofore! I was 
 shocked beyond measure; the solid earth 
 seemed crumbling from beneath my feet! 
 "You're jest like I was when my father mar- 
 ried his second wife; an' you're actin' jest 
 as foolish as / did then. Jack's alluz petted 
 you an' spoiled you, an' let you boss over 
 him; an' now you can't bear the thought o' 
 him havin' any other boss you want to 
 keep him all to y'rself. But he's old enough 
 to know his own business; an' goodness 
 
 22
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 knows! he's old enough to git married. The 
 thing fer you to do is to jest step aside an' 
 let him do as he pleases. You'll be wantin' 
 to git married y'rself, one o' these days; an' 
 you won't want him objectin' then. That's 
 all I've got to say; an' I guess I'll go an' finish 
 puttin' the dishes in the cupboard, then fix 
 y'r room fer you an' go to bed." 
 
 I sat in speechless wonder and horror, 
 until Aunt Dodo was out of the room and the 
 door was closed. Then I hastily scrambled 
 from Jack's lap, smoothed down my skirts 
 and flounced into a chair, and exclaimed: 
 
 "Well, I'll declare! Jack Dawes, I almost 
 hate her I" 
 
 "Don't talk like that, Marjie!" he said 
 coaxingly . " Aunt Dodo means all right you 
 know that; and she is all right. That is,"- 
 he hastened to add, "I don't mean she's 
 all right when she says you're spoiled and 
 selfish; I know you better than to think that 
 of you. But she's all right about me being 
 old enough to to 
 
 "Old enough to know your own business, 
 old enough to get married old enough to 
 make a fool of yourself," I sneered. 
 
 23
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Well, yes/' Jack returned, nodding and 
 smiling inanely. 
 
 "Jack, I tell you I almost hate her," I 
 snapped spitefully; "I do hate her I do! 
 So there!" 
 
 "Tut tut!" he replied gravely, sternly, 
 pulling agitatedly at his stubby straw- 
 colored mustache. "You mustn't talk so, 
 Marjory; you'll be sorry when you've had 
 time to consider, and 
 
 "I won't, Jack!" 
 
 "Yes, you will." 
 
 "I say I won't! Now!" 
 
 "Aunt Dodo has been very good to us all 
 these years, little girl." 
 
 "I don't care." 
 
 "And she loves you." 
 
 "She doesn't; and I don't care if she does." 
 
 "Why, Marjory Dawes!" 
 
 I could see that my perversity hurt him; 
 and that hurt me. But I didn't care, Nell; 
 I had been hurt so much, a little more didn't 
 matter and I wanted to hurt somebody. So 
 I reiterated vixenishly: 
 
 "I hate her, Jack; I don't care what you 
 think of me," 
 
 24
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 The merest semblance of a smile quivered 
 the corners of his wide mouth, as he murmured 
 half-pathetically : 
 
 "I guess you do hate her, little girl. And 
 why? Just because she holds I've a right to 
 marry if I so desire?" 
 
 I nodded, angrily tapping the carpet with 
 the toe of my swinging foot. 
 
 "Well, haven't I the right?" 
 
 " Oh, I suppose you have the right, Jack 
 if you've so little sense as to have the desire!" 
 
 " You consider me foolish to think of marry- 
 ing?" 
 
 "Yes, I do." 
 
 "Why? I'm old enough eh?" 
 
 " Old enough ! " I fleered scornfully. " You're 
 too old." 
 
 " I'm only thirty-nine, Marjie." 
 
 "Only thirty-nine!" I cried aghast. "Jack 
 Dawes, are you already in your dotage not 
 to realize that you're getting old, when you'll 
 be forty your next birthday? Why, your hair's 
 turning gray what little you've got left; and 
 your face is wrinkled; and and you're old." 
 
 He smiled actually smiled, very compla- 
 cently, I thought. 
 
 25
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "You offer my age as a reason why I 
 shouldn't enter into wedlock, Marjory?" he 
 inquired. 
 
 "To be sure I do," I made reply. 
 
 "Well," he drawled provokingly, "I can't 
 look upon that reason as valid, seeing Miss 
 Crewe, the young lady who has honored my 
 suit and who is the most-interested party, 
 offers no objections to my age." 
 
 "Miss Crewe a young lady!" I sneered. 
 "Jack, she's every day of thirty." 
 
 "And 7 don't object to her age," he grinned. 
 
 "You're both fools!" I cried snappishly. 
 
 "Perhaps," he laughed; "but we're happy 
 in our mutual foolishness, and have no desire 
 to be saved from our plight." 
 
 Apparently I was not winning my big 
 brother from the error of his ways not 
 swiftly, at any rate. I must try another pro- 
 cedure. 
 
 "Jack," I asked after a moment's thought, 
 "why did you send me away to business 
 college?" 
 
 "Why did I send you away to business 
 college?" with a perplexed stare. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 26
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 " Why, to fit you for office work that you 
 might the better assist me in the store and 
 help me in running my business, of course." 
 
 "That was your idea your intention?" 
 
 "Certainly. But what are you driving at, 
 Marjory what prompts you to ask such a 
 question? " 
 
 Unheeding his query, I continued: "And 
 you meant for me to come home and live 
 with Aunt Dodo and you, and help to look 
 after your business?" 
 
 "I meant you to graduate first not to 
 come home as you have, Marjory." 
 
 "I know. But you meant the other, too?" 
 
 "About your living with me and helping 
 me in the store?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Why, of course." 
 
 His perplexity was evident and amusing. 
 
 "What led you to change your plans, 
 Jack?" I asked innocently. 
 
 "Change my plans?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "I haven't. I still desire and expect you 
 to live with me with us, and help me 
 that is, us in the store. I won't send you 
 
 27
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 back to graduate as you've seen fit to come 
 home without consulting me; but you've 
 probably learned all that's needful a diploma 
 of itself amounts to little. No, I haven't 
 changed my plans in a single particular, 
 Marjory; my marriage will make no difference, 
 whatever." 
 
 "Jack, my brother," I said with all the 
 earnestness and solemnity at my command, 
 "it will make all the difference in the world." 
 
 "What do you mean? " quickly, concern- 
 edly. 
 
 "I can't stay here, Jack if you marry." 
 
 "I can't and won't." 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 "Oh, Jack, how can you ask such a ques- 
 tion!" My voice was tremulous with emo- 
 tion, my lips were quivering and ever-ready 
 tears were in my eyes. Really, Sweet Nell, 
 I felt all I expressed; and Jack must have 
 realized the fact, for his face reflected the 
 momentary compassion he felt. "Do you 
 think I can live in this house with her 
 work in the store with her? After all you've 
 been to me, Jack father, mother, brother, 
 
 28
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 everything, do you think I can stand it to see 
 you making over her, and and neglecting 
 me? There's no use talking, I can't I can't! 
 And, oh, Jack, I've dreamed of the good times 
 we were going to have just you and I! 
 You'll break my heart, if you get married!" 
 
 He shrugged his round shoulders, and 
 screwed his rugged features into a serio-comic 
 expression. 
 
 "There'll always be room in my heart and 
 my home for you, little sister," he muttered 
 huskily. 
 
 "Xo, there won't, Jack no, there won't; 
 I'll be crowded out! And I 
 
 He raised his hand, commanding me to stop; 
 and the look upon his face, rather than his 
 gesture, awed me to silence. 
 
 "Marjory," he said hoarsely, "you must 
 not you shall not talk that way! You hurt 
 me. I've tried hard to do my duty by you; 
 and I'll continue to try. I love you just as 
 I've always loved you; and I'll always love 
 you just as I do to-night. But, as you well 
 say, I'm getting up in years; and, if I'm 
 ever going to marry, it's time I should be doing 
 it. You'll get married some day," I tried 
 
 29
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 to offer a word of dissent, but he shut me off 
 with a frown and a shake of his head. "Aunt 
 Dodo will die, and then if I have no wife 
 I'll be left all alone. I can't bear the thought 
 of the prospect. No, little sister, my marriage 
 won't make any difference in our affairs; you'll 
 have a home with Dorothy and Aunt Dodo 
 and me, and a place in the store. Be reason- 
 able, now won't you?" 
 
 "Jack, I can't!" 
 
 "You can't be reasonable?" half smiling. 
 
 " No no ! " irritably. " I can't stay here, 
 if you marry. Promise me that you'll give 
 it up, Jack promise me you won't get 
 married; please please do!" 
 
 "I can't promise anything like that, sister." 
 
 "Why?" frantically. "Why can't you- 
 why can't you?" 
 
 "Because I must keep the promise I've 
 made to Dorothy Miss Crewe." 
 
 "Then you think more of her than you do 
 of me," angrily. 
 
 " Now, Marjory ! " reproachfully. 
 
 "Oh, you do!" 
 
 "Well," slowly and stubbornly, " you'll 
 have to think what you please, I suppose. 
 
 30
 
 However, I'm going to marry Dorothy Crewe." 
 
 "You are!" coldly. 
 
 "I am/" frigidly. 
 
 "That's final, is it, Jack Dawes?" 
 
 "It is, Marjory Dawes." 
 
 We sat unwaveringly, unflinchingly gazing 
 straight into each other's eyes. I heard 
 Aunt Dodo ascending the back stairs. Sore 
 with defeat and disappointment, I said at 
 last: 
 
 "Then, I'm going away to-morrow." 
 
 "Going away where?" Jack replied. 
 
 "To some city.' 
 
 "What for?" 
 
 "To get a position." 
 
 "Oh!" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Won't you wait till after my wedding?" 
 
 "No, I won't." 
 
 "Indeed?" 
 
 "Indeed!" 
 
 "People will talk, Marjory." 
 
 "7 don't care; / won't be here to know it." 
 
 "But 7 will." 
 
 "That's your business; and you've been 
 at some pains to make clear to me that you're 
 
 31
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 old enough to look after your own affairs."- 
 I saw him wince; and, emboldened, I went 
 on: "And, I flatter myself, I'm old enough 
 to look after mine." 
 
 "But you're not." 
 
 I started, dimly divining what was coming. 
 
 "What do you mean?" I demanded with 
 dignity. And you know what the word 
 dignity means when applied to my behavior, 
 Nell. 
 
 Jack answered composedly: "I mean just 
 this, Marjory my misguided little sister, 
 you're not going away from this town to-mor- 
 row nor till after I'm married; and you're 
 not going away to any city to hunt work, at 
 any time. Let's have a plain, blunt and final 
 understanding, right now. I sent you away 
 to business college, to fit you to assist me in 
 the store; and I need you and I'm going to 
 keep you. When I've had a fair return from 
 my investment, say several years from now, 
 if you don't marry in the meantime, and 
 then desire to go out into the big world to 
 battle alone, you can go. But now you're 
 too young, too inexperienced, too erratic 
 and entirely too good-looking.''- Too good- 
 
 32
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 looking! Think of unromantic, matter-of- 
 fact old Jack saying that! Nell, he almost 
 won me over with his blarney! "You'll 
 get into trouble. So I don't care to discuss 
 the matter further, Marjory; you can't go." 
 
 "That's your decision, eh?" sneeringly. 
 
 "It is," flatly. 
 
 "Well, it isn't mine." 
 
 "Yours cuts no figure." 
 
 "What!" 
 
 " I mean what I say, Marjie." 
 
 "Jack Dawes!" my voice vibrating with 
 mingled antagonistic emotions. 
 
 He nodded stubbornly. 
 
 "You mean that you'll you'll keep me 
 from going against my will?" 
 
 "If necessary yes." 
 
 "Jack,surely surely you don't mean that!" 
 
 "I do." 
 
 "Jack Dawes, you're a brute!" 
 
 "Call me anything you please, little girl; 
 it's the reward I get for all I've done for you 
 I suppose." 
 
 "I don't mean that, Jack; but you are 
 acting mean shabby, so you are." 
 
 "No doubt you think so." 
 
 33
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 I saw that he was set, Nell; and when an 
 easy-going, poky fellow like Jack gets set 
 he's "sot." I realized that he was not to be 
 moved by arguments or appeals a bit more 
 than a meeting-house is to be moved by one's 
 breath. But I was not ready to give up, I had 
 no intention of relinquishing my purpose; 
 and I thought it no more than fair to so apprise 
 him. 
 
 "You're not my guardian, Jack/' I pouted. 
 
 "I am self-appointed," he declared com- 
 placently. 
 
 "You're not; and I'll do as I please." 
 
 "You'll do as pleases me in this, Marjory." 
 
 "I won't; I'm of legal age." 
 
 He simply smiled a mean, sarcastic smile. 
 
 "Do you mean to violate the law, Jack 
 Dawes, by holding me here against my will?" 
 
 "You'll find that I'm a law and gospel 
 unto myself, in this case, Miss Marjie." 
 
 Did you ever, Nell Adams! Jack Dawes 
 Jack, that I had always wound around my 
 little finger, acting like that! From that 
 moment I lost all feeling against Dorothy 
 Crewe, poor, wishy-washy little thing! and 
 profoundly pitied her. 
 
 34
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 Exasperated beyond endurance by Jack's 
 pigheadedness, I cried tauntingly: 
 
 " Oh, yes, you'll keep me from going ! How 
 will you do it I'd like to know? How will 
 you do it? Will you keep me a prisoner?" 
 
 " Prisoner is a harsh word," he said; and 
 he had the ill manners to chuckle. 
 
 "Yes, it is," I assented readily and feel- 
 ingly. 
 
 "But," he continued heartlessly, "I'll keep 
 you prisoner, in a sense, till you come to 
 reason and promise me to abandon your 
 childish notion of running away. I'll grant 
 you . the freedom of the village, but I'll see 
 that you don't leave its precincts." 
 
 "Oh, you will!" I cried hotly. 
 
 "Yes, I mil," he replied coldly. 
 
 " But if I give you my promise to stay here 
 and be your meek and obedient little underling 
 -what then?" 
 
 A spasm of pain twitched his features- 
 Jack's dear old features, Nell; my words cut 
 him I knew. For the moment I pitied him 
 pitied him that he was such an obstinate dolt. 
 
 "If you promise what I desire, Marjory," 
 he made answer to my question, "you may 
 
 35
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 come and go at will; I've always found you 
 honorable you always keep your promise." 
 
 "Which is commendable and rare, Mr. 
 Dawes," I laughed bitterly; "and far more 
 than some persons do." Again he winced, 
 and again I felt a grain of pity for the big 
 stupid fellow; but I concluded: "And I keep 
 my resolves, too; don't forget that." 
 
 "And?" he questioned, lifting his shaggy 
 brows. 
 
 "And I've resolved to leave Chesterville 
 to-morrow never to return." 
 
 "Very well; I'll see that you don't." 
 
 "Very well; I'll see that I do!" 
 
 Then I arose and swept out of the room, 
 and up the stairs to bed ; and far into the after 
 hours of the night I lay tossing and turning, 
 pondering and wondering, scheming and plan- 
 ning. 
 
 36
 
 III. 
 
 WHEN I descended to the dining-room next 
 morning, cross and heavy-eyed, Jack had al- 
 ready eaten his breakfast and gone to the 
 store. Aunt Dodo was sitting in her accus- 
 tomed place at the table, leisurely and critic- 
 ally sipping her coffee. She accorded me a 
 cheery good-morning; but I merely nodded 
 and murmured a surly response half aloud. 
 
 When I had forced down a few mouthfuls 
 and pushed away from the board, I inquired 
 carelessly, stiffly: 
 
 "Did Jack take my trunk up-stairs?" 
 
 She gulped down a swallow of coffee, and 
 nodded. 
 
 "Where did he put it?" 
 
 "In the spare bedroom," she made answer. 
 
 "I guess Til go up and unpack," I re- 
 marked, rising. 
 
 I meant to slip a few things out of the 
 trunk and into a traveling-bag, thus pre- 
 paring for hasty flight. 
 
 "You can't," Aunt Dodo said; "Jack took 
 the key with him." 
 
 37
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "The key?" I murmured, wondering what 
 she could mean. "The key to my trunk? 
 No, he didn't; it's up-stairs in my pocket- 
 book." 
 
 "It was the key to the door he took/' she 
 explained. 
 
 "O oh!" I ejaculated. 
 
 "Yes," she responded. 
 
 "He locked up my trunk in the spare bed- 
 room and took the key?" I cried, aghast; 
 I had not thought Jack capable of such a 
 questionable act. 
 
 "He did," Aunt Dodo replied composedly 
 the merest hint of ignoble joy in her tone 
 and manner. 
 
 "Oh!" was all I could say and restrain 
 myself; I wanted to fly at her and scratch 
 her. 
 
 Dignifiedly, deliberately, I left the dining- 
 room and ascended the back stairs to my own 
 apartment. There I sat down by an open 
 window, to think. 
 
 I was more determined than ever, to leave; 
 I did not need to assure myself of that fact. 
 But what was I to do? How was I to get 
 away? I felt that Jack the pig-headed 
 
 38
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 country bumpkin! would not relent and let 
 me have my things; he was too cock-sure 
 that he was in the right too complacent in 
 his smug holiness. And I had nothing but 
 the clothes upon my back a traveling-suit, 
 and a few toilet articles in my traveling-bag. 
 Then, how was I to get out of town and to 
 the railroad at Stockton, say? I couldn't 
 go in the hack of course not! It had gone 
 already! And I couldn't go in it the next 
 day, even; Jack would be on the watch 
 and make a scene, if nothing more. And I 
 didn't want a scene! No doubt, too, he had 
 barred me from procuring a conveyance at 
 the livery stable; he'd be sure to look after 
 that, I reasoned. Of course I could compel 
 him to hand over my trunk to me and let 
 me go in peace, by appealing to a justice. 
 But I didn't want to do that, Nell; I've some 
 sense of propriety and the true proportion 
 of things fit and seemly. I simply desired 
 to get away from the town quietly, unos- 
 tentatiously, immediately and never come 
 back. But how was I to accomplish my pur- 
 pose? I thought and thought; and could 
 evolve no plan. 
 
 39
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 I felt that I must get out in the open air 
 for a walk, to clear my muddled brain; and 
 I put on my hat and went. Wishing to 
 avoid all friends and acquaintances, I took 
 a quiet lane leading to the cemetery at the 
 far edge of the town. But fate was against 
 me. And who do you suppose was the first 
 person I met just as I was turning into the 
 narrow byway? Dorothy Crewe! She, too, 
 had been out for a morning ramble, and was 
 on her way to the schoolhouse; and as soon 
 as she saw me she was all giggling cordiality 
 and silly effusiveness. I knew at once that 
 Jack had been to see her that very morning, 
 had told her everything, and had prompted 
 her how to act what to do and say when 
 she met me. 
 
 Well, I let her do the talking, Nell; I 
 simply called her "Miss Crewe" and failed 
 to see the hand she offered me. The poor, 
 insignificant little thing! I disliked to act so 
 rude; but I couldn't help it I just couldn't! 
 
 She was so glad to see me; so pleased to 
 know that I was so interested in Jack's wel- 
 fare, as to come right home to learn whom 
 he was to marry; so desirous of being my 
 
 40
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 friend and sister; so full of happy antici- 
 pations of the pleasant times we'd have to- 
 gether in our home and our store; so so 
 so, ad disgustum, ad never-endum! 
 
 When I'd had all I could stand, Nell mine, 
 I just walked on and left her without so 
 much as a word in reply, or a backward 
 glance. I wasn't hurt I was past being 
 hurt, I guess; but I was mad, mad all 
 through and wildly resolved to depart from 
 the mean little burg that very day, and no 
 later! if I had to crawl on hands and knees. 
 And I wondered how I ever had tolerated 
 the place! 
 
 I strolled on out the lane, apathetically 
 pondering whether I had one true friend in 
 the town, who would understand me and 
 sympathize with me; and blundering along 
 thus, with my head down, I plumped right 
 into Colonel Wells Kate Brown's uncle from 
 the South. I had met him before but 
 hardly so informally. Kate's an orphan and 
 a seamstress; and her uncle comes up from 
 Georgia every year, to spend the summer 
 with her. He's a gay old gallant, Nell a 
 hale old beau of sixty, at least with soft, 
 
 41
 
 drawling voice, and long white hair and fierce 
 mustachios and goatee; and he's blessed with 
 all the courtliness and graciousness imaginable. 
 
 "Why why, it's you, Miss Dawes!" he 
 drawled, as we rebounded from the impact 
 of our encounter. "I beg a thousand par- 
 dons, Miss Dawes indeed I do. It was very 
 careless of me to run into you; I was dream- 
 ing day-dreams and not observing where I 
 was going. I do indeed beg your pardon." 
 
 And there he stood his broad-brimmed 
 soft hat in his hand, and pressed against his 
 heart making me a sweeping bow. 
 
 I smiled a little wanly, a little wearily 
 and replied: "You owe me no apologies, 
 Colonel. I was as much to blame as you, 
 maybe more; I, too, was heedless of my sur- 
 roundings." 
 
 Again he bowed; but slowly shook his 
 handsome white head. 
 
 "No no, Miss Dawes," he insisted; "I 
 do owe you apologies. A gentleman always 
 owes a lady apologies, after a mishap of the 
 kind that has befallen us no matter whether 
 anybody's to blame." I despair of convey- 
 ing, in cold, insensate black-and-white, Nell, 
 
 42
 
 any idea of his quaint and kindly manner of 
 speech any idea, even the faintest, of his 
 soft and seductive intonation of voice; so I 
 won't attempt the impossible. But I know 
 my heart bounded with relief and gladness; 
 I had met a friend and I knew it. " I didn't 
 know you were at home; but I'm delighted 
 to find that you are and to have this gra- 
 cious opportunity of talking to you. I just 
 came up North last week; and I made in- 
 quiry about you as soon as I arrived. You've 
 always been a great favorite of mine, you 
 know, Miss Dawes. But they told me you 
 were away at school, at business college, I 
 believe they said; and I've been quite lone- 
 some really quite lonesome. I was walking 
 along, moodily and seriously contemplating 
 a return to the South, when fate threw us 
 together. That is, I don't literally mean that. 
 I mean that I'm pleased, delighted beyond 
 measure, to learn you're at home; and now 
 I'll stay here perfectly contented and happy. 
 But but, Miss Dawes Miss Marjory, if I 
 may make so free as to inquire, when did 
 you arrive in town?" 
 
 "Last evening," I informed him. 
 
 43
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Ah?" scraping and smiling. 
 
 "Yes," nodding brightly. 
 
 "You came rather suddenly rather unex- 
 pectedly, did you not, eh? I was talking to 
 your brother about you yesterday, down at 
 the store, and he said nothing of your im- 
 mediate return; in fact, I recall that he told 
 me you would not be home till next month." 
 
 "Yes," was all I found to say. 
 
 The good Colonel absent-mindedly put his 
 hat on his head, interlocked his fingers under 
 his long, full coat tails, and teetered back and 
 forth upon heels and toes as he said stam- 
 meringly : 
 
 "Miss Dawes ah Miss Miss Marjory, 
 don't think me inquisitive or impertinent, but 
 you came home to help along the wedding, 
 eh? That is, may I presume that am I to 
 presume that?" 
 
 "No, you're not to presume anything of 
 the kind, Colonel Wells," I hastened to say; 
 "I came home to prevent the wedding." 
 
 " Oh ! " pursing his lips and nodding sagely. 
 
 "Yes, I did." 
 
 "I see I see; in fact, I suspected as much. 
 I thought I knew just how you'd feel about 
 
 44
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 the the unusual affair. And and 
 you've" 
 
 "And I've failed/' I completed. 
 
 "I see," again nodding, and pulling vig- 
 orously at his fierce-looking mustachios. "I 
 suspected that, too from your preoccupa- 
 tion, your moodiness. Now, Miss Marjory, 
 you know I'm your sincere friend, don't you? " 
 
 "I do, Colonel," I answered earnestly. 
 
 "You don't know how pleased I am to hear 
 you say that," he muttered huskily, feelingly. 
 "I know now you'll understand my motive 
 in questioning you, as I've taken the liberty 
 of doing, is not mere idle curiosity; and I 
 know, too, you'll not take offense if I pursue 
 the subject further eh?" 
 
 "Indeed I won't, Colonel." 
 
 The dear, ingenuous old man! He little 
 suspected, Sweet Nell, how eager I was to 
 have him know all about my affairs. Al- 
 ready I was elated; already my heart was 
 beating rapturously at thought that in some 
 way, I knew not how he might be able to 
 help me out of my quandary. 
 
 "Well, then," he continued, "what are you 
 thinking of doing seeing your brother has 
 
 45
 
 determined to make a fool that is, to marry? 
 Will you stay here live with him and his 
 new wife?" 
 
 "I will not!" I declared with emphasis. 
 
 "I thought you wouldn't; and I'm grati- 
 fied to find that I understand you so well. 
 But what are you going to do, Miss Marjory?" 
 
 "I'm going to leave." 
 
 "Yes?" 
 
 "Yes, I am." 
 
 "I'm sorry you have to go; yet I rejoice 
 at the manifestation of your independent 
 spirit. So you'll bid a fond goodbye to old 
 Chesterville, eh?" 
 
 "Yes, Colonel; that is, if I can get away." 
 
 "If you can get away? Why, what's to 
 hinder you, Miss Marjory?" 
 
 "Jack." 
 
 "Your brother?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "He he " 
 
 "He says I shan't go." 
 
 "What!" 
 
 "He does." 
 
 "Oh, my!" cried the Colonel in genuine 
 astonishment akin to dismay. " Why, what 
 
 46
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 reason can he have for saying you shan't go, 
 Miss Marjory?" 
 
 " He says he has provided for me, educated 
 me; and, that now he needs me in the store, 
 I must stay and help him." 
 
 "I see," nodding gravely; "all very rea- 
 sonable, but narrow illiberal. He oughtn't 
 to look upon the case in that way, in my 
 estimation. It's not my province to criti- 
 cize, of course; but you're of legal age, and 
 should be permitted to choose for yourself 
 whether you go or stay. No doubt, however, 
 your brother he's a reasonable fellow, in the 
 
 / 
 
 main, I think will see the thing in the right 
 light, when he has had time to think it over; 
 and will give his consent to your going. Eh? " 
 
 I shook my head. 
 
 "You think not?" in evident surprise. 
 
 "I know he won't," I said positively. 
 
 "Indeed!" the Colonel ejaculated, as- 
 tounded. Then, after a moment's profound 
 reflection: "Well, you can go without his 
 consent. Of course I wouldn't advise you 
 to do that, ordinarily; but you can if nec- 
 essary." 
 
 "But I can't, Colonel." 
 
 47
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Eh?" quickly and sharply. 
 
 "Jack says I can't leave the town at all, 
 for any purpose, till I've promised him that 
 I won't go to the city, to hunt a position; 
 and he's watching me." 
 
 "You don't say!" gasped the Colonel. 
 
 I nodded with difficulty refraining from 
 smiling at the look of mild amazement upon 
 his clean-skinned old face. 
 
 "And he's locked up my clothes," I con- 
 cluded pathetically. 
 
 " What ! " perfectly dumbfounded. 
 
 "He has, Colonel." 
 
 "You're you're joking, Miss Marjory," he 
 muttered hoarsely; "you don't mean it that 
 your brother, your own and only brother, is 
 such a a brute!" 
 
 "I mean every word I say, Colonel Wells," 
 I assured him solemnly. 
 
 "My my!" he growled, almost snatching 
 his goatee out root and stem, so savagely did 
 he pull at it. "That's simply awful awful! 
 In a free country like this, too! Make a vir- 
 tual prisoner of an innocent young lady; and 
 lock up her clothing; and exercise surveil- 
 lance over her actions and movements! Oh, 
 
 48
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 it's unchivalric, inhuman, preposterous! I 
 didn't think it of your brother, Miss Dawes 
 I didn't! Why what can he have any 
 other reason for such radical measures; any 
 real reason why you shouldn't come and go 
 at your own sweet will?" 
 
 After momentary hesitation, I said coquet- 
 tishly : 
 
 "He says I'm too young, too erratic, to 
 know how to deport myself to take care of 
 myself; and that I'm too too pretty, Colo- 
 nel, and that I'll get into trouble." 
 
 His black eyes snapped; a flash of light 
 from his sunny heart irradiated his counte- 
 nance. Then a smile twitched the corners of 
 his mouth; and he laughed outright. 
 
 "I think he's just about half right, Miss 
 Marjory Miss Dawes. You are most devil- 
 ish pretty; that part's true. But as for your 
 inability to take care of yourself well, I'd 
 put up my money on you every time. Get 
 into trouble, eh?" again laughing. "It's 
 my opinion it's the other party will get into 
 trouble, when trouble comes. You're fated 
 to play the mischief with some poor chap's 
 heart and peace of mind. Why why, if I 
 
 49
 
 were twenty years younger, and the good 
 Lord knows I wish I were; and never so much 
 as right now! I'd be making love to you 
 myself, this blessed minute!" 
 
 "Oh, Colonel!" I tittered bashfully. 
 
 But he said it with all the courtesy and 
 sincerity in the world, Nell; and I'm confi- 
 dent he meant it. I almost loved him the 
 dear, courtly old soul! 
 
 However, his words of praise had suggested 
 an idea to me; and I started, and looked all 
 around to note whether we were observed. 
 No one was within sight or hearing. 
 
 "Colonel Wells," I breathed softly, draw- 
 ing close to him and laying a hand caressingly 
 upon his arm, "I must get away from this 
 town, and to-day to-night, somehow." 
 
 He gulped once or twice, nervously screwed 
 his features into a frown that was patently 
 foreign to his nature, and muttered brokenly: 
 "So so soon, Miss Miss Marjie?" 
 
 "Yes, Colonel," I answered sweetly, glibly; 
 "the sooner the better. Don't you think 
 so?" 
 
 "Undoubtedly yes, undoubtedly," he re- 
 plied in a hoarse, agitated tone. 
 
 50
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Besides, Colonel," I went on, looking up 
 into his face and pouting my lips just the 
 least bit, "I've defied Jack and told him I'd 
 leave to-day in spite of his edict to the con- 
 trary; and I mustn't break my word or my 
 resolve. Now, must I?" 
 
 "No, indeed of course not," he agreed 
 readily. "But but, Miss Marjory, I I 
 hardly see how you're to manage it. To be 
 sure you could appeal to a justice, could 
 replevin your things, and 
 
 "But I can't do that, Colonel Wells." 
 
 "No?" 
 
 "No, I can't. Think of the talk the dis- 
 grace." 
 
 "True too true." And he nodded ener- 
 getically. "But what can you do?" in 
 deep and genuine perplexity. 
 
 "Can you suggest no way out of my diffi- 
 culty, Colonel?" 
 
 He shook his white head slowly, dejectedly. 
 
 "None at all?" I persisted. 
 
 "None at all, I'm sorry to say, Miss Marjie." 
 
 "I'm sorry too, Colonel," I murmured, 
 pouting deliciously and snuggling a little 
 toward him. "For I I thought maybe you 
 
 51
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 you could help me; you're so so chivalric 
 and and 
 
 "Heaven knows I'd like to help you, Miss 
 Marjie," he cried; "nothing would please me 
 more. And I would help you, if only I could 
 think of a way. I'd cut off my right arm for 
 you if it would do any good." 
 
 "Colonel," I said coyly, "you can help me, 
 if if you will." 
 
 "Only show me the way," he muttered, 
 tragically striking his chest with his clenched 
 hand. 
 
 "You won't think me bold, no matter what 
 what I propose?" I whispered hesitatingly, 
 smiling archly at him. 
 
 "Never! Never, Miss Marjory!" 
 
 "Colonel, I want you to to oh, how can 
 I tell you! You will think me bold awful! 
 But I must tell you; I've no one else to appeal 
 to. / want you to elope with me! " 
 
 I don't know how I did it, Nell Adams! 
 I must have been desperate, I suppose; and I 
 blush yet as I think of it yes, I do. But oh, 
 Nell ! if you could have seen that dear old 
 chap's face at that moment! I wanted to 
 scream with laughter; I wanted to cry with 
 
 52
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 shame. But there's no use for me to try to 
 describe how he looked; the nearest I can 
 come to it is to say that his countenance 
 was simply a white death-mask with an open 
 mouth and two staring eyes. 
 
 "Miss Dawes! Miss Marjory! Miss Mar- 
 jie!" he panted hoarsely. "You want me 
 to to what?" 
 
 " I want you to elope with me, Colonel 
 Wells/' I responded shyly, almost choking 
 with suppressed merriment. 
 
 He took a step backward and leaned heavily 
 against the paling fence behind him, weakly 
 letting his elbows rest upon its top. 
 
 "Miss Marjory," he breathed softly, 
 solemnly, "you don't realize what you're 
 doing what you're saying, do you?" 
 
 "Yes, I do, Colonel," I answered cooly. 
 
 "Asking me literally asking me! an old 
 fellow of sixty to elope with you ! Is that it? " 
 
 "It is, Colonel." 
 
 "Why, child child! You've thrown a 
 great temptation in my way; how great you 
 little know. I I can hardly resist. If my 
 hair wasn't quite so white but pshaw! 
 You're joking you're fooling with me!" 
 
 53
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "I'm not fooling with you at all, Colonel; 
 I mean just what I say." 
 
 "Is it possible that you desire me to elope 
 with you, and and marry you?" 
 
 "No no!" I cried in mild dismay, glancing 
 fearfully up and down the quiet lane. "You 
 don't understand me. I said nothing of 
 marriage. I want you just to elope with me 
 out of town. Can't you understand?" 
 
 "I I guess I do now," he faltered. 
 And, Nell, he really looked hurt and disap- 
 pointed! "I must be in my dotage already, 
 to have misunderstood you; and I sincerely 
 beg your pardon. You just want me to help 
 you to escape from the unwarranted restraint 
 your brother is exercising over you, just to 
 bear you away from here to do the eloping 
 act only." 
 
 "That's it, Colonel." 
 
 "I see; I ought to have seen at once." 
 
 "And won't you do it, Colonel; won't 
 you please?" 
 
 His sweet, hale old face brightened. 
 
 "What's to be my reward, Miss Marjie?" 
 he questioned, smiling. 
 
 " The satisfaction of having perf ormed one 
 
 54
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 more chivalric and noble deed/' I an- 
 swered. 
 
 "And it's enough!" he cried. "Miss Marjie, 
 Fll do it." 
 
 "You will sure, Colonel?" 
 
 "Dead sure," with convincing earnestness. 
 
 "Jack will be very angry at you," I sug- 
 gested to test his courage. 
 
 "I won't mind that," he laughed boyishly, 
 recklessly. "It'll be a great lark; and will 
 take me back to other days when larks were 
 no rare fowl with me. Oh, I'll do it never 
 f ear !" chuckling, and slapping his thigh. 
 "We'll wake the sleepy old town up for once. 
 But how far do you want me to take you, 
 Miss Marjory?" 
 
 "Just to Stockton." 
 
 "I see; and that's all right. We must be 
 circumspect we mustn't carry the joke too 
 far; people might take it in earnest. I don't 
 care for myself; I'd enjoy the reputation of 
 really eloping with you. But they mustn't 
 have a chance to smirch your good name. 
 As I now understand you, you just want me 
 to get a conveyance at the livery stable and 
 .drive you to Stockton, to-night. Am I right? " 
 
 55
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "That's it exactly, Colonel. And I wouldn't 
 ask you to do it to elope with me," giving 
 him one of my most fascinating smiles, "if 
 any other way of escape were open to me. 
 But I can't hire a conveyance myself; Jack 
 would know and stop me. I I don't very 
 much mind asking you, though, Colonel 
 Wells; you're so chivalrous, so kind-hearted. 
 And and I like you; and know you don't 
 mind." 
 
 "Indeed I don't!" the dear old fellow 
 declared stoutly. "We'll have a great lark; 
 and I'll thoroughly enjoy it. What time 
 shall we start?" 
 
 "Be at the fork of the road just beyond 
 our house, at nine o'clock. I doubt if I can 
 steal away earlier/' 
 
 "Very well; I'll be on hand I won't fail 
 you. But what will you do about your 
 clothing your trunk, Miss Marjie?" 
 
 " I think I can manage in some way to get 
 what I absolutely need, and pack it in a 
 traveling-bag; if I can't, I'll go just as I am. 
 I'll be ready and waiting at nine o'clock." 
 
 "All right," he said briskly very briskly 
 for him, usually so deliberate. "And now 
 
 56
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 we'd better separate; someone might see us 
 together, and say something that would 
 frustrate our plans." 
 
 "Goodbye, Colonel till to-night," I mur- 
 mured sweetly, giving him my hand. 
 
 "Goodbye, Miss Marjory and good luck 
 to our venture." 
 
 I returned to the house, treading upon air, 
 Nell, my heart, head and heels as light as 
 thistle-downs. I was going to outwit and 
 defeat Jack! 
 
 Aunt Dodo looked me over, and remarked 
 slyly: 
 
 "Your walk seems to 'ave done you good, 
 Marjie." 
 
 "It did," was all the reply I made. 
 
 When my brother came to dinner I was 
 all affability and sweet humility. 
 
 "Jack," I remarked, "Aunt Dodo tells 
 me you've locked up my trunk in the spare 
 bedroom." 
 
 "I have," he responded. 
 
 " You don't expect me to wear this traveling 
 outfit all summer, do you?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "Won't you let me have a few of my things 
 
 57
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 a skirt and a shirt-waist and a number of 
 handkerchiefs, at least?" 
 
 " You can have anything and everything, if 
 you'll promise me what I ask, Marjory." 
 "But I don't want to yet, Jack." 
 He eyed me keenly. Then he said : 
 "I guess you're coming around all right, 
 little girl. Aunt Dodo, take the key and get 
 her what she desires." 
 
 The result of my diplomacy was that an 
 hour later I had on a clean and cool shirt- 
 waist and skirt, and had my traveling-bag 
 packed with all that was absolutely needful for 
 my flight; and had secreted it in the wood- 
 house at the back of the lot. 
 
 Then I contentedly sat down to read and 
 await the coming of my cavalier.
 
 IV. 
 
 IT was half-past eight, and dark quite 
 dark. The sky was over-clouded ; adeliciously 
 cool, damp breeze was rustling the tender 
 green leaves of the trees ; lightning was flashing 
 and thunder was muttering low down upon 
 the western horizon. Jack had come home 
 from the store and was reading down in the 
 sitting-room, where Aunt Dodo was sewing. 
 I was up in my room, all alone and without 
 a light, waiting impatiently for the tall clock 
 in the hall to strike nine. 
 
 And I was elated, dejected glad, sorrowful, 
 Nell Adams! Elated over the thought that 
 I had outwitted dear thick-pated old Jack and 
 Aunt Dodo; dejected over the thought that I 
 was leaving them and everything most dear 
 to me, forever. Heighho! I look back upon 
 it now, and wonder how I had the grit to do it. 
 
 Presently the clock gave a premonitory 
 whirr and rumble; then struck one, two, 
 three nine big lusty strokes. I nervously 
 started to my feet, and walked out into the 
 
 59
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 hall. Without knowledge on the part of Jack 
 or Aunt Dodo, I had hung my hat and linen 
 traveling-wrap out on the back porch. Now 
 I calmly descended the stairs and entered the 
 sitting-room. 
 
 "It looks like a storm coming up," I re- 
 marked carelessly, walking to a front window 
 and peering out. 
 
 "Uh-huh," Jack grunted, without looking 
 up from his paper. 
 
 With assumed aimlessness I strolled on to 
 the kitchen and out upon the back porch, and 
 closed the door behind me. There I hastily 
 donned hat and wrap, and stepped out into 
 the yard. A few big drops of rain began to 
 patter down. 
 
 Just then I caught the ring of the telephone 
 in the front hall, and I paused to listen; and 
 immediately I heard Jack's voice in conversa- 
 tion his tones loud and excited. Instinc- 
 tively surmising that the phone call at that 
 unusual hour had to do with my contemplated 
 flight, I hastened across the yard and into the 
 black depths of the wood-house, hurriedly 
 caught up my traveling-bag and slipped out 
 into the blacker alley beyond. 
 
 60
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 Suddenly the kitchen door flew open and a 
 stream of light shot out into the darkness. I 
 smiled and gleefully shrugged my shoulders 
 as I silently made my way along the narrow 
 alley-way. 
 
 "Marjory! Oh, Marjory'!" 
 
 It was Jack calling. I hustled on. 
 
 "Marjory! Marjory Dawes!" 
 
 By this time I was out of the alley, upon a 
 cross street, and hastening toward the main 
 thoroughfare and the fork of the road a hun- 
 dred yards away. 
 
 "Marjory! Oh, Marjory please answer!" 
 
 Jack's pleading call, so faint, so far-away, 
 so sad! almost shook my resolution, Sweet 
 Nell. I wanted to answer him; I wanted to go 
 back. Oh, I did I did ! But I set my teeth 
 and held on my way. For some reason I 
 felt I knew that haste was now necessary, 
 that someone had warned Jack of my con- 
 templated flight, and that he would follow 
 me. 
 
 The storm was swiftly approaching. The 
 whole western sky was of inky blackness. The 
 lightning flashed almost incessantly; the 
 thunder boomed nearer and nearer. 
 
 61
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 And where was the conveyance that was to 
 bear me to larger life and liberty? I paused 
 and peered ahead anxiously, fearfully. Ah, 
 there it was! A darker smudge upon the 
 somber surface of the highway! 
 
 Again I pushed onward, swiftly, breathlessly. 
 A vivid streak of lightning blinded me, con- 
 fused me; and a ripping peal of thunder 
 nearly deafened me. I could not restrain a 
 little scream of affright. The rain began to 
 pour down in streams and sheets. I trembled, 
 stumbled, staggered nearly fell. Then a pair 
 of strong arms were thrown around me and I 
 was lifted gently but quickly into a closed 
 vehicle. 
 
 "We're going to have a romantic night for 
 it, Miss Marjory," chuckled the Colonel, as he 
 climbed in and took a seat at my side. 
 
 "Yes," I whispered gaspingly; and was 
 silent. 
 
 My companion tucked the waterproofs 
 around me, caught up the lines and spoke 
 softly to the horses ; and away we rolled out 
 of the semi-gloom of the little town and into 
 the gloom impenetrable of the country beyond. 
 
 The lightning continued to flash; the thun- 
 
 62
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 der continued to rip and reverberate; the rain 
 continued to pour. We conversed but little; 
 the Colonel's attention was devoted to the 
 team and the darkness and difficulties of the 
 road, and mine was devoted to my thoughts. 
 The frequent flashes of lightning showed us the 
 traveled track and the muddy water running 
 in rivulets. " Whew-whew ! " wailed the wind ; 
 " swish-swish ! " fell the rain ; " splash-splash ! " 
 went the horses' feet. 
 
 Soon we began to descend toward the Wolf 
 creek valley, stream and bridge winding and 
 turning, zigzagging this way and that; and 
 moving very slowly and cautiously. The hill 
 was slippery; and the heavy buggy crowded 
 the horses sorely. From one side of the road 
 to the other they slid and sprawled; and I 
 held my breath till my throat ached expect- 
 ing any moment to precipitate an accident. 
 But the Colonel, so far as I could judge in the 
 darkness, was cool and collected ; and I greatly 
 admired the manner in which he managed the 
 team, bringing us safely out of one threatening 
 situation into another. 
 
 However, on reaching a small flat half way 
 down the precipitous slope he pulled up and, 
 
 63
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 feelingly rubbing his arms, remarked with a 
 sigh of relief: 
 
 "There! The worst's over. This is a bad 
 bit of road on a night like this, Miss Marjory; 
 but it all goes in the day's adventure. I'll 
 laugh over our escapade when I'm so old I 
 can't remember anything else to laugh about; 
 and you'll tell it to your children, in the years 
 to come. I 
 
 "Colonel," I interrupted half timidly, "I'm 
 I'm afraid." 
 
 "Afraid, my dear child?" he said kindly. 
 "What are you afraid of? Not of me, of 
 course eh?" 
 
 "No no!" I quickly disclaimed. "Not of 
 you." 
 
 "Of the night and the storm, then?" he 
 suggested. 
 
 " Just a little," I admitted. " But what I'm 
 most afraid of is that we'll be followed, over- 
 taken and caught!" 
 
 "Ah?" sharply. 
 
 "Yes, I am." 
 
 "Well," he said slowly, "we'll not be over- 
 taken and caught; I've got the best team in 
 the town." Then, abruptly, suspiciously: 
 
 64
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "But what makes you fear we'll be followed?" 
 
 "They'll miss me at home, and search for 
 me," I explained. 
 
 "Yes," he admitted, "they will of course. 
 But they'll hunt the town over for you first; 
 and before they get that done and start in pur- 
 suit, if they're shrewd enough to associate 
 your absence with mine, we'll be in Stockton, 
 and you'll be on the night train and gone." 
 
 "But, Colonel," I objected. 
 
 "Well, Miss Marjory?" 
 
 " Just as I left the house the telephone rang, 
 and I heard my brother talking in a loud and 
 excited voice. I'm sure, almost, someone had 
 discovered our secret and was warning Jack." 
 
 The Colonel laughed outright laughed ex- 
 plosively, heartily, immoderately. Irritated 
 by his unseemly hilarity, I cried: 
 
 " What amuses you so, Colonel Wells? What 
 have I said or done to cause you to laugh so? 
 I don't see anything to be tickled at so I 
 don't. Are you laughing at me? Tell me; or 
 I'll be angry at you." 
 
 Immediately he checked his risibility and 
 made reply, his voice shaking: 
 
 "No no, Miss Marjory! I'm not laughing 
 
 65
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 at you, I assure you. But I see I've got to 
 make a confession, to set myself right in your 
 estimation; I've got to reveal a secret I never 
 meant you to know. The fact is I was expect- 
 ing you to say just what you did say about 
 your brother and the phone call, Miss Marjory." 
 
 "You were?" in surprise. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Why were you?" 
 
 "Can't you guess?" 
 
 "Of course not," irritably; "tell me." 
 
 "I arranged the whole thing myself, Miss 
 Marjory." 
 
 "You you what do you mean, Colonel 
 Wells?" 
 
 " I mean I arranged with one of the boys at 
 the stable, to call your brother and apprise 
 him of our elopement as soon as we were 
 started." 
 
 Nell Adams, I was so dumbfounded that, for 
 the moment, I could not utter a word. But 
 the sound of my companion chuckling to him- 
 self, like a kid that has done something it 
 considers smart, made me furious; and in- 
 stantly I found my tongue. 
 
 "Colonel Wells!" I screamed in a tone of 
 
 66
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 severity. "Surely you didn't do such a fool- 
 ish, such an idiotic, such an insane thing as 
 that, did you?" 
 
 " I did, Miss Marjory/' he answered, threat- 
 ening to go into another convulsion of laughter. 
 
 "Well, what on earth possessed you to do 
 it?" I cried in rage and disgust. 
 
 " I'll tell you," he said, wheezing and chuck- 
 ling. " To my way of thinking, an elopement 
 without an irate father or brother or other 
 male relative of the fair lady, in pursuit, 
 would be like playing Hamlet with Hamlet 
 left out. I go in for realism the real thing; 
 and when I elope with a young damsel, I want 
 to elope" 
 
 I was so angry, so disgusted, so fearful and 
 miserable that I burst into tears. 
 
 "Yes, and now I'll I'll be caught," I 
 sobbed; "and and taken back home and 
 disgraced forever ! ' ' 
 
 "No, you won't, Miss Marjie indeed you 
 won't!" he murmured soothingly. "There! 
 Don't cry; and don't worry. I just wanted 
 to add a little spice to our adventure; I didn't 
 think it would worry you. But we'll not be 
 overtaken; no danger." 
 
 67
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Jack'll be right after us," I pouted but 
 lifting my head and drying my eyes; "and 
 he'll be so close behind us that he'll catch me 
 before I can get on the train at Stockton. 
 Now!" 
 
 "We're not going to Stockton, " the Colonel 
 replied coolly. 
 
 "We're not?" - instantly concerned. - 
 "Where are we going, then?" 
 
 "To Conesville." 
 
 "Why that's twice as far. Why are we 
 going there?" 
 
 Once more the Colonel chuckled - - at 
 thought of what he looked upon as his own 
 smartness. 
 
 "Your brother has information that we're 
 going to Stockton; I saw to that that was a 
 part of the message he got. It's there he'll 
 seek you and waste time in the search. In 
 the meantime I'll have you safe at Conesville; 
 and you can take the early morning train to 
 Zanesville. But now we must be moving 
 along. Two miles beyond the creek we're 
 approaching, at Dodd's, we'll turn to the left; 
 and" 
 
 "Hark!" I interrupted, catching his arm. 
 
 68
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 The hardest of the storm had passed over; 
 but in the distant southeast the lightning still 
 flashed and the thunder still boomed and re- 
 verberated. The fall of the steady, heavy 
 rain upon the leaves of the trees above us on 
 the hillside gave forth a deep, sonorous mur- 
 mur. 
 
 " What did you hear? " inquired the Colonel, 
 in a tense whisper. 
 
 "I thought I heard voices," I answered. 
 "There! Listen!" 
 
 "I hear them!" he muttered excitedly, 
 gleefully. " They're at the second turn above 
 fully a half mile away by the road. There! 
 That's the sound of wheels." 
 
 "Yes," I wailed weakly, "and it's Jack 
 or somebody after us. Now just see what 
 you've done, Colonel Wells!" 
 
 "Tut tut!" he cried cheerily. "Don't 
 take on, Miss Marjie; you sha'n't be over- 
 taken, or disappointed in your endeavor to 
 escape from your brother." And he gave me 
 a reassuring, caressing pat upon the shoulder. 
 " Here's where the race begins and the fun 
 comes in!" 
 
 Then he chirruped to the team, shook the 
 
 69
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 whip, and down the final slope we went at a 
 fair trot, the horses slipping and sliding, the 
 buggy slewing and careening. I held my 
 breath; and held on to the seat as best I 
 could. At that moment, Nell, had I had the 
 courage and strength, I would have pitched 
 my gay old cavalier out in the mud and driven 
 off and left him. Oh, I was provoked! 
 
 On reaching the foot of the hill he touched 
 the horses with the whip, and we moved more 
 rapidly. But hardly were we under swift 
 headway when he suddenly pulled up, crying 
 f earsomely : 
 
 "Hark! Listen listen !" 
 
 A sullen, awful, indescribable roar grow- 
 ing louder and rising in pitch, with each pass- 
 ing moment smote upon my ears. 
 
 " Oh, what is it? " I breathed in an agony of 
 wonder and fear. 
 
 "It's the water the flood coming!" the 
 Colonel panted. "And we must get through 
 the bridge and over the bottoms on the other 
 side before it reaches here, or we won't get 
 across at all for an hour or two, anyhow." 
 
 "Oh, do hurry!" I urged. "We must get 
 across^ or Jack will catch us." 
 
 70
 
 But my brave cavalier did not need any 
 urging, as I soon realized. Already he was 
 applying the whip to the mettlesome horses 
 and guiding them with firm and steady hands. 
 Along the wet level road we fairly flew, mud 
 and water flying in a splattering shower from 
 the swiftly revolving wheels. And all the 
 while that awful booming noise was roaring 
 nearer and ringing louder. 
 
 The covered bridge was but a few hundred 
 yards from the foot of the hill. It rested upon 
 two stone abutments, about ten or twelve feet 
 above the ordinary level of the creek. The 
 roadway, on both sides of the stream, was 
 much lower than the floor of the bridge; and 
 the approaches were short and steep. 
 
 The oncoming flood rapidly drew near, 
 roaring louder and louder, until the clamor 
 and din of it absorbed all other sounds. A 
 flash of lightning revealed to me the ap- 
 proaching wall of water huge, black and 
 tumbling. It was almost upon us; and in 
 terror I shrilled: 
 
 "Drive, Colonel! Drive drive!" 
 
 "We'll make it to the bridge!" he yelled 
 in my ear. 
 
 71
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 And the next moment the horses scrambled 
 up the steep approach, and stood upon the 
 firm plank floor of the primitive structure- 
 trembling and pawing and snorting; and the 
 mad and tumbling flood was sweeping three 
 or four feet deep over the roadway we had 
 come. 
 
 I collapsed against the back of the seat, too 
 weak and nervous and wretched to care much 
 what my final fate was to be. The Colonel 
 jumped out to soothe and control the restive 
 animals. 
 
 Another storm was following close on the 
 heels of the first. Again the lightning was 
 sizzling and flashing ; the thunder was ripping 
 and crashing; and the rain was falling in 
 torrents. On all sides of our insecure retreat, 
 the foul-smelling flood black as soot in the 
 darkness, yellow as ochre in the lightning's 
 flash rolled and surged and boiled. Great 
 logs and other heavy drift bumped against the 
 stone abutments, causing our crazy wooden 
 shelter to quiver and shake dizzily; and the 
 poor scared horses snorted and stamped their 
 protest. As for me, Sweet Nell, I just lay 
 there and shivered and sniveled; my courage 
 
 72
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 was all out and I was all in. At least, so I 
 thought at the time. 
 
 The Colonel came to the vehicle, set one 
 foot upon the step, and thrust his head in and 
 queried kindly but straining his voice to 
 make me hear: 
 
 "How are you, Miss Marjory all right?" 
 
 "Don't speak to me!" I screamed in reply 
 endeavoring to make him hear. 
 
 "Why why he stammered, "what's 
 the matter?" 
 
 "What's the matter!" - caustically. 
 " Look what you've got us into here on this 
 old tottering bridge, in danger of our lives!" 
 
 He leaned farther into the vehicle, put his 
 face close 'to mine and bellowed literally 
 bellowed : 
 
 " Tut tut, Miss Marjie ! Don't be alarmed ; 
 we'll come out all right we're in no real 
 danger. Besides, you mustn't blame me; 
 I'm not the weather-man. And you chose 
 the night for our elopement." 
 
 "Yes," I screeched wrathfully; "and you 
 stopped back there on the hillside, and talked 
 and laughed and palavered till this flood 
 caught us. And now how are we to get away?" 
 
 73
 
 "Oh, we'll come out all right!" he bawled 
 almost cracking his voice in an effort to lift it 
 above the general uproar. "The water'll go 
 down in an hour or so; then we'll go on our 
 way rejoicing. And this is the best part of 
 the adventure, I think great fun. But say!" 
 
 "Well!" tartly enough. 
 
 " I can see the twinkle of a light over at the 
 foot of the hill we just left. No doubt it's a 
 lantern carried by our pursuers." 
 
 " They'll catch us, too as soon as the water 
 goes down," I predicted with fatalistic posi- 
 tiveness. 
 
 "No, they won't," he asserted sturdily. 
 "The water goes down sooner on the far side 
 of the stream; that is, I mean the road is 
 higher. We'll be gone from the bridge before 
 our pursuers can get to it. Don't worry, now 
 that's a good girlie; we'll come out with 
 flying colors." 
 
 He left me and returned to the heads of 
 the pawing horses. Unreasonable, ungovern- 
 able restlessness and dread took possession of 
 me; and I couldn't sit still I couldn't stay 
 in the buggy. I climbed out, straightened 
 and stretched my cramped nether limbs, and 
 
 74
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 walked to the rear of the vehicle. There I 
 stood, looking afar across the tumbling waters, 
 toward the foot of the hill whence we had 
 come. I could see several lights bobbing and 
 jiggling erratically here and there; and 
 caught or fancied I caught the faint and 
 uncertain sound of men holloing and shouting. 
 
 The second violent but brief storm was 
 passing, the rain was lessening; but still the 
 lightning played and the thunder rumbled and 
 rolled. All at once I started nervously and 
 stepped aside from my position. Water had 
 splashed upon my foot. I bent and peered 
 closely at the floor of the bridge; but could 
 distinguish nothing. Then I put down my 
 hand and felt the rough planks; and let out a 
 little cry of dismay and terror. Water was 
 bubbling up through the cracks! 
 
 Nell Adams I was scared stiff ! I thought I 
 saw my finish a watery grave, an unlovely 
 bedraggled corpse! For the moment I stood 
 spellbound with fear. Then I recovered the 
 use of my limbs and voice, and darted toward 
 where I thought my companion was, scream- 
 ing shrilly: 
 
 "Oh, Colonel Wells! We'll be lost- 
 
 75
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 drowned killed! The flood's coming up 
 through the bridge!" 
 
 And I went on screaming warnings and pre- 
 dictions and prophesies, at the top of my 
 voice. I guess I must have been just a little 
 hysterical, Nell. The Colonel caught me and 
 put an arm around my waist; and held me 
 firmly but respectfully. 
 
 "Stop that yelling, Miss Dawes!" he com- 
 manded sharply. "Stop it, now stop it!" 
 I subsided limply; then he continued in a 
 calm, even voice: "Suppose the water is 
 coming up through the floor, what of it? 
 The bridge is heavily-timbered and anchored 
 to the abutments; it can't float away or 
 break up, unless the flood gets much higher 
 than it is. And the rain's practically over, 
 and the water will be falling soon. Get back 
 into the buggy, now that's a good girl." 
 
 " I don't want to," I pouted perversely. 
 
 "Yes," he said sternly, "you must do as I 
 say; you'll get your feet wet. Come on." 
 
 "But I won't get back into the buggy, 
 Colonel Wells," I cried. 
 
 "But you will," he growled. 
 
 "I won't, I say!" 
 
 76
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 " I say you will! " 
 
 And what do you think, Nell Adams? The 
 impertinent, stubborn old dunce caught me up 
 in his arms, carried me to the vehicle and 
 placed me in it; and without another word 
 calmly returned to the care of the team. Did 
 you ever hear of the like ! I sat and pondered 
 and pouted; and, provoked and frightened 
 and miserable as I was, came near wishing the 
 bridge would float away with us just to 
 spite the Colonel. 
 
 Presently, however, he came to me and said 
 humbly, contritely: 
 
 "Miss Mar jie, please pardon my apparent 
 rudeness of a few minutes ago. Perhaps I 
 was a little abrupt in my words and actions; 
 but I didn't mean to be, I assure you." 
 
 I maintained a surly and stubborn silence. 
 
 "Miss Marjory, do you hear me?" he ques- 
 tioned. 
 
 "Yes, I do," I snapped in reply. 
 
 "Listen, then. The water's already falling 
 as rapidly as it arose, almost. Isn't that 
 good news eh?" 
 
 The dear, kind-hearted old fellow! How 
 hard he was striving to regain my favor. A 
 
 77
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 little ashamed of my pettishness, I answered 
 as graciously as I could : 
 
 "Yes, it is, Colonel. And what of our pur- 
 suers?" 
 
 "I'll look and see," he said with alacrity. 
 
 He walked to the near end of the bridge, 
 and back. 
 
 "Their light has disappeared," he an- 
 nounced. 
 
 "There was more than one lantern," I 
 returned, "there were several; and I thought 
 I heard people shouting and holloing a little 
 while ago." 
 
 "Is that so?" surprised, and apparently 
 concerned. "Then they must have been 
 alarmed over our seeming danger. But the 
 lights have all disappeared. What do you 
 make of it, Miss Marjory?" 
 
 "I don't know what to make of it, Colonel; 
 but I'm glad they're gone. Perhaps they've 
 abandoned the chase." 
 
 He was silent for some seconds ; then he said 
 thoughtfully : 
 
 " I think I have it. The iron bridge a mile 
 below here and the highway crossing it are out 
 of reach of all floods, are they not?" 
 
 78
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Yes," I replied, wondering what he had 
 in mind. 
 
 " Well," he continued, " I think your brother 
 and those with him have gone back to Chester- 
 ville to take that road. They've determined 
 to their own satisfaction that we're entrapped 
 here on this bridge; and they hope, by going 
 the roundabout way, to head us off say at 
 the cross-road beyond Dodd's. But we'll fool 
 them," chuckling gleefully. "We'll just let 
 them wait at the cross-road; we'll be on our 
 way to Conesville and they won't suspect 
 what has become of us. They'll wait for 
 hours, thinking we're still prisoners here." 
 
 "And we maybe," I remarked pessimistic- 
 ally. 
 
 "Not much!" determinedly. "We'll be 
 out of this in an hour from now, if I have to 
 swim the horses." 
 
 Ha made his word good, too. Soon the rain 
 had ceased entirely, the clouds were scudding 
 away and the moon was peeping out. The 
 light of the welcome luminary showed us that 
 the flood was rapidly receding. My compan- 
 ion knew the road well; and at last he said: 
 
 "I guess we'll risk it, Miss Marjory; there's 
 
 79
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 no danger now. We can't experience any 
 greater mishap than getting our feet wet. 
 And we ought to be on our way; time may be 
 precious to us before we reach our destina- 
 tion. What do you say?" 
 
 "Let's start/' I decided pluckily. 
 
 "That's the stuff, Miss Marjie!" the Colonel 
 cried joyfully. "You've got the grit; you'll 
 make your way in the world. So here goes!" 
 
 Without serious danger or difficulty we 
 made our way through the falling flood- 
 though the horses snorted and shied and 
 blundered, and I let out a little screech now 
 and then and gained the foot of the opposite 
 hill in safety. The sky was rapidly clearing; 
 the moon was flooding the wet land with 
 silvery radiance. Up the muddy slope we 
 laboriously climbed and rolled away along 
 the high ridge. But the highway was heavy 
 and our progress was necessarily slow. It was 
 after midnight when we passed Dodd's and 
 took the left-hand road leading to Conesville. 
 
 I must have dropped into a doze; for the 
 first thing I realized I was upon my knees in 
 the bottom of the buggy, with my head hang- 
 ing over the dashboard. 
 
 80
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY. 
 
 "Whoa!" yelled the Colonel. 
 
 The tired horses came to a sudden stop. 
 I scrambled back upon the seat now tilted 
 at an inconvenient angle. 
 
 "What's the matter now?" I demanded 
 crossly. 
 
 There was the thick gloom of inevitable 
 doom in my companion's voice, as he answered 
 crustily : 
 
 "The front axle has snapped in two!" 
 
 81
 
 V. 
 
 "WELL, now, Colonel Wells, what on earth 
 are you going to do?" I cried, exasperated 
 beyond measure. 
 
 "I'll be be blessed if I know, Miss Mar- 
 jory!" he muttered helplessly, meekly let- 
 ting the lines slip from his nerveless fingers 
 and wearily dropping his head. 
 
 A few moments we sat there in sullen silence, 
 watching the reeking horses shifting their posi- 
 tions to ease themselves of the strain of the 
 taut harness. The time seemed long to me; 
 and tired, sleepy and cross I whimpered 
 fretfully : 
 
 "You're a great cavalier you are, Colonel 
 Wells! You were going to have everything 
 go just right; and everything's gone just 
 wrong ever since we started. I'm sorry I came 
 with you so I am; and I wish I I 
 
 Emotion the lump in my throat choked 
 my utterance; but my rash and unreasonable 
 words roused my companion to instant con- 
 cern and speech. 
 
 82
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Don't say you wish you hadn't come, 
 Miss Marjory," he said plaintively, dejectedly; 
 "don't say you wish you were back home. It 
 hurts me to hear you talk that way, though 
 I know you don't mean it. You don't want 
 to go back home; you're just nervous and 
 out-of-sorts that's what ails you. And I 
 don't blame you for being a little cross-grained, 
 indeed I don't. You've put up with a good 
 deal to-night and that's a fact; but I'm in 
 no wise to blame. Am I eh? " 
 
 "Yes, you are," I whined peevishly. 
 
 "Eh? " lifting his head and actually smil- 
 ing at me, which made me furious. 
 
 "Yes, you are to blame, Colonel Wells," 
 I pursued pitilessly. " You tried to act smart 
 by letting Jack know of our our elope- 
 ment." 
 
 "But that didn't bring the flood, Miss Mar- 
 jory," grinning broadly, vacuously. 
 
 "And you stopped on the hill back there 
 beyond the bridge, letting our pursuers nearly 
 catch up with us," I continued relentlessly. 
 
 "But that didn't cause the axle to break," 
 he chuckled, shrugging his shoulders. Then, 
 earnestly: "No, my dear little girl, you 
 
 83
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 mustn't blame me your old gray-haired 
 friend for the night's mishaps. I'm doing 
 for you, Miss Marjie, what I wouldn't under- 
 take or consider for any other bunch of fem- 
 ininity on top of ground; and for the simple 
 reason that old as I am! I'm in love with 
 you. Now ! " 
 
 " Colonel Wells ! " was all I could murmur. 
 You could have knocked me over with a 
 powder-puff, Nell Adams. 
 
 "There!" he said with infinite gentleness 
 and kindness. " Don't take it to heart; I don't 
 expect you to reciprocate. I'm an old fool; 
 but not quite so big a fool as to expect a 
 sweet young miss like you to care for a bat- 
 tered old wreck like me. All I ask is that you 
 keep in mind that I'm doing my best to serve 
 you, to help you to your heart's desire. "- 
 Then, animatedly, cheerfully: "But pshaw! 
 I must stop talking and go to doing; we're 
 six miles from our destination and with no 
 time to fritter away. But this has been a 
 night of misadventures, sure. Oh, well! It's 
 all fun if only we look at it that way; and 
 let's so view it. Now, I know there's a farm- 
 house just beyond the next turn of the road, 
 
 84
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 and we must get to it and obtain another 
 buggy or other conveyance. But I'm afraid 
 I'll have to ask you to walk that short dis- 
 tance, Miss Marjory. Eh?" 
 
 "All right," I consented readily, desperate 
 enough to attempt anything that promised 
 to help us on our way. 
 
 The Colonel stiffly descended to the ground 
 and assisted me to alight; and immediately 
 we set out for the farmhouse whose roof 
 glinted in the moonlight, just over a slight 
 eminence. I took the lead along the sloppy 
 highway, holding my skirts high and catch- 
 ing my breath every few seconds as one or 
 the other of my oxfords threatened to pull 
 off in the sticky mud. After me came the poor 
 old Colonel, literally dragging the horses by 
 the bits and anxiously watching the wabbling 
 buggy wheel. And we had a full half-mile of 
 it. Think of that, Sweet Nell! 
 
 On reaching the tumble-down old farm- 
 house our procession halted. I don't know 
 which would have collapsed first, had we had 
 a few more rods to go the vehicle, the team, 
 the Colonel or your humble servant, Nell. 
 One thing I do know; I thought myself com- 
 
 85
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 pletely gone entirely exhausted. My shoes 
 were soaked, my feet were wet, my skirts were 
 bedraggled and my ardor was dampened. 
 I stood in the middle of the road and yawned 
 and shivered, while my cavalier a depressed 
 but determined cavalier ! holloed and holloed 
 to arouse the inmates of the frowning, unin- 
 viting residence facing us. 
 
 Not a light twinkled about the premises; 
 not a hint of life became apparent; not a 
 voice responded to my companion's repeated 
 hails. 
 
 Once more he bellowed lustily: "Hello! 
 Hello! Hello, I say! Hel-lo-o-o!" 
 
 Still all was grim darkness and silence. 
 The Colonel muttered something under his 
 breath ; then he turned to me and said : 
 
 "Miss Marjie, I'll have to go and pound 
 upon the door. You look after the horses a 
 moment. I don't think they'd try to run 
 away; surely they haven't got snap enough 
 left in them for that. But they might; and 
 goodness knows! I don't want to run any 
 risk. You watch them just a minute." 
 
 I was too apathetic, too stupid to make 
 reply; but I did as he requested. He sham- 
 
 86
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 bled to the front entrance of the dismal-look- 
 ing dwelling and knocked vigorously upon the 
 door; then again and again. 
 
 " I don't believe there's anybody at home/ 7 
 he turned to me and announced pitiful hope- 
 lessness tincturing his tone, in spite of his 
 resolution. 
 
 "There's got to be somebody at home," I 
 cried; "we've got to have a conveyance. 
 Try again." 
 
 He did so; and immediately an upstairs 
 window flew open, and a tousled head and 
 bewhiskered face popped out into the moon- 
 light. 
 
 "Hello!" called the Colonel, taking a step 
 or two backward and lifting his gaze aloft. 
 
 "Hello y'rself !" was the gruff response. 
 
 Then something like the following dialogue 
 came to my eager ears: 
 
 "Good morning." 
 
 "I don't know whether it's mornin' 'r not; 
 I hain't looked at the clock." 
 
 I giggled the amusement I felt, in spite of 
 the sad situation in which I found myself. 
 
 " We've broken our buggy 
 
 "Well, what of it?" 
 
 87
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "And it's important that we get on to 
 Conesville as soon as possible, 
 
 " 'Tain't important to me." 
 
 "And we've stopped to see if we can pro- 
 cure another vehicle." 
 
 "No, you can't." 
 
 "Haven't you a buggy?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "No carriage of any kind?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "Nor an express wagon?" 
 
 "No, I hain't." 
 
 "Nothing of the kind?" 
 
 "NothinV 
 
 "Not even a cart?' 1 
 
 "Nothin' but a big farm-wagon." 
 
 "Miss Marjory," yelled the Colonel, "can 
 you will you ride in a farm-wagon?" 
 
 "I'll ride in anything," I shrilled in des- 
 peration. 
 
 "You won't ride in my wagon, Miss," the 
 man bawled from his place of vantage. 
 
 "Why won't she?" the Colonel demanded, 
 bristling. 
 
 " 'Cause I won't let you have it," the farmer 
 returned coolly. 
 
 88
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "And why won't you?" the Colonel per- 
 sisted. 
 
 " 'Cause I'm goin' to use it myself, soon as 
 it comes daylight." 
 
 "But, my good man," my escort cried 
 wheedlingly, "we'll pay you for the use of it; 
 and" 
 
 "I don't want y'r pay," -stubbornly; 
 "an' you can't have the wagon." 
 
 "How are we to get to Cones ville, then?" 
 
 "Don't know an' don't care," pitilessly. 
 
 "Oh, yes, you do !" menacingly . 
 
 "Oh, no, I don't!" defiantly. 
 
 And down went the window! 
 
 "Well, don't that beat the the devil!" 
 muttered the Colonel ; and I tittered outright. 
 I couldn't help it, provoked and perplexed 
 though I was. 
 
 The angry Colonel gave a martial jerk to 
 his square shoulders, stalked up to the door 
 and began to kick it savagely. Instantly 
 the upstairs window again flew open; and 
 again the farmer's frowzy head was in evi- 
 dence. 
 
 " Here ! " he bawled. " Stop that ! " 
 
 "Be civil, then," growled the Colonel. "If 
 
 89
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 you don't I'll kick the door down and kick 
 you out of the house." 
 
 "Well, what the devil do you want?" the 
 man inquired. 
 
 "Want a conveyance to carry us to Cones- 
 ville." 
 
 "Hain't got none I can let you have, I told 
 you." 
 
 " Well, have you got any saddles? " 
 
 "Yes, got two a man's saddle an' a 
 woman's saddle. They're both hangin' in 
 the barn out there. Take 'em; an' you can 
 run y'r buggy in the shed at the side of the 
 stable an' pile y'r harness in it. But, say!" 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 "Who are you, anyway?" 
 
 "Colonel Wells of Georgia." 
 
 " Jeeminy! I can't let you take my saddles 
 clear to Georgy with you, mister." 
 
 Again I teeheed audibly. 
 
 "Nonsense, man!" rasped the Colonel. 
 "We'll take them to Conesville that's all; 
 and leave them at the hotel or livery barn, 
 with our horses. Then whoever comes here 
 for the buggy and harness will return your 
 saddles. See?" 
 
 90
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Yes. Well, you can take 'em. An' now 
 goodnight; I'm goin' back to bed." 
 
 Once more the window closed, with a crash. 
 
 "An infernal chump!" the Colonel muttered 
 as he came out to me. " A regular numbskull, 
 Miss Marjory." 
 
 I seated myself upon a sodden bank at the 
 roadside; and my escort took team and 
 vehicle into the barnyard near at hand. After 
 what seemed an interminably long time, he 
 returned with the two horses stripped of 
 harness and bearing saddles. 
 
 "Now, Miss Marjory," he said briskly, with 
 a manly but painful attempt at cheerfulness," 
 " we'll be off again. I just looked at my watch, 
 and it's only two o'clock; so we'll get to 
 Conesville in time for you to catch the early 
 morning train, if nothing else happens to 
 hinder us. And patience knows! I hope 
 nothing else will happen," grinning face- 
 tiously. " For I've got to confess that, much 
 as I love adventure, I've had about enough 
 for one night. Stand upon the bank there, 
 and I'll assist you into the saddle." 
 
 "But I never rode horseback in my life, 
 Colonel," I objected. 
 
 91
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "There must be a first time to all things, 
 Miss Marjory." 
 
 "I don't believe I can, Colonel Wells." 
 
 "You'll never learn younger, Miss Marjie." 
 
 "I'm afraid I'll never learn older never 
 learn at all is what's bothering me," I ex- 
 plained dully. 
 
 "Well," impatiently, "you must try, at 
 any rate. Let me assist you to mount." 
 
 "But I tell you I'm afraid, Colonel; I've 
 never been on a horse's back." 
 
 "And I tell you that you've got to try- 
 that necessity cares nothing about previous 
 experience, little girl. Here give me your 
 foot. Up you go." 
 
 And up I did go, Nell Adams and over 
 on the other side, nearly. I clung desperately 
 to the horse's mane and shivered, and plead 
 with my cruel cavalier to help me to the 
 ground to let me walk to Conesville; but he 
 was inexorable. 
 
 "Keep your seat," he cried gaily; "it's all 
 you have to do. I'll lead the horse by the 
 rein. Now! Off we go." 
 
 Nell, I was in mortal dread of losing my 
 life then and there. I must have cut a figure ; 
 
 92
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 and I've never been able to understand how 
 the old Colonel kept his face straight. I clung 
 to my rolling, jostling perch and let out ex- 
 clamations and screeches of fright, at regular 
 and frequent intervals. It was like riding an 
 earthquake. I was seasick soul-sick. I 
 was sure I was going to slide off on the one 
 side; I was certain I was going to fall off on 
 the other. I had no riding-habit, of course; 
 and my abbreviated skirts began to work 
 upward far above my shapely ankles. I 
 made misdirected, frantic and futile efforts 
 to put them down to restore myself to a 
 semblance of proper maidenly modesty; and 
 almost precipitated my precious anatomy 
 to the earth. I let out a screech of extra 
 length and strength, and implored humbly 
 implored and beseeched my escort to rescue 
 me from my perilous position. And what do 
 you think? Colonel Wells the chivalric 
 Southron! just laughed at me. But looking 
 back at the spectacle I must have presented, 
 I can't find it in my heart to criticise him 
 severely. 
 
 But soon I felt a little less like a ship- 
 wrecked sailor upon a teetering raft, a little 
 
 93
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 more like a bold mariner upon the deck of 
 his own staunch vessel; and after a mile or 
 two I was rather happy and proud over my 
 new experience. So I requested the Colonel 
 to give me the reins, which he did; and we 
 jogged along quite pleasantly, drowsily talking 
 over our misadventures and speculating as to 
 what had become of our pursuers. 
 
 Murky dawn was just coming as we des- 
 cended the long hill at the foot of which lay 
 the Muskingum valley and Cones ville. Hun- 
 dreds of birds were singing and thousands of 
 flowers were exhaling their moist fragrance. 
 
 The Colonel looked at his watch, and 
 yawned : 
 
 "It isn't quite four o'clock; you'll have 
 plenty of time to get a bite of something to 
 eat and catch that five- thirty train. As I 
 told you we would, we've come out all right 
 -triumphant over all difficulties and hin- 
 drances." 
 
 There was elation in his voice and manner, 
 but poor old fellow! his haggard face and 
 lack-luster eyes belied his brave demeanor. 
 
 Just as we had got into the village and were 
 moving up the main street, toward the hotel, 
 
 94
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 a thick-set man with a big, bright badge of 
 office shining upon the lapel of his baggy sack 
 coat waddled out from a shadowy doorway 
 and threw up his hand, motioning us to 
 stop. 
 
 "Whoa!" said the Colonel, reining in at 
 the same time giving me a swift and mean- 
 ingful glance. 
 
 "Good mornin'," was the man's greeting. 
 
 " Good morning," was the Colonel's response. 
 
 "I'm the marshal o' this town," the man 
 volunteered with pardonable pomposity. 
 
 "Indeed," replied the Colonel. 
 
 "An' 'bout a half-hour ago," the marshal 
 continued, "I got a phone message from 
 Stockton, to be on the lookout fer a runaway 
 couple an elopin' couple comin' from Ches- 
 terville." 
 
 He searched our faces, keenly, shrewdly, to 
 note the effect of his words. But I, with 
 remarkable self-control, assumed an air of 
 innocent carelessness; and my companion 
 merely uttered an apathetic "ah?" and 
 yawned behind his hand. 
 
 "What way did you folks come in?" the 
 officer demanded sharply. 
 
 95
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 " Horseback/' the Colonel answered smooth- 
 ly; and I had difficulty in repressing a giggle, 
 tired and hungry as I was. 
 
 "Of course/' the marshal snarled; "any 
 fool could see that. But what road did you 
 come? Where' d you come from?" 
 
 "We rode in from just beyond Hicksville." 
 
 "Did, eh? " suspiciously. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 " Did you see anything of a couple in a two- 
 horse buggy, comin' this way?" 
 
 "Yes." ' 
 
 "Where?" 
 
 "Just the other side of Hicksville." 
 
 "Did you pass 'em?" 
 
 "W-e-11," embarrassed for the moment, 
 "no, we didn't pass them; they turned into 
 a barnyard and stopped." 
 
 "You passed 'em, then, didn't you?" 
 
 "I suppose you may say we did." 
 
 "An' they stopped at a farmhouse, eh?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Did you see 'em unhitch as if they was 
 goin' to stay there?" 
 
 "Y-e-s, they that is, the man unhitched." 
 
 "Oh-ho!" gleefully. "I have it, then. 
 
 96
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 They've stopped there with relations 'r friends, 
 an' they're goin' to have the Hicks ville 
 preacher an' git married. It's all as plain as 
 the nose on y'r face. I'll phone the word 
 right back to the marshal at Stockton. Maybe 
 he can git out there in time to put a stop to 
 the thing." 
 
 "Who are the eloping parties?" asked the 
 Colonel, guilelessly, disinterestedly. 
 
 "I don't believe the marshal at Stockton 
 mentioned any names; it was him, you know, 
 phoned me. He jest said to keep a lookout 
 fer an elopin' couple; an' hold 'em if I 
 ketched 'em an' phone him right away. 
 Said he'd come up with the girl's brother an' 
 settle things. He did say the girl was young 
 an' purty," I blushed, Nell, and turned 
 away my face ! " an' the man was an ugly oP 
 codger with white hair an' mustache an' 
 goatee; an'- 
 
 I tittered; then bit my lips and coughed. 
 Abruptly the marshal stopped speaking and 
 turned his eyes upon me; and from me to the 
 Colonel. Then he blurted out : 
 
 "Say!" 
 
 "What?" the Colonel returned coolly, 
 
 97
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 though he knew what was coming, I'm 
 positive. 
 
 "W'y w'y," the officer stammered, "you 
 purty near answer to that description." 
 
 "Do I?" 
 
 "Yes, sir, you do." 
 
 "You think I'm ugly?" 
 
 "Can't say that you're ugly, exactly; but 
 you ain't a darn bit handsome." He chuckled 
 asthmatically. "An' you've got the white 
 hair an' all." 
 
 "All men of my age have white hair, do 
 they not?" 
 
 "Well, purty nigh all, I s'pect," the fellow 
 admitted, evidently puzzled. 
 
 "And," my escort continued, "the parties 
 you were to look for were to come in a buggy, 
 were they not?" 
 
 " Y-e-s," the marshal mumbled reflectively, 
 "they was." 
 
 "Well, we came horseback." 
 
 "That's so." 
 
 "And I told you, you remember, of a 
 couple stopping at the farmhouse beyond 
 Hicksville." 
 
 " Y e s, I remember. Say!" 
 
 98
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 "Did you notice whether that man had 
 white hair an' so on?" 
 
 "He did." 
 
 "Sure?" 
 
 "Sure." 
 
 "An' was the woman young an ; purty?" 
 
 "Quite young and very pretty." 
 
 It was in order for me to blush again; and 
 I did it sweetly and naturally. I couldn't 
 help it; the effort I was making to keep from 
 laughing would have brought the red to the 
 cheeks of a stage beauty. But I started and 
 felt instant concern, as I heard the marshal 
 saying: 
 
 "But you folks do answer the description 
 mighty well." 
 
 "Yes, we do," the Colonel replied placidly, 
 again yawning. " But this young lady's going 
 away on the early up train, and I'm going to 
 stay here; and we're not married nor think- 
 ing of getting married. So we can't be the 
 elopers you're after, eh?" 
 
 "No, I guess not. But what's y'r names?" 
 
 " Our names? " 
 
 "That's what I said." 
 
 99
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "I'm Jack Dawes and this young lady is 
 Dorothy Crewe," the Colonel lied glibly. 
 
 I gasped with astonishment then let out 
 a jerky giggle; and coughed distressingly 
 to hide the fact. 
 
 "All right," concluded the officer; "Til 
 phone back to Stockton that you folks has 
 just come in from Hicksville, an' that you 
 seen the runaway couple stop at a farmhouse 
 jest beyond there. That's straight, is it?" 
 
 "Perfectly straight; that is, so far as we 
 know." 
 
 The marshal turned on his heel and left us; 
 and we continued our way to the village 
 hotel. The modest caravansary had just 
 begun to show signs of waking life. I changed 
 my clothes and made my toilet ; and was again 
 presentable to say the least. We had some 
 trouble in procuring breakfast at so unusual an 
 hour, but an extra dollar neatly did the trick. 
 
 As we were leaving the table the Colonel 
 consulted his watch, and said in a cautious 
 undertone : 
 
 " If fate will be kind for a half-hour, you'll 
 be on your train and gone, Miss Marjory; and 
 I'll be glad so glad." 
 
 100
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Glad to have me gone?" I queried, with 
 a fetching pout. 
 
 "Now, Miss Marjory," he murmured re- 
 proachfully, "you know what I mean." 
 
 "Yes, I do, Colonel Wells," I returned, 
 smiling my sweetest; "and you've been very 
 kind to me very, very kind. But something 
 tells me that dumpy marshal will come wad- 
 dling in here pretty soon, bent on detain- 
 ing me." 
 
 " I expect him," he said, nodding. 
 
 "You, do?" I whispered. 
 
 Again he nodded. 
 
 "Why? Do you think he suspected us?" 
 
 "It's probable. But he'll know who we 
 are as soon as he phones to Stockton; the 
 names I gave will reveal our identity to your 
 brother." 
 
 "Yes!" I cried fault-findingly. "I hadn't 
 thought of that. And you're all the time 
 getting us into trouble, Colonel; you're as 
 bad as Leander of the Sunday supplements. 
 What possessed you to do such a silly thing? 
 I admit you were cornered and compelled 
 to prevaricate; but I can't see why you 
 couldn't tell an ordinary lie give our names 
 
 101
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 as John Jones and Mary Smith, for instance. 
 Why couldn't you why didn't you, Colonel 
 Wells?" 
 
 We had reached the stuffy little parlor. 
 I dropped into one of the straight-backed, 
 plush-upholstered chairs, my chin quivering 
 and tears of vexation in my eyes. My com- 
 panion took a seat at one of the open windows, 
 where he could command a view of the street. 
 
 "Miss Marjie," he replied to my outburst, 
 "I just couldn't and so I just didn't. I 
 wanted to have a little more fun out of the 
 thing. Picture to yourself " and he chuckled 
 and hugged himself "the rage of your 
 brother when he got the message from here, 
 that we were masquerading under the names 
 of himself and sweetheart. I can hear him 
 cursing the stupidity of all marshals in general 
 and the stupidity of the marshal of this 
 burg in particular." 
 
 And he laughed till the tears ran down his 
 cheeks. 
 
 "But, Colonel Wells!" I cried. "Think 
 what you've done. I might have escaped; 
 now I'll be held sure." 
 
 "No, you won't," stoutly. "I set out 
 102
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 to see you safely through this thing; and I 
 will." 
 
 Somewhat mollified and reassured by his 
 courageous words and bearing, I heaved a 
 deep breath of relief. However, I continued: 
 
 "But what will Jack and his friends say 
 to you, Colonel what will they do to you 
 when you go back to Chesterville? " 
 
 " I'm not going back," he smiled. 
 
 "You're not going back?" surprised. 
 
 " No. I'm going to take the down train, on 
 my way to Cincinnati and Atlanta. My 
 trunk will come by hack to Stockton, this 
 morning. I arranged everything yesterday 
 afternoon. No, Miss Marjory," -softly, pa- 
 thetically, "I've no desire to spend the 
 summer in Chesterville with you away." 
 
 Nell Adams, I was touched; I couldn't 
 say a word in reply. But I had scant time 
 for tender sentiment, for the Colonel drew 
 my attention by thrusting his head out of 
 the window and hastily jerking it back in 
 again. 
 
 "Miss Marjie," he whispered stridently, 
 "here comes the marshal. I've sent your 
 traveling-bag to the station. You slip up 
 
 103
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 the front stairs, down the back stairs and 
 out of the side door; and lose no time in 
 reaching the depot. I'll hold the marshal 
 here, on one pretext or another, till your 
 train's gone." 
 
 "Colonel Wells," I began, "I don't know 
 how to thank you; I I 
 
 He came up to me, took both my hands 
 in his and murmured thickly : 
 
 "Don't thank me, Miss Marjie don't say 
 a word of the kind. I've enjoyed this elope- 
 ment more than any other I ever took part 
 in,"- his eyes dancing. "Be a good girl, and 
 take good care of yourself. Probably I sha'n't 
 see you again for months or years, possibly I 
 sha'n't ever see you again; but I won't forget 
 you indeed, no. If I were twenty years 
 younger just twenty years, mind you, little 
 girl! I'd play this game to the finish; I'd 
 stake everything win or lose. Goodbye, 
 little sweetheart." 
 
 "Goodbye, Colonel Wells," I whispered 
 sadly. 
 
 Then, moved by some sudden impulse, I 
 threw my arms around his neck and kissed 
 him; and the next moment I was flying up 
 
 104
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 the stairs my heart a-flutter, my cheeks 
 a-flame. 
 
 Some six months ago, Sweet Nell, I met 
 my dear old cavalier, I will not say now 
 where or under what circumstances; for that 
 revelation belongs to the concluding pages 
 of this very bulky epistle, and he told me of 
 his encounter with the marshal, after my 
 departure. That pompous official came in 
 the front door of the little tavern as I went 
 out the side door; and of the Colonel he 
 demanded : 
 
 "Where's that young woman?" 
 
 "Miss Crewe?" the Colonel countered 
 suavely. 
 
 "No, not Miss Crewe!" snorted the mar- 
 shal. "You two thought you were mighty 
 smart thought you was foolin' me; but I 
 knowed you all the time if you did come in 
 here horseback. You bet I did ! Your name's 
 Curly Wells an' her name's Marge t Dawes"; 
 Marget! Marget! Just wait till I meet 
 that man, Nell Adams! "an' you're the 
 'lopers. Now, where is she?" 
 
 "She just went up-stairs," replied the 
 Colonel. 
 
 105
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 " Well, you go an' call 'er down." 
 
 " What are you going to do with us? " 
 
 "Ain't goin' to do no thin' with you; her 
 brother says he'll settle with you if you 
 don't have sense enough, an' shame enough, 
 to skip out fer a healthier climate. But I'm 
 goin' to hold her here till her brother comes 
 after her. Go call 'er down." 
 
 Colonel Wells deliberately ascended the 
 stairs, strolled up and down the hall, pottered 
 from one room to another, and finally des- 
 cended to the parlor and announced : 
 
 "She isn't in her room." 
 
 The marshal was walking the floor, puffing 
 with excitement and anxiety. 
 
 "She ain't?" he gasped. 
 
 The Colonel soberly shook his head. 
 
 "Well, where is she, then?" 
 
 Another negative shake of the handsome 
 white head. 
 
 "You don't know?" 
 
 Once more my Georgia cavalier silently 
 signalled a negative reply. 
 
 "I'll bet she's broke fer the train!" the 
 marshal cried; and with the words he lum- 
 bered out of the room. 
 
 106
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 The Colonel stood at the window and 
 watched the pursy marshal waddling rapidly 
 toward the depot; and laughed and laughed. 
 
 The train was just pulling out. I saw the 
 officer coming, and I went out upon the rear 
 platform of the car and waved him a merry 
 farewell. Then I returned to my seat and 
 indulged in a good cry. 
 
 107
 
 VI. 
 
 The train jiggled and bumped along to- 
 ward Zanesville. Completely worn out by 
 the exciting experiences of the night and 
 my own incongruous emotions, I fell into a 
 doze; and as I dozed I dreamed dreamed 
 that the train was wrecked, that my neck 
 was broken but that I was alive and keenly 
 observant, that my traveling-bag was burst 
 open and its contents scattered broadcast 
 over the ground, and that I was undergoing 
 a deal of toil and trouble in a fruitless effort 
 to gather up and conceal my skirts and ho- 
 siery and shoes soiled by the rain and mud 
 of my rural journey. 
 
 When I awoke, as I did with a start occa- 
 sioned by a sudden stop of the train, I found 
 myself crowded over against the wall and 
 jammed down into a corner and two- thirds 
 of my seat occupied by a fat woman with a 
 squawling baby. My neck was aching ex- 
 crutiatingly ; and I was in an ill-humor, in- 
 deed. And that baby kept on crying, Nell 
 
 108
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 crying because it was puny and wretched; 
 and the fat mother just sat there, unmoved 
 and immovable, squashed down in a half- 
 melted heap, and just let it cry. Oh, I 
 wanted to shake her! At last I could stand 
 it no longer, and I asked her, with the best 
 grace I could assume, to let me have the 
 little mite. Without murmur or protest she 
 handed it over to me; and I let it look at 
 my watch and play with my purse till finally 
 the poor little thing closed its eyes and went 
 to sleep. I gave it back to its mother; and 
 she never thanked me, even. But I'd had 
 my reward. 
 
 Then I sat up straight and stiff and began 
 to do some thinking about my own affairs. 
 No doubt the marshal at Conesville, I rea- 
 soned, had phoned Jack of my escape; and 
 no doubt my stubborn and unyielding brother 
 had telegraphed the authorities at Zanesville 
 to apprehend and hold me on my arrival 
 in that city. So, to avoid all risk of capture, 
 I decided to get off at Putnam, a suburban 
 station on the west side of the river, and take 
 an electric car into the town. 
 
 This I did. It was six- thirty; and the 
 
 109
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 streets were quiet and drowsy-looking. The 
 only other occupants of the car beside my- 
 self were two or three laborers with their 
 dinner-pails, a newsboy with a bundle of 
 papers, and a middle-aged, angular and 
 sharp-featured woman with an empty mar- 
 ket-basket upon her knees. At the second 
 corner, however, two young women, each 
 bearing a bundle of books and both chatter- 
 ing and tittering merrily, got aboard and 
 seated themselves near me. 
 
 The woman with the market-basket nodded 
 to them and smiled a mechanical smile that 
 threatened to crack her hard features. 
 
 "Good morning," she said in a vinegary 
 voice. 
 
 " Good morning," one of the young women 
 replied amiably. 
 
 "It's a nice morning after the rain," the 
 older woman remarked, with a wry expres- 
 sion of countenance indicative of disapproval. 
 
 "Very," with a nod and a bright smile. 
 
 "How's your mother these days, Miss 
 Grimes?" 
 
 "Quite well, thank you." 
 
 "And your father?" 
 no
 
 "He's well." 
 
 "And all the rest of the family?" 
 
 "All in good health." 
 
 The younger woman smiled beatifically, but 
 slyly winked at her companion; and the lat- 
 ter grew red of face and turned her attention 
 to the window and the scenery outside. 
 
 The older woman crossed her arms upon 
 the handle of her market-basket, leaned for- 
 ward and thus continued her interrogatories: 
 
 "You're still going to the business school, 
 are you, Miss Grimes?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Think you'd rather work in an office than 
 teach school, do you?" 
 
 "I think I would yes." 
 
 "I see by the papers your sister Sarah has 
 the offer of a position up at Columbus." 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "In a real-estate office, isn't it?" 
 
 "I believe so." 
 
 "Let's see what's the name of the firm? 
 I saw it in the papers, but I've forgot. What 
 is it?" 
 
 "Durbin and Son." 
 
 'That's it; I remember it now. And their 
 in
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 offices are in the Branson Building; I re- 
 member that, too. What kind of work do 
 they want her to do keep books?" 
 
 "No; they offer her a position as amanu- 
 
 ensis." 
 
 "Kind of a private secretary, eh?" 
 "Something like that, I guess." 
 "It ought to be a pleasant position." 
 "Yes." 
 
 "When does she go?" 
 "She was to go to-day." 
 "But she isn't going?" 
 "No." 
 
 "Put it off, has she?" 
 "She's not going at all." 
 "Not going at all?" perfectly astounded. 
 "No." 
 
 "Why isn't she?" 
 
 "She thinks she's got a better offer." 
 "Oh!" with lifted brows and wide open 
 eyes. 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Thinks she's got a better job, does she?" 
 "Yes." 
 
 " Where? " quickly, incisively. 
 "At Parkersburg." 
 
 112
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Oh!" - wonderingly, almost incredu- 
 lously. 
 
 The young woman nodded and surrep- 
 titiously nudged her companion. 
 
 "In what way does the Parkersburg job 
 suit her better?" the neighborly inquisitor 
 pursued. 
 
 " Well," sighing resignedly, " the Co- 
 lumbus people offer to give her two weeks 
 trial, and if she proves satisfactory agree to 
 give her employment at forty dollars a 
 month; but the Parkersburg people offer to 
 ta,ke her on trial for a year, at the same 
 price." 
 
 "I see. And so she's going to Parkers- 
 burg, is she?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "When?" 
 
 "To-day." 
 
 "Indeed?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 " Has she written the Columbus people that 
 she's got another place?" 
 
 "W-e-11, no, Mrs. Varley, she didn't write 
 them just that. She sent them a letter yes- 
 terday, saying she wasn't very well which 
 
 113
 
 was so, and guessed she couldn't take the 
 place, and they'd better look out for some- 
 body else." 
 
 "Oh!" with a world of obscure meaning. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 The car had crossed the bridge spanning 
 the river; and was in the heart of the city. 
 Now it stopped at the corner of Third and 
 Main; and I hurriedly caught up my travel- 
 ing-bag and got off. I looked at my watch 
 as I reached the curb; the hands marked 
 six-fifty. The Chicago express was due at 
 seven-twenty. I could take it, and change 
 at Newark for Columbus; and at once I 
 determined to do so, and set off at a lively 
 pace for the depot two blocks away. 
 
 And, Nell Adams, I was just jubilant- 
 treading on air. I had set out from Ches- 
 terville with no definite destination in mind; 
 I had thought I might go to Columbus but, 
 then, I might go to Cleveland or Chicago. 
 The fact is I had meant to leave the matter 
 to chance, largely; and for once chance had 
 been kind to me. A situation was open to 
 me beckoning me, begging me to come; and 
 I was going to accept the welcome offer. I 
 
 114
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 was Marjory Dawes a poor little waif with 
 no position in view! no longer; I was Sarah 
 Grimes of Zanesville, on my way to accept 
 a place with Durbin and Son of Columbus, 
 real-estate dealers in the Branson Building. 
 As Sarah Grimes I had made a rapid and 
 marvelous recovery from my temporary in- 
 disposition; and as Sarah Grimes but the 
 sound of the name set my teeth on edge, Nell, 
 every time I whispered it over to myself! 
 I was going to follow my hasty and ill-con- 
 sidered letter and reveal myself as bodily 
 proof that I was able and anxious for work. 
 I know you'll scorn me, Sweet Nell, and 
 condemn me; I scorned and condemned my- 
 self just a little. But the unexpected smile 
 of fortune was too enticing, too seductive, to 
 resist; and I yielded and didn't feel too bad 
 over my weakness. All's fair in love and 
 war, it's said; and all's fair in modern com- 
 mercialism, also. I wasn't injuring anyone, 
 I argued. The real Sarah Grimes was de- 
 clining one good position to accept another; 
 I, the pretender, was simply taking the re- 
 jected place. I'd do my best for Durbin and 
 Son indeed I would; and no one would be 
 
 115
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 the wiser or sadder. Where was the harm? 
 It was thus I reasoned, Nell; and I was glad 
 glad GLAD that such fair fortune had 
 smiled on me in my hour of need. 
 
 I reached the depot and entered the dark 
 and dingy waiting-room; and glanced up at 
 the clock. 
 
 "Twenty minutes to wait, if the train's on 
 time which will be a rarity beyond prece- 
 dent," I whispered to myself. 
 
 The room was crowded; the air was close 
 and ill-smelling. I hustled toward the ticket- 
 window. Several people were ahead of me, 
 and I elbowed for a place and got it. But 
 just as I was going to call for my ticket I 
 made the startling and demoralizing discov- 
 ery that my purse was gone! 
 
 Nell mine, I don't know how I got out of 
 the jam and to the door; I know I was ready 
 to drop when I reached the open air and 
 sank down upon a truck. My purse was 
 gone! What was I to do? I was faint, nau- 
 seated and all of a tremble. The bright 
 sunlight dazzled my eyes; the heat-waves 
 threatened to suffocate me. Apathetically, 
 despairingly, I sat there, thinking think- 
 
 116
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 ing in a circle, thinking to no purpose. 
 Where had I dropped or left my purse? 
 It had hung by a chain to my wrist; and 
 it was gone with every cent I had in 
 the world, little enough at best. Had I 
 left it on the train? No; I remembered 
 having it on the street-car, when I paid 
 my fare. Had I left it on the street- 
 car? It was probable, I decided. I scolded 
 myself for my carelessness; I found fault 
 with fate for its unkindness. Then I got 
 mad; and that was the best thing I could 
 have done. For as soon as I got angry I 
 got plucky. I gritted my teeth, gave a vi- 
 cious little kick at my traveling-bag and 
 declared under my breath that I'd reach 
 Columbus that day if I had to steal a ride 
 on a freight-train. 
 
 But what was I to do? The question would 
 not down; it insisted on presenting itself. I 
 could telegraph Jack to come and take me 
 home, of course. No, I couldn't do that, 
 even; I had no money. Well, I could ap- 
 peal to the police; and they would send him 
 word. Yes, but I wouldn't; I'd starve, suffer 
 and die, first! I was going on to Columbus; 
 
 117
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 that was settled. When? On the Chicago 
 express the next train, due in ten min- 
 utes by my watch. But my purse my 
 money? Well, I'd have to let it go; I had 
 no time to search for it. But how was I to 
 go without a ticket without cash? Well, I 
 must go; and I would go. And, Nell Adams, 
 I did! 
 
 The train rolled in on time to the second. 
 I joined the crowd; and bravely tripped 
 across the platform, climbed aboard and took 
 a seat near the rear end of the car. There 
 I sat, stoically awaiting the outcome of my 
 rash venture. Would I be put off? I sup- 
 posed so. How could I obviate such a mis- 
 chance? Heaven knew; 7 didn't! The car 
 quickly filled; but no one sought a seat with 
 me. The train began to move, slowly, rum- 
 blingly. Once, moved by instinctive impulse, 
 I half arose with the undefined intent of 
 getting off. But I sank back, and resolutely 
 clenched my hands and set my lips; I'd see 
 the thing through. The train gained in speed, 
 and flew away westward; and there I was 
 doomed by ill-luck and my own rashness 
 to face the tender mercies of a heartless 
 
 118
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 railroad conductor. It was a fearful situation, 
 Nell Adams; and I've often wondered how 
 I braved it. 
 
 My grim ogre in blue-and-brass entered 
 the car and commenced to take up the fares. 
 I stiffened myself for the inevitable ordeal; 
 I meant to plead, to wheedle, to do my best 
 to fascinate and win over that brusque-look- 
 ing, square- jawed individual in uniform to 
 gain my way and get free transportation to 
 Newark. Then, like a flash of inspiration 
 from the mischief-maker of the universe, an 
 idea came to me an idea unconventional, 
 outre, outlandish ; and I found myself gig- 
 gling over the mere thought. Would the 
 scheme thus presented to me work? I could 
 not determine, of course. Should I try it? 
 Why not? Failure wouldn't make matters 
 worse that 7 could see. But what would 
 be the result of the bold and unmaidenly act 
 I contemplated? I'd make the experiment 
 and see! 
 
 Well up in front sat a big broad-shouldered 
 man wearing a light suit and soft hat. I 
 could see his back only. He had his arms 
 folded upon the seat before him, and was 
 
 119
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 talking to its occupants. His hat set far 
 back upon his head completely hid his fea- 
 tures. I could not tell whether he was 
 young or old, handsome or otherwise; but 
 the view of him that chance saw fit to grant 
 me filled me with a belief and confidence that 
 he was elderly, fatherly and would be im- 
 pressionable to the pleas of a charming young 
 woman in distress. And so I made up my 
 mind to carry out the plan of procedure 
 that unbidden had come to me. 
 
 The conductor reached my side. I was 
 looking out the window. He touched me 
 upon the shoulder; and I turned and stared 
 at him, in assumed surprise and with mute 
 questioning in my eyes. 
 
 "Ticket," he said gruffly. 
 
 I turned from him and again looked out 
 the window. 
 
 "Ticket, ticket," he repeated, twitching the 
 sleeve of my linen traveling-wrap. 
 
 Again I squared around and stared at him 
 this time coolly, insolently. 
 
 "I want your ticket," he muttered; "give 
 me your ticket." 
 
 7 have no ticket," I replied, lifting my 
 
 120 
 
 (t
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 brows in apparent wonderment that he should 
 make such a demand. 
 
 "Well, the cash, then," he jerked out. 
 "Where do you want to go?" 
 
 "I'm going to Columbus," I returned 
 calmly. 
 
 "You change at Newark," he mumbled; 
 "and the fare's one-seventy-five." 
 
 "I change at Newark, do I?" I chirped in- 
 nocently, sweetly, brushing back a little lock 
 of frizzly hair that would persist in getting 
 in my eyes, and smiling most ravishingly at 
 him. 
 
 "You do," he answered, unmoved. 
 
 "Thank you." And once more I turned 
 my attention to the scenery flitting past. 
 
 "But your fare give me your fare," he 
 persisted. 
 
 "My fare?" wondering greatly, not a lit- 
 tle annoyed, and somewhat incensed. 
 
 "Yes, your fare." 
 
 "Why why," -blushing demurely, but 
 looking him straight in the eyes, "didn't 
 didn't my uncle pay my fare?" 
 
 "Your uncle?" starting and sweeping the 
 front of the car with his sharp gaze. 
 
 121
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Which one is your uncle?" 
 
 "That big man in the soft black hat and 
 gray suit," pointing with white and taper 
 finger, and incidentally displaying my fine 
 opal ring. 
 
 "Him?" also pointing. 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Well, he didn't pay your fare." 
 
 "He didn't? " greatly surprised. 
 
 "No; forgot to, I suppose. I'll go back 
 to him. Beg your pardon for bothering you." 
 
 He deliberately took up the rest of the fares 
 in the car. Then he retraced his steps to the 
 big man in the gray suit and tapped him upon 
 the shoulder. The man half turned in his 
 seat and looked up into the conductor's face; 
 and, Nell mine, I nearly fainted. My "uncle" 
 was smooth-faced, young, dark and hand- 
 some! 
 
 I crouched lower in my seat, shivering, pant- 
 ing but keenly observant. The conductor 
 said something in a low tone; and I heard the 
 young man blurt out: 
 
 "What! The devil you .say!" 
 
 Then he slowly got upon his feet, my! 
 
 122
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 how big and tall and fine-looking he was! 
 and said in a tone of tense restraint: 
 
 "Where is she?" 
 
 The conductor indicated me with a nod 
 and a jerk of his thumb; and the young man 
 his square shoulders and jaws set gave 
 me a penetrating stare. Instantly I was so 
 embarrassed, so ashamed, so distressed that 
 I wanted to die right then and there. But 
 the young man caught the appealing look in 
 my eyes and cried out cheerily: 
 
 "Hello, Bonnie! I forgot all about you." 
 
 Then, to the conductor: "See you in a 
 moment." 
 
 He strode back to me, smiling broadly, 
 good-naturedly, and, bending close to me, 
 whispered : 
 
 "Where to Columbus?" 
 
 "Y-e-s," I managed to murmur, barely 
 able to articulate the monosyllable. 
 
 "You got on at Zanesville?" 
 
 I nodded. 
 
 "All right." 
 
 He returned to the conductor, dropped 
 some money into the palm outstretched to 
 receive it, and said with a heartsome laugh: 
 
 123
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "I forgot all about her writing me that 
 she was going to join me at Zanesville. She 
 ought to have come to me and let me know 
 she was aboard; but she wanted to punish 
 me for my forge tfulness, I suppose." 
 
 Again he laughed softly, easily; then he 
 turned and leisurely sauntered back to me. 
 
 "Sit over," he commanded, as one having 
 a right. 
 
 I was angered by his arrogant and authori- 
 tative tone and manner, but I made a place 
 for him; and he dropped into it. 
 
 "Now, little girl," he said in a low, con- 
 fidential but determined voice, "what am I 
 to infer? What's the meaning of it all? Are 
 you just broke or or 
 
 I was looking him straight in the eyes, Nell, 
 my anger rapidly rising to the danger point; 
 and he read the warning in my expression, I 
 presume, for he hesitated and stopped. Then, 
 uneasily, he tried to laugh; and made a mis- 
 erable failure of it, and sat silent biting his 
 lips. 
 
 I took a quick inventory of him, and de- 
 termined to my own satisfaction the kind of 
 man I had to deal with the sort of demon 
 
 124
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 I had conjured up. As I have said, he was 
 tall and dark and handsome. His nose was 
 straight and large; his mouth, firm and wide; 
 his eyes, gray and keen. He was a big, virile, 
 forceful fellow with a good opinion of him- 
 self and with a will of his own, but with a 
 saving grace of humor. I read him as sensi- 
 ble but not sensitive; sensuous but not sen- 
 sual. 
 
 He grew more and more uneasy under my 
 close scrutiny; but at last he smiled good- 
 humoredly and remarked: 
 
 "You appear to be sizing up your ' uncle'." 
 
 "I am," smiling back at him. 
 
 "Think you'll know me the next tune you 
 meet me, eh Bonnie?" 
 
 "I think I shall yes." 
 
 "Well, now won't you tell me why you 
 palmed me off as your uncle and told the con- 
 ductor I'd pay your fare?" 
 
 "I didn't tell the conductor that." 
 
 "Didn't tell him what?" 
 
 "That you'd pay my fare. I asked him 
 if you hadn't paid it." 
 
 "Oh!" 
 
 I nodded. 
 
 125
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Well, you told him I was your uncle, 
 didn't you?" 
 
 "I I guess I I intimated something of 
 the kind to him. He was pestering me; and 
 I wanted to be rid of him. I had no ticket 
 and no money; and didn't know what else 
 to do." 
 
 He nodded understandingly. 
 
 " I see," he said. "But why did you select 
 me of all the men in the train? My face 
 look good to you?" 
 
 I gazed at him intently, searchingly; but 
 I could not make sure whether he was in 
 earnest or not. 
 
 "I didn't see your face," I answered. 
 
 "You didn't?" 
 
 "No; I saw your back only." 
 
 " Is that so? " chuckling. " Then you just 
 picked me out by chance. I'm disappointed; 
 I was patting myself on the back thought 
 maybe you saw something in my face that 
 that attracted you."- Then, heartily, ear- 
 nestly: "No, that isn't what I mean ex- 
 actly. What I wanted to say is that I hoped 
 you saw something in my face that inspired 
 your confidence." 
 
 126
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Your back inspired my confidence/' I ex- 
 plained artlessly. 
 
 "What!" 
 
 "It did." 
 
 "My back?" 
 
 "Yes. You looked so big and strong, so 
 much like a man, so so good and fatherly." 
 
 He threw back his handsome head and 
 laughed; then looked at me and laughed 
 some more. Evidently I was amusing him; 
 evidently he was getting the worth of his 
 money. 
 
 "So I looked elderly, fatherly, did I?" he 
 queried when he could command his voice. 
 
 "Your back did yes." 
 
 "Well, how about my face?" 
 
 "You know your face looks young." 
 
 "Do I?" 
 
 "Yes, you do." 
 
 "How old do you think I am?" 
 
 "You're angling for flattery." 
 
 "No, I'm not." 
 
 "About thirty-nine." 
 
 "What!" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "That's your guess?" 
 
 127
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "That's my calculation. A back view of 
 you indicates forty-nine, a front view indi- 
 cates twenty-nine; so I arrived at an aver- 
 age thirty-nine. ' ' 
 
 "Well, I'm just twenty-nine and glad of 
 it. Now, what's your age?" 
 
 "Guess." 
 
 "Forty." 
 
 "You're kind," pouting. 
 
 " You asked me to guess ; and I never could 
 guess." 
 
 "I don't care what you think." 
 
 "Oh! I don't think you're forty; I just 
 guessed that. I think you're about eighteen. 
 How close am I?" 
 
 "You're close quite close." 
 
 "I thought so." 
 
 He was silent a moment; then he asked 
 abruptly : 
 
 "Are you really without money?" 
 
 "Yes, I am of course I am," I cried sharp- 
 ly, "or I wouldn't have done what I did." 
 
 "Of course," he admitted; "I understand 
 that now. Did you lose your purse?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Where?" 
 
 128
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "In Zanesville." 
 
 "Do you live there?" 
 
 I shook my head. 
 
 "In Columbus, then?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "No? Where?" 
 
 "No place at present." 
 
 "Oh! You've set out to make your for- 
 tune, have you?" 
 
 I made no reply. 
 
 "Pretty maiden, you're running away from 
 home." 
 
 "How do you know?" pertly. 
 
 "I don't know; I guess and I guess I'm 
 right." 
 
 "Well, if you are?" 
 
 "You're making a great mistake." 
 
 "7 don't think so." 
 
 "Of course not; they never do." 
 
 "They who?" 
 
 "Girls who run away from good homes." 
 
 "You're a preacher, aren't you?" sneer- 
 ingly. 
 
 "I'm anything but a preacher you ought 
 to be able to see that; but I'm talking good 
 sense good advice." 
 
 129
 
 "Well, you needn't talk the stuff to me 
 I didn't ask you for it; and I can take care 
 of myself. I'm very, very grateful for the 
 kindness you've shown me in paying my fare ; 
 but I don't want you to lecture me. I never 
 could bear a lecture." 
 
 He continued placidly: 
 
 "But you admit that you're running away 
 from home in spite of the wishes of your 
 parents? " 
 
 "I have no parents." 
 
 "An orphan true?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 " That changes the aspect of the case some- 
 what. But whom are you running away from, 
 then?" 
 
 "My brother." 
 
 "And the cause?" 
 
 "He's going to get married." 
 
 "I see I understand," the corners of his 
 mouth twitching. "Where does he live?" 
 
 " I think I've answered about enough ques- 
 tions." 
 
 "You don't want to tell me where your 
 brother lives, then?" 
 
 "No, I don't." 
 
 130
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Nor your name, either, I presume." 
 
 "I won't tell you my name." 
 
 "Very well. Please forget that I hinted 
 the request. Still I would like to know your 
 name." 
 
 "Why do you want to know?" 
 
 " I have an interest in your welfare that's 
 all." 
 
 "Have you, indeed?" sarcastically. 
 
 "Haven't I shown it?" he retorted rather 
 sharply. 
 
 "Y-e-s," I had to admit. 
 
 "And you're going to Columbus?" 
 
 I nodded; and wished sincerely he would 
 talk of something more interesting than my- 
 self and my affairs of himself, for instance. 
 
 "What have you in view what do you 
 expect to do?" 
 
 "Work in an office." 
 
 "Is that so f" 
 
 "Certainly," severely. "Why are you so 
 surprised?" 
 
 "I'm not. Have you secured a place?" 
 
 "Yes, I have." 
 
 "You're fortunate." 
 
 Then he sat silent and thoughtful for some 
 
 131
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 time. At last he remarked, smiling: "No 
 doubt you think me rather rather inquisi- 
 tive." 
 
 "No doubt I do rather," I smiled in re- 
 turn. 
 
 "And you resent my inquisitiveness con- 
 sider it impertinence?" 
 
 "I've no right to resent it; I've put my- 
 self under obligations to you unfortunately." 
 
 "Come don't say that!" he muttered, 
 with genuine feeling. "I don't want you to 
 feel that way about it. I simply desire to be 
 your friend; and you're making it hard for 
 me. You refuse to tell me your name or 
 where you came from; and you intimate that 
 I'm making free indulging in meddlesome 
 interference in your affairs. You're leading 
 me to doubt your sincerity; and I don't want 
 to do that. Won't you answer me just one 
 question?" 
 
 "Maybe. What is it?" 
 
 "Whose office do you take a position in 
 in Columbus?" 
 
 "I won't answer." 
 
 "All right," he mumbled, and bit his lips 
 and scowled. Then, sourly: "I'm rapidly 
 
 132
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 coming to believe that you're you're sailing 
 under false colors; that you've got money; 
 that you've been playing me for a sucker." 
 
 That hurt, Nell Adams hurt like a home- 
 sick pain. I didn't mind so much what he 
 said as what he didn't say what he inti- 
 mated. I knew well what he meant; and 
 I was so shocked and grieved that a per- 
 fect stranger, even, should thus suspect me. 
 In spite of myself my lips began to tremble 
 and tears started to my eyes. I was angry, 
 too angry that my native resolution had de- 
 serted me, that I couldn't conceal my emo- 
 tion. 
 
 "You're very kind," I murmured chok- 
 ingly; "and you're welcome to your charit- 
 able opinion, I'm sure." 
 
 Then I turned my back to him and gazed 
 out at the flying landscape, sick at heart. 
 
 Presently I heard him saying gruffly to 
 hide his feelings, it may have been: 
 
 "I'm something of a brute, I guess, my 
 girl ; and I do beg your pardon. I know you're 
 all right; I know you are. Now, won't you 
 look at me won't you talk to me?" 
 
 I made no reply by word or sign. 
 
 133
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 "Won't you?" he repeated softly, coax- 
 
 Still I remained silent and motionless. 
 
 " Won't you please? " 
 
 " What do you want? " I questioned. 
 
 "Want you to turn around; I've got 
 something to say to you." 
 
 I turned and faced him. 
 
 "My dear young woman/' he said gravely, 
 "don't you know you did a very foolish 
 thing a very reckless thing, when you told 
 the conductor I was your uncle and hinted 
 that I would pay your fare when you put 
 yourself under obligations to me in that way? " 
 
 "No, I don't," I replied frankly. 
 
 "Well, your answer establishes your inno- 
 cence sure," with a deprecating, pitying 
 shake of the head, "your lack of knowledge 
 of the ways of the big brutal world, at any 
 rate." 
 
 " It doesn't establish anything of the kind," 
 I cried, piqued that he should consider me a 
 verdant rural school-miss. "I simply took 
 you for a gentleman; and thought you'd be 
 glad to help me out of an embarrassing situa- 
 tion." 
 
 134
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "And what do you think of me now?" 
 coolly. 
 
 " I don't know what to think of you." 
 
 "Do you still think me a gentleman?" 
 
 "I can't say," I replied candidly. "In 
 some ways you've shown that you are; in 
 others you've indicated that you're not. I'm 
 grateful for the service you've rendered me; 
 but I wish you hadn't inquired into my 
 private affairs." 
 
 "And you won't tell me where you came 
 from?" -The persistent man! 
 
 "No, I won't." 
 
 "Nor tell me your name?" -The unex- 
 ampled audacity! 
 
 "Indeed I won't." 
 
 "Nor whom you're going to work for?" 
 The rude and shameless wretch ! 
 
 "No! No! No!"- with warranted em- 
 phasis. 
 
 "Why won't you?" 
 
 "Why?" in fine scorn. "Because you've 
 no right to inquire; and I sincerely wish I'd 
 let the condutcor put me off the train." 
 
 "No, you don't," smiling provokingly. 
 
 "I dor 
 
 135
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "You're mistaken; you're rather enjoying 
 holding me at arms' length, as you are. But, 
 say!" 
 
 I lifted my brows in answer. 
 
 "I'll tell you my name, if you'll tell me 
 yours." 
 
 "I don't care to know your name." I 
 lied there, Sweet Nell and I knew I lied; I 
 was burning with curiosity to know his name- 
 to know all about him. 
 
 "And I'll tell you where my home is, if 
 you'll tell me where you came from." 
 
 I shook my head. 
 
 " And I'll tell you my business, if you'll tell 
 me whom you're going to work for. There!" 
 
 I remained silent. 
 
 "You won't do it?" 
 
 "No, I won't," I snapped. 
 
 " As you like. Now, let me say just a word 
 more and I'm through. You're going to 
 need friends in Columbus; I'll tell you why 
 in a moment. No, don't interrupt me," 
 raising his hand authoritatively. "I live in 
 the city; I do business there when I'm not 
 out on the road. I'm going to hunt you up 
 and look after you; you shan't prevent me. 
 
 136
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 Maybe you have friends or relatives there, 
 though eh?" lifting his brows inquiringly. 
 
 "No, I haven't," I answered coldly. "And 
 now won't you please take another seat? I 
 think we've exhausted the subject." 
 
 "We're running into Newark," he laughed 
 carelessly; "so I shan't bother you much 
 longer and it won't be necessary for me to 
 move to another seat. While I think of it 
 here's the cash-slip for your fare; the con- 
 ductor objected to receipting farther than 
 Newark, but I fixed it. Now, to conclude 
 briefly what I want to say: you won't be 
 able to hold a position in any office very long 
 at a time, I fear. You're entirely too pretty, 
 too fascinating; and the wives and sweet- 
 hearts of your employers will get jealous of 
 you promptly."- Was he making sport of me? 
 I couldn't tell; there was laughter in his eyes, 
 but sincerity in his voice. "I mean what 
 I say," evidently reading my thoughts. 
 "You'll need friends to help you to outride 
 the storm your own sex will raise against you ; 
 and" 
 
 " Well, I'll not come to you for a place in 
 your office," I interrupted frigidly. 
 
 137
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "It wouldn't be worth your while, "- 
 grinning a maddening grin; "I wouldn't 
 have you in our office under any circumstances 
 no indeed. Why, my father sixty years 
 old and a widower is one of the most impres- 
 sionable men; he incontinently falls in love 
 with every pretty face he sees. I've had to 
 discharge three girls in the last year, on 
 account of his frailty. But I've fixed him 
 at last," laughing immoderately; "a week 
 or so ago I engaged a girl as homely as 
 Medusa. If the old man falls in love with 
 her, I'm going to punish him by making him 
 marry her; I can't be devoting half my time 
 to hunting new girls." 
 
 Then, rising and standing with a hand on 
 the back of the seat and bending over me: 
 
 "Well, here's Newark; arid here you leave 
 me. I've got to run up to Mount Vernon and 
 look after a little business. Sorry I can't go 
 on to Columbus with you. But I'll hunt you 
 up; I mean it. And now I'll see you to your 
 train waiting right over there. Come along; 
 give me that grip." 
 
 He conducted me to my car and saw me 
 safely aboard. I thanked him and offered 
 
 138
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 him my hand. He grasped it, held it close 
 in his own and said soberly: 
 
 "Goodbye. Don't think too unfavorably 
 of me; maybe Pm not as bad as you think. 
 Goodbye till I see you again." 
 
 Then he hurried through the door, sprang 
 down the steps and ran back to his own train. 
 I sat at an open window and silently, thought- 
 fully let my gaze follow him. I saw him 
 climb aboard and disappear; and uncon- 
 sciously I heaved a little sigh of relief or 
 regret, I could not say which. 
 
 Then his train began to move; and at the 
 same moment I felt the premonitory jerk 
 that apprised me that my own was starting. 
 One last look I cast in his direction. He had 
 reappeared at a window and was waving his 
 hand at me. I hesitated a moment, Nell 
 yes, indeed, I did! then, with my handker- 
 chief, fluttered him a reply, 
 
 139
 
 VII. 
 
 AT TEN o'clock I was in the Union depot at 
 Columbus. I followed the crowd out upon 
 High street, and asked a policeman to direct 
 me to the Branson building. 
 
 "About six blocks south," he said, "right 
 hand of the street, half way to the Capitol." 
 
 I was infinitely relieved that the distance 
 was no greater; for, as I had no money, I must 
 walk and carry my traveling-bag. I set off 
 briskly, gaily; and in due time I reached 
 the frowning front of the building I sought 
 and entered the arched and ornamented 
 portal. " Durbin and Son, real-estate," I said 
 to the elevator boy, as I stepped into the cage. 
 
 He gave no sign that he heard me ; but, on 
 reaching the eleventh floor, he stopped the 
 car, slid back the door and motioned me to 
 step out. 
 
 "Thousand-and-one," he mumbled as I 
 brushed past him. 
 
 And right in front of me I saw the number 
 and the firm name upon the frosted glass of a 
 
 140
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 door. Tremulously but resolutely I turned 
 the knob and crossed the threshold to meet 
 my fate; and found myself in a large carpeted 
 room with desks and chairs ranged about the 
 floor and maps and plats upon the walls. 
 Three or four men were bending industriously 
 over big, open canvas-bound ledgers ; and an 
 equal number of women of middle age and 
 rather unprepossessing, I noted promptly, 
 Nell! were playing monotonous staccato 
 music upon typewriters. 
 
 I stopped just inside the door and, with all 
 the aplomb I could muster, coolly, calmly 
 surveyed the scene. The man at the desk 
 nearest me slowly arose, stretched his arms 
 above his head, yawned, gave a final glance 
 at the pages of his ledger and then advanced 
 and remarked with a peculiar rising inflec- 
 tion: 
 
 "Something for you, Miss?" 
 
 "Is Mr. Durbin in?" I asked, my heart in 
 my throat. 
 
 "Durbin senior or junior?" smiling ser- 
 vilely yet impudently and rubbing his hands 
 together. 
 
 "Either will do." 
 
 141
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Durbin senior is in; Durbin junior is out 
 of town. What's the name, please?" 
 
 Nell Adams, every pen ceased its scratching, 
 every typewriter stopped its clicking, and 
 every ear in that room was cocked to catch 
 my reply. I could see it I couldn't help 
 seeing it; and I wanted to laugh oh, I wanted 
 to laugh! 
 
 "Marjor ' I began thoughtlessly, in reply 
 to the man's question; then blushed, cleared 
 my throat and stood embarrassed and silent, 
 like a bashful school-miss. 
 
 "Beg your pardon," he murmured, bending 
 toward me and smirking disagreeably, "I 
 didn't catch your name." 
 
 "Sarah Grimes," I returned in clear ringing 
 tones, irritated at the man's manner and my 
 own embarrassment. 
 
 And, Nell Sweet Nell, every man turned 
 and frankly stared at me and every woman 
 whirled around and openly and shamelessly 
 rubbered. Then they slyly smiled at one 
 another; and again looked me over, search- 
 ingly, critically and again smiled, and winked 
 and nodded. 
 
 What did their pantomimic behavior mean? 
 
 142
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 I stood wondering and staring hard into 
 the face of the man who had come forward 
 to learn my mission. 
 
 " You want to see Mr. Durbin? " he inquired, 
 his features twitching. 
 
 I nodded stiffly. 
 
 "The elder Mr. Durbin?" 
 
 "Yes," I snapped, mad enough to stamp 
 my foot and scream; and one of the unattract- 
 ive females tittered. 
 
 " Have a chair," suggested the man, pushing 
 one toward me. 
 
 I dropped into the proffered seat; and the 
 fellow shuffled to the rear of the long room 
 and through a door, and closed it after him. 
 
 Then such actions on the part of those 
 people, Nell Adams! They winked and 
 leered and giggled; and made sly remarks 
 loud enough for me to hear. 
 
 "What did I tell you, old boy?" said one 
 man to another. "Hey?" 
 
 The "old boy" chuckled, and shrugged his 
 shoulders. 
 
 "You were right," he said. "And now the 
 orchestra '11 commence to play." 
 
 "Uh-huh/" laughed a third. "Regular 
 
 143
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 slide-trombone solo with bass-drum accom- 
 paniment as a feature, too." 
 
 "Old Cock-a-doodle '11 be right in his 
 element/' snickered the first. 
 
 " And Neddy-boy, steady-boy, will go right 
 up in the air again," from the second. 
 
 "Say!" from the third. 
 
 "Huh?" from both the others. 
 
 "Wonder what ever made him do it hey? 
 Neddy-boy, I mean. Don't he know a good 
 thing when he runs on to it? He must have 
 strange notions of of female unattractive- 
 ness, for instance, eh?" 
 
 "Well, I should say!" 
 
 "Isn't that the truth!" 
 
 Then all three laughed. 
 
 The women at the typewriters said nothing 
 aloud; they just kept stealing glances at me 
 and giggling and whispering among them- 
 selves. 
 
 I began to grow uneasy, alarmed. What 
 was the meaning of such unusual and rude 
 conduct? My advent had occasioned it 
 that was patent; and my presence had in- 
 spired their remarks. But what was the 
 meaning of it all? I couldn't determine; and 
 
 144
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 I grew more and more fidgetty as the moments 
 passed. Then an awful, awful thought pre- 
 sented itself. Was it possible they knew the 
 real bona-fide Sarah Grimes and knew I was 
 an impostor? Horrors! I had an arctic chill 
 and then went into a torrid fever all in a 
 few seconds. Sarah Grimes! At that mo- 
 ment I sincerely regretted that I had ever 
 heard the name. Mercy ! What a fool I had 
 been what a fool I was! No doubt the 
 genuine sterling-brand Sarah had applied for 
 the place in person; and of course they knew 
 her. Oh, cruel fate! Why hadn't I thought 
 of that possibility sooner? What a pesky 
 fix I was in! And, old chum, I was gravely 
 considering the advisability of ignominious 
 flight, when the man who had delegated him- 
 self a reception committee of one returned 
 to me and said : 
 
 "Mr. Durbin will see you in the private 
 office." 
 
 I resolutely pulled myself together and 
 arose to my feet. Then I coolly gave a few 
 shakes and pats to my skirts, collectedly 
 administered a few deft touches to my hair 
 and calmly caught up my traveling-bag and 
 
 145
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 followed my guide, scornfully ignoring the 
 glances that were following me. 
 
 A half-minute later I stood in the august 
 presence of the senior member of the firm of 
 Durbin and Son, real-estate dealers. And 
 what a surprise what a relief his revealed 
 personality was to me, in a way, Nell ! I had 
 expected to face a grim, gruff ogre; instead, 
 I looked upon a dumpy, rotund little man, 
 bald-headed, bulbous-nosed, ruddy-cheeked. 
 A narrow fringe of fuzzy, frizzly gray hair 
 semi-circled the back of his head; and two 
 little bunches of the same texture and color did 
 duty as side-whiskers. He wore dark coat 
 and trousers, white waistcoat and drab spats. 
 Chum mine, he looked for all the world like 
 Foxy Grandpa ! His round pale-blue eyes flew 
 open at my entrance wide, very wide; and 
 he arose and bowed. 
 
 "Have a chair have a chair, young lady," 
 was his greeting; and he continued to bob 
 and smile. "Perhaps you'd better remove 
 your wrap; it's warm quite warm to-day." 
 
 I followed his suggestion. 
 
 " So you're Miss Miss Grimes Miss Sarah 
 Grimes." 
 
 146
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Yes, sir," I murmured, barely above a 
 whisper. 
 
 "And you're here." 
 
 That fact was so evident that I did not 
 see fit to comment upon it; so I kept silent. 
 But Mr. Durbin was not satisfied with my 
 silence; and he repeated : 
 
 "And you're here, I say." 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 " In spite of your letter saying you would 
 not come." 
 
 "I I got better so I thought I'd I'd 
 
 come." 
 
 "Of course; I see. You made a quick 
 recovery." 
 
 Again I kept discreetly silent. 
 
 "I say you made a quick recovery." 
 
 "Y-e-s," I replied. 
 
 What was he aiming at? I wondered I 
 wondered ! 
 
 "My son engaged you as our private 
 amanuensis private secretary, I understand." 
 
 Well, 7 didn't understand, Sweet Nell; and 
 I was in a fearful quandary at once. What 
 was I to say? What was the straight of the 
 matter? Had his son engaged me Miss 
 
 147
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 Sarah Grimes? I didn't know; and I was 
 scared silly. 
 
 "He did engage you, didn't he?" rather 
 sharply, I fancied. 
 
 "Y-e-s, yes, sir," in reckless indecision. 
 
 "When was it?" 
 
 Now I was scared sick! 
 
 "I I think it was a week or so ago/' I 
 murmured thickly. 
 
 "Ah?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "About a week ago?" 
 
 "Y-e-s." 
 
 "You're sure?" 
 
 "Why, yes that is yes, I guess it was 
 just about a week or so ago." 
 
 "Uh-huh! And he told you all about 
 about me?" 
 
 "All about me!" Heavens! What did he 
 mean? And what was "all about me?" Now I 
 was scared insane! I didn't have sense enough 
 left to do anything but swallow and blink. 
 
 "Did he?" 
 
 "Y-e-s," I gulped. 
 
 The old gentleman began to quiver and 
 shake all over his mouth tight shut, his eyes 
 
 148
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 squinted. I just gazed and marveled. Was 
 he threatened with an epileptic spasm or an 
 apoplectic seizure; or was he just struggling 
 with a desire to laugh or cry? I couldn't 
 tell to save me; and I was duly worried. 
 However, he recovered controlled his work- 
 ing features and went on : 
 
 "Did he Edward, my son talk with 
 you? " 
 
 Not knowing what else to do, I nodded 
 ever so slightly. 
 
 "Over the phone; or did he call call to 
 see you?" 
 
 I was recovering my equanimity. I couldn't 
 gather what the old fellow was hinting at; 
 but I made up my mind to brave the thing 
 through. So I answered: 
 
 "He phoned me first; then called upon me 
 at my home." 
 
 "He did, eh?" gleefully rubbing his hands. 
 
 "Yes, sir," firmly: "he did." 
 
 "And and he saw you?" 
 
 "Why, of course." 
 
 I was so completely mystified with his 
 strange questions and peculiar manner, that 
 I felt like flying from the room. 
 
 149
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Was it by daylight he saw you, or or 
 in the dark?" 
 
 "Sir/" 
 
 "Now now!" with raised finger and 
 quick concern. "Don't misunderstand me, 
 my dear young woman. What I mean to say 
 is, did he see you by daylight or just by 
 lamplight?" 
 
 "He saw me by daylight, sir. But why 
 what's the difference?" 
 
 "Nothing much; nothing much. I was 
 just wondering. And you were looking as 
 as well then as you do now, were you?" 
 
 " Sir? Looking as well? I was as well ; yes, 
 
 sir." 
 
 "You were looking as winsome and pretty, 
 eh?" 
 
 I could do nothing but blush demurely. 
 
 " And he engaged you, did he, and told you 
 to report here for work? " 
 
 "He did," frigidly. 
 
 "Well, that boy of mine's a precious fool 
 if there ever was one." 
 
 Again he commenced to quake and quaver 
 like an inverted mold of blanc-mange; and 
 his ruddy features commenced to undergo all 
 
 150
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 sorts of antic twitchings and tricksy spasms. 
 I grew alarmed about him. Was he subject 
 to such attacks; and were they of a serious 
 nature? Then, of a sudden, he sprang to his 
 feet, slapped his thigh, and opened his mouth 
 and let out a whoop of laughter. And I was 
 indignant as an insulted queen; and wanted 
 to fly at hun and scratch him. What kind 
 of a place had I got into, anyhow? Were the 
 people in that office all crazy; and was the 
 head of the firm the maddest of the lot? I 
 wanted to know! 
 
 Up and down the room he paced, chuckling, 
 chortling, gurgling and exploding. 
 
 "Mr. Durbin," I cried, exasperated. 
 
 He stopped laughing, looked at me va- 
 cantly; then began to laugh harder than 
 ever literally stamping the floor and flagel- 
 lating his body with his arms. 
 
 "Mr. Durbin!" more sharply. 
 
 "Miss Grimes," he answered, instantly 
 sobering and returning to his chair. 
 
 "You insult me," I said severely. 
 
 "No no!" he protested. "I intend no 
 discourtesy. You understand the cause of 
 my merriment, undoubtedly, don't you?" 
 
 151
 
 "You're laughing at me." 
 
 "No indeed, no!" hastily ."I'm not 
 laughing at you; I'm laughing about you." 
 
 "What's the difference? "testily. 
 
 "Why, you understand why I'm laughing, 
 don't you?" 
 
 "I do not." 
 
 "I thought you said Ned my son, you 
 know told you all about me." 
 
 "He he mentioned you," I stammered; 
 " I think that was about all." 
 
 " Oh ! Was that all? I misunderstood you ; 
 and I don't wonder you misunderstood my 
 merriment, I don't wonder you took it amiss. 
 I humbly apologize, Miss Grimes. And now 
 a question or two, to avoid embarrassing 
 explanation. My son said nothing to you 
 about my my weakness, as he is pleased 
 to term it?" 
 
 I shook my head, deeply puzzled. 
 
 "Nothing about my being overly impres- 
 sionable overly susceptible to the charms 
 of the fair sex?" 
 
 Nell Adams! A great light broke in upon 
 me! What had I done what had I done! 
 I had recklessly assumed the name and 
 
 152
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 character of Sarah Grimes and had taken her 
 place with Durbin and Son; and Ned Durbin, 
 the junior member of the firm, was the young 
 man I had met on the train; and the elder 
 Durbin was the impressionable father of 
 whom the son had spoken. I sat gazing 
 fixedly, stonily, at the old gentleman's rubi- 
 cund features; and I felt myself falling, sink- 
 ing down, down, down. As one in a dream 
 I saw my companion rise from his chair and 
 hasten to the water-filter in the corner of the 
 room. On returning to my side he said : 
 
 "Here have a drink, Miss Grimes; you're 
 looking pale and sick. Your journey and 
 the heat have been too much for you." 
 
 With trembling hand I took the proffered 
 glass and drained it. Then I murmured: 
 
 "Thank you. I turned suddenly ill." 
 
 "Feeling better?" he inquired with real 
 solicitude. 
 
 "Yes, a little." 
 
 "You look strong. Isn't your health good 
 usually?" 
 
 "Very good," I hastened to say; "but I've 
 not been feeling well for a few days. You 
 know I mentioned my indisposition in the 
 
 153
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 letter I sent you." Then as a quick after- 
 thought: "I had my sister write it for me." 
 
 Sweet Nell of old Oberlin, I was both sur- 
 prised and delighted with the readiness and 
 celerity with which I was learning to play my 
 part was learning to deceive and lie. The 
 old gentleman replied to my implied inter- 
 rogatory : 
 
 "Yes, I got your letter yesterday, saying 
 you were sick and couldn't accept the place; 
 and it was the first intimation I had that Ned 
 had engaged you to come. You see he left 
 the city over a week ago, to look after some 
 coal lands over in the eastern part of the state; 
 and I didn't know he had you or anyone else 
 under consideration and inspection."- He 
 smiled radiantly, benignly ; and I kept repeat- 
 ing over and over, under my breath : " Inspec- 
 tion, inspection! In the name of common 
 sense what does he mean?" He continued: 
 "So, when I got your letter I didn't know 
 hardly what to make of it. But I'm awfully 
 pleased that you got able to come, for we've 
 been having a devil of a time here." He 
 slapped his thigh and laughed wheezingly ; and 
 I straightened up and began to pay more 
 
 154
 
 attention to what he was saying. "To make 
 the true condition of affairs here plain to you, 
 I'll just say that my son Edward's a very 
 peculiar young man. He's a big handsome 
 fellow," our opinions coincided, Nell! "like 
 his mother's people and not like his sawed-off 
 old dad," grinning good-humoredly, "and 
 he ought to be a regular ladies' man; but he's 
 anything but that. He's all business that's 
 what he is; has nothing of tender sentiment 
 about him has no taste nor admiration for 
 the fair sex at all. He thinks a woman was 
 made to bake and brew or to do office work, 
 like any other piece of machinery; that's a 
 fact and that's all. I'm telling you all this 
 so you'll know how to take him. He isn't 
 much like me," nodding, smiling and wink- 
 ing ever so slyly, " so we've had some differ- 
 ences of opinion and not a little mild trouble 
 about the running of our business. I'd like, 
 for purely aesthetic reasons, to have the office 
 full of pretty young women I enjoy their 
 pleasure and society; but he won't hear to 
 anything of the kind. He says I'm a foolish 
 old beau, that I'm all the4ime making love to 
 every good-looking girl I meet, that I ought 
 
 155
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 to have a guardian or be in an imbecile asylum, 
 and that my admiration for the girls spoils 
 them and unfits them for business; and I 
 think him a practical, materialistic, unsenti- 
 mental wretch," smiling sweetly, blandly. 
 " So, to patch up a sort of truce, to maintain a 
 kind of armed peace and neutrality, for the 
 last year I've let him have his way in regard 
 to things; and I've tried to be very circum- 
 spect in my behavior. But Ned's unreason- 
 able. Why, he's turned off every comely girl 
 we've had, every young woman that was good 
 to look upon, and has installed three or four 
 things with faces and forms that would make 
 an automobile shy off the highway. Did you 
 notice them as you came in, Miss Grimes?" 
 
 "I believe I I did," I said hesitatingly. 
 
 "And what did you think of them?" 
 bending eagerly toward me. "Now, give me 
 your honest opinion." 
 
 "Well, I hardly think think," I stam- 
 mered, "they'd take first prize in a beauty 
 show." 
 
 "First prize in a beauty show! I guess 
 not! Why, it sets my teeth on edge just to 
 look at 'em. Now, I claim I'm a connoisseur 
 
 156
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 when it comes to female beauty; and I admit 
 that I'm attracted and fascinated by a fair 
 face or lovely form, and at times I may make 
 myself just a little ridiculous considering 
 my age by bowing too frequently and too 
 profoundly at the shrine of some sweet divin- 
 ity. But it's just the artistic temperament, 
 the love of the beautiful implanted in me; and 
 I've always been so. And Ned has gone too 
 far in his heartless and heathenish iconoclasm 
 too devilish far, Miss Grimes. Within the 
 last year we've had two or three girls in the 
 private office here that I could look at without 
 having an attack of St. Vitus' dance; and the 
 minute that degenerate son of mine found me 
 paying the slightest attention to them, accord- 
 ing them the slightest courtesy like present- 
 ing them with a bunch of flowers, a box of 
 candy or a bag of fruit, or offering them a 
 lunch ticket or theater ticket he has incon- 
 tinently discharged them. I told him when 
 he dismissed the last one, a month or so ago, 
 to select one to suit his own depraved taste; 
 I'd got tired of his fault-finding. He said he'd 
 take me at my word and would find a woman 
 with a face like that of a Chinese idol ; and 
 
 157
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 that if I fell in love with her and began to make 
 myself ridiculous and obnoxious, he'd appeal 
 to the courts to make me marry her. And now 
 he's gone and picked out you. Oh, Lord ! Oh, 
 Lord!" 
 
 He lay back in his chair and rolled and 
 laughed, and kicked his heels together and 
 roared. 
 
 "I can't understand it I just can't!" he 
 gasped, his face purple, tears rolling down his 
 cheeks. 
 
 "Can't understand what, Mr. Durbin?" I 
 questioned. 
 
 "Can't understand your coming," he 
 panted. 
 
 "Why can't you understand my coming?" 
 I asked artlessly. 
 
 " Oh ! I guess I can understand your coming 
 all right," eyeing me admiringly; "it's 
 Ned's engaging you to come that puzzles me." 
 
 "Why?" smiling ravishingly at him. 
 
 "Why! You know why, Miss Grimes. 
 You're about the prettiest girl I've seen in 
 years," inclining his head and smirking ridic- 
 ulously; "and how that chump of a Ned 
 ever came to pick out you as a sure cure for 
 
 158
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 sentimentality, after seeing you, is more than I 
 can fathom or comprehend. He must have 
 thought you ugly, repulsive of course. The 
 dolt ! For if he had a glimmering idea of how 
 blissfully and dangerously attractive you 
 are," the old simpleton, Nell! "he wouldn't 
 have you in the office for anything under 
 any circumstances." 
 
 I had the hardest work to keep from saying 
 " that's what he told me" ; but I bit my lips 
 and kept quiet. The garrulous old fellow 
 went on: 
 
 "But he's made his bed, and now he's got 
 to lie in it; he's hired you and here you are. 
 And I'm mighty glad you're here. The bar- 
 gain between him and me was that he was 
 to make his choice and both of us were to be 
 satisfied for a year, at least. I'm satisfied 
 and likely to remain so; but I doubt if he'll 
 be very long. But, according to the con- 
 tract, he can't discharge you; I won't allow 
 him to I'll hold him right to the agreement. 
 And won't he kick up a shindy when he 
 begins to realize what he's done! Oh, my!" 
 
 He laughed heartily, wheezingly, pounding 
 his knees and wriggling. 
 
 159
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Mr. Durbin," I said timidly, regretfully, 
 " I think I'd better not stay." 
 
 "Huh?" he jerked out, sitting up very 
 straight and looking hard at me. "What?" 
 
 "I think Fd better not stay," I repeated. 
 
 "Better not stay? Why, of course you'd 
 better stay; and of course you will stay. Do 
 you suppose Fm going to let you go the only 
 really good-looking girl we've had in the office 
 in a year? Not much! I won't hear of your 
 leaving not at all. I wouldn't dare to let 
 you leave, at any rate when my son has 
 chosen you and sent you here. No, indeed!" 
 
 And he grinned and winked openly, 
 shamelessly. 
 
 "But Fm not very well, you know," I 
 weakly objected, "and 
 
 "Oh, that's all right," he interrupted 
 cheerily; "and you'll be all right. You're 
 strong I can see that; you're just suffering 
 from a temporary indisposition. If you don't 
 feel like going to work to-day, you can wait 
 till to-morrow; we've waited so long, we can 
 wait a little longer. Then, you'll want to 
 secure you a room. There's a pleasant place 
 out on East Gay; I'll give you the address and 
 
 160
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 a recommendation to the landlady, and you 
 can run out there on the car. Several of our 
 girls have roomed there. You'll find a good 
 restaurant in the near neighborhood, where 
 you can take your meals if you like. By the 
 way, it's about lunch time now. Won't you 
 go out with me?" 
 
 "No, I I thank you," I replied in a half- 
 whisper, my brows knit thoughtfully. Then, 
 with quick decision: "And I think I won't 
 won't accept the place, Mr. Durbin." 
 
 " Won't accept the place! " incredulity and 
 consternation in voice and expression of coun- 
 tenance. "Oh, come now! You don't mean 
 that. Say that you don't please say that 
 you don't." 
 
 "But I do mean it." 
 
 "No, you don't no, you don't! Why, 
 what leads you to say such a thing?" 
 
 "I'm a afraid I'll make trouble between 
 you and your son," I faltered. 
 
 "No danger not a bit not the least," 
 he exclaimed excitedly. "Why, I tell you I 
 wouldn't dare to let you go, since he's selected 
 you and had you come on here; that would 
 make trouble." And once more he grinned 
 
 161
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 and winked, slyly, facetiously. "And I won't 
 hear of your going, for my own sake; a maid 
 of beauty is a joy forever, to me. No no! 
 You stay; we'll have great fun great times. 
 Listen!" impressively leaning toward me, 
 his finger upon his lips. " I'll be good very 
 good, and very discreet; I won't be a bit 
 familiar or offensive. I'll just pay enough 
 attention to you to keep Ned in a stew, to 
 exasperate him to madness." He was bub- 
 bling and fizzling with half-suppressed merri- 
 ment. "I want to teach him a lesson; and 
 I want you to help me to do it. We'll have 
 great times lots of fun. Won't you stay 
 won't you help me? " coaxingly, wheedlingly. 
 
 "I don't don't know," I murmured mood- 
 ily. "Won't your son discharge me, as he has 
 the others, when he learns discovers that 
 I'm I'm not not unattractive?" 
 
 And I blushed as prettily as I knew how, 
 Nell mine; and it would have done your soul 
 good to see the look of worshipful admiration 
 that dear old gay-boy gave me ! 
 
 "Discharge you?" bristling valiantly. 
 "I rather guess not; you say you'll stay 
 and you'll stay. I'm a part of the firm; I'm 
 
 162
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 the head and front of it. I let him run things 
 largely; but my word goes when I set my 
 foot down and say it goes. He won't try to 
 cut up any didoes, though seeing he's en- 
 gaged you himself; and it'll be great sport 
 to see him squirm. Oh! it'll be a good lesson 
 to him just what he's been needing. I've 
 wanted him to think about marrying 
 he's old enough; but he's snubbed me every 
 time I've suggested such a thing. We'll 
 teach him a lesson you and I. Say you'll 
 stay." 
 
 "I've I've a notion to stay," I replied, 
 irresistibly attracted by the idea of getting 
 even with Mr. Edward Durbin, for his smart- 
 ness on the train. 
 
 "That's it; of course you'll stay." 
 
 " But he may claim he he never hired me 
 never engaged me," I suggested as the 
 possibility presented itself to me. 
 
 "Huh?" the old chap ejaculated. 
 
 I repeated my words. 
 
 "Oh, he couldn't make any such ridiculous 
 claim as that!" smiling reassuringly, con- 
 fidently. "Why, here's your letter to prove 
 he engaged you and here you are. No, you 
 
 163
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 stay and have no fear. Ned'll be home 
 to-morrow, probably; and then the fun '11 
 begin." 
 And, Nell Adams, it did! 
 
 164
 
 VIII. 
 
 I ENTERED upon my duties with Durbin and 
 Son, the morning following my arrival in the 
 city. Mr. Durbin greeted me smilingly, effu- 
 sively; but made no further mention of the 
 subject of our conversation of the day before. 
 However, he placed a fine bouquet of roses 
 upon my desk; and, from time to time, as 
 we worked, he fixed his eyes upon me admir- 
 ingly, worshipfully, and heaved a sigh that 
 seemed to come from the soles of his patent- 
 leathers. It was nice, Nell ever so nice! 
 He was so respectful, so reverential. At such 
 times a little quiver of gratification and 
 delight played up and down my spine, and 
 a little tinkling tune of bliss sang in my 
 soul. I've learned one thing if no more, 
 Nell Adams. It's nice to be admired .of men 
 little matter who the man is or what he is 
 like, so long as he doesn't become bothersome. 
 Admiration is more satisfactory than love in 
 this respect: one can enjoy it without recip- 
 rocating.
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 Mr. Durbin took me out and introduced me 
 to the men and women in the outer office; 
 and the men mumbled "Miss Grimes" and 
 shook my hand heartily, and the women 
 looked me over and sized me up and gave me 
 the tips of their fingers. And then all of 
 them opened up a stock-exchange of sly 
 winks and glances and gestures; and the pa- 
 rade was over and the wild girl from Chester- 
 ville was led back to her cage. 
 
 All the forenoon Mr. Durbin and I worked 
 quietly and busily, seldom exchanging remarks 
 except about the business engrossing our 
 attention; but as the noon hour drew near 
 my employer's manner underwent a change. 
 He grew fidgety, apparently absent-minded; 
 and frequently consulted his watch. I could 
 read him, Nell; I knew what was in his mind 
 what was coming. At last he hemmed and 
 hummed, and said haltingly, lamely: 
 
 " It's it's about my lunch-time, Miss 
 Grimes; so I I guess we'll stop right here 
 and go out and have something to eat." 
 
 "We?" I murmured sweetly and demurely, 
 lifting my brows. 
 
 "Why why, yes," and he coughed and 
 
 168
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 squirmed. "Won't you go along with me 
 won't you accept my hospitality?" 
 
 I shook my head, smiling my sweetest. 
 
 "You're hungry, aren't you?" in kind 
 and genuine concern. 
 
 "Not very," with the faintest accent on 
 the very. 
 
 "Oh, yes, you are!" persuasively, whee- 
 dlingly. "And you can't do anything here 
 in my absence." 
 
 "I can rest, Mr. Durbin." 
 
 "True, Miss Grimes. But you'd better 
 come out and have something to eat." 
 
 "Maybe I will after a while." 
 
 "But come now; it will save time, you 
 know." 
 
 "Save time?" with a hint of frigidity in 
 my voice and manner. 
 
 "Well, that is isn't that isn't exactly 
 what I mean," stammering and getting red 
 in the face. "I I mean simply that you 
 can't do anything till I return, and I can't do 
 do much in your your absence; and, then, 
 I think it would be be pleasant for us to 
 lunch together, especially as you re a stranger 
 in the city hem! Don't you, Miss Grimes?" 
 
 167
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "I guess I'd better stay here, Mr. Durbin; 
 I'll write a letter, maybe, and be ready for 
 work on your return." 
 
 He was not satisfied, I had not expected 
 him to be, Nell! on the contrary, he was 
 sorely disappointed. I could see that; and 
 I giggled a little inward giggle. I was hav- 
 ing great fun, Nell mine! 
 
 "You can't stand it to do office work unless 
 you eat regularly," he argued. Then, with a 
 courtly bow : " And the bloom will fade from 
 your damask cheeks and the light from your 
 lustrous eyes, if you neglect your meals." 
 
 The old dunce! I got up and went with 
 him. What was the use of wasting time and 
 breath when I knew I meant to go all the 
 time! 
 
 The outer office was empty except for the 
 man who had his desk near the door. He 
 looked up, then ducked his head and grinned 
 amusedly, knowingly. 
 
 As we stood waiting at the elevator shaft, 
 I remarked slyly: 
 
 " We're not beginning our first day together 
 very well, are we, Mr. Durbin do you think?" 
 
 "I think we are," he chuckled boyishly, 
 
 168
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 quaking and shaking all over and making the 
 fuzzy bunches of hair about his ears quiver 
 like thistledown, "first rate just right." 
 
 "But your son will be home to-day, you 
 say." 
 
 "Probably this afternoon." 
 
 "Well, he'll object make trouble, won't 
 he?" 
 
 "About what?" 
 
 "About our going out to lunch together." 
 
 "Why, he won't know anything about it," 
 beaming seraphically. 
 
 "He won't?" 
 
 "Why, no. How will he?" 
 
 "The man in the office, who saw us come 
 out, will tell him." 
 
 "Think so?" 
 
 "Of course he will." 
 
 "Jones?" 
 
 "I guess that's his name yes; the man 
 at the desk near the door." 
 
 "That's Jones," he nodded, smiling broadly. 
 Then, chuckling asthmatically : "You think 
 that he'll tell Ned?" 
 
 "To be sure." 
 
 "What makes you think so?" 
 
 169
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "I I saw him look at us in a funny way." 
 
 "You did?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Was he grinning?" 
 
 "Yes, he was." 
 
 He laughed, and coughed, and sputtered. 
 
 " I saw him, too," he wheezed huskily; " and 
 he'll tell Ned I know it. That's what 
 tickles me; that's where the fun comes in. 
 But you needn't be afraid; Ned won't dare 
 to say a word I've got him this time!" 
 
 I didn't feel so much assurance, Nell; but 
 I said no more. 
 
 But we did have a great lunch, old chum. 
 Mr. Durbin laid himself and his money 
 out to do the handsome, and he succeeded; 
 and I showed my appreciation by eating 
 heartily and by favoring him with my most 
 fascinating smiles. The old youngster was 
 in a heaven of glory and delight; and his fat 
 round face beamed like a stage moon. He 
 was so well pleased with my gracious behavior 
 and so vainglorious over our mild escapade 
 that I could see he considered quite a wild 
 adventure, under the circumstances! that 
 he proposed rashly that we play truant 
 
 17Q
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 and go to the matinee, instead of returning 
 to our work. I felt the danger, Nell; and I 
 had to call him back to a sense of duty. He 
 was clear out on the daisy-fringed border of 
 gentle dalliance and undying love; if he had 
 got me to that matinee, I'm confident he 
 would have proposed to me right off. 
 
 On our way back to the office, he began: 
 
 " Now, as we've broken the ice, as it were, 
 Miss Miss " 
 
 "Grimes," I prompted, wondering what 
 was coming. 
 
 "Oh, I recall your name well enough!" 
 he teeheed gleefully. "But I was just think- 
 ing whether I might mightn't might " 
 
 "Well?" I murmured softly, snuggling a 
 little closer to his side. I saw he was going to 
 unbosom and unburden himself in some way, 
 Nell; and I wanted to encourage him all I 
 could for his soul's sake! 
 
 "Why, the the fact is," he went on, 
 squaring his shoulders and strutting, "I was 
 thinking wondering whether I mightn't 
 mightn't" 
 
 Again he came to a stop, smiling an uncti- 
 ous, inane smile at me. 
 
 171
 
 "Go on," I murmured, my eyes downcast. 
 
 "Well," in evident desperation, "'Miss 
 Grimes' 1 seems so formal, so so distant, I 
 was wondering whether I mightn't call you 
 'Sadie.'" 
 
 Nell Adams! I wanted to kill him right 
 there! "Sadie!" Did you ever! I always 
 did despise that name. The old dunce! 
 
 "No, you may not!" I answered promptly 
 and firmly. 
 
 " No? " grinning vacuously. 
 
 "No!" 
 
 "Well," he persisted, "'Sarah,' then- 
 just for the sake of informality ; I always did 
 think 'Sarah' a sweet old-fashioned name." 
 
 "Well, /don't!" I said icily. 
 
 "No?" 
 
 "No, I don't!" 
 
 "What shall I call you, then?" 
 
 "Mr. Durbin, you can call me 'Miss 
 Grimes,' " frigidly. 
 
 "Not even 'Miss Sarah' or 'Miss Sadie '- 
 eh?" 
 
 "No; 'Miss Grimes' will please me best, 
 Mr. Durbin thank you," very frigidly. 
 
 "All right all right," he hastened to say. 
 
 172
 
 " I hope you haven't taken my little suggestion 
 amiss. I only wanted to be friendly to 
 make you feel more at home in our employ, 
 in my company. All right Miss Grimes." 
 
 And I think the old codger meant what he 
 said, Nell just that and nothing more; or, 
 rather, that he thought he meant that. You 
 understand? But I was mad vixenish! 
 The old pest! "Sadie!" A snub-nosed 
 kitchen-miss's name! "Sarah!" A freckle- 
 faced nurse-maid's cognomen! Bah! It was 
 awful! I had a notion to pull the old gay- 
 boy's fuzzy side whiskers I did, honestly! 
 
 Well, that afternoon Mr. Ned Durbin 
 returned to the city. I heard him when he 
 came into the outer office the communicating 
 door was ajar; and I recognized his voice at 
 once. And the queerest little shiver of 
 delightful dread and dreadful delight! 
 rustled the hair on the nape of my neck; and 
 I braced myself and got ready to face the 
 inevitable. How w r ould he act? What would 
 he say? What would he do? 
 
 I saw Mr. Durbin cock an ear and listen. 
 Then he said: 
 
 "Why, that's Ned." 
 
 173
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 I just nodded, my heart fluttering and buz- 
 zing like a humming-bird. 
 
 "Miss Grimes is here/' I heard Jones say. 
 
 "That so?" Mr. Ned replied. "All right; 
 glad of it." 
 
 His footsteps approached the door; and 
 I felt all stuffy like he was walking up and 
 down my chest. Then the door swung open 
 and he stood within the room. I could not 
 lift my eyes from the work before me. 
 
 "Hello, father!" he cried cheerily. 
 
 "Hello, Ned my boy!" Mr. Durbin 
 returned. " Glad to see you back." 
 
 Then all was silent as death. I knew very 
 well what was going on that Mr. Ned had 
 discovered me, was staring straight at me. 
 What would he say? What would he do? 
 Oh, it was terrible, Sweet Nell! Yet I was 
 full of laughter, and wanted to screech 
 hysterically. At last, after what seemed 
 minutes, I managed to look up; and 
 
 There he stood stiff as a statue, boring me 
 through with his keen eyes; and his father 
 was looking at him, in questioning wonder. 
 
 "How do you do," I chirped prettily a 
 little plaintively, I presume, 
 
 174
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 Surprise, incredulity, anger were written 
 upon his handsome features. 
 
 "Why why," he jerked out, "what the 
 dev you you? " 
 
 "Why, you recognize Miss Grimes, don't 
 you, Ned?" Mr. Durbin interposed, his apple 
 face spread in an amused grin. 
 
 "Miss Grimes?" with a start. 
 
 "To be sure." 
 
 "Oh!" slowly, drawlingly, the light of 
 a great understanding illuminating his dark 
 countenance. "Miss Grimes, you're you're 
 here, I see." 
 
 "Yes," I murmured. 
 
 Nell, he showed himself a thoroughbred. 
 He began to smile and talk, apologize for not 
 recognizing me at once, think of the absurd- 
 ity of it! asked me when I got in; and com- 
 pletely bamboozled his dear old dad. Then 
 he hung up his hat in the closet and with- 
 drew to the outer office. 
 
 When we were again alone, Mr. Durbin 
 whispered lispingly: 
 
 "What do you think, Miss Grimes?" 
 
 "About what?" I asked innocently. 
 
 "About Ned's not recognizing you?" 
 
 175
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "I I don't know, I I guess. Why?" 
 suspiciously. 
 
 " 7 believe he did recognize you all the time." 
 
 I gave a guilty start. It was so hard to 
 feel myself Miss Sarah Grimes and yet know 
 myself Miss Marjory Dawes. Did Mr. Durbin 
 suspect that I was masquerading? 
 
 " Y e s?" I whispered questioningly, with 
 dry lips. 
 
 "Yes," my companion went on glibly, "I 
 think he recognized you; but I think he just 
 came to a realization of how how pretty 
 you are and it sort of upset him." 
 
 "Think so?" tittering, greatly relieved. 
 
 "Yes, I do." 
 
 "Perhaps." 
 
 And I calmly resumed my work. 
 
 A half hour later Mr. Ned again came in, 
 and said briskly rather brusquely : " Father, 
 I'm knocked out; I wish you'd take these 
 rent bills up to the Falstaff building, and 
 collect. A turn in the open air will do you 
 good eh?" 
 
 "I s'pose so," Mr. Durbin grunted some- 
 what ungraciously. 
 
 It was plain he did not desire to go did 
 
 176
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 not want to leave his son and me there alone, 
 for some obscure reason of his own, I fancied ; 
 but he took his hat and his departure. 
 Mr. Ned cooly closed the door, seated him- 
 self and began to look over some legal papers. 
 I worked away, Nell silently, rapidly; but 
 I was full of laugh in spite of my fear and 
 trembling. At last he tossed the papers upon 
 the desk between us and, leaning forward 
 and smiling a cold and nasty smile, said 
 slowly and distinctly: 
 
 " Now, my little girl, we'll thresh this thing 
 out right here, and this minute." 
 
 I folded my hands in my lap they were 
 cold as ice, Nell! and looked him full in the 
 face, bravely yet not defiantly. 
 
 "What 're you doing here?" he pursued. 
 
 "Working," -ever so innocently and 
 sweetly. 
 
 " Indeed ! " angrily. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Well, don't get funny now; this is no 
 funny matter. You are palming yourself off 
 for Miss Grimes?" 
 
 "I am Miss Grimes," I answered calmly. 
 
 "Oh!" with a sneer. 
 
 177
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Not much not to me." 
 
 "To your father and all the rest, I am." 
 
 "Well, where is Miss Grimes?" 
 
 "How should / know?" I countered. 
 
 "You do know." 
 
 "Do I?" smilingly, provokingly. 
 
 "Yes. Where is she?" 
 
 " In Parkersburg." 
 
 "What? Take care, now!" 
 
 "She is." 
 
 " How do you know? " 
 
 "Well, I know." 
 
 "Why didn't she come why did she go 
 to Parkersburg?" 
 
 "She got a better job, she thought." 
 
 "Oh!" 
 
 I nodded, still searching his face. 
 
 "Did she send you in her stead?" 
 
 I shook my head. 
 
 "No?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 " How did you learn about this place, then, 
 and that I had engaged her and that she 
 wasn't coming?" 
 
 I kept silent. 
 
 178
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Tell me," sternly. 
 
 "I won't," firmly. 
 
 "You won't?" gruffly, his brows knitted. 
 
 "No." 
 
 A few moments he glared at me, nervously 
 drumming the desk, with his clenched hand. 
 "You say she didn't tell you about this 
 place?" 
 
 "I didn't say." 
 
 "Well, did she?" 
 
 "She did not." 
 
 "Is she a friend of yours?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "An acquaintance?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "Have you ever met her?" 
 
 "I have not." 
 
 Clearly he was puzzled. He frowned and 
 pursed his lips. 
 
 "And you won't enlighten me won't tell 
 me anything more?" he said. 
 
 "No, I won't." 
 
 "Answer me this one question: did you 
 have this place in mind when we met on the 
 train?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 179
 
 "You did?" -with a start. 
 
 I nodded. 
 
 "And you knew me to be a member of the 
 firm eh?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "Now!" 
 
 "Indeed I did not" on my dignity, 
 "and you have no right to question my 
 word." 
 
 The merest suggestion of a smile relaxed 
 his stern mouth, Nell; and he said quickly: 
 
 " I beg your pardon, Miss Miss 
 
 "Miss Grimes," I prompted, giggling. 
 
 "I don't know what to call you," he mut- 
 tered irritably. 
 
 "Miss Grimes," I repeated. 
 
 "Nor what to think you," he went on, 
 again fixing his eyes upon me, sternly but 
 admiringly, I imagined. 
 
 "Think me just what I appear to be," I 
 suggested. 
 
 "An arch little adventuress?" his eyes 
 twinkling. 
 
 "You're you're mean, Mr. Mr. Ned," 
 I pouted. 
 
 "Mr. Ned h?" he smiled. 
 
 180
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Oh!" I cried in confusion partly real, 
 Nell! "I didn't mean to call you that; I've 
 just been thinking of you by that name, to 
 distinguish you, in my mind, from your 
 father, Mr. Durbin." 
 
 "Well, 'Mr. Ned' is all right, I suppose; 
 at any rate, I've Jio radical objection to it. 
 You may continue to think of me as 'Mr. 
 Ned,' if it pleases you. But what am I to 
 call you? " 
 
 "Miss Grimes, I told you." 
 
 "But you're not Miss Grimes," he objected. 
 
 " I'm filling her place, performing her duties, 
 and" 
 
 "But you won't be long," he interrupted, 
 the stern look coming back to his face. 
 
 "I won't?" I queried faintly. 
 
 "No, you won't." 
 
 "You mean to discharge me?" 
 
 "I never engaged you." 
 
 "Well, what do you intend, then to send 
 me about my business, or or hand me over 
 to the police? " 
 
 And I feigned a fear that I partly felt. 
 
 "Neither," he smiled indulgently; "I mean 
 to find you another position." 
 
 181
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Another position?" 
 
 "Sure." 
 
 "You needn't trouble yourself," I snapped, 
 really quite angry; "I found this one for 
 myself, and I can find another." 
 
 "It may not prove so easy, little girl." 
 
 His voice was soft with genuine kindness, I 
 thought. 
 
 "I don't care," I murmured, tears of dis- 
 tress in my eyes; "I don't desire your help. 
 A pretty figure you'd cut sending me to 
 somebody else, when you won't have me 
 yourself." 
 
 "Yes," he admitted, nodding gravely, 
 "there is a difficulty I hadn't thought of. 
 It would look rather peculiar and prove 
 rather embarrassing, no doubt. But you 
 can't stay here." 
 
 "Why can't I Mr. Ned?" 
 
 "Why can't you!" crossly. "You know 
 why, Miss Miss oh, the devil! I can't call 
 you Miss Grimes, when I know you're not 
 Miss Grimes. But you know why I can't have 
 you here. My father would be neglecting busi- 
 ness and making a fool of himself, inside of a 
 week; he'd carry flowers to you, want you 
 
 182
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 to go out to lunch with him, try to carry you 
 off to every matinee and " 
 
 I giggled outright. 
 
 " What amuses you?" he demanded sharply. 
 
 "You," I replied. 
 
 "What's so amusing about me?" pee- 
 vishly. 
 
 " Your marvelous knowledge of your father's 
 frailties." 
 
 "What do you mean? Explain." 
 
 "He has already carried me flowers, had 
 me out to lunch and insisted on taking me to 
 a matinee." 
 
 Oh, Nell Adams ! I wanted to scream with 
 laughter. If you could have seen the look on 
 that young man's face ! 
 
 "Well, I'll I'll be be" he muttered; and 
 then he sat silent, biting his lips and scowling. 
 
 After a few moments, however, he resumed 
 in a cold business-like tone: 
 
 "Miss Miss Grimes," I could see that it 
 cost him an effort to thus address me! "it's 
 not necessary for us to discuss the matter 
 farther. You can't stay here; you must go. 
 My father, according to your own testimony, 
 has already been making a fool of himself; and 
 
 183
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 shortly he'd become a consummate nuisance 
 to you, to me and everybody concerned. 
 He's old in his dotage, I sometimes think, 
 judging from his foolishness; but he's my 
 father and I'm in duty bound to respect him 
 and keep him, as far as possible, from making 
 himself ridiculous and, at the same time, keep 
 him from making me and our business the 
 laughing-stock of the town. I'd really like 
 to have you remain; I think you'd prove 
 satisfactory, if it wasn't for your good looks. 
 But it's out of the question; I can't risk 
 keeping you it won't do." 
 
 "But your father won't want me to leave," 
 I objected. 
 
 "Of course not!" gritting his teeth. 
 
 "And he's the senior member of the firm," 
 I suggested softly. 
 
 A moment he searched my face ; then : 
 
 "Well, what of it?" 
 
 "He ought to have a say in the matter." 
 
 "Is that so!" and again he stared hard 
 at me. 
 
 I nodded. 
 
 "Well, he he didn't hire you." 
 
 "Neither did you." 
 
 184
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 " And, for that very reason, you've no place 
 here." 
 
 "True, probably. But what will you say 
 to Mr. Durbin? How will you explain?" 
 
 "Explain what?" 
 
 " Explain why you've broken your word 
 the bargain you made." 
 
 "The bargain?" plainly puzzled. 
 
 Once more I nodded, smiling, my eyes half- 
 closed. 
 
 "I don't understand you, I guess. What 
 bargain?" 
 
 "You know," I said placidly; "the bargain 
 you made with your father : that you were 
 to select a girl for the place, that she was to 
 stay a year if she proved satisfactory, and 
 that he was to marry her if he indulged in 
 any gallantries." 
 
 His face went blank; and I laughed a 
 little tinkling, silvery laugh, Sweet Nell. 
 
 ''Who told you all that?" he cried, smiling 
 a sickly smile. 
 
 "You did," triumphantly. 
 
 "I did? On the train?" 
 
 "Of course." 
 
 "Not all of it, did I?" 
 
 185
 
 "Your father told me a part." 
 
 Again I had to laugh at his rueful expres- 
 sion of countenance. 
 
 "And we're a pair of precious idiots/' he 
 growled; "I'm getting to be as bad as he is." 
 
 "Well," I pursued, coquet tishly cocking 
 my head and lifting my brows, "what' re you 
 going to say to your father? He thinks me 
 Miss Grimes, thinks that you engaged me, 
 thinks that you consider me safely unattrac- 
 tive. Are you going to admit your your 
 mistake, and own up that I am am danger- 
 ous; or are you going to reveal my duplicity- 
 confess that fate has outwitted you?" 
 
 "I'm not outwitted." 
 
 "No?" 
 
 "No, indeed." 
 
 " Well, if you betray my duplicity, how will 
 you explain that you did not denounce me 
 as soon as you discovered me in the office?" 
 
 "I'm not going to explain anything, my 
 dear child." 
 
 "Oh!" 
 
 " No, I'm not going to do any of the things 
 you mention," quite decidedly. "My father 
 wouldn't simply couldn't keep his mouth 
 
 186
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 shut; I know him. The reporters would get 
 hold of the thing, and the papers would be 
 full of it; and I shouldn't hear the last of it 
 for a year. No/' shaking his head and 
 smiling rather wearily, "I know a better 
 way out of the muddle. I'll let you stay here 
 a week or two ; then you must tell father that 
 you don't like the job and resign." 
 
 " I must? " indignantly. 
 
 " I see no other way." 
 
 "Well, I won't do it." 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 "Why? What a question! Places are not 
 so easy to secure you say so yourself; and 
 I'm not going to throw up a situation without 
 cause. I know I shall like the place I know 
 I shall; and I'm not going to lie just to 
 throw myself out of a job. No, indeed I'm 
 not ! You can discharge me by telling your 
 father I'm not Miss Grimes; but I'm not 
 going to resign. So there!" 
 
 He looked and looked and looked at 
 me, Nell. At last he muttered : 
 
 "You're a perverse child a regular spoiled 
 girl, you are." 
 
 "I don't think it's nice to call people 
 
 187
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 names," I pouted, bewitchingly as I knew 
 how, "just because they don't agree with 
 you." 
 
 He lay back and laughed. Then he con- 
 sulted his watch, and said : 
 
 "You're irresistible, little girl. You win: 
 I lose. You can stay till you find another 
 place. Is that fair is that a bargain, that 
 you're to stay on as Miss Grimes till you 
 secure another situation, and then resign?" 
 
 "Yes," I agreed. 
 
 "All right." 
 
 And I stayed. 
 
 188
 
 IX. 
 
 THE next morning when Mr. Ned came into 
 the office, he stopped short and glared at the 
 bouquet his father had just placed upon my 
 desk his lips drawn into a tense straight 
 line, his nostrils dilated. Mr. Durbin silently 
 noted his big son's attitude and expression of 
 countenance; then he silently but shame- 
 lessly winked and grinned at me. And I had 
 all I could manage, Sweet Nell, to keep my 
 tricksy face straight. 
 
 Mr. Ned turned and gave his father a look, 
 in which reproach and disgust were mingled 
 and blended; then he turned his attention 
 to me. 
 
 "Miss Grimes," he began abruptly, drawing 
 a morning paper from his pocket, "I see 
 they've been having rather a strange elope- 
 ment down in your corner of the state down 
 in the Muskingum valley." 
 
 Nell, that brief and seemingly insignificant 
 statement threatened to send me in a heap 
 to the floor. I knew in a moment just what 
 
 189
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 it meant thought I knew just what was com- 
 ing; and I never felt so much like giving a 
 scream and fainting dead away, in my life. 
 Things in the room began to turn all yellow 
 and green and black; my fingers and toes 
 got all tingly; and awful sounds began to 
 crack and roar in my ears. But my native 
 common sense the little I have, Nell! 
 did not entirely desert me, and I managed to 
 get mad at my foolish self; and then I was 
 all right again all in a jiffy. What difference 
 did it make, anyhow, what Mr. Ned suspected 
 or learned? I asked myself the question. 
 Already he knew I was not Miss Grimes. 
 What matter if he discovered who I really 
 was? So I lifted my eyes and coolly, fear- 
 lessly met his look. 
 
 "Y-e-s?" I murmured softly, indolently, 
 questioningly, in answer to his remark. 
 
 "Yes," he went on, with a queer, puckery 
 smile, "an old graybeard of sixty or more 
 eloped with a pretty miss in her tender teens. 
 Which was remarkable enough in itself, but 
 not half so remarkable as the fact that the 
 bit of romantic folly ended in an unromantic 
 fiasco. It appears from the report in the 
 
 190
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 Journal here," tapping the paper with his 
 fore finger and almost leering into my face, 
 "that the precious pair of young and inex- 
 perienced nestlings began their flight from 
 the little inland town of Chesterville, and 
 you know where that is, Miss Grimes?" 
 
 This question with startling suddenness. 
 
 "Yes, indeed," I replied promptly and 
 placidly; " I've been there." 
 
 "Oh!" with a world of sly and obscure 
 meaning. 
 
 " Uh-huh," smirking ravishingly. 
 
 "W-e-11, as I say, the pair set out from 
 Chesterville in the dead and dark of night, 
 in the midst of a mad storm, and in a two- 
 horse buggy to make their way to the 
 nearest railway station some miles away; 
 and in spite of muddy roads, and accidents 
 by flood and field, and the hot pursuit of a 
 hotter brother they reached their destina- 
 tion, just in time to catch the early morning 
 train up the valley. But here comes the 
 strange, the unromantic, the sad part of the 
 story. Apparently the two sweet childish 
 things had grown tired of each other in so 
 short a time. Undying love had died and 
 
 191
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 all that. What true-lover's quarrel they had 
 in the murk and the mud of the night will 
 never be known alas! But this fact stands 
 out like a week-old beard on a tramp's face: 
 at the station they parted; the young lady 
 went north and her bold and rheumatic 
 cavalier went south. And now the sweet 
 and misguided young miss's brother is keeping 
 the wires hot, telegraphing the police of 
 Zanesville and Columbus and sundry other 
 cities, to be on the watch for her and appre- 
 hend her and have and hold her, till his 
 arrival. He describes her as young and inex- 
 perienced in the ways of the naughty world, 
 but beautiful beyond compare enchantingly, 
 seductively beautiful. The description of 
 her as given by the veracious reporter for 
 the voracious public is calculated to make 
 an impressionable man's mouth water." 
 
 : 'Your rather inadequate account of that 
 description does make my mouth water," 
 chuckled Mr. Durbin, hugging himself and 
 rolling his eyes ecstatically. "Oh, I wish I 
 were on the police force this minute!" 
 
 The son turned and glowered at the father, 
 Nell; and the father promptly and undigni- 
 
 192
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 fiedly kicked up his heels and went into a 
 convulsion of merriment and laughed, and 
 laughed, till his fat face was a quivering mass 
 of purple, fringed with fuzzy, silvery hair and 
 studded with teardrops. The son scowled 
 darkly and bit his lips. Oh, Nell Nell 
 Adams ! I did so want to let loose and screech ; 
 but instead I controlled myself how I did I 
 haven't the faintest idea! and cried ex- 
 citedly, clapping my hands: 
 
 "Oh, Mr. Mr. Ned!" And immediately 
 Mr. Durbin ceased to laugh and was all atten- 
 tion, and somewhat displeased over some- 
 thing, I could plainly see. "But what 're 
 their names of the eloping couple? Maybe 
 I know them. What 're their names?" 
 
 Mr. Ned looked me straight in the eyes, 
 the corners of his wide mouth twitching. 
 
 "Well, now, maybe you do," he said. "Let 
 me see," consulting the paper; "why their 
 names 're Colonel Wells and Marjory Dawes. 
 Do you know them, Miss Miss Grimes?" 
 
 His eyes were sparkling; the corners of 
 his mouth were still twitching. 
 
 "No, I don't know them," I replied, reflect- 
 ively shaking my head, and I was telling 
 
 193
 
 the truth, Sweet Nell of old Oberlin ; for who 
 does know anyone, even himself? " but I've 
 met them." 
 
 "Indeed?" smiling. 
 
 "Yes, Mr. Ned." 
 
 Did I see Mr. Durbin the elder wince? 
 And what would cause him to wince? Ah, 
 I had called his son "Mr. Ned!" Did he 
 think I was getting too familiar? Was the 
 old beau getting jealous? I wondered oh, I 
 wondered! and tittered a little, under my 
 breath. 
 
 "And is Miss Dawes as as beautiful as 
 the credible reporter would have the credulous 
 public credit her with being?" Mr. Ned was 
 saying. 
 
 I paused a moment before making answer, 
 to admire his skillful juggling with words 
 and to consider what my reply should be. 
 Then I returned modestly, but glibly: 
 
 "You oughtn't to ask me such a question, 
 Mr. Ned; you know one woman never ad- 
 mires another really and trulv." 
 
 "Oh!" he laughed. "I see. Well, did 
 those pepole live in Chesterville both of 
 them?" 
 
 194
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Miss Dawes did," I returned frankly; 
 " Colonel Wells lived in the South somewhere, 
 I think." 
 
 "Uh-huh. Well, the paper says it's now 
 the opinion of the young lady's friends that 
 she did not really elope with the gay and 
 festive Colonel, at all; but just used him as 
 a convenient crutch upon which to limp out 
 of reach of her brother, at whom she was 
 angry on account of his approaching marriage. 
 Do you know anything about that?" 
 
 And once more he was boring me through 
 with his keen gray eyes. 
 
 "How should I know, Mr. Ned?" I parried 
 neatly. 
 
 "True enough," he muttered slowly and 
 thoughtfully; "how should you?" Then, 
 with a quick change of manner: "But per- 
 haps you'd like to look over the account 
 yourself, eh?" 
 
 "No, thank you," I replied, beautiful 
 candor beaming from my countenance, I'm 
 certain; "I'm not much interested." 
 
 "All right," briskly, "we'll get down 
 to work, then." 
 
 And I sat and worked and wondered, and 
 
 195
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 wondered and worked. Did he know did 
 he suspect did he guess? I couldn't decide. 
 I had met my match, chum mine; and I 
 couldn't read him. 
 
 At lunch-time Mr. Ned was absent from the 
 office; and again I went out with Mr. Durbin. 
 
 "Miss Grimes," he remarked as we were 
 returning, "I noticed you calling my son 
 'Mr. Ned.'" 
 
 "Yes?" I replied tentatively. 
 
 "Yes; and I wouldn't do it, if I were you." 
 
 "No?" stiffly, but sniffing fun in the air. 
 
 "No, I don't believe I would." 
 
 "Why, Mr. Durbin?" 
 
 "Well, my reason for cautioning you is 
 this : I want you to continue in our employ- 
 want you to, awfully bad; and I'm afraid 
 Ned he's so devilish peculiar! will think 
 you entirely too familiar in thus addressing 
 him, will misunderstand you and take it 
 amiss. I'm afraid he will that's all." 
 
 "Do you you think he will, Mr. Durbin?" 
 with assumed fear and trembling. 
 
 "No no! Don't misunderstand me, Miss 
 Grimes. I don't know that I think he will; 
 as I just said, I simply have a fear that he 
 
 196
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 will that he may, at any rate. Understand? " 
 
 "Y-e-s, I I guess so. And if he should, 
 Mr. Durbin?" 
 
 "Huh?" alertly. 
 
 "Why, if he should think me too uncon- 
 ventional if he should get affronted, what 
 of it?" 
 
 "What of it?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Oh, nothing nothing! Only only he 
 might make your unconventionality an an 
 excuse to discharge you." 
 
 "To discharge me?" in well-feigned dis- 
 may. 
 
 He nodded very gravely. 
 
 "Well," I murmured caressingly, trust- 
 fully, "you wouldn't wouldn't let him, would 
 you?" " 
 
 "Not much I wouldn't not much!" and, 
 Nell, you should have beheld the pomposity 
 of his strut! "No, indeed, I wouldn't let 
 him discharge you. But" confidentially, 
 " I want everything to go along smoothly and 
 pleasantly, you know you understand. As 
 I said to you, Ned's a mighty peculiar chap; 
 as near as I can understand him and his 
 
 197
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 whims and prejudices, he has no fancy for 
 women at all. He dislikes the whole sex- 
 pretty ones in particular, I guess. I must 
 admit, though," beaming worshipful admi- 
 ration upon me! "that he talked more to 
 you this morning, than I ever knew him to 
 talk to a woman before in his life on any 
 subject outside of business." 
 
 Poor old fellow ! I really felt sorry for him, 
 Nell. How the big virile son had pulled the 
 wool over his little aesthetic dad's eyes! 
 
 "Still you fear he might object to my 
 addressing him so so informally?" 
 
 The dear old chap nodded, bestowing upon 
 me a look of due and impressive gravity. 
 And then I exploded a bomb under him, Nell 
 a bomb that shattered his complacency, 
 and broke him all up. 
 
 "Why," I chirped artlessly, "he told me 
 this morning he didn't care if I called him 
 'Mr. Ned."' 
 
 The bomb had gone off; and he was up in 
 the air out of sight. When he finally alighted 
 upon terra firma, tattered and torn and blank 
 of countenance and bankrupt of breath, he 
 gasped : 
 
 198
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "He Ned told you that, Miss Grimes?" 
 
 "He did, Mr. Durbin." 
 
 "Said that to you?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Well, I'll be blowed!" 
 
 I thought he had already been blowed, 
 Nell; but I didn't say so. 
 
 We had reached the foyer of our office 
 building. Mr. Durbin began to gurgle and 
 sputter, and wheeze and chuckle; and all 
 the way up in the elevator he went out of 
 one spasm into another. 
 
 When we were again seated in the office, 
 he looked at me a dazed, all-gone expression 
 upon his fat round face and muttered in 
 awe-struck tones: 
 
 "Miss Grimes, you're a wonder, a witch 
 that's what you are. Yes, you're more than 
 that; you're an enchantress, a a what is 
 it you call it? a siren. Why, you've had 
 more influence over Ned in twenty-four hours 
 than all the other women he has ever come 
 in contact with have had in twenty-four 
 years. Yes, you have; I'm telling you the 
 truth." I knew the dear enthusiastic old 
 fellow wasn't telling the truth, chum mine; 
 
 199
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 knew the son wasn't half the woman-hater 
 the fond father imagined; but it was sweet 
 to hear such an encomium upon my prowess 
 as an enchantress pronounced, just the same. 
 "But I don't know whether to be delighted 
 or concerned about what you've told me; 
 don't know whether Ned is just coming to his 
 senses or just losing 'em. I'm a little sus- 
 picious he isn't just right, a little fearful 
 something ails him. Does he he appear all 
 right to you, Miss Grimes? " 
 
 "Yes, indeed," I murmured in a tone of 
 deep sincerity. 
 
 And I wasn't prevaricating a little bit, 
 Nell as you will readily guess; Mr. Ned did 
 appear all right did look good to me ! 
 
 "You can't realize how glad I am to hear 
 you say that," Mr. Durbin pursued. "And 
 you think, then, Miss Grimes, that Ned is 
 just just unbending, as it were, just yielding 
 to the fascination of your beauty of person 
 and character, just coming under the influence 
 of your witcheries?" 
 
 I dropped my eyes and blushed prettily 
 and properly. 
 
 "Really, Mr. Durbin," I made answer, " I 
 200
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 I haven't thought much much about it." 
 What a monstrous fib, Nell Adams! I 
 hadn't been thinking hadn't been able to 
 think of anything else. 
 
 "Well," my companion concluded, pre- 
 paring to resume work, "I only hope my 
 dreams and desires may come true. I'd like 
 to see that boy as a fit punishment for his 
 past contempt for the female sex, and for the 
 scorn and abuse he has heaped upon me 
 smitten with an absolutely hopeless passion. 
 There!" 
 
 The cruel and wicked old wretch! / 
 didn't want to see Mr. Ned punished like that, 
 Nell smitten with a hopeless passion. No, 
 indeed! 
 
 Well, several days passed without material 
 change in the status of our affairs. Mr. Ned 
 said no more about my leaving; and I made 
 no effort to secure another position. I was 
 content to let things drift, to let time and fate 
 decide for me what I couldn't decide for 
 myself. I've said no material change took 
 place in our affairs; but a few things I noted. 
 Among others, every tune I passed through 
 the outer office especially when unaccom- 
 
 201
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 panied those men and women out there had 
 a deal of nudging and winking, and gawking 
 and giggling, to do; and it became more and 
 more nearly unbearable. Jones, the hollow- 
 cheeked, red-haired man at the desk near the 
 door, was particularly offensive. I couldn't 
 pass him without being conscious of his dis- 
 respectful smirks and insinuating leers. Also, 
 I noted that Mr. Durbin donned a new panama 
 hat and lavender tie and sported a new fob 
 chain, and that Mr. Ned arrayed his fine 
 figure in a new summer suit. Then, I noted 
 with growing concern, and amusement closely 
 akin to pleasure ! that every time Mr. Durbin 
 placed a fresh bouquet upon my desk, Mr. 
 Ned promptly had a spell of the sulks, and 
 every time Mr. Ned drew near me to dictate 
 a letter Mr. Durbin had an attack of the 
 fidgets. And the thought came to me: Mar- 
 jory Dawes, your presence in this office is 
 going to make serious trouble; you're array- 
 ing father against son and son against father. 
 And I was worried really and truly worried, 
 my Nell! and didn't know just what to 
 do. 
 
 One evening about closing time, a week 
 202
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 after my arrival in the city, Mr. Ned sauntered 
 into the private office, an afternoon paper 
 in his hand. He gave me an odd, quizzi- 
 cal look as he drew near my desk; and I 
 started, wondering what was coming. Having 
 indented a place upon the paper with his 
 thumb nail, he threw the sheet upon my desk ; 
 then he turned and walked over to a window 
 and stood staring out moodily, his hands 
 thrust deep into his pockets, his square 
 shoulders sagged. 
 
 I glanced at the paper in front of me, and 
 read: 
 
 "Mr. Jack Dawes of Chesterville, of whose 
 sister's elopement with a man old enough to 
 be her grandfather mention was made some 
 days ago, is in Columbus, looking for the 
 recreant miss. The brother has traced the 
 misguided sister to this place and has evoked 
 the aid of the city police to aid him in the 
 search. Thus far no trace of the young 
 woman has been discovered. However, the 
 brother has determined to a certainty that 
 his sister came here alone and that the gallant 
 old beau in whose company she left home has 
 made tracks for the South. Evidently he 
 
 203
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 was in haste to seek a more congenial clime, 
 and to escape the wrath of a justly incensed 
 brother." 
 
 I was mad at once mad all through and 
 all over! Wouldn't the silly newspapers ever 
 get through publishing lying stuff about me? 
 Me! And Jack was making a prime nuisance 
 of himself! Why didn't he go back home and 
 behave himself? Oh, but I was good and mad, 
 Nell! 
 
 Mr. Ned left the window and, dropping into 
 a chair, remarked carelessly: 
 
 "What do you think about that, Miss 
 Grimes?" 
 
 I glanced up at him. The mean thing! 
 He was laughing at me with his eyes! 
 
 " I I suppose it's all so," I stammered. 
 
 "What 're you two talking about?" Mr. 
 Durbin interjected testily. 
 
 " Talking about a little article in the paper 
 here, father," Mr. Ned returned quietly 
 but actually winking at me; " it's something 
 that wouldn't interest you, I think. By the 
 way, won't you step out and see if Clawson 
 has those deeds ready?" 
 
 The father withdrew, frowning pettishly; 
 
 204
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 and then the son hastened to say in a low, 
 confidential tone: 
 
 "What do you think about that, Miss 
 Grimes honestly, you know?" 
 
 " I've told you," I said coldly. 
 
 "No doubt Mr. Dawes is greatly worried 
 over the mysterious disappearance of his 
 sister, don't you think so, Miss Miss Grimes?" 
 provokingly drawling the name. 
 
 "Perhaps," I murmured curtly and non- 
 commit tally. 
 
 "If 7 knew anything of the whereabouts 
 of his sister," he continued deliberately, "I 
 think I'd go to him and tell him just to 
 set his mind at rest." 
 
 He was eyeing me sharply. 
 
 "Would you?" was all I could say. 
 
 "I think I would. What would you do, 
 under similar .circumstances, Miss Miss 
 Grimes? " again drawling the name. 
 
 "I think I should attend to my own busi- 
 ness." 
 
 "Should?" 
 
 "Yes and would" 
 
 "Oh!" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 205
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "But, as I say," he persisted, "no doubt 
 Mr. Dawes is worrying; and it's a worrisome 
 thing to worry." -Then, after a moment's 
 seeming reflection : " I think I'll see Mr. Dawes 
 and have a talk with him; maybe I can help 
 him out in his search." He sat looking at me, 
 waiting for me to say something in reply ; but 
 I kept still. And then Mr. Durbin returned ; 
 and the three of us together left the office. 
 
 I was "next," of course; I was positive 
 Mr. Ned Durbin had spotted me as Marjory 
 Dawes. But I didn't much care; I was becom- 
 ing a sinful and hardened little baggage, I 
 guess, old chum. 
 
 The next morning, contrary to his custom, 
 Mr. Ned was in the office on my arrival; and 
 his father was absent. 
 
 "Good morning," I twittered cheerily. 
 
 "Good morning," he croaked moodily. 
 
 Then I discovered the morning Journal 
 upon my desk; and I knew he had put it 
 there knew there was something in it about 
 me and my affairs, and I began to run down 
 the column of locals as I drew the pins from 
 my hat. Yes, there it was impudently 
 staring me in the face. 
 
 206
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Mr. Jack Dawes of Chesterville," it ran, 
 "left for Zanesville over the eleven-forty B. 
 and O. last night, on his way home. To a 
 Journal reporter he gave the information 
 that he had not found his sister, but that he 
 had received positive assurance from a reliable 
 source that she is in the city, in the employ 
 of a reputable firm. He expressed himself as 
 greatly relieved, if not wholly satisfied, and said 
 he would pursue his quest no further at present. 
 He left full of admiration for the Capital City, 
 its growth and prosperity. Mr. Dawes is a 
 well-to-do merchant in a flourishing town." 
 
 I finished reading the rather important 
 paragraph, gave a little sigh and went and 
 hung up my hat. 
 
 "Well?" Mr. Ned ventured, in a tone of 
 pique and impatience mingled. 
 
 "Well?" I countered coolly. 
 
 "What have you to say?" 
 
 "Nothing. Why should I?" 
 
 " Are you pleased or displeased Miss 
 Dawes?" 
 
 I knew it was coming, Nell ; but I could not 
 keep from giving a slight start, nevertheless. 
 And I felt the color flaming up in my cheeks. 
 
 207
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 " Neither, Mr. Edward Durbin," I answered 
 smoothly and firmly ; " I'm absolutely uncon- 
 cerned." 
 
 " That so? " tantalizingly, smiling broadly. 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Well, I presume you know who it .was 
 went to your brother and gave his assurance 
 of your well-being eh?" 
 
 "I presume I do. Why did you do it?" 
 
 "To ease his mind." 
 
 "How kind, how considerate of you!" I 
 cried sneeringly. 
 
 "Don't you think I did right?" 
 
 "I think you meddled unwarrantably." 
 
 His dark face flushed ; and, for the moment, 
 I feared I had gone too far. 
 
 "You think that, Miss Dawes?" very 
 slowly and soberly. 
 
 "W-e-11, haven't I room haven't I reason 
 to think it?" I faltered. 
 
 " I think not, Miss Dawes." 
 
 I was silent a moment; then I queried: 
 
 "What did you tell him Jack?" 
 
 " Told him you had a place in my office and 
 were all right." 
 
 "Is that all?" 
 
 208
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "That's all." 
 
 "You didn't tell tell him I I sent you 
 to him?" 
 
 "I certainly did not." 
 
 "Did he ask if I sent you?" 
 
 "He did." 
 
 "And did he appear hurt that I had not 
 sent you?" 
 
 "Yes, he did." 
 
 "Poor old Jack!" I murmured, almost 
 forgetting the presence of my companion. 
 "He treated me shabbily, shamefully; but 
 I don't want him to worry about me. But 
 now he'll be pestering me with letters, be 
 begging me to come home." 
 
 "No, I think not," Mr. Ned said, shaking 
 his head. 
 
 "Why won't he, then?" 
 
 "I arranged everything in a satisfactory 
 way; I'm to look after you." 
 
 "You are?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Foware?" 
 
 He nodded, smiling coolly, provokingly. 
 
 I was red-hot inside and ice-cold outside, 
 Nell. 
 
 209
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 " Just what arrangement did you make with 
 my brother?" I asked, with a fine show of 
 scorn that was lost upon my companion. 
 
 "A very simple one," he grinned in reply. 
 "He's to let you alone till you get ready to 
 return to Chesterville, of your own accord; 
 and" 
 
 "Which time will never come," I inter- 
 jected. 
 
 "I'm to stand sponsor for your good be- 
 havior, 
 
 "What a beautiful arrangement!" I cried 
 snappishly. 
 
 " Look after your welfare, 
 
 "How very kind of you!" 
 
 "And report to him occasionally how you 
 are coming on." 
 
 "A transfer of guardianship!" I sneered. 
 
 And then the big big brute, Nell Adams, 
 lay back and laughed laughed loud and 
 long! 
 
 I got up and walked over to the window, 
 my lips trembling, my sight blurred by tears. 
 He followed me, laid a hand kindly on my 
 shoulder and said gently: 
 
 "Look here, Miss Dawes; don't feel hurt 
 
 210
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 about this thing. I've tried to do you a kind- 
 ness. Your brother was here in the city, 
 resolved to make a fool of himself. He meant 
 to search for you, have the police on your 
 track as if you were a common criminal, have 
 the papers full of you and your affairs and 
 all that. And it would have made it very 
 unpleasant for you, given you an unsavory 
 notoriety, done violence to your reputation 
 forever, perhaps. I had a hard time of 
 dissuading him from his purpose; and I had 
 to promise him all I've told you, before he'd 
 consent to act sensible and turn his face to- 
 ward home. No, you oughtn't to feel hard 
 toward me; really you ought to thank me 
 though I'm far from wanting you to do so." 
 
 He made a move to leave my side. 
 
 "But I don't like to have a guardian, Mr. 
 Ned," I pouted tearfully; "I don't like to be 
 bossed. That's one reason I ran away from 
 my brother. And think of your sending a 
 report of my behavior to Jack just like a 
 teacher reports an unruly child to its parent! 
 Oh, dear dear! I just can't stand it I 
 can'*/" 
 
 He put his hand upon my shoulder and 
 211
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 let it slip down almost to the level of my 
 waist. Oo h! You can imagine how I was 
 frightened, Nell! 
 
 "There there, little girl!" he said softly. 
 "I'll I'll " 
 
 I don't know what else nice and comforting 
 he might have said, Sweet Nell of old Oberlin, 
 but just then we heard his father coming 
 through the outer office; so we got into our 
 chairs and got down to work. Pshaw ! 
 
 212
 
 X. 
 
 SEVERAL weeks passed ; and it's truly sur- 
 prising how many unimportant and trivial 
 things can happen in several times seven days. 
 Perhaps, Nell, you'll charge me with culling 
 out the least important and most uninter- 
 esting events to write about, and maybe 
 you'll be right; but here goes, anyway. 
 
 I liked my place, and got along with my 
 work as slick as you please; but I was in a 
 state of delightful uncertainty all the time, 
 as to Mr. Ned's moods and his father's 
 tenses. At one time the former was formal 
 and distant, at another time familiar and near 
 sometimes quite near; and on occasion the 
 latter was fidgety and peevish, and again he 
 was bland and chummy sometimes almost 
 too chummy. If I favored the father with a 
 smile, the son favored me with a frown; if I 
 looked unutterable things at the son, the 
 father muttered unutterable things under 
 his breath and got up and paced the room 
 and walled his eyes like a dying tragedian. 
 
 213
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 It was a new and rare experience, Nell; and, 
 in spite of some drawbacks and inconven- 
 iences connected with it, I think I rather 
 enjoyed it. 
 
 One afternoon Mr. Ned covertly told me a 
 funny story as he sat dictating to me, and 
 we both laughed heartily. You've noticed, 
 haven't you, old chum, how one's enjoyment 
 of a story depends much more upon who tells 
 it, than upon the story itself and how it is 
 told? Well, Mr. Durbin became aware of 
 our merriment, of course; and he got up and 
 stalked over to us and said brusquely: 
 
 "Are you two young addle-pates laughing 
 at me?" 
 
 Mr. Ned froze stiff in his chair and silently 
 sat and stared at his audacious parent. Mr. 
 Durbin stared as hard at his son, his face 
 very sober; but I thought I detected a funny 
 little twinkle in his round pale-blue eyes. 
 
 I precipitated myself into the breach, as 
 peacemaker, with: 
 
 "No, indeed, we weren't laughing at you, 
 Mr. Durbin; Mr. Ned was just telling me a 
 funny story." 
 
 "0 h!" with an indescribable expression 
 
 214
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 of voice and countenance, "O-h! All right, 
 then." 
 
 And forthwith he whirled and returned to 
 his desk and took his seat. I looked after him, 
 concerned, and noted that his shoulders and 
 back were quivering and shaking in a strange 
 manner; but I couldn't tell whether he was 
 convulsed with rage or remorse. 
 
 "The egotistical and supersensitive old 
 dunce ! " Mr. Ned muttered ; but he had to grin. 
 
 Lunch-time arrived; and Mr. Durbin came 
 up to me, right in the presence of his son ! 
 and said boldly: 
 
 "Miss Grimes, will you that is, have you 
 any objections to going out to lunch with me? " 
 
 "Why why," I stammered in genuine 
 confusion, "I no, I've no objections, Mr. 
 Durbin." 
 
 "Very well; come on, then." 
 
 I cast a glance a sort of appealing one, 
 at Mr. Ned as I left the room. His face was 
 stern; his wide mouth was set. 
 
 As we passed through the outer office, 
 Jones gave me the meanest look I ever got 
 in my life a kind of insolent, menacing leer 
 that made me shiver. 
 
 215
 
 On our way back from lunch, Mr. Durbin 
 stopped to talk with an acquaintance; and 
 I hurried on. The outer office was empty but 
 for Jones. He gave me another of his mean 
 looks; and I skurried past him, shuddering 
 at thought that I was alone with him. My 
 heart began to beat wildly, sickeningly, and 
 my limbs began to tremble. Judge of my 
 relief, Nell my unexpected and infinite relief! 
 to find Mr. Ned in the private room. He 
 had been sulking, and had not gone out to 
 lunch at all. 
 
 As soon as he caught sight of my face, how- 
 ever, his attitude, demeanor, and expression 
 of countenance underwent a sudden and elec- 
 trical change. Springing to his feet, he cried 
 sharply : 
 
 " What's the matter, Miss Dawes? What's 
 the matter?" 
 
 I burst into tears, Nell; I just couldn't 
 help it. 
 
 "What's the matter?" he repeated. "Tell 
 me at once." 
 
 His voice was kind enough, but it revealed 
 inflexible purpose of mind. 
 
 " Oh, nothing nothing, Mr. Ned ! " I sobbed. 
 
 216
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Yes, there is. Out with it." 
 
 " Oh, I'm just foolish that's all ! "bravely 
 striving to smile. "I was just hurt and 
 and scared a little." 
 
 "Who hurt you who scared you?" 
 
 "I don't want to tell you, Mr. Ned." 
 
 "But you must." 
 
 And I looked up at him and believed 
 him. 
 
 "It was Jones," I said. 
 
 "Jones?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Jones!" oh, so fiercely, so awfully! 
 
 I couldn't do anything but give a wee little 
 nod. 
 
 "What did he do to you?" 
 
 "He didn't do anything; he 
 
 "What did he say to you?" 
 
 "He didn't say anything," I explained; 
 "he just just looked." 
 
 "Is that all he did?" 
 
 "I understand. Well, I'll 'tend to Jones; 
 I'll settle his hash!" 
 
 "Oh, don't, Mr. Ned! Please" 
 
 But he was out the door, and had banged it 
 
 217
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 shut. And, oh, I was frightened in good 
 earnest, Nell mine! Mr. Ned was so big and 
 so strong, and so gloriously angry; and Jones 
 was so small and stoop-shouldered and 
 scrawny, and pusillanimously insignificant. 
 But, in spite of my concern, I didn't clap 
 my hands over my ears and screech, nor did 
 I give a few gasps and faint. Instead, I 
 opened the door just a wee crack! and 
 peeped out. If Mr. Ned meant to kill Jones, 
 I wanted to be ready to hollo for help just 
 before the last breath left the puppy's body! 
 
 My champion strode up to his victim and 
 gave him a slap between the shoulders, that 
 almost jolted him from his stool. 
 
 "Jones," he cried, "what have you been 
 doing to Miss Daw Miss Grimes, I mean? 
 What have you been doing to her, I say?" 
 
 "No no nothing, Mr. Ned," the puny 
 little man stammered, struggling to his feet; 
 "nothing at all." 
 
 "Yes, you did!" Mr. Ned growled savagely. 
 "Don't you lie to me!" 
 
 "I I just looked at her," the vile fellow 
 whined. 
 
 "That's it; that's what she said that's 
 
 218
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 it! Well, don't you do it any more. Under- 
 stand?" menacingly. 
 
 "Y yes, sir." ' 
 
 "And don't you speak to her." 
 
 "I won't, sir." 
 
 "And don't you talk about her." 
 
 "All right, Mr. Ned," very, very meekly. 
 
 "All right it is. But if you forget your 
 promise, I'll take you by the neck and fling 
 you down the elevator shaft. And we may 
 as well have a complete understanding right 
 now; and you can bear the word to your 
 associates. If there's any more nudges or 
 winks, or hints or flings, in this office, about 
 Miss Grimes, or about my father, or about me 
 and my business, I'll fire the last one of you. 
 Understand that?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Pass it along, then; and remember that 
 it goes. I've got tired and disgusted; and I 
 won't tolerate any more of your scandalous 
 behavior from man or woman. And as for 
 you, Jones you miserable blackguard! I've 
 a notion to discharge you this minute." 
 
 "Oh, don't do that, Mr. Ned don't say 
 that!" the poor poltroon pleaded. "I don't 
 
 219
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 know where I can get another job; and you 
 know I have a wife and four children. Please 
 don't discharge me!" 
 
 I thought it about time for me to interfere- 
 to intercede in the fellow's behalf. So I 
 walked out and said timidly for I was des- 
 perately afraid I might make matters worse, 
 the humor Mr. Ned was in : 
 
 "Don't discharge Mr. Jones for my sake, 
 Mr. Ned. Don't heap hardship upon his 
 innocent wife and little children, in an effort 
 to punish him."- -Then, looking at the crest- 
 fallen wretch and realizing how he was suffer- 
 ing: "And I think you've punished him 
 about enough, Mr. Ned; I think he under- 
 stands you, and I don't think he'll repeat 
 his offense. Will you, Mr. Jones?" 
 
 " Of course I won't, Miss Grimes," he mum- 
 bled thickly, humbly. "But indeed I didn't 
 mean anything; I just wanted to be sociable 
 and" ' 
 
 "Stop that," Mr. Ned muttered threaten- 
 ingly; "cut that out Jones. Miss Grimes 
 isn't asking you for apologies or excuses; she's 
 just interceding for you and you ought to be 
 too ashamed to try to wag your tongue. 
 
 220
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 That's all, now; I'm done. You can get to 
 work." 
 
 At quitting time that evening, the junior 
 member of the firm remarked to the senior: 
 
 "I've got a little private matter I desire to 
 talk over with you, father; wait a few min- 
 utes, please."- Then, to me: "You may go 
 at any time, Miss Grimes." 
 
 Of course I withdrew ; but not before I had 
 noticed a worried expression dispel the wonted 
 jollity of Mr. Durbin's ruddy countenance, 
 and a look of fixed and stern resolve settle 
 upon Mr. Ned's dark features. As I stood 
 waiting at the elevator shaft I discovered that 
 I had forgotten to bring with me a small 
 parcel from my desk, a trifling purchase that 
 I had made at the noon hour; and, thoughtless 
 of the private interview in progress, I retraced 
 my steps to get it. But as I re-entered the 
 outer room, I caught the sound of my em- 
 ployers' voices in spirited conversation; and 
 I paused, irresolute. However, the first words 
 I heard fixed my attention and held me to 
 the spot. 7 was the subject of the conver- 
 sation; and Mr. Ned was saying: 
 
 "It isn't you I'm thinking about, father. 
 
 221
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 You're old enough to take care of yourself, 
 to attend to your own business yes; old 
 enough to know better, too. But I'm think- 
 ing about Miss Grimes; I'm trying to protect 
 her, to save her from being sneered at and 
 talked about. I've read the riot act to 
 Jones 
 
 "And now you think you'll read it to me, 
 your father eh?" Mr. Durbin shrilled angrily. 
 But I thought there was a half-smothered 
 minor tone of amusement in his voice. 
 
 Mr. Ned pursued evenly but indignantly, 
 decidedly : 
 
 "And I've issued orders to the rest of the 
 force, through him, that there's to be no more 
 of their cursed nonsense; and given warning 
 that I'll discharge the last one of them, if I 
 see or hear of another wink or word reflecting 
 upon Miss Grimes. And now I give you the 
 same warning." 
 
 "The same warning to me?" queried the 
 father. 
 
 "Yes, the same warning and to you." 
 
 " Why, what do you mean, Ned? Explain." 
 
 "You're the cause of all the trouble, father; 
 you know it. You've been the cause of all 
 
 222
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 similar trouble in the past; you know that, 
 too. Well, it's got to stop; your nonsensical 
 actions have got to cease; you've got to stop 
 forcing your attentions upon Miss Grimes 
 that's all." 
 
 "I don't force my attentions upon her." 
 
 "You do." 
 
 " I don't! Has she ever complained to you, 
 that I force my attentions upon her 
 hey?" 
 
 "N o," rather reluctantly. 
 
 " Well ! "triumphantly. 
 
 Despise me, if you will, for a conscienceless 
 little eavesdropper, Nell; I despised myself. 
 I should have slipped away, I know; but I 
 didn't I just couldn't. I sha'n't try to excuse 
 myself on the ground though, which shows 
 I still have a faint spark of honor left! that 
 I was afraid the two men might engage in 
 mortal combat. No no, I've not fallen so 
 low as all that! I knew very well the son 
 wouldn't harm the father; and I knew equally 
 well the father couldn't harm the son. No, I 
 just desired to hear what they were saying; 
 and I stayed to gratify my curiosity. Honest 
 confession precipitates me into downright 
 
 223
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 confusion, Nell: but I trust it'll be good for 
 my soul. 
 
 "Well," Mr. Ned resumed, after a slight 
 pause, "you've got to quit your foolishness." 
 
 1 ' My foolishness! ' ' wrathf ully . 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "As you're pleased to term it. And if I 
 don't?" 
 
 "Then, I'll discharge you." 
 
 "Oh, you will!" sneeringly. 
 
 "Yes, I will." 
 
 "Ho, ho!" laughing scornfully. "Ned, 
 you're talking through your hat; and the 
 most silly thing about it is you know you're 
 vociferating through through your head- 
 covering. Discharge me! You know you 
 couldn't discharge me, me, the senior mem- 
 ber of the firm! if you would; and you 
 wouldn't if you could. If you want to dissolve 
 partnership, though why, say so." 
 
 Nell, I was getting stirred up agitated. 
 Was I innocent little Marjory Dawes of 
 sleepy old Chesterville ! fated to disrupt and 
 dissolve the great and prosperous real-estate 
 firm of Durbin and Son? Heaven forbid! 
 That wouldn't do wouldn't do at all! I'd 
 
 224
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 have to take a sneak just have to. However, 
 Mr. Ned's next words greatly relieved me. 
 
 "I don't want to dissolve our partnership," 
 he replied to his father's testy challenge; "you 
 know I don't. But things can't go on this 
 way; you've got to behave." 
 
 "Oh, stuff!" the old gentleman cried in- 
 elegantly. "I am behaving myself; and I'm 
 living up to our contract. You're the one 
 that's trying to kick over the traces, Ned, 
 my boy. You know very well what our agree- 
 ment was; and I'm going to hold you to it, 
 rigidly. You've hired Miss Grimes, and she's 
 doing the work all right ; and she's got to stay 
 a year that's all. You said you'd bring a 
 girl here, with a face that would stop a clock. 
 Well, I s'pose you think you've done it; you 
 had the whole country to choose from, any- 
 how, and Miss Grimes was your choice." 
 Oh, Nell Nell! I was all puffed up with 
 laughter; and hardly able to breathe! 
 "Now you've got to be satisfied; I'm not 
 going to give you any more chances. And 
 I'm not going to act the boor with Miss 
 Grimes, just to please you, either; I'm going 
 to treat her courteously, kindly, generously, 
 
 225
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 and if you don't like it well, you can do what 
 you threatened. There!" 
 
 "What can I do?" Mr. Ned demanded. 
 
 "What you threatened, I said." 
 
 "Well, whatf" 
 
 I listened breathlessly for Mr. Durbin's 
 reply. 
 
 "You can go to the probate judge and get 
 a license, and make me marry the girl that's 
 what." 
 
 I let out a little giggle and clapped a hand 
 over my mouth; then listened eagerly for 
 Mr. Ned's response. 
 
 " I can, can I? " he growled. 
 
 "Sure!" chuckled the father. "I'm ready 
 to marry her at any time." 
 
 "And no doubt you're egotist enough to 
 think she's ready to marry you eh?" 
 
 "I don't know," gurgling and sputtering; 
 "she doesn't act averse to my company, 
 my attentions, as you may have noticed." 
 The vain old coxcomb! I felt like rushing in 
 and slapping his face! "At any rate, as I 
 said, I'm quite ready to marry her." 
 
 "You're too damn entirely too ready to 
 marry her!" Mr. Ned muttered wrathfully. 
 
 226
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 Mr. Durbin could no longer restrain his 
 merriment; he whooped right out loud, and 
 stamped the floor and coughed. I had to 
 stuff my handkerchief in my mouth to keep 
 from giving vocal utterance to the glee that 
 was effervescing and bubbling within me. I 
 heard Mr. Ned get upon his feet, and say with 
 grave and proper dignity : 
 
 "It appears there's little use in talking to 
 you, father; you're hopeless. I 
 
 I realized that the curtain was about to fall 
 upon the little one-act farce-comedy that I 
 had been witnessing with my ears alone; 
 and I made a quick and noiseless retreat. 
 You'll think me awful, Nell mine I know 
 you will ; but you'll have to admit that I still 
 possess the virtue of candor when I'm per- 
 mitted to choose the subject, occasion and 
 confidant ! and that courage still abides with 
 me, or I couldn't make the confession I have. 
 
 Both my employers were a little glum the 
 next forenoon. However, in the temporary 
 absence of the junior member, the senior 
 remarked to me: 
 
 "Madame Schumann-Heink sings at the 
 Great Southern to-morrow night. Of course 
 
 227
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 you're going to hear her, Miss Grimes eh?" 
 
 "I don't know whether I'll go or not," I 
 returned carelessly but candidly; "I know 
 so little about music." 
 
 You remember I've got Quaker blood in me, 
 Nell; and, in consequence, don't care for 
 music as I should. 
 
 " Oh, you must go, Miss Grimes ! " Mr. Dur- 
 bin cried, in astonishment not unmixed with 
 dismay. "Indeed you must go. Why, it'll 
 be great, grand, sublime, a perfect artistic 
 triumph and treat. You mustn't think of 
 missing it; it's the opportunity of a lifetime 
 the chance to hear Madame Schumann-Heink 
 is. You'll enjoy it never fear; I know 
 you've the artistic temperament, even if you 
 don't know much of music. And I happen 
 to recall right now I have two tickets; and 
 I'd be delighted to have you go with me if 
 you will." 
 
 "Why, I I don't hardly know, Mr. Dur- 
 bin," I said hesitatingly; "I I 
 
 "Of course you will," he interrupted 
 cheerily. "Say you will." 
 
 " Well, then, I will since you already have 
 two tickets." 
 
 228
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 The old fellow was flattered. He thought 
 his native eloquence, his persuasive powers, 
 had brought me round ; and he sat and plumed 
 himself in great complacency. 
 
 That very evening I descended in the eleva- 
 tor how paradoxical it sounds, Nell, to say 
 "descended in the elevator!" with Mr. Ned; 
 and he remarked: 
 
 "Madame Schumann-Heink and her com- 
 pany are to be at the Great Southern to- 
 morrow night, Miss Grimes." 
 
 "Yes," I answered a little quaver in my 
 voice and a little quiver in my heart. I felt cer- 
 tain I knew what further he was going to say. 
 
 "Yes," he went on, nodding; "and won't 
 you grant me the pleasure of taking you to 
 hear her, Miss Grimes Miss Dawes?" 
 
 There it was as I had expected; and I 
 was just sick! And I had promised Mr. Dur- 
 bin! Pshaw! I wanted to stamp; I wanted 
 to cry. I was so upset! Why was the father 
 so previous and precipitate; and why was 
 the son so dilatory and deliberate? Pshaw! 
 And again pshaw! 
 
 Mr. Ned noticed the perplexed and puckered 
 frown upon my face, and said : 
 
 229
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Wouldn't you like to go, Marj Miss 
 Dawes? Wouldn't you like to hear the great 
 Schumann-Heink? " 
 
 Then the humor of the dilemma irresistibly 
 appealed to my sense of the nonsensical and 
 the thought came to me that Mr. Ned deserved 
 to be punished just a mite for his inexcusable 
 delay in making his request; and I smiled 
 brightly, sweetly, and replied: 
 
 "I am going to hear Madame Schumann- 
 Heink, Mr. Ned." 
 
 "Does that mean that you consent to go 
 with me?" he inquired, eagerly, I fancied. 
 
 "N o," I drawled coquettishly, "I'd like 
 to go with you, ever so much but but I 
 can't." 
 
 " Can't? "sharply, explosively." Why? " 
 
 " I've I've promised to go with somebody 
 else." 
 
 "Oh!" a mere angry grunt. 
 
 "Yes," very, very sweetly. 
 
 Then, following a momentary hesitation, 
 he said: 
 
 " I meant to ask you yesterday, but forgot." 
 
 Forgot! Well, Nell Adams, I was furious! 
 Forgot! I'd rather be scorned than forgotten, 
 
 230
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 any day in the week wouldn't you? So I 
 turned my face from him, pouting. 
 
 We were just stepping out upon the street; 
 and I heard my companion saying, in a tone 
 of real or well-assumed disappointment: 
 
 " I'm very sorry, really greatly disappointed, 
 that you're to have other company. May I 
 inquire the name of of the lucky fellow?" 
 
 "Your father," I answered, without looking 
 at him. 
 
 "Humph!" he snorted angrily, contemptu- 
 ously. 
 
 Then, the big ungallant, ill-tempered bear! 
 he whirled and walked away, leaving me 
 standing there, waiting for my car. 
 
 And I was disappointed, vexed, hurt, chum 
 mine I couldn't hardly tell why; and when 
 I got to my room I had a good cry. 
 
 Of course I went to hear the great Schu- 
 mann-Heink; but I didn't enjoy the per- 
 formance a bit not a bit. I was out of sorts, 
 someway; and I wasn't nice at all to Mr. 
 Durbin the poor old fellow! In fact I was 
 really quite rude with him, I fear; but he 
 pretended not to notice, and was all suavity 
 and graciousness. I ought to have been 
 
 231
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 ashamed; and I was ashamed later that 
 night and took another good cry. 
 
 Then Mr. Ned had a spell of the sulks that 
 lasted several days; and I was miserable. I 
 don't know why I should have been, exactly 
 now that I think the thing over; but I was. 
 I guess I must have been sorry Mr. Ned was 
 so sad. 
 
 But at the end of about three days some- 
 thing happened that brought bloom to my 
 cheeks and balm to my heart. Mr. Ned, bend- 
 ing over my desk and examining some work I 
 had done, looked up suddenly and asked me 
 a question; and, absent-mindedly, he called 
 me "Marjory." I fairly jumped; and so did 
 he for his father was in the room. Then I 
 blushed and smiled, and he smiled and got 
 red of face; and both of us looked anxiously 
 toward Mr. Durbin. But that dear and ac- 
 commodating old man was intent about his 
 business. A half-minute later I was making 
 my typewriter fairly dance, and Mr. Ned had 
 gone to the outer office whistling happily. 
 
 "W e 11," drawled Mr. Durbin, whirling 
 about in his chair and eyeing me suspi- 
 ciously, I feared and fancied. 
 
 232
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 Then he got upon his feet and tiptoed across 
 the floor and closed the door, and came and 
 leaned on my desk. 
 
 "What do you think?" he whispered mys- 
 teriously. 
 
 "Think?" and I stared hard at him, 
 trying to read his face striving to learn what 
 he had in mind. "Think about what, Mr. 
 Durbin?" 
 
 "About Ned's quick recovery?" 
 
 "His recovery?" 
 
 "Yes; recovery from his attack of dumps." 
 
 "Oh!" 
 
 "Uh-huh. What do you think about it 
 about what cured him?" 
 
 I was nervous, concerned. Had the sharp- 
 eared old fellow overheard his son call me 
 Marjory? 
 
 "I I don't know what to think, I I' 
 guess," I faltered in reply to his reiterated 
 question. 
 
 "I think you cured him," my companion 
 chuckled. 
 
 "Yes?" I didn't know what else to say. 
 
 "Y-e-s," teeheeing and cackling, "you 
 must have said something awfully nice to 
 
 233
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 him; he came in moping and mooning, and he 
 went out whisking and whistling." 
 
 He paused to get his breath; then he con- 
 tinued, bobbing his head and gurgling down 
 deep in his throat, till the bunches of funny 
 fuzzy hair around his ears quivered and 
 danced in rhythmic sympathy: 
 
 "Yes, you cured him; case of similia si- 
 mttibus curantur, I guess eh?" 
 
 " I don't know what you mean, Mr. Durbin," 
 which was quite true. 
 
 "Oh, yes, you do!" grinning cherubically. 
 "You threw him into an attack of the 
 dumps, by going to the opera with me; 
 and then you cured him by smiling upon 
 him." 
 
 "Why, Mr. Durbin!" I exclaimed in genuine 
 astonishment and confusion. His ready dis- 
 cernment was surprising. 
 
 "I mean what I say," he went on, sobering. 
 "He's jealous of me; and he couldn't and 
 wouldn't be jealous of me, if he wasn't in love 
 with you. Now!" triumphantly. 
 
 I couldn't say a word, my dear Nell; I 
 could only sit and stare, dumbfounded. And 
 my speechless embarrassment so tickled the old 
 
 234
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 pest, that he immediately went into a spasm 
 no, a series of spasms ! of hilarity. When he 
 saw that I was recovering and about to say 
 something something caustic, I can tell you 
 Nell ! he instantly controlled himself and, 
 holding up a warning finger, said impressively : 
 "Wait a moment, Miss Grimes; I'm not 
 quite through. Ned don't know he's in love 
 with you, but /do; I know the symptoms 
 of the malady you bet! And you're in love 
 with him." The impudent old wretch! I 
 bridled instantly. "There, there! Maybe 
 you don't realize it, but you are. Young folks 
 seldom do recognize the insidious complaint, 
 till their cases are hopeless. But," shaking 
 his head and grinning like a mesmerized 
 gargoyle, "what you've done to that boy 
 of mine is simply wonderful, marvelous. He's 
 never been in love with a bundle of femi- 
 ninity before in his life," I wished I could 
 believe his positive statement as very truth, 
 Nell; but I lacked the faith! "but he's a 
 goner now; 7 can see it. And all you'll have 
 to do to keep him in love with you, Miss 
 Grimes you do want to keep him in love 
 with you, don't you?" 
 
 235
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Why why, Mr. Durbin!" I gasped, 
 startled. " Such a question ! " 
 
 "Well, it is rather a silly question," he 
 teeheed. "Of course you want to keep him 
 in love with you whether you care for him 
 or not; you wouldn't be a woman, if you 
 didn't want to. But I know you do care for 
 Ned no no! Don't say a word in contra- 
 diction of my statement; I know you do. 
 And now listen to me; listen!" very im- 
 pressively, very gravely. "I'm an old man 
 old enough to be your father; and nothing 
 would please me more than to be your father. 
 No no, don't say a word! I admire you, I 
 like you, enjoy your company and love to have 
 you near me, and all that; but I'm not quite 
 such a fool as to expect or desire, really 
 you to feel that way toward me. I'm not 
 quite such a fool as that, Miss Grimes; but I 
 rub the mark. Wait wait! I'm almost 
 through. I've been wanting Ned to fall in 
 love; and I'm tickled to death that he's 
 fallen in love with you. Just a moment just 
 a moment! I want him to marry; and I want 
 him to marry you. My plans and schemes are 
 working out all' right. But here's a bit of 
 
 236
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 advice in the shape of a bit of wisdom: the 
 thing a man always wants and is determined 
 to have is the thing he thinks he can't get. 
 Understand? Catch on? Well, all right, then." 
 I must have nodded, Nell; but I wasn't 
 aware of it. "Now, we must keep Ned hot 
 on the trail you and I; and the very way 
 to do it is to keep him uneasy, anxious, in a 
 stew. See? Yes all right, then. And our 
 plan '11 be to go on just as we're going, only 
 only we'll pay just a little more attention to 
 each other. Can I depend upon you; will 
 you join me in the scheme? Good! All 
 right!" Nell Adams, I know I hadn't nodded 
 a nod or winked a wink! "That's settled, 
 then. And don't weaken; don't get soft- 
 hearted and begin to pity the big dolt. If 
 you do, you may lose him. I know men. 
 Besides Ned's been so uppish, so scornful and 
 cantankerous, that he deserves a taste of a 
 purgatory of pain before he enters into a 
 paradise of bliss with such a girl as you." 
 The dear poetical old chap! "There that's 
 all. Now, Miss Grimes, will you shake? " 
 And we shook! 
 
 237
 
 XL 
 
 FROM that time on, Nell darling, there was 
 something doing daily in and about the real- 
 estate offices of Durbin and Son. The more 
 chummy and chuckly Mr. Durbin became, the 
 more giddy and giggly I made myself; and 
 the more frantic and furious Mr. Ned grew. 
 Poor boy! It was cruel; he must have suf- 
 fered dreadfully. I pitied him at times, but I 
 held firm. However, I think his suffering was 
 as nothing compared with that of the flock 
 of carrion crows in the outer office. Oh, how 
 they did want to flap their wings and peck 
 and caw and didn't dare to! Not a croak did 
 they utter. If they talked about their em- 
 ployers and me, they must have hired a hall 
 somewhere to do it in; at any rate, they didn't 
 do it about the office. 
 
 Occasionally I went to a play or other enter- 
 tainment with the junior member of the firm; 
 and then he was 'delighted, apparently and 
 so was I, undoubtedly. But more frequently 
 by far, to the junior's chagrin and my 
 
 238
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 disappointment! the senior anticipated the 
 junior's good intentions. Heighho! But 
 things were at sixes and sevens in that hive 
 of industry ; and all on account of the advent 
 of a little tousle-haired, gray-eyed queen! 
 Now, grin, you dear old chum! 
 
 Summer went and autumn came; and the 
 hours were rosy like the changing foliage. 
 Sometimes my hopes soared aloft with the 
 airy thistledown; and again they sank to 
 earth with the falling leaves to be trampled 
 under foot. Part of the time I tripped over the 
 hills of delight, and part of the time I trudged 
 through the valleys of despair; but Mr. Dur- 
 bin stood tiptoe upon the mountain-tops of 
 ecstasy and glory all the time and flapped 
 his arms and crew. 
 
 One day Mr. Ned said to me very, very 
 soberly : 
 
 "Marjory," he was calling me by my 
 Christian name, by that time, when he wasn't 
 too huffy with me to call me anything ! " will 
 you answer me a question?" 
 
 Oo h! Was he going to propose in such 
 a sudden and offhand way? My heart flitter- 
 fluttered so tunmltuously, so deliciously, that 
 
 239
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 I could barely murmur my eyes demurely 
 dropped : 
 
 "If if I can, Ned, Mr. Ned." 
 
 "You can," solemnly, almost funereally. 
 
 Oo h ! It was coming ! 
 
 "I will, then," I breathed softly. 
 
 "Why do you persist in carrying on with 
 father, as you do?" 
 
 Stuff! I was so disappointed I was almost 
 ready to cry. Such a silly question and 
 when I thought him on the point of propos- 
 ing! Surely men are the dumbest things, Nell 
 Adams especially young men who are in love 
 and aren't fully conscious of their condition 
 or their opportunities! Such reflections made 
 me wrothy! 
 
 " Why do I persist in carrying on with your 
 father?" I snapped. 
 
 He nodded, his eyes half-shut. 
 
 "I don't," I fibbed. 
 
 "But you do." 
 
 "What do you mean by ' carrying on? J " I 
 demanded haughtily. 
 
 "You know, Marjory." 
 
 "I don't!" I cried. "I don't!" 
 
 " I mean just what I said." 
 
 240
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 " I mean you persist in flirting with father." 
 
 " Oh ! " I laughed mirthlessly. " But maybe 
 I don't flirt with him." 
 
 He gave me a searching look ; then he mut- 
 tered thickly: 
 
 "Maybe you don't that's so"; and, oh, 
 Nell, I began to tremble with fear that the 
 thick-pated fellow was going to take my rash 
 hint in earnest! "but / think you do." 
 Again I could get a full breath! "Yes, you 
 flirt with him, Marjory; and you permit him 
 no, you encourage him to make a spectacle 
 of himself, an old fool of himself. And you 
 don't care for him not a mite." 
 
 "Think not? " teasingly . 
 
 " I know you don't." 
 
 Well, then, why was he always stewing so 
 over the matter? I couldn't understand. 
 
 "Maybe I do, though," I persisted per- 
 versely. 
 
 "All right maybe you do, then; have your 
 way." 
 
 And he got up and flung himself out of the 
 room. 
 
 I saw that I had gone too far, old chum; 
 
 241
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 and I was properly worried and properly 
 punished. All that week he gave me scant 
 attention and scanter courtesy, speaking to 
 me only when he couldn't avoid it; and I lost 
 all faith in Mr. Durbin and his silly schemes 
 and plans for subduing and winning his 
 savage son and was so cross to the old chap 
 I must have made his fleeting days miserable. 
 Life wasn't a grand sweet song all the time, 
 Nell not by an appreciable per cent. Part 
 of the time it was antic, frantic ragtime ; and 
 the rest of the time it was a dolesome, unwhole- 
 some funeral march. 
 
 One day, near the end of that memorable 
 week, Mr. Durbin sprung a surprise on me 
 that was a surprise. On returning from lunch 
 I found him alone in the inner room, teetering 
 back and forth in his pivot chair, swinging his 
 feet, twiddling his thumbs and grinning like 
 a Sozodont girl. 
 
 "Hoho!" he cried, laughingly, explosively, 
 as I came in the door. 
 
 "What's the matter now?" I demanded, 
 pettishly stamping. 
 
 "Nothing at all, Miss Marjory Dawes!" 
 
 What? Had I heard aright or was my 
 
 242
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 inner consciousness playing tricks with me? 
 Had my skirts become unfastened and fallen 
 about my feet, I could not have been more 
 disconcerted. Marjory Dawes! Was I awake 
 or dreaming; sane or silly? I stood staring 
 vacantly at my grinning companion, till he 
 aroused me with : 
 
 "It surprises you that I know your real 
 name, doesn't it, Miss Dawes?" 
 
 "A little/ ' I admitted faintly. Then, in a 
 measure recovering my equanimity: "Who 
 told you?" 
 
 "Guess," manifesting infinite enjoyment. 
 
 "Mr. Ned." 
 
 " Y-e-s, he did and he didn't." 
 
 "Explain, Mr. Durbin." 
 
 I had removed my hat and my wrap and 
 was rearranging things upon my desk. 
 
 "W-e-1-1," gleefully, childishly, " I sus- 
 pected your real name that day Ned brought 
 in the paper telling about your eloping with the 
 old colonel"; who would have thought it, 
 Nell mine that old Foxy Grandpa could be 
 so shrewd, so secretive? "but I became sat- 
 isfied of the truth of my guess just a few 
 minutes ago." 
 
 243
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Indeed?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "How?" 
 
 "Go over and look at the blotter on Ned's 
 desk." 
 
 And then he went into the worst spell of 
 the hysterical risibilities I ever saw him 
 have. 
 
 Wondering what I was to see, I walked over 
 to Mr. Ned's desk. My eyes fell upon his 
 blotter and horror of horrors! He had 
 scribbled all over it, in pencil absent-mind- 
 edly, of course: 
 
 "Marjory Dawes, Miss Marjory Dawes, 
 Marjie, Marjory, Marjory Dawes." 
 
 And down in an obscure corner but stand- 
 ing out as if emblazoned in letters of blood 
 and flame, Nell "Marjory Dawes Durbin!" 
 
 I fairly gasped at the unexampled audacity, 
 the unmitigated juvenility, of the thing; and 
 Mr. Durbin watched me and squirmed and 
 twisted, and wheezed and whooped. 
 
 "So you see Ned did tell me," he cried, 
 clapping his hands and knocking his heels 
 together; "and you see, too, that he's a 
 goner." 
 
 244
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "A goner?" I queried, dropping into my 
 chair. 
 
 "Yes; he's dead gone on you." 
 
 "Why, Mr. Durbin, how inelegant!" I 
 exclaimed. 
 
 "But how expressive and how true," he 
 teeheed. 
 
 "I'm afraid he's gone from me," I said 
 gloomily. 
 
 "What makes you say that?" 
 
 "Because I think it." 
 
 " And what makes you think it? " 
 
 " The way he acts toward me ; he's so cold, 
 so distant doesn't pay any attention to me, 
 hardly." 
 
 "Nonsense!" snapping his fingers supe- 
 riorly, contemptuously. " That's just a man's 
 way: he's just pouting. No no! He'll come 
 around all right. Has he asked you to go to 
 the play with him to-night?" 
 
 I thought he asked this question a little 
 anxiously. 
 
 "No, he hasn't," I replied. 
 
 "Well, I'll ask you to go with me, then. 
 But if he does ask you, you'd better go with 
 him, I I guess; yes, I think you had. Maybe 
 
 245
 
 we'd better not push him too far right now, 
 anyhow." Then, abruptly: 
 
 "Say!" 
 
 "What?" I queried. 
 
 "Ned knew you weren't Miss Grimes the 
 first day he saw you in the office, of course, 
 didn't he?" 
 
 "Yes, of course." 
 
 "Well, why didn't he say something 
 expose you, eh? And what brought you here 
 to palm yourself off as Miss Grimes? Tell 
 me all about it." 
 
 I complied with his request, told him every- 
 thing; and his delight was unbounded was 
 a revelation in the way of giggling gymnastics 
 and chuckling calisthenics. 
 
 Mr. Ned was in the office just once that day; 
 and he didn't ask me to go to the play with 
 him. And when the father and I took our 
 seats in the dress circle that night, there sat 
 the son, directly in front of us! with a 
 beautiful young woman at his side. She was 
 beautiful, I admit it, Nell mine; and that's 
 a great condescension for me! and I was so 
 blinded by the kaleidoscopic and devilish 
 antics of the green god of jealousy, and so 
 
 246
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 deafened by the taunts and flings and gibes 
 and jeers the little verdant imp shrilled into 
 my ears, that I couldn't see the actors or hear 
 a word they said. I looked at Mr. Durbin 
 the old bungler! and he looked at me, wag- 
 ging his head like an imbecile paralytic. 
 
 "Who is she?" I murmured cautiously. 
 
 "Miss Frances Garland," my companion 
 whispered in reply, "daughter of John Gar- 
 land of the Capital City Electric Supply 
 Company; her father's very wealthy." 
 
 'Twas then the iron entered my soul, Nell 
 Adams of other days! She was the daughter 
 of a wealthy man; I was an orphan and a 
 beggar. She was beautiful, and tall and wil- 
 lowy; I was just pretty, and short and grace- 
 less. She was elegantly and faultlessly gowned ; 
 I was dowdy just dowdy! compared with 
 her. Oh, the comparison hurt, I can tell you ! 
 And I wanted to die; and I resolved to die 
 just as soon as I could determine on a nice 
 easy way of doing the thing! But, no I 
 wouldn't die for a little while! I must settle 
 accounts with Foxy Grandpa first ! Of course 
 I'd kill him! But how? What sort of death 
 would be fit punishment for his crime his 
 
 247
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 many crimes? And I sat the play out, in un- 
 seeing, unhearing, unspeaking silence in the 
 blue-black gloom of despair and hate and 
 revenge ! 
 
 When the curtain had fallen upon the last 
 act of the miserable and monstrous melo- 
 drama, my escort and I gloomily arose to make 
 our way out. Then it was Mr. Ned first be- 
 came aware of our presence, apparently. I 
 believe he knew we were there all the time, 
 Nell, for I caught him slyly squinting over 
 his shoulder more than once I'm sure I did, 
 almost; but he pretended to be so absorbed 
 in the princess-like Miss Garland and her fas- 
 cinating talk, that he couldn't see or hear 
 anybody or anything else. The mean thing! 
 
 But just as we arose he slowly turned 
 around, gave a well-feigned start and said : 
 
 " Why, Miss Daw hem ! Miss Grimes, you 
 here and father, too? You two must have 
 been completely absorbed in the play or in 
 each other's company"; oh, but I wanted 
 to scream and scratch, Nell Adams! "you 
 kept so still. Miss Grimes, permit me to pre- 
 sent Miss Garland; father, you know Miss 
 Garland, of course." 
 
 248
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 Miss Garland smiled and murmured my 
 name and gracefully inclined her tall and 
 willowy form; and I smirked a frozen smirk 
 and muttered her name and bobbed stiffly. 
 I couldn't help being rude; and Mr. Ned 
 looked on amused I just know he was 
 amused, Nell ! the corners of his big mouth 
 twitching. 
 
 "Did you enjoy the play?" he asked heart- 
 lessly. 
 
 I didn't answer him, I didn't dare to try 
 to answer him. I believe I should have burst 
 out weeping and wailing right there. But 
 Mr. Durbin he thought he was coming to 
 my rescue, the dear kind-hearted old briggler! 
 tittered in mock gleefulness: 
 
 "Oh, yes! Yes, indeed; we enjoyed it 
 immensely." 
 
 "Well," Mr. Ned went on forcing the con- 
 versation, "Miss Garland and I are going 
 down to Paff's to have supper. Won't you 
 go along with us you two?" 
 
 Again I remained silent. 
 
 "Yes, do come with us," Miss Garland 
 murmured. 
 
 "Will we go with them, Miss Daw ahem! 
 
 249
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 Miss Grimes?" Mr. Durbin said pityingly, 
 caressingly, bending toward me. 
 
 I saw Mr. Ned give a start and glare at his 
 father; and, sad as I was, Nell, I came near 
 letting out a little giggle. 
 
 "Will we go?" Mr. Durbin repeated. 
 
 "No!" I replied snappishly. "I've got a 
 headache," and I did have one; and a 
 heartache, too! "and I don't care to stay 
 out any longer." 
 
 "All right," Mr. Ned smiled, giving Miss 
 Garland a meaningful glance which she was 
 quick to return, "we'll sup together some 
 other time, then. Good night." 
 
 Out on the street, in the frosty air and the 
 dappled shadow and sheen of the arc lights, 
 I hurried along like mad, almost forcing my 
 escort to break into a trot to keep up with me. 
 
 " Why such a rush, Miss Dawes? " he panted. 
 " Hadn't we better take a car eh?" 
 
 "No," was my monosyllabic and crusty 
 response. 
 
 "Well, why why are you you hurrying 
 so?" he puffed. 
 
 "Because I want to get to my room, that's 
 why." 
 
 250
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 " Oh!" as much a groan as a reply. 
 
 "Yes. And you needn't accompany me; 
 I can go alone." 
 
 "Oh, I wouldn't think of permitting you 
 to do that ! " he gasped. " No, indeed ! " 
 
 Then I relented just a little! and slowed 
 down. 
 
 "You're out of sorts to-night, Miss Dawes," 
 he wheezed. 
 
 "Ami?" 
 
 "Aren't you?" 
 
 "Yes, lam." 
 
 "Have have / done anything to to dis- 
 please you?" anxiously, meekly. 
 
 "Yes, you have." 
 
 "What why what, may I ask, Miss 
 Dawes?" 
 
 "Everything!" I burst forth. "You've 
 bungled everything that's what you've done; 
 and I'm disgusted with you and all your 
 idiotic plans and schemes. You assured me 
 that Ned Mr. Ned liked me; and told me 
 the way to win him was to to well, to flirt 
 with you that's what you did. And now he 
 doesn't care for me at all and I don't think 
 he ever did care for me; and he's taken up 
 
 251
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 with Miss Garland, and she's beautiful and 
 rich, and I'm homely and poor, and and 
 oh, dear dear!" 
 
 I broke down and began to boohoo, in a 
 soft and seemly manner, of course! and Mr. 
 Durbin laid a fatherly hand upon my shoulder 
 and pleaded soothingly: 
 
 "There there, little girl, don't cry!" -I 
 had to smile through my tears, to hear him 
 unconsciously quoting Riley! " Every thing 
 will come out all right; don't get discouraged. 
 Just remember the blotter you saw on his 
 desk to-day ; keep your eye and your mind on 
 that and you won't lose heart. Now, listen; 
 let me tell you something." And I dried my 
 tears and did listen, warm hope gradually 
 returning to my chilled heart! "Ned's trying 
 the same game you've been working; he's 
 trying to bring you round, just as you've been 
 trying to bring him round. And you're as 
 big a dunce as he is," chucking me under 
 the chin, " to let him see that you care. Now 
 the time's come for us to change our game 
 a mite. He's come to the conclusion that I'm 
 not dangerous to his prospects. See? And 
 now he thinks he'll punish you a little bit, by 
 
 252
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 paying his attentions to Miss Garland. Under- 
 stand?" I nodded, and gently pressed his 
 arm. "Well, here's the thing to do now 
 and the only thing: you must catch another 
 fellow. Do you follow me?" 
 
 "I I guess so," I cooed, a half-sob in my 
 voice. "But what good will that do?" 
 
 " It'll bring Ned back to you in a hurry." 
 
 "Do you really think it will?," 
 
 "Of course it will." 
 
 My own intuition told me it would, Nell; 
 but I could not refrain from saying: 
 
 "Sure, Mr. Durbin?" 
 
 "Dead sure," with all the unction and 
 assurance imaginable. 
 
 "But maybe he likes Miss Garland," I 
 objected. 
 
 "No, he doesn't," the old gentleman replied 
 quickly, " I know he doesn't. The only thing 
 that puzzles me about the whole thing is 
 that Ned should pay any attention to any 
 woman; I know he never has before. He's 
 got at it all at once; but he seems to be 
 making up for lost time and opportunities, I 
 must say." 
 
 I had to cough to smother a giggle. 
 
 253
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "And you think if I get another another 
 beau, it will will 
 
 "It'll fix everything," he interrupted. 
 
 "Then," I said resolutely, " I'll have another 
 young man enamored of me before the week 
 ends." 
 
 I spoke so confidently, sweet Nell, because 
 I knew just what I was going to do and how 
 I was going to do it. My landlady had a 
 nephew, a Mr. Morse who worked in the offices 
 of the Mondarun Coal Company, a most 
 despisable, cigarette-smoking little dude! 
 and he had shown a decided desire to make 
 himself agreeable to me. Hitherto I had 
 snubbed him unmercifully; but now I meant 
 to smile on him divinely. I needed him in 
 my business, Nell! 
 
 Well, to be brief for just once in my life, 
 things worked out as I planned ; that is, they 
 worked out to an extent, as I planned. The 
 next Sunday evening found Mr. Morse and 
 me at the Congregational church on East 
 Broad street. I had ascertained in advance, 
 by the help of Mr. Durbin, that Mr. Ned and 
 Miss Garland would worship on that particular 
 evening at that particular church. So I was 
 
 254
 
 not at all surprised to see them as soon as my 
 escort and I entered the edifice, threading the 
 aisle just ahead of us; and, by wasting a little 
 cajolery upon the impressionable usher, I 
 managed to be seated near them in direct 
 line of their vision. Then, when I saw that 
 Mr. Ned and Miss Garland were aware of our 
 presence, I was satisfied and, for the mo- 
 ment, very, very happy! 
 
 I don't know what kind of a sermon Mr. 
 Gladstone preached, Nell except it was a 
 good one, of course, for he never fails to preach 
 acceptably, I understand; I was too busy 
 wondering what Mr. Ned was getting out of 
 the discourse and the situation! to get 
 much out of it myself. Yes, call me an 
 impious little wretch; I shan't care. I'm lay- 
 ing my soul bare at the confessional; and 
 I'm going to tell the truth, the whole truth, 
 and nothing but the truth. So now and 
 there ! 
 
 The next day Mr. Ned was all smiles and 
 affability; and I flattered myself that I had 
 already won out on the first deal. But on 
 the Wednesday night following he took Miss 
 Garland to a concert; and I wasn't quite so 
 
 255
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 cocksure of my good fortune. And so things 
 went for another week or two, Mr. Ned paying 
 court to Miss Garland and Mr. Morse paying 
 court to me; and all the time I was playing 
 cross purposes with my desires; and Mr. 
 Ned well, I couldn't tell what he was doing, 
 except that he was was hurting me! One 
 thing I was sure of, however; while Mr. Ned 
 was kindness itself and geniality personified, 
 as far as I was concerned, he seemed to be 
 edging farther and farther away from that 
 tender intimacy I so fondly desired. I got 
 nervous, cross, and I snapped him off when- 
 ever he spoke to me; but he the great big 
 admirable but provoking dolt! just grinned 
 blandly, maddeningly, and wouldn't get out 
 of humor simply wouldn't. And I got to 
 hating him I knew I did; mind, I don't 
 say I know I did. 
 
 One day Mr. Durbin inquired: 
 
 "How're things coming on, Marj Miss 
 Dawes?" 
 
 "They're not coming on at all," I replied 
 peevishly. 
 
 "No?" 
 
 "No, they're not." 
 
 256
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "What seems to be the trouble, Marj- 
 Marjory?" 
 
 "Nothing only Mr. Ned's in love with 
 Miss Garland." 
 
 "No, he isn't, "shaking his head and 
 grinning broadly, exasperatingly. 
 
 "But he M." 
 
 "No; he's in love with you, Marjory dear. 
 I'll tell you what I think's the trouble the 
 reason he doesn't pay more attention to you; 
 you've let him know you worry over his 
 apparent devotion to Miss Garland, and 
 
 "But I haven't let him know," I protested. 
 
 "But you have." 
 
 " Why, I've never said a word " 
 
 "True," he interrupted, "but you've let 
 him see that you're worried; and, man-like, 
 he's gloating over the fact and pluming him- 
 self upon his irresistible prowess as a lady- 
 killer, and is bent on amusing himself to the 
 utmost watching you make a wry face at 
 the bitter medicine he's giving you. Now, 
 you listen to me; take my advice, and 
 
 "I have taken your advice, Mr. Durbin, all 
 the way along; and it's only made matters 
 
 worse." 
 
 257
 
 "Not at all not at all!" sanguinely, com- 
 placently. "Things 're all right; if you'd 
 only think so and act accordingly." 
 
 "Act? How shall I act?" 
 
 "Act as if you didn't care a snap for Ned, 
 as if you were perfectly satisfied with Mr. 
 Morse and the world in general, as if every 
 hour were an open flower and you were a 
 butterfly sipping its sweets that's how to 
 act. Act cheerful and and saucy, and a 
 little devilish; in other words, just be your 
 sweet, natural, fascinating self as of old. 
 Then Ned '11 drop that self-satisfied and self- 
 righteous smirk of his and begin to see things 
 of night's, and sit up and take notice, and in- 
 quire where he's at. I know; you'll see!" 
 chuckling in anticipatory glee. "It won't be 
 two days till he'll begin to scratch his head 
 and wonder about the change in you; and 
 he'll end by trying to find out the cause by 
 trying to pick the truth out of you. And then, 
 when he does come to you with his sly ques- 
 tions and his blarney, just you hold him off 
 at arm's length just you pretend you're 
 too happy and contented to give him a mo- 
 ment's time or thought. That'll fetch him. 
 
 258
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 You'll win out that way, Marjory dear; 
 yes, you will." 
 
 And, as usual, I believed all he said, Nell; 
 and I felt so much better, so relieved, so light- 
 hearted, that I hummed a little tune as I 
 resumed my work. 
 
 Well, the result of my following Mr. Durbin's 
 suggestion proved the old fellow a sage and 
 a prophet. The very next day Mr. Ned 
 noticed my changed demeanor and remarked 
 upon the new shirt-waist I had donned; the 
 following day he mentioned how well I was 
 looking and gave me a quizzical look, and 
 sighed; and the next he was plainly puzzled, 
 amorously anxious, and dolefully down in 
 the dumps. 
 
 As soon as opportunity offered he said to me : 
 
 " You appear to be in a merry mood to-day 
 for several days, in fact Marjory." 
 
 "Yes?" smiling a new coquettish smile 
 I had been practicing. 
 
 "Yes; and you're looking well, too." 
 
 "Thank you, Mr. Ned." 
 
 "Oh, the devil!" irritably. "Drop that 
 mister business. I call you Marjory; you 
 call me Ned just plain Ned." 
 
 259
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "All right, Mr. Ned I mean plain Ned." 
 
 Then both of us laughed. 
 
 "Say!" he cried suddenly. "I believe 
 you're getting prettier every day." 
 
 " Thank you again Ned. 11 
 
 I looked up into his face, to find his keen 
 eyes fixed upon me admiringly, devouringly. 
 
 "Hem!" he coughed behind his hand. 
 "Do you think of going to see De Wolfe 
 Hopper play 'Wang' day after to-morrow 
 night?" 
 
 " I think of going yes." 
 
 " Will you go with me? " 
 
 "I can't." 
 
 " Can't? "sharply." Why? " 
 
 "I've promised to go with Mr. Morse." 
 
 "Oh, I see!" biting his lips. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Well, turn him down and let me take 
 you." 
 
 "No, indeed Ned." 
 
 "Why won't you?" 
 
 " Why? You know why I won't." 
 
 " Would you rather go with him that 
 mealy-faced little dude?" 
 
 I kept silent. 
 
 260
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Say!" he insisted. 
 
 " Well, I I suppose I would" hesitatingly, 
 prettily, "under the circumstances, any- 
 how." 
 
 "Maybe you'd rather go with him, under 
 any circumstances eh?" plainly piqued. 
 
 "Oh, I I don't know! I don't want to say 
 that I guess; I don't want to hurt your 
 feelings." 
 
 He glared at me like he'd like to catch hold 
 of me and crush me. 
 
 "Besides," I went on smoothly and sweetly, 
 "Miss Garland will be expecting you to take 
 her, won't she?" 
 
 "Humph!" he snorted. "Miss Garland 
 has no mortgage on me, my time or my atten- 
 tions. But if you don't want to go with me 
 why, that settles it." 
 
 And he whirled around and left me, the 
 overgrown selfish boy ! his very back looking 
 sulky. 
 
 And, oh, I was in an ecstasy, dear old chum! 
 Ned had come back to me, and humbled him- 
 self; and I had had the pleasure of throwing 
 him down throwing him down good and 
 hard. But still still I was just a wee bit 
 
 261
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 dissatisfied, just a wee bit sad; for I did so 
 desire to go to that play with him! 
 
 And then came the deluge, Sweet Nell of 
 Oberlin the end of all things! 
 
 262
 
 XII. 
 
 IT WAS the first day of November, Thursday. 
 I arrived at the office a few minutes ahead of 
 time; and found Mr. Ned already there and 
 in earnest conversation with a portly man of 
 middle age, with a pug-like face and yellowish- 
 green eyes. I was surprised that my junior 
 employer should be so early at his place of 
 business: more surprised that he had brought 
 his traveling-bag and light overcoat with him ; 
 and most surprised that a stranger should be 
 there on business, at so unusual an hour. 
 
 As I entered the inner room, Mr. Ned was 
 saying: 
 
 "Yes, I know my option expires at two 
 o'clock this afternoon; and, of course, I can't 
 ask you to extend it 
 
 " I wouldn't do it if you did ask me to," the 
 man interrupted in a stubborn, matter-of-fact 
 tone and manner. 
 
 Unheeding my advent, they went on talk- 
 ing. Mr. Ned replied to the stranger's surly 
 interruption : 
 
 263
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Of course you wouldn't, Klein I know 
 that; but I'm not asking you to, remember." 
 
 " I know you're not. But what I came here 
 for is to find out what you're going to do. 
 Are you going to take the property or not? " 
 
 "You'll learn that at two o'clock this 
 afternoon." 
 
 "But I'd like to learn it now," persist- 
 ently, doggedly. 
 
 "Well, I can't tell you." 
 
 " Won't, you mean." 
 
 "I mean what I say, Klein I can't." 
 
 "Don't you know?" 
 
 "No; I wish I did. Have you another 
 offer?" 
 
 "I've given a second option on it; and the 
 parties are anxious to close the bargain." 
 
 "I see. Who are they?" 
 
 "I can't tell you that, Durbin." 
 
 "All right. I'm not overly anxious to 
 know, I guess." 
 
 "And you won't say now whether you'll 
 take the property?" 
 
 "I can't, I told you," impatiently. 
 
 "Well," leaning back and yawning cav- 
 ernously, "your last minute of grace is up 
 
 264
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 when the clock strikes two; remember that." 
 
 "I'll remember." 
 
 "If you don't close by that time to the 
 fraction of a second, you don't close at all." 
 
 Mr. Ned made no reply; and Klein con- 
 tinued : 
 
 "I don't believe you want the property at 
 all, Durbin. And, if you don't, why the devil 
 don't you say so and let me dicker with some- 
 body else?" 
 
 Again Mr. Ned said nothing; he simply sat 
 and smiled. Mr. Klein suddenly sat up 
 straight and, knowingly squinting his small 
 yellowish-green eyes, he grunted : 
 
 "I know what you're holding off for, 
 Durbin; you can't fool me. I'm on." 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 "You're waiting to hear from the East 
 hear whether the Transylvania Company 
 decides to enlarge its freight yards ; you think 
 you can sell to them if they do decide they 
 want more room." 
 
 "Think so?" smiling blandly. 
 
 "I know so, I tell you"; puckering his 
 smug face in a scowl, "I'm on. You've 
 got an option on a bunch of lots and old 
 
 265
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 shacks, at about twice what the bunch is 
 worth on an open market. If you find out 
 you can treble or quadruple your money 
 by selling to somebody that has to have the 
 property, just has to have it you'll close 
 with me; if you find out you can't, you won't. 
 And you're holding off to the last minute, 
 hoping you'll get a straight tip learn some- 
 thing certain. You're a sly fox, Durbin; 
 but I'm on you see." 
 
 "I see you are; you're very astute, Klein. 
 And what do you think the Transylvania 
 company will do, eh?" 
 
 Mr. Klein surlily shook his head. 
 
 "Don't know," he muttered. 
 
 "Sure you don't," Mr. Ned smiled; "but 
 what do you think?" 
 
 " I'm not going to say. I was a fool to give 
 you an option on the property; and a double 
 fool to give a second option to the other fellows. 
 I might have had the chance with the Tran- 
 sylvania myself." 
 
 " Maybe they won't decide to enlarge their 
 yards, though," Mr. Ned suggested. 
 
 "Well," growled Klein, "if they don't 
 enlarge 'em, neither of you parties will take 
 
 266
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 the property ; and there I am left with it on 
 my hands just the same as if I'd never given 
 an option on it. While if the railroad does 
 enlarge its yards, you fellows are likely to 
 be on to it and close the bargain with me. 
 And I've locked the door between myself and 
 a big pile of money. I've only got one con- 
 solation, though." 
 
 "What's that?" 
 
 "I don't really think the Transylvania 
 people 're going to improve." 
 
 "No? You said a moment ago you didn't 
 mean to give me your opinion." 
 
 "Well, I have done it," Klein growled. 
 "Anyhow, the thing'll be decided to-night." 
 
 " Yes. I wish my option ran till to-morrow 
 at two o'clock." 
 
 "But it doesn't," grinning like a snarling 
 pug dog. 
 
 "No; but the other fellows' does, doesn't 
 it? How long does theirs run?" 
 
 "Till four o'clock this evening." 
 
 "That all? You didn't give them much of 
 an extension of time over mine." 
 
 "No," a mere grunt. 
 
 "How was that, Klein?" 
 
 267
 
 "I got suspicious something was up so 
 many of you fellows wanting option on that 
 piece of real-estate though I didn't find out 
 what was up till yesterday; and so I just 
 gave the new parties two hours over you, to 
 make up their minds in." 
 
 " I see. And you think they're playing the 
 same game I am, do you?" 
 
 "Yes of course." 
 
 "I'd like to know who they are, Klein." 
 
 "You'll never know from me." 
 
 "All right," laughing lightly." Well, I'm 
 going out of the city to-day, on business; and 
 I won't be back till this evening late. Now, 
 I'll tell you what I'll do: I'll wire or phone 
 the girl here Miss Grimes, my decision, just 
 after noon; and she can call you up and in- 
 form you. That do?" 
 
 Klein obstinately and emphatically shook 
 his big fat head. 
 
 "What's the matter?" demanded Mr. Ned, 
 jerking out his watch and consulting it. 
 "Don't the arrangement suit you?" 
 
 "No," mumbled Klein. 
 
 "Well?'' 
 
 "It's too uncertain, too much latitude for 
 
 268
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 mistakes and misunderstandings under the 
 circumstances." 
 
 "What do you suggest, then?" 
 
 "That you draw up a little paper, agreeing 
 to take the property and stating that your 
 father is to act for you 
 
 "Father's in bed with a cold." 
 
 "Well, the young lady, then." 
 
 "Go on." 
 
 "Stating that the young lady is to act for 
 you in the deal, as you will be absent; and 
 if she adds her signature to yours on the 
 agreement, the sale is closed and the. prop- 
 erty is yours. Then you can wire or phone 
 her your instructions whether she is to sign 
 it or not." 
 
 "W-e-1-1," Mr. Ned replied slowly and 
 thoughtfully, "I see nothing wrong about 
 that; but we'll draw up the document in 
 duplicate and 
 
 "What's the use of doing that?" Mr. Klein 
 interrupted hastily, wrinkling his face in a 
 scowl. 
 
 "No use, maybe but we'll do it; and 
 we'll make the agreement on my part an 
 acceptance on yours that is, that I agree 
 
 269
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 to take the property and you agree to the 
 arrangement and the terms." 
 
 "All right/' mumbled Mr. Klein; "but I 
 don't see any use of having the thing in 
 duplicate." 
 
 " Well, it won't do any harm, at any rate," 
 Mr. Ned said smoothly. "Miss Grimes, write 
 what I dictate, please." 
 
 I sat down to the typewriter; and soon 
 had the paper prepared. It was a provisional 
 agreement on the part of Edward Durbin, to 
 purchase a piece of real-estate owned by Hor- 
 ace Klein, designated as the Klein coal-yards 
 tract, at the named price of seventy-five thou- 
 sand dollars; also, it stipulated that Horace 
 Klein accepted the above price for the prop- 
 erty named ; and provided that the agreement 
 was null and void unless signed by Edward 
 Durbin, Horace Klein, and Sarah Grimes- 
 amanuensis for the firm of Durbin and Son. 
 
 "That's all right," Mr. Ned said briskly 
 when I read what I had written. "Here, 
 Klein let's sign it." 
 
 Rather reluctantly, I thought, Mr. Klein 
 put his scrawling signature to the two papers; 
 and Mr. Ned hurriedly added his. Then the 
 
 270
 
 former thrust one of the folded documents 
 into his pocket, and grunted : 
 
 "Now, I'll come in here at one o'clock 
 unless something keeps me away and wait 
 till two. Then if Miss Grimes doesn't sign 
 up these papers, the deal's off. Is that 
 straight?" 
 
 "That's straight," Mr. Ned answered. 
 
 "And if she does sign 'em, the deal's 
 closed. Is that straight?" 
 
 "Straight as a string," laughed my em- 
 ployer. 
 
 "All right," growled the morose Mr. Klein 
 and waddled from the office. 
 
 "Now," Mr. Ned cried energetically, again 
 consulting his watch, "let's have a distinct 
 and definite understanding of this matter, 
 Marjory; and then I must be off to catch 
 my car. Listen, now. I've signed a pro- 
 visional agreement to purchase a piece of 
 real estate from Klein; your signature to 
 that agreement makes it binding upon me 
 to take the property and pay for it. The 
 property's worth about twenty-five thou- 
 sand dollars, on the market not a cent 
 more. I've agreed to take it at the price of 
 
 271
 
 seventy-five thousand fifty thousand more 
 than it's worth. You've learned my reason 
 for desiring to purchase it at three times its 
 real value. If the Transylvania company 
 decides to enlarge its yards, I want the prop- 
 erty by all means. The railroad company'll 
 have to have it, they can't do without it; 
 and I can get any price for it I have the 
 conscience no, the gall to ask. But if the 
 Transylvania company determines not to en- 
 large its yards, and the decision will be 
 made to-night, I don't want the property at 
 all; I would be sinking just fifty thousand 
 for nothing. See?" 
 
 I nodded very gravely. Such stupendous 
 figures, when applied to money, almost took 
 my breath away, Nell Adams. 
 
 Mr. Ned continued rapidly: "All right. 
 I've had an option on that piece of property 
 for the last six months; I caught a rumor of 
 what the railroad had in mind and tied 
 onto the thing. Now, I'm going to try to 
 determine by noon whether I desire to close 
 the deal that makes it mine. That's what 
 I'm leaving town for. I'm going to run down 
 to Newark, to meet a friend from New York, 
 
 ?72
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 who'll be on the B. and O. train for Chicago. 
 He's in a position to know what the Transyl- 
 vania means to do will do to-night. I wrote 
 him two weeks ago; and day before yester- 
 day I got a letter from him, saying for me 
 to meet him at Newark to-day that he would 
 have positive information for me." 
 
 He got upon his feet and began to put on 
 his overcoat, continuing: 
 
 "Now, here's your instructions a final 
 word: If I wire or phone you to sign that 
 agreement, do so; if I send you word not 
 to sign it, or you don't hear from me at all, 
 don't sign it that's all. Everything clear?" 
 
 "Yes," I murmured faintly, appalled at 
 the responsibility that was to rest upon poor 
 little insignificant me. Then, as an after- 
 thought, I said : " What time will I get word 
 from you, Mr. Ned Ned?" 
 
 And I couldn't help but blush a little, 
 Nell! 
 
 The big, virile, handsome fellow smiled 
 down upon me, as he made answer: 
 
 "Some time between one and two. You 
 be sure and be here." 
 
 "But something might be wrong with the 
 
 273
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 phone, Ned, or the telegram might not reach 
 me in time," I objected. 
 
 "Well, we'll have to take the risk; it's the 
 best we can do." 
 
 "And another thing." 
 
 "Yes?" 
 
 " How about my signing my name as Sarah 
 Grimes?" 
 
 "No harm will come of that," he laughed 
 lightly; "this deal isn't likely to become a 
 case in court." 
 
 "Who is this man Klein, Ned Mr. Ned- 
 Ned?" again blushing. 
 
 " He's president of the Mondarun coal com- 
 pany." 
 
 " Well, what am I to do if you send me in- 
 structions to sign those papers and he fails 
 to come around?" 
 
 "You must find him dead sure." 
 
 Then he came up to me, and playfully yet 
 soberly put his hand under my chin and 
 turned my face up toward his. 
 
 "Little girl," he said, "I'm going to de- 
 pend upon you to carry this affair through 
 all straight, even if I can't depend upon you 
 in some things." 
 
 274
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Why, Ned/' I murmured, "can't you de- 
 pend upon me in in everything?" 
 
 "I wish I could/' he muttered earnestly; 
 then, looking through my eyes and down 
 deep into my soul : " and and I guess I 
 
 can." 
 
 With that, he bent and kissed me. Then 
 he sprang away from me, waved his hand 
 and cried cheerily, laughingly: 
 
 "So long!" 
 
 And I stood stock still, listening to his re- 
 ceding footsteps; and my heart was echoing 
 his laughter, Nell Adams! 
 
 The forenoon passed pleasantly, quickly; I 
 was glad to be alone happy to have no com- 
 pany but my thoughts. 
 
 I went to lunch at eleven-thirty; and, as 
 I was in a hurry to return to the office, I went 
 to the Busy Bee a restaurant near at hand. 
 Barely had my order been filled, when two 
 men came in and took a table near me, just 
 behind me. 
 
 "It's all right, I tell you," I heard one of 
 them say; "no chance for a mistake." 
 
 The voice was the voice of my little cigar- 
 ette fiend, Mr. Morse; and I was about to 
 
 275
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 turn and recognize him, when I heard him 
 continue in excited, incautious tones: 
 
 "No, Walsh, it's a dead sure thing. If 
 Ned Durbin doesn't take the property by 
 two o'clock, and I don't believe he will, 
 for he doesn't know what / do, we want 
 to close our option, tie right onto it. What 
 do you say, Walsh?" 
 
 "Don't know," the other man muttered. 
 
 I was alert, interested, concerned at once; 
 and determined to glean the full import of 
 that conversation, if possible. So I neglected 
 my lunch and devoted my energies to an at- 
 tempt to hear all that was said. The clatter 
 and confusion of the big room was terrific; 
 but, as I sat almost as close to Mr. Morse 
 and his companion as each sat close to the 
 other, I succeeded in catching nearly every 
 word they uttered. 
 
 My little dude pleadingly continued: 
 
 " Why, Walsh, we don't want to let a good 
 thing like that get away; it's the chance of a 
 lifetime. We don't stand to lose a cent 
 
 "You mean you don't," Walsh interrupted; 
 "but / stand to lose fifty or sixty thousand 
 maybe." 
 
 276
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "I tell you you don't stand to lose a cent," 
 Mr. Morse cried, almost frantically; "it's a 
 dead sure thing. The Transylvania's going 
 to enlarge their yards that's all. And we'll 
 stand to win a hundred thousand, at the 
 smallest figure; and fifty thousand of that'll 
 be yours. That gives you an even chance 
 for your money, even if we didn't know any- 
 thing about what the Transylvania means to 
 do which we do know." 
 
 "/ don't know anything," Walsh objected. 
 
 "Yes, you do; I've told you." 
 
 " Well, you'll have to show me, Morse ; I'm 
 from Missouri, when it comes to a deal as 
 big as this and my good money backed only 
 by another fellow's wind." 
 
 "Why, what do you mean, Walsh?" 
 almost whimpering, the little insignificant 
 putty-face! "You and I have this option 
 your money against what I know ; and surely 
 you're not going to to 
 
 "Yes, I'm going to back right square out 
 of the thing right this minute, unless you 
 show me," firmly, inexorably. "You're urg- 
 ing me to close the deal ; but you haven't got 
 a cent in it. If we win, you get half; if we 
 
 277
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 lose, you lose nothing. I say you've got to 
 show me." 
 
 "But, Walsh/' really whining lugubri- 
 ously, "I can't tell you when and where 
 and how I got my tip I can't!" 
 
 " Well, you can and you will, or the game's 
 off. There!" 
 
 "Well," Morse cried in desperation, "if I 
 must, I must that's all; for I can't lose the 
 only chance I've ever had to get on my feet. 
 But, Walsh, you must promise me to keep 
 mum; it would play the devil with me, if 
 you'd ever tell on me. You must promise 
 not to tell." 
 
 "Oh, I promise that!" Walsh laughed dis- 
 agreeably. 
 
 How I despised that little dope fiend! I 
 felt, rather than saw, him sweep a glance in 
 my direction; and I feared he might recog- 
 nize me, though my back was toward him. 
 I was greatly relieved when he again turned 
 leaning far over the table and speaking so 
 low I could not catch all he said. However, 
 this is what drifted to me in shreds and 
 tatters: 
 
 "Well, here's ... I got next. Klein . . 
 
 278
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 cousin in employ sylvania comp . . 
 
 . . . . ; ... he's high muckamuck 
 
 he wrote Klein going to enlarge 
 
 yards, sure. I stole 
 
 Klein's desk. See?" 
 
 "Got that letter with you?" I heard Walsh 
 say distinctly. 
 
 "Yes," almost a whisper. 
 
 "Let me see it." 
 
 A momentary pause in the conversation; 
 the crumpling crackle of stiff paper; then, 
 from Walsh, exultantly: 
 
 "Say! That's all right; that reads good 
 to me. But, hello!" shrewdly, sarcastic- 
 ally. 
 
 "What?" from Mr. Morse, sharply. 
 
 "I see now why Klein was so anxious to 
 have me sign a provisional contract a con- 
 tract to be void unless signed by you before 
 four o'clock to-day. I wondered why he 
 wanted that; now I know. The infernal 
 scoundrel!" 
 
 "What do you mean, Walsh?" anxiously, 
 fearsomely. 
 
 "Why, don't you catch on? Klein doesn't 
 want us to close the deal, he wants to sell the 
 
 279
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 property to the Transylvania himself; and 
 he doesn't mean to give you a chance to sign 
 that contract that's what." 
 
 " Doesn't mean to give me a 
 chance to sign it? " slowly, thickly. 
 
 "That's what I said. Of course he doesn't 
 mean to give you a chance to sign it; he 
 means to avoid you to be in hiding." 
 
 "Good heavens!" Mr. Morse gasped. "Do 
 you think that?" 
 
 All at once, Nell Adams, 7 caught on, too; 
 and I sprang to my feet, nearly upsetting my 
 chair as I did so. Klein had played the same 
 trick upon Mr. Ned! He didn't mean to give 
 me a chance to sign the agreement he and 
 my employer had signed the one he had in 
 his own possession; he didn't mean to come 
 back to the office at all! 
 
 I don't know how I got out of the restau- 
 rant; I don't know whether Mr. Morse saw 
 and recognized me or not. I do know I 
 hurried back to the office as fast as I could 
 go thinking, thinking, wildly, erratically, 
 irrationally. What could I do? I must get 
 to sign that paper; I must I must! It was 
 half-past twelve; I mustn't wait. What 
 
 280
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 should I do what could I do? The thought 
 that I mustn't sign the paper till I had heard 
 from Mr. Ned never entered my noddle; that 
 part of the arrangement was out of my reck- 
 oning. All I could think was that my em- 
 ployer my dear young employer ! was about 
 to be defrauded; and that I must prevent it. 
 I must get the tricky president of the Mon- 
 darun coal company back to our office; but 
 how but how? Ah, I had it I had it! 
 And my feet fairly flew! No doubt Klein 
 was already in hiding with no intention of 
 turning up till after four o'clock, after the 
 options had expired ; but no doubt, I argued, 
 somebody at his office was cognizant of his 
 whereabouts. And I thought I knew how to 
 entice him from his hiding-place. 
 
 On reaching my place of employment I went 
 to the phone and called up the office of the 
 Mondarun coal company. 
 
 " Hello ! " I said. " This the Mondarun coal 
 company? You say it is? All right. Is Mr. 
 Klein there? He isn't?" I felt sure that 
 he wouldn't be. "Well, where will I find 
 him? Oh! you don't know, you say?" My 
 suspicions were already confirmed. "Yes, it's 
 
 281
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 important very important. Yes. Well, it 
 doesn't make any difference who I am; but 
 I'm down at the Neil, and I want to talk 
 business to him. Yes very important, I 
 said. You think you might find him? All 
 right. Oh! just say that a man down at the 
 Neil wants to talk Transylvania to him. 
 Yes, Transylvania; I think he'll catch on. 
 Does he know me? No; but it's to his in- 
 terest to get acquainted with me. Say that 
 to him. Yes; yes, that's it. I'll be wait- 
 ing at the clerk's desk. Oh! well, I'll know 
 him; and I'll be on the watch for him. Yes, 
 indeed right away. Uh-huh, Transylvania. 
 All right. Goodbye." 
 
 I had spoken in as coarse and rough a voice 
 as I could command; and you know I'm 
 something of a mimic when I try, Nell. Still 
 I thought the man at the other end of the 
 line was somewhat suspicious, and I feared 
 he might call up central to confirm or deny 
 the truth of my statement that I was talk- 
 ing from the Neil. But I had played my 
 first card, and could not recall it. I hoped 
 it would win the trick; hoped Klein would 
 think some representative of the Transyl- 
 
 282
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 vania company was at the Neil, anxious to 
 talk to him about the purchase of the piece 
 of property on which my employer had first 
 option. 
 
 I was trembling all over with undue and 
 unusual excitement; and I could hardly hold 
 the pen as I sat down to write: 
 
 "Mr. Horace Klein: 
 
 "Come to Durbin and Son's office at 
 once. I am ready to sign the agreement 
 signed by Edward Durbin and yourself 
 this morning. Truly, 
 
 "Sarah Grimes." 
 
 Then I called Jones in from the outer office 
 and said to him: 
 
 "Jones," I called him just Jones, Nell; I 
 was wasting no titles of respect upon his like 
 just then! "do you know Mr. Klein of the 
 Mondarun coal company?" 
 
 "Yes, Miss Grimes," very respectfully, 
 "I know him when I see him." 
 
 "Well, make yourself acquainted with the 
 contents of this note that you may be able 
 to recall what it's about, if necessity arises." 
 
 283
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 Jones read the brief missive; then silently 
 looked at me for further orders. 
 
 "Now," I commanded loftily, "take it up 
 to the Neil and give it to Mr. Klein; and see 
 that he reads it and accompanies you back 
 here." 
 
 " All right, Miss Grimes. Will he be await- 
 ing me there?" 
 
 " I don't know. ' But if he isn't there, wait 
 for him; and if he doesn't come in let me 
 see in a half-hour, you phone me. And, 
 Jones, listen !" with all impressiveness. 
 
 "Yes, Miss Grimes." 
 
 "You can't imagine how important your 
 mission is; how important that Mr. Klein 
 should get that note and be here before two 
 o'clock. If he fails to come, we'll both lose 
 our jobs." 
 
 "Oh, dear!" he ejaculated in genuine con- 
 sternation. 
 
 "Now, be off," I cried. Then, as an after- 
 thought: "And don't let Mr. Klein strike 
 you." 
 
 It was an unfortunate remark. The fel- 
 low's jaw dropped; my innocent warning had 
 greatly alarmed him. For the moment I 
 
 284
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 feared I had spoiled everything feared Jones 
 would refuse to serve as my messenger. 
 
 "Go!" I commanded sternly. "Go at 
 once!" 
 
 "But but he stammered, "what do 
 you mean by saying Klein may strike me?" 
 
 "The note will make him mad that's all," 
 I hastily explained. "But you be off; and 
 remember you'll lose your job if you don't 
 have him here before two o'clock." 
 
 "But maybe he'll refuse to come," was the 
 fellow's natural objection. 
 
 "If he says he won't come, tell him we're 
 on to his game and will carry the case into 
 court. Now, skidoo!" 
 
 And he went like he had an invitation to 
 dine somewhere, Nell! 
 
 I sat and waited and worried, and worried 
 and waited; and fidgeted and consulted my 
 watch, and then fidgeted some more and 
 again looked at my timepiece. One o'clock 
 passed, one- thirty came and went; and no 
 Mr. Klein put in an appearance, no Jones 
 phoned me. It was like having a spell of 
 nightmare upon a bed of sickles, Nell ! Oo-h ! 
 I don't want to think of it any more! 
 
 285
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 At one-forty-five the door opened and 
 in the two men came. Both were puffing; 
 and Klein was red-of-face and perspiring, 
 though the day was raw. I motioned the 
 latter to a chair and signalled Jones to leave 
 the room. Then I said quietly: 
 
 " Hand me the paper you have, Mr. Klein ; 
 I'm ready to sign it." 
 
 "Did you phone to my office for me?" he 
 countered brusquely. 
 
 "I did," I replied coolly. 
 
 "Saying a man wanted to see me on busi- 
 ness, at the Neil?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "What made you do that?" 
 
 "You know," 
 
 "Well, don't you know you're likely to get 
 into trouble for such a thing as that?" 
 blusteringly. 
 
 "I think not," smiling sweetly. 
 
 "There wasn't any man at the Neil, want- 
 ing to see me; and 
 
 "Jones was there." 
 
 " Y-e-s," sullenly ; " but " 
 
 "Hand over the paper, Mr. Klein." 
 
 "You're ready to sign 'em, are you?" 
 
 286
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Certainly." 
 
 " Have you heard from Durbin saying for 
 you to sign 'em?" 
 
 "No; but I'm ready to sign them." 
 
 "W-e-11," opening his small yellowish- 
 green eyes wide and pouting his full lips, 
 "don't you know that would be illegal?" 
 
 "Give me the paper," I insisted. 
 
 " It won't do any good for you to sign 'em 
 when Durbin hasn't ordered you to; it 
 won't stand in law." 
 
 I said no more for a moment. Instead I 
 deliberately took out my watch and looked 
 at it. It wanted but five minutes of two. 
 
 "Mr. Klein," I said slowly, returning my 
 timepiece to its fob, "do you refuse to let 
 me sign that paper?" 
 
 I knew he was playing for time. 
 
 "Why why," he stammered; and came 
 to a stop. 
 
 " Shall I call in the office force and inform 
 them you refuse to let me sign that paper, 
 Mr. Klein?" 
 
 He got purple in the face and the cords of 
 his short neck swelled ; but he silently pulled 
 out the paper and handed it to me. 
 
 287
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Jones/' I called triumphantly. 
 
 The fellow came in. 
 
 "Jones, I want you to see me sign this. 
 Read it over." 
 
 When it was all over, Nell Adams, the 
 starch was all out of me; I was a rag! I 
 went home, miserable with a nervous head- 
 ache; but happy so happy! And I went 
 to bed without any supper; and fell asleep 
 murmuring : 
 
 "Oh, I did it I did it! I did it for Ned 
 my Ned!" 
 
 But, oh, the blackest of black disappoint- 
 ments fate had in store for me! 
 
 288
 
 XIII. 
 
 I DID not wake till late the next morning; 
 and the first thought that came to me wasn't 
 it strange, Nell! wasn't of Mr. Ned and what 
 he had done to me the day before, but was of 
 what he had said to me: "If you don't hear 
 from me, don't sign the papers!" 
 
 And the disquieting question immediately 
 presented itself : " Did I do right in not heed- 
 ing his positive order or not?" 
 
 I arose and began to dress hurriedly, 
 feverishly. My head had quit aching, but 
 it felt numb and dumb and dizzy; and my 
 fingers shook so that I could hardly fasten 
 my clothes. Had I done right or had I 
 done wrong? Pshaw! Why hadn't I thought 
 of that before? If if I had made a mistake, 
 oh, I wouldn't think of such a thing! 
 what, then? It was too awful! Of course 
 I hadn't committed a blunder, I tried to as- 
 sure myself of course I hadn't! Mr. Ned's 
 message had failed to reach me, or he had 
 not met his friend at Newark, or the friend 
 
 289
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 had misinformed him; to be sure that was 
 the way of it! And I had picked up reliable 
 information; I had done what anyone of 
 common sense would have done had done 
 what Mr. Ned would have had me do, could 
 I have communicated with him at the time. 
 Of course I had done right of course I 
 had! 
 
 My brain began to clear; my spirits began 
 to rise. My train of reasoning allayed my 
 fears, quieted my nerves; and the crowd of 
 blue-devils that had beset me whisked them- 
 selves out of sight, and there stood Cupid 
 dimpled, rosy, smiling! At once I was happy, 
 jubilant! Everything would be all right- 
 more than all right! Mr. Ned would be 
 pleased with what I had done delighted ; he 
 would praise my devotion to his interests and 
 compliment me upon my shrewdness and 
 keen business sense. I knew he would ! And 
 and well, there was no telling what he 
 might do, in a moment of gratitude and joy ! 
 
 I hurried down to the street, treading upon 
 air. The sun was shining bright; the spar- 
 rows were flitting here and there and chirp- 
 ing merrily. What a good world it was to 
 
 290
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 be in to be sure! I stopped at my usual 
 place and ate a hearty breakfast, all the 
 while smiling, dreaming dreaming day 
 dreams the most delightful. Maybe Mr. Ned 
 would would well, maybe he would! And 
 maybe we'd go abroad; and oo-h! but 
 that would be great! And we'd have a lot 
 of money; and just to think! I could feel 
 that 7 had helped to make it! Oh, bliss and 
 glory! 
 
 I was an hour behind time, but I didn't 
 care for that; and I knew Mr. Ned wouldn't 
 care when he learned what I had done for 
 him. Oh, wouldn't it be great just simply 
 great! to tell him? I could hardly wait till 
 I reached the office; and I didn't walk from 
 my car to the curb I flew. Oh, how pokey 
 the old elevator was ! And I flirted my skirts 
 through the outer office, unheeding the stares 
 bent upon me, entered the inner room and 
 stood in the presence of Mr. Ned. 
 
 He sat slouched down in his arm chair, in 
 true American style his hands thrust deep 
 into his trousers' pockets, his chin upon his 
 breast. Apathetically he glanced up as I 
 closed the door behind me, and gave a slight 
 
 291
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 start of surprise, I thought; and I won- 
 dered why. But he merely nodded, and sank 
 back into his listless attitude. Not only was 
 he sunk in the depths of his chair, but he was 
 sunk in the depths of despair that I could 
 plainly see; and I giggled inwardly, thinking 
 how I'd boost him out of both with the giant- 
 cracker of good news which I had concealed 
 on my person and which I meant to touch 
 off. I knew what ailed him of course I 
 did! He was grieving over his ill luck that 
 was it. No doubt the Transylvania company 
 had decided to enlarge their freight yards- 
 no doubt they had! and this morning the 
 news was current and Mr. Ned had heard it; 
 and now not knowing what I had done, tee- 
 hee ! he was blue over his fancied loss of the 
 property. Oh, hadn't I a pleasant surprise 
 in store for him and wouldn't he be de- 
 lighted! 
 
 "Good morning," I said brightly. 
 
 He looked up at me, gropingly, question- 
 ingly; but no smile lighted the depths of his 
 sombre features. 
 
 "Good morning, Miss Dawes," he mum- 
 bled huskily. 
 
 292
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 Miss Dawes! And at such a time right 
 when I was about to treat him to a pleasur- 
 able surprise ! The day before it was Mar- 
 jory; and now it was Miss Dawes! What 
 could it mean? It was mean, anyhow! Never 
 mind! I'd punish him for that by with- 
 holding my news and teasing him about his 
 spell of the blues! 
 
 "You don't seem in a very good humor 
 this morning, Mr. Ned Ned," I pouted 
 prettily, dwelling fondly, lingeringly, upon 
 the italicized word. 
 
 He gave me another of those strange, in- 
 quiring looks; then he muttered glumly: 
 
 "Not very, I guess." 
 
 "What's the matter?" hanging up my 
 things. "Sick?" 
 
 "No," curtly. 
 
 "Are you worrying about your father? Is 
 he worse?" 
 
 He shook his head. 
 
 "How is he this morning?" 
 
 "Better." 
 
 "I'm glad to hear it," I murmured. "But 
 what's the matter with you Ned?" 
 
 He made no answer; simply accorded me 
 
 293
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 another of those searching, wondering stares. 
 
 "Well," I said softly striving to force a 
 little pathos into my voice and squeeze a 
 little moisture into my eyes, "you don't have 
 to tell me, if you don't want to of course." 
 
 Still he made no answer; just continued to 
 look at me in that peculiar, interrogative way. 
 It made me all prickly all fidgety. How 
 odd he acted ! Was he just down in the dumps 
 over his fancied loss? Or was was it some- 
 thing else? Seeing he didn't mean to speak 
 didn't mean to enlighten me, I went on, 
 at a venture: 
 
 "You didn't phone me yesterday." 
 
 He kept silent. 
 
 "Did you?" impatiently, insistently. 
 
 "No." 
 
 "Nor telegraph me?" 
 
 "Of course not," gruffly. 
 
 "Well, you needn't be so so cross about 
 it," I quavered; "I didn't know know but 
 you might have done so, and failed to 
 to" 
 
 I choked up and stopped; but he gave no 
 heed to my emotion, had no concern, appar- 
 ently, for the hurt he had given me. He 
 
 294
 
 just kept his eyes fixed upon me that 
 expression of mute, mysterious inquiry upon 
 his dark face. Exasperated, I cried tri- 
 umphantly, dramatically : 
 
 "Well, Mr. Edward Durbin, I signed the 
 papers, anyhow!" 
 
 I expected him to be surprised greatly 
 surprised joyfully surprised; expected him 
 to spring to his feet, to exclaim, to to- 
 well, to catch me in his arms, maybe, and 
 and! But judge of my surprise, my disap- 
 pointment, my dismay, Nell Adams, when he 
 did nothing but nod surlily and say: 
 
 "Yes, I know you did." 
 
 I fairly jumped. 
 
 "You know I did?" I cried. 
 
 He nodded. 
 
 "How how who told you?" 
 
 "Jones." 
 
 Jones! I had forgotten all about Jones 
 and his knowledge of what I had done. Jones ! 
 The meddler to tell Mr. Ned what / wanted 
 to tell him! But if Jones had told Mr. Ned 
 of my signing the papers, what was the mat- 
 ter with my dear young employer? The ques- 
 tion immediately presented itself, and was 
 
 295
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 disturbing, disconcerting; and it would not 
 down and I out with it. 
 
 "Well, if Jones has has told you," I mur- 
 mured tremulously, "why why are you so 
 so dejected?" 
 
 "Yes, sure enough why!" a sarcastic 
 growl. 
 
 "Yes, why?" I insisted, undefined fear 
 nagging me. "Why?" 
 
 "Well," a sneer lifting one corner of his 
 wide mouth, "I suppose it is unpardonable 
 in me to be feeling bum ; I ought to be feeling 
 as frisky as a yearling colt as skittish as a 
 skeeter. Of course most fellows when they 
 lose forty or fifty thousand dollars feel real 
 gay; but somehow / don't. I'm not appre- 
 ciative of the good things of life, I suppose." 
 
 "Lose forty or fifty thousand dollars!" I 
 exclaimed. "Why you're not going to lose 
 that amount you're not going to lose any- 
 thing." 
 
 "No?" in wide-eyed incredulity. 
 
 "No, you're not," with great assurance, 
 more than I fully felt, perhaps. 
 
 " I'm glad to hear that I'm not to lose any- 
 thing, I'm sure," the merest semblance of a 
 
 296
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 smile twitching his lips; "for the prospect 
 has been worrying me a bit, I admit. Still 
 I haven't as much faith in your statement as 
 I would like to have." 
 
 "Why, do you think you're going to lose 
 money on that property that Klein prop- 
 erty?" I cried. 
 
 "I do of course I do." 
 
 "You can't, Ned; you can't--! tell 
 you!" 
 
 "That's what you say Marjory; I hear 
 you. But why can't I?" 
 
 "Why? Haven't you heard, Ned?" 
 
 "Heard? Yes, I've heard heard more 
 than enough, such as it is." 
 
 "But haven't you heard about the Tran- 
 sylvania?" 
 
 He looked at me and looked at me, as if 
 he thought me crazy. 
 
 "Yes, I've - - heard - - about - - the - 
 Transylvania," he said very slowly and so- 
 berly. 
 
 "Well?" I cried triumphantly. 
 
 "Well?" he demanded almost rudely. 
 
 "Why, the Transylvania has decided to en- 
 large its yards." 
 
 297
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Indeed?" his brows lifted. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Is that so?" in apparent amazement. 
 
 "Yes, that's so," a little nettled. 
 
 "You know that to be a fact, Marjory?" 
 
 "Yes, I do." 
 
 " W-e-11, I'll not inquire where you got your 
 information; but it differs very materially 
 from this." 
 
 With the words he picked up the morning 
 Journal from his desk, indicated a paragraph 
 on the railroad page and handed the paper 
 to me. I took it and read: 
 
 "Latest dispatches 'from New York con- 
 firm the report that was current on the 
 streets at ten-thirty last night, that the 
 Transylvania had decided not to enlarge its 
 freight yards at this place. This is sorry 
 news for Columbus; and sorry we are to 
 have to give it out. But 
 
 I read no more, Nell Adams ! I let the 
 paper drop to the floor, and sank into a chair 
 and covered my face with my hands. Every- 
 thing turned bluish-black and yellowish-green ; 
 and I thought I was going to faint and 
 wanted to! Oh, what had I done? What 
 
 298
 
 had I done done done done! And " done " 
 was the word that kept snapping and crack- 
 ing in my ears; and "done" were my dreams 
 and my prospects; and dun looked the fu- 
 ture! Surely I had went and gone and done 
 it! I wanted to cry, but I couldn't; I wanted 
 to swear but I wouldn't! 
 
 The enormity of my blunder appalled me, 
 for the moment, paralyzed my faculties. Then, 
 little by little, I began to recover began to 
 collect my wits and really think. Why, the 
 thing couldn't be so it just couldn't at all; 
 and it just shouldn't! I had tried so hard to 
 do something right; and it had gone right 
 wrong! But it hadn't; I wouldn't believe it 
 and I didn't believe it! 
 
 I peeked through my fingers at Mr. Ned. 
 He was looking at me steadily, gloomily 
 but pityingly, I thought. The discovery made 
 me sorrowful made me glad; and the tears 
 began to come. Then a little sob shook my 
 shoulders. 
 
 "Marjory," my companion said hoarsely 
 but kindly. 
 
 "W-what, N-Ned?" I articulated with dif- 
 ficulty. 
 
 299
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Don't worry; the thing's done and can't 
 be undone now." 
 
 A flame -of anger flared up within me and 
 flashed into my eyes. I jerked my hands 
 away from my face, crying: 
 
 "It's done, and can't be helped, Ned in- 
 deed! There's nothing done that can't be 
 helped; there's nothing done that needs to 
 be helped. That paper lies so it does!" 
 
 "Does it?" amusedly. 
 
 "Yes, it does. I heard Mr. Morse say 
 
 "Ah, Mr. Morse!" he interrupted, sitting 
 up very straight and stiff. "I thought it 
 would all come out, if I only waited long 
 enough; I thought Morse had something to 
 do with the thing. Now, tell me all about 
 it, Marjory." 
 
 "About what, Ned?" 
 
 "About what Morse had to do with your 
 signing those papers, of course." 
 
 "Why, he hadn't anything, only 
 
 " Well? "impatiently. 
 
 "Only I overheard him say something to 
 another man." 
 
 "Oh!" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 300
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 " That's all, eh?" 
 
 "Yes, that's all." 
 
 "Who was the other man?" 
 
 "Mr. Morse called him Walsh." 
 
 " I know Walsh. Now, where did you over- 
 hear them talking?" 
 
 "At the Busy Bee." 
 
 "When you went to lunch?" 
 
 "Yes." * 
 
 "You took a seat near them, or they took 
 a seat near you which?" 
 
 "They took a seat near me." 
 
 " I see. Well, what did you hear them say? 
 Tell me everything." 
 
 I did so; and, at the conclusion of my re- 
 cital, he remarked shaking his head pity- 
 ingly and smiling tenderly: 
 
 "I don't blame you for being fooled, Mar- 
 jory." 
 
 "Fooled, Ned?" puzzled. 
 
 He nodded, still smiling commiseratingly. 
 
 "I don't understand what you mean." 
 
 "They tricked you, Marjie." 
 
 "They? Who?" 
 
 "Why," - - half irritably, - - "Klein and 
 Morse and Walsh that's who." 
 
 301
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "You mean that they just just 
 
 "Yes; they just put up a job on you." 
 
 I sank back in my chair, nerveless, help- 
 less. 
 
 "They - - put --up --a-- job - - on - 
 me!" I murmured thickly. 
 
 "Yes, they did damn 'em!" Mr. Ned mut- 
 tered. 
 
 "But, Ned," I objected weakly, "Mr. Klein 
 wasn't at the restaurant." 
 
 "That made no difference." 
 
 "It didn't?" 
 
 "Why, no," -impatiently. "Can't you 
 understand?" 
 
 "I I guess not," I had to admit. 
 
 "Well, listen," he cried; "I'll explain. 
 Klein wanted to sell the property to me, at 
 the exorbitant price of my option which / 
 was a fool ever to take. So, with the aid of 
 Morse and Walsh, he hatched up a scheme 
 to load it on to me. He came here yesterday 
 morning, thinking his pretense that he didn't 
 want to sell would make me anxious to close 
 the bargain; but I fooled him disappointed 
 him. Then, when I told him I was going out 
 of the city, he saw his chance to load it on to 
 
 302
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 me by tricking you; and, with the aid of 
 Morse and Walsh, he brought the thing about. 
 He had them follow you to the restaurant and 
 play the little farce-comedy they did. You 
 thought they were there by accident; but 
 they weren't. They took you in; but, as I 
 said, I don't wonder. It was slickly done." 
 
 "Oh, Mr. Ned Ned!" was all I could 
 whisper. 
 
 Then, as a quick afterthought: 
 
 "But Mr. Morse and Mr. Walsh had an 
 option on the property, too." 
 
 "Simply a part of the play," he replied, 
 sadly shaking his head. 
 
 "And," I persisted, "Mr. Klein hid from 
 me and didn't mean to come to the office 
 at all." 
 
 "All a pretense, Marjory to make you 
 eager to put your signature to the papers." 
 
 I straightened up in my chair and said 
 tersely, flatly: 
 
 "I don't believe it." 
 
 "It's true too true." 
 
 "I don't believe it, I say." 
 
 "Nevertheless, it's true, Marjory." 
 
 "Then," my anger rising, from pique and 
 
 303
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 nervousness, I suppose, "you think I've 
 been fooled, do you?" 
 
 "Of course," quite calmly. 
 
 "And that I'm a fool!" 
 
 "I didn't say that." 
 
 "Well, you hinted it; people can't be 
 fooled unless they're more or less fools." 
 
 "Now!" 
 
 "You might as well call me a fool and 
 be done with it." 
 
 "Now, Marjory!" 
 
 "Oh, you might!" 
 
 "Marjory, you're unjust, unreasonable." 
 
 "Most fools are," I snapped. 
 
 He just shook his head and smiled pro- 
 testingly, provokingly. 
 
 And then I broke loose: 
 
 " And I'm not such a fool as you think me, 
 Ned Durbin. Those men weren't shamming; 
 it was all real. Mr. Klein had had word from 
 the East; and he didn't want to sell the prop- 
 erty; and he did hide from Mr. Morse and 
 Mr. Walsh and me; and those two did have 
 a second option on the property. There! I'll 
 never believe anything else, either. And that 
 paper there is mistaken; the Transylvania 
 
 304
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 hasn't decided not to enlarge their yards. 
 Now!" 
 
 And I settled back and looked him square 
 in the face, coolly, defiantly. His own coun- 
 tenance brightened a little whether from 
 belief in my very decided declaration or from 
 admiration of my spirit of self-assertiveness, 
 I couldn't make sure, Nell; and he muttered: 
 
 " What makes you say all that so positively, 
 Marjory?" 
 
 " Just because because 
 
 I was earnestly and busily searching for my 
 reason. 
 
 "Well?" he cried. 
 
 "Because I feel it. There!" 
 
 "I wish / could feel it," he grinned de- 
 jectedly. 
 
 " I just know it," I insisted. 
 
 "A case of woman's intuition, eh?" 
 
 "I suppose so yes; but I do know it- 
 just the same." 
 
 " W-e-11," he said slowly, reflectively, "may- 
 be you do, but / don't; and that's what wor- 
 ries me. The thing looks crooked enough to 
 me. Why, Marjory," - argumentatively, 
 "the idea of Morse and Walsh having a 
 
 305
 
 second option on that property is absurd, 
 preposterous. Morse is just a clerk in 
 Klein's employ, and he hasn't a dollar; 
 and" 
 
 "But Mr. Walsh has," I interrupted val- 
 iantly. 
 
 "Yes," he admitted, "Walsh may have 
 money lots of it; I don't know. He's a 
 politician, a hanger-on of the city adminis- 
 tration. But here are the objections to me : 
 Why should Klein give an option to his own 
 employee, Morse? And why should Walsh go 
 in with Morse the latter having no money? 
 And how did they happen into the restau- 
 rant at the opportune time and happen to 
 take seats right where you could overhear 
 what they said? And, above all, why were 
 they so incautious in so important a mat- 
 ter? It all looks bad to me." -Then, shak- 
 ing his head and sighing heavily : " And the 
 Journal can't be mistaken; it's not guesswork 
 with them. No, my fifty thousand has gone 
 glimmering, little girl; but," brightening, 
 with a too evident effort, "I'm not going 
 to worry not going to worry like I was just 
 before you came in, anyhow." 
 
 306
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 And he gave me the oddest, shame-faced 
 side glance. 
 
 "What do you mean?" I inquired uncon- 
 cernedly. 
 
 He squirmed uneasily, Nell, and his hand- 
 some face flushed a dull red ; and I wondered 
 what was coming. 
 
 "Marjory," he said huskily, "I've got a 
 confession to make; and I won't feel right 
 till I've made it. Listen, now; and don't 
 interrupt let me get through with it as soon 
 as possible." What on earth was coming, 
 Nell Adams? " I went down to Newark yes- 
 terday and met Jim Golden, my friend from 
 New York. It took him but a few minutes 
 to convince me that the Transylvania com- 
 pany wouldn't decide upon the contemplated 
 enlargement of their yards, and that I didn't 
 want the Klein property; so I dismissed the 
 whole thing from my mind and gave my at- 
 tention to some other business. It was late 
 when I got back to the city last night; and 
 I didn't learn a thing about the final action 
 of the Transylvania and what you had done, 
 till I came to the office this morning. Jones 
 informed me of your your rather indiscreet 
 
 307
 
 act, as soon as I came in; and I was amazed, 
 thunderstruck. I didn't know what to think; 
 I couldn't think for a while. I just slouched 
 in here and lopped down in my chair com- 
 pletely knocked out. I tried to brace up and 
 grapple with the problem of why you had 
 done such a thing; but I only partially suc- 
 ceeded and I couldn't find a loose end to 
 begin on. Then you didn't come, and it was 
 time for you to be here ; and an hour passed 
 and still you didn't come, and and 
 
 He paused, shook his head in a grave and 
 embarrassed manner, and restlessly drummed 
 the arm of his chair with his strong, lean 
 fingers. 
 
 "And?" I queried, interested, but little 
 suspecting what was coming. 
 
 "And then," he resumed resolutely, "I 
 I got to thinking here's the confession, the 
 hard part, Marjie! you hadn't committed 
 an unwitting blunder, but had willfully proven 
 false to the trust I had reposed in you; got 
 to thinking you had joined Klein and Morse 
 in a scheme, to swindle me, and " 
 
 "Mr. Edward Durbin!" I exclaimed, sit- 
 ting primly and sanctimoniously erect. 
 
 308
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Don't say a word!" he muttered, gritting 
 his firm, white teeth. "You can't say what 
 ought to be said of me; you can't swear! 
 I'll just say this one thing in extenuation of 
 my unexampled assininity, though: I guess 
 my jealousy led me to think as I did." His 
 jealousy, eh? Nell, I began to feel right good, 
 for the moment! "I thought of your inti- 
 macy with Morse, and of Morse being in the 
 employ of Klein, and of Klein's peculiar ac- 
 tions here at the office, and of your delay in 
 putting in an appearance till I got to think- 
 ing you weren't coming back at all; got to 
 thinking Klein had divided up with Morse 
 and you, and that you two had skipped ; got 
 to thinking oh, the devil ! got to thinking all 
 sorts of insane things. And I was surprised 
 when you came; I was honestly. Now!" 
 
 I just sat and looked at him, Sweet Nell 
 of old Oberlin; and never said a word in 
 reply. What should I say what could I say? 
 What was there for me to say me who had 
 lost him fifty thousand dollars? But how 
 should I feel toward him? That question was 
 more pertinent; but no more easily met and 
 solved, I found. Should I feel hurt and 
 
 309
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 hate him, feel outraged and despise him? 
 Or should I accept his plea that his unpar- 
 donably poor opinion of me and his want of 
 trust in me were due to temporary aberra- 
 tion of mind occasioned by mad and unrea- 
 soning jealousy? In one sense that was 
 flattering to me, Nell; in another it wasn't 
 so flattering. Maybe Ned's mean thoughts 
 were due to jealousy, though, I argued with 
 myself; for men will do and think such silly 
 things, when jealous! So I sat thinking and 
 staring, and staring and thinking. 
 
 "Don't look at me like that, Marjory!" he 
 cried, hitching his chair closer in front of me 
 and bending forward and seizing both my 
 hands. "I've been fair, I've told you just 
 what I thought; maybe I shouldn't have told 
 you at all, though. But I couldn't keep from 
 it; I felt so good to find out it wasn't so, to 
 find out you just blundered and in trying to 
 do me a good turn. Say you forgive me ; say 
 you do!" 
 
 He drew me toward him till our faces were 
 very close together, the big lusty fellow! 
 till we were looking into each other's souls 
 through each other's eyes. 
 
 310
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Say it!" he commanded, compelling me 
 with his gaze and touch. 
 
 "I forgive you, Ned," I barely whispered. 
 
 Then he put his arm around me and kissed 
 me. It may be that he kissed me more than 
 once, old chum; my recollection is a little hazy. 
 
 And, for the moment, every care and worry 
 left me; and I was a-flutter with bliss and 
 happiness. 
 
 "Marjory," he whispered tenderly, "I 
 love" 
 
 He had just got that far, Nell, when I gave 
 a little screech and jump and pulled away 
 from him. The thought that I had lost him 
 fifty thousand dollars just think of the sum ! 
 struck me like a chill wind in the face. For 
 the first time the full enormity of my blun- 
 der appeared to me and appealed to me. 
 Fifty thousand dollars! Ned could never 
 forget it, he would always remember it 
 against me; let him strive as he would, the 
 thought of the loss of that much money 
 would always be with him. And / had done 
 it; / had caused him to lose it! 
 
 "What's the matter, Marjory?" he asked 
 in keen and quick concern. 
 
 311
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 I burst into tears. He tried to caress me, 
 to ascertain what ailed me; but I drew far- 
 ther away from him, and refused to be con- 
 soled. Oh, I was so nervous, so miserable, 
 so unhappy! And right when I ought to 
 have been rejoicing over his declaration of 
 love, Nell Adams think of that! 
 
 After a little boohoo, I calmed myself and 
 told Mr. Ned my Ned ! just how I felt about 
 the matter. He tried to laugh me out of the 
 notion the big good-natured boy! but I 
 could see he didn't feel much like laughing; 
 it was an effort for him. What man can 
 laugh unrestrainedly, that has just lost fifty 
 thousand dollars! 
 
 "Now, Marjory/' he said to me, "not an- 
 other word of the kind on the subject. Of 
 course fifty thousand plunks is quite a sum," 
 I winced, Nell! "but I think what I've 
 got in exchange for it, as it were, if I 
 have got what I think I've got,"- beaming 
 upon me, "is worth the price. It's true" 
 his face momentarily clouding, " I'm com- 
 pletely cleaned out," again I winced! 
 "for I've got to lose the whole thing my- 
 self; I won't let father lose a cent of it. 
 
 312
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 But I can start in at the bottom of the lad- 
 der again/' once more I flinched and shud- 
 dered, and felt the blood flowing cold through 
 my heart! What blundering, thoughtless, 
 cruel animals men are, Nell Adams! "and 
 maybe, if the rungs aren't too slippery, I 
 can climb 
 
 "Oh, don't!" I wailed dismally, weeping 
 afresh. "Don't say any more, Mr. Ned 
 Ned! Don't don't don't! And I'm nerv- 
 ous I'm sick; I can't think of work to-day, 
 and I want to go to my rooms, and rest and 
 sleep and never never wake up!" 
 
 "There there!" he said soothingly. "I 
 see you're all upset. Well, go to your rooms; 
 and .don't come back till to-morrow, if you 
 don't feel like it. You'll be all right by that 
 time, Marjory." 
 
 He put his arm around me and tenderly 
 kissed me; but I didn't appreciate his ca- 
 resses. I was too wretched! And I went 
 shuffling and stumbling from the office, my 
 eyes blinded with tears! 
 
 313
 
 XIV. 
 
 I WENT straight to my rooms, threw myself 
 upon my bed and tried to compose myself to 
 sleep. But a half-hour's miserable struggle 
 with my tense nerves convinced me that my 
 resolves and re-resolves and efforts and re- 
 newed efforts were worse than useless; and 
 I got up to think the thing all over to fight 
 the battle out on my feet. 
 
 Up and down and round and round, I paced 
 and pouted like a naughty kid locked up 
 for punishment! looking out this window 
 and then out that, and sniffling and knuckling 
 my fists into my eyes. I was simply desper- 
 ate, Nell mine nervously insane and insanely 
 nervous. But at last I quieted down, and 
 sat down to think to think rationally, I flat- 
 tered myself. 
 
 What had I done! Lost Ned fifty thou- 
 sand dollars? 7 didn't believe it; but he did. 
 Aye, there was the rub! And, of course, he 
 might be right. And if he were oh, if he 
 were! Well, it was done, if it was done; and 
 
 314
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 I couldn't help it now. But could I ever 
 go back to that office to work? The mere 
 thought of doing so made me shudder! No, 
 I couldn't and I wouldn't! But what would 
 I do? I'd just pack my things and run away; 
 that's what I'd do. But Ned loved me Ned 
 loved me! And he had forgiven me and as- 
 sured me he didn't care for the loss of the 
 money. But I knew he did oh, I knew he 
 did! And I couldn't go back I couldn't 
 I wouldn't! No, I'd run away away off 
 where Ned would never find me, would never 
 hear of me again. But, oh! oh! / loved 
 Ned ! And could I go away and leave him 
 and never see him again? Ah ! could I could 
 I? I must that was all there was to it! 
 
 And, Nell Adams, I got out the new suit- 
 case I had bought a few days before, a bar- 
 gain I had picked up! and resolutely began 
 to pack my few things! 
 
 But where was I going? It didn't matter. 
 Anywhere! Anywhere, to get away from 
 Columbus! Anywhere! Chicago, Cincinnati 
 anywhere! I tell you, old chum, I was 
 desperate irresponsible, I guess. 
 
 When I had tumbled my meager effects 
 
 315
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 into my suit-case, ruthlessly tossing aside 
 everything of little value, I snapped the 
 catches and turned the key; and heaved a 
 sigh of partial relief. I had come to a de- 
 cision; and I felt a little better. Then I 
 bathed my face and smoothed my hair, and 
 put on my hat and wrap. Finally I glanced 
 at my watch, it was eleven-forty-five, I re- 
 member, took a last look at my cosy rooms, 
 and caught up my suit-case and scooted down 
 the stairs. And a few minutes later I was 
 on a car arid on my way to the Union depot. 
 
 The car stopped, and I got off and hurried 
 to the sidewalk. I was so strung up I couldn't 
 do anything except with a rush. The big 
 depot was before me forbidding, depress- 
 ing; and I trembled, and shrunk within my- 
 self. The dusky, gloomy arches made me 
 shiver; the smell of smoke and steam made 
 me faint. But I stoically held on my way; 
 and soon was within the vast waiting-room 
 and utterly lonely and sick at heart in the 
 stirring throng. 
 
 Directly to the intelligence-office I went, 
 and inquired dry sobs interfering with my 
 speech : 
 
 316
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "When does the the next train leave for 
 -for Chicago?" 
 
 The answer I received did not accord with 
 my desires; so I asked: 
 
 " And when does the next train leave for 
 Cincinnati?" 
 
 The young man behind the desk looked 
 up at me, curiously, admiringly, a telephone 
 receiver to his ear, and returned: 
 
 "Over which road?" 
 
 "Over any road," I replied. 
 
 " There'll be a train over the Big Four about 
 one-thirty-five ; it's the nine-fifty-five behind 
 time delayed by a wreck." 
 
 "Thank you," I murmured, and turned 
 away. 
 
 I had made up my mind to go to Cincin- 
 nati. 
 
 I bought my ticket; then dropped into a 
 seat near the center of the great room, my 
 suit-case at my feet, and gave myself up to 
 idle thought and purposeless observation 
 as nearly as I could. Oh, how lonely 
 how lost I felt! The people kept coming 
 and going coming and going, and jostling 
 and elbowing, and talking and gesticulating; 
 
 317
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 and, as one in a dream, I stupidly watched 
 them and listened to them. I wondered 
 carelessly, dumbly, where this one lived and 
 what that one's business was; and I wished 
 I could quit seeing them, quit hearing 
 them wished I were in some cabin in the 
 trackless woods, all by my little lonesome 
 self, Nell. For I was so tired, so so home- 
 sick; and, all at once, I found myself think- 
 ing about old Chesterville and its quiet streets, 
 about Jack and Aunt Dodo. And my lips 
 would quiver and the dry sobs would come; 
 and I felt myself longing to go back to the 
 old place to the old forms and faces. 
 
 That made me mad, Nell Adams to find 
 I /was still such a silly baby ! and I angrily 
 shook myself; and immediately resolved I 
 wouldn't go back there and I wouldn't ever 
 see Ned again and I wouldn't ever see any- 
 body again, that I had ever known. No, in- 
 deed! I was going to lose myself and my 
 identity in some big city, bigger than Colum- 
 bus Cincinnati, probably. Yes, Marjory 
 Dawes should die, and Sarah Grimes should 
 die; and neither should be resurrected or re- 
 membered. 
 
 318
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 And then I found my eyes moist with tears 
 of self pity; and I was madder than ever 
 mad in good earnest, I tell you. I just stamped 
 my foot and vowed I wouldn't; and I didn't 
 any more. 
 
 I kept watching the clock and wishing my 
 train would come. The hour hand passed 
 one; and I began to listen to the train-crier 
 every time he came in. Then, all at once, 
 my attention was arrested by a young woman 
 entering the room from the direction of the 
 street. I couldn't help but observe her as 
 she came tripping along, swinging her suit- 
 case and swelling with self-confidence and 
 self-assertiveness ; for her plaid coat closely 
 resembled the one I had on and her hat was 
 very much like my own. That much I no- 
 ticed as she passed me on her way to the 
 ticket-window; also, I noticed that she gave 
 me a swift glance and smiled a peculiar 
 little smile. 
 
 I watched her buy her ticket, idly, numbly 
 speculating as to who she was and where she 
 was going. When she turned from the win- 
 dow, she surprised me by coming directly to 
 me and taking a seat at my side. 
 
 319
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "I thought I'd sit down here and make 
 your acquaintance," she said in an easy, 
 natural way, with a smile that lighted her 
 whole face and completely disarmed me. 
 "We might be twins judging from the sim- 
 ilarity of our dress and not from the similar- 
 ity of our looks. I noticed you as I passed 
 you how much your coat and hat are like 
 my own; and I had to grin." 
 
 She laughed a little laugh that was pleas- 
 ant to hear. 
 
 "Yes?" I succeeded in saying, trying to 
 show interest. 
 
 "And I declare!" exclamatorily. 
 
 "What?" I inquired. 
 
 "Why, our suit-cases are just alike." 
 
 She clapped her gloved hands gleefully. 
 
 "So they are," I admitted apathetically. 
 
 I wished she would move away and leave 
 me to my gloomy self and gloomier thoughts. 
 
 She was about my size; but didn't look at 
 all like me. Her eyes were blue; her hair 
 auburn and fluffy; her nose roguishly tip- 
 tilted and blessed with a few freckles. 
 
 "Which way 're you traveling?" she said. 
 
 "By rail," I replied coldly. 
 
 320
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 " Good ! " she giggled. " But where are you 
 going?" 
 
 What impertinence! But, somehow, the 
 frank smile accompanying the question 
 robbed me of resentment. 
 
 "I'm going to Cincinnati," I answered. 
 
 "Going on the next train the Big Four?" 
 she persisted. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "So am I as far as Dayton. It's a good 
 thing for me the train's late; I I well, it 
 just happens to suit me." 
 
 Then she sat silent, restlessly plucking at 
 the buttons of her coat. I quietly observed 
 her. Apparently she was absorbed in thought; 
 but I soon learned that she was alert, watch- 
 ful aware of all that was going on about 
 her. What was the meaning of her strange 
 actions? Who was she? I was interested; 
 and I lost myself and my troubles in hazy 
 speculation. 
 
 Suddenly I saw her give a little start and 
 shoot a swift, sly glance toward the news- 
 stand in a far corner. I leveled my gaze 
 toward that quarter; but noted nothing of 
 an interesting or exciting nature^ except 
 
 321
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 except yes, a man was leaning against the 
 angle of the wall and furtively observing us. 
 Observing us her me? Who was he watch- 
 ing? I couldn't tell; but I wished I could. 
 He was a little wizzened man, very dark; 
 and he was enveloped in a long shaggy over- 
 coat and wore a nappy cap pulled low over 
 his eyes. 
 
 Again I turned my attention to my com- 
 panion. She grinned at me a pert and reck- 
 less little grin. 
 
 "See him?" she whispered, barely moving 
 her lips. 
 
 "See whom?" I breathed softly in reply. 
 
 "That man over by the news-stand." 
 
 "Yes. Why?" 
 
 "Darn him!" 
 
 " What !" pretending to be shocked. 
 
 "Yes, darn him!" her eyes dancing. 
 "He's watching me." 
 
 "Ah?" 
 
 "Yes, he is." 
 
 I didn't know what else to say, Nell; so I 
 said nothing. My companion was silent a 
 moment; then she whispered: 
 
 "What time is it, please?" 
 
 322
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 " One-twenty/' I answered, glancing at the 
 clock upon the wall. I didn't offer to consult 
 my watch; and my companion noted the fact, 
 smiled a contemptuous smile and tittered : 
 
 "Oh, you needn't be afraid! I'm not try- 
 ing to swipe your watch. I'm not that kind 
 any more than you are." Then, abruptly: 
 -"Say!" 
 
 "What?" coldly, calmly. 
 
 "Will you do something for me?" 
 
 "I don't know. What do you want me 
 to do?" 
 
 "I want you to throw that man off the 
 track." 
 
 "Off the track?" 
 
 "Yes; off my track." 
 
 "Off your track?" 
 
 "Yes. He's followed me down here; and 
 he's spying on me. No!" smilingly shak- 
 ing her head, "I can't tell you why he's 
 doing it; that's a secret. But I want to 
 take that Big Four train, for Dayton; and 
 I don't want him to know it. Now, will you 
 help me to throw him off my track?" 
 
 "I - - don't - - know," - - thoughtfully .- 
 "Is is he " 
 
 323
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Yes, he's a private detective." 
 
 "And?" 
 
 "No; I haven't committed any crime yet, 
 at any rate. You needn't be afraid ; you won't 
 get into any trouble. Will you help me?" 
 
 "How can I?" 
 
 "I'll tell you. That fellow doesn't know 
 me; he's just spotted me by my clothes, I'm 
 certain. And this very moment he's puz- 
 zling his head which one to watch me or 
 you. See? Now, I've got to throw him off 
 the track or not take the train. Here's my 
 plan; not a very good one but all the one 
 I can think of. You take your suit-case and 
 leave the place, as if you were going up street. 
 Maybe he'll think you're the one he's been 
 sent to watch think you've given up going 
 on the train, and will follow you. And, if he 
 does, that will give me a chance to slip into 
 the lunch-room and hide till the gates are 
 thrown open. Then maybe I can slip out 
 with the crowd, without him seeing me. 
 Catch on?" 
 
 "Yes. But what shall I" 
 
 "You'll just turn the corner, as soon as 
 you get outside, and come back in here. If 
 
 324
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 he follows you, he'll see you do it; and he'll 
 know at once, of course, that you're not the 
 one he's after know we've tried to trick him, 
 and he'll drop you and begin to look for me. 
 If you're going to do it, though, be off; for 
 we've only got a few minutes." 
 
 I hesitated a fraction of a second; then 
 caught up my suit-case and made for the 
 exit toward the street, looking neither to the 
 right nor the left. Don't ask me why I did 
 it, Nell Adams! Did you ever know me to 
 be able to give a reason for my erratic de- 
 cisions and actions? I decided on the im- 
 pulse of the moment that's all; why, I don't 
 know. 
 
 As soon as I was through the doors, I 
 turned the corner to the right and sauntered 
 leisurely along to the side entrances. There 
 I stopped a moment and looked down upon 
 the tracks and glanced over my shoulder to 
 see if the man in the shaggy overcoat had 
 followed me. But he was not in sight. So 
 I pushed open a door and re-entered the wait- 
 ing-room. 
 
 One comprehensive look showed me that 
 our ruse had failed signally, utterly. The 
 
 325
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 detective still stood leaning against the angle 
 of the wall grinning a nasty, sarcastic grin; 
 and my companion still sat where I had left 
 her in a dejected, huddled heap. 
 
 "It didn't work," I whispered as I dropped 
 upon the bench at her side. 
 
 "No," she murmured, slowly shaking her 
 head; "and I've got to give up going on 
 this train, anyhow. I thank you, just the 
 same." Then, perkily: "Darn that man!" 
 
 Nell, bad as I felt for her and for myself 
 I had to laugh! She caught the infection, and 
 began to giggle ; and we both buried our faces 
 in our handkerchiefs and teeheed outright. 
 
 "I might as well be off," she said, wiping 
 her eyes; "that detective means to stick to 
 me like lint to a wool skirt. There's your 
 train coming now, I guess; and I wish it were 
 mine. But better luck next time. Well, 
 goodbye and good luck to you." 
 
 "Goodbye," I responded, giving her my 
 hand. 
 
 She seized her suit-case, gave me a parting 
 smile and left me going toward the street 
 exit; and the detective grinned and shuffled 
 after her keeping a few yards behind her. 
 
 326
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 My train rolled in; and the crier called it. 
 I ran the gauntlet of gatekeepers and guards, 
 tripped down the steps, and scrambled aboard 
 and secured a comfortable seat. Away we 
 went, running like mad making up lost time. 
 The scenery flitting past my window was not 
 inviting; so I cuddled down, with my head 
 upon my arm and my arm upon the sill, and 
 quickly fell asleep. 
 
 "Dayton!" 
 
 It was the brakeman bawling; and I awoke 
 with a start and sat up with a jerk. 
 
 "Dayton!" the smut-faced fellow repeated. 
 
 I rearranged my hair and readjusted my 
 skirts, and yawned really gaped a prolonged 
 and spasmodic gape, Nell ! and looked 
 through the window at the panorama of 
 shabby houses and vacant lots and gaudy 
 bill-boards. Why is it, I'd like to know, 
 that every railroad enters every city on said 
 railroad's line, through said city's most un- 
 inviting and disreputable suburbs? Echo 
 wails "why," Nell Adams! 
 
 We rolled into the attractive little union 
 depot. Abstractedly I sat gazing out at 
 rumbling trucks and tumbling trunks, and 
 
 327
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 people hurrying this way and that appar- 
 ently without order or purpose; and my 
 thoughts were far, far away and sad enough. 
 Then, of a sudden, my attention was at- 
 tracted and held by a man peeping through 
 the iron fence separating the depot enclosure 
 from the tracks. He was looking straight at 
 me. Our eyes met; and immediately he 
 beckoned me. At least I thought he was 
 beckoning me; he was beckoning somebody, 
 sure and he was looking right at me. The 
 impudent scoundrel! I wouldn't pay any 
 more attention to him; and I turned away 
 my face and then peeked at him slyly, out 
 of the corners of my eyes! 
 
 Well, of all things, Sweet Nell! As soon 
 as he again caught my glance, he began 
 to beckon me, impatiently, frantically, grim- 
 acing and vigorously nodding his head. What 
 on earth ailed the fellow? Was he drunk or 
 crazy or both or what? And did he mean 
 me or somebody else in the car? I turned 
 to look. No, there was no one behind me. 
 Then he must mean me. But what did the 
 silly man want what could he want? 
 
 Once more I granted him my attention; 
 
 328
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 and once more he made a beckoning motion 
 with his hand and grimaced and nodded 
 more frantically, more wildly, than ever. 
 Then he pointed toward the gate, and then 
 at me and threatened to jerk his head off, 
 he nodded so rapidly. 
 
 Unconsciously, almost, I touched my breast 
 with the tip of my fore finger and slightly 
 inclined my head; and the fellow went daffy 
 with delight, apparently, and bobbed till his 
 derby hat fell off. He was a big, pursy, red- 
 faced man; and I fancied I could hear him 
 grunt as he stooped to recover his headgear. 
 Keeping an eye on me and motioning me to 
 come, he moved toward the gate. It was 
 plain enough what he desired. But what 
 did it mean; and what should I do? Pas- 
 sengers were crowding into the car. I was 
 in a stew, I tell you, Nell! 
 
 Then a thought, an idea, came to me like 
 a flash of white light in dense darkness. Ned 
 had learned of my departure from Columbus, 
 had ascertained what train I took, and had 
 telegraphed or telephoned someone at Day- 
 ton to entice me off the car and hold me 
 until his arrival. That was it that was it, 
 
 329
 
 exactly! Well, it wouldn't work, I assured 
 myself. I wasn't going back to Ned dear 
 Ned! my Ned! then or ever; I was going 
 on on on! But maybe Ned would do some- 
 thing desperate if he didn't get me back if 
 I didn't go back. The thought was compli- 
 mentary but disquieting. Maybe maybe he 
 would commit suicide. That thought was 
 flattering but startling. Oo-h! Maybe he 
 had committed suicide and Mr. Durbin had 
 sent word to have me taken from the train. 
 And that thought was idiotic but alarming, 
 dreadful, maddening. In a moment I had 
 convinced myself that that was just what 
 had happened; and in another moment I 
 had my suit-case in my hand and was mak- 
 ing my way from the car. Call me silly, fool- 
 ish, crazy what you will, Nell; I was all 
 that, and more I admit it. But I couldn't 
 help it. I had wearied and worried till I 
 hadn't any sense left. 
 
 As I descended the steps of the car, the 
 bell began to ring for the train to start. I 
 saw the big pursy man at the gate, nervously 
 rubbing his palms together and shuffling his 
 feet. 
 
 330
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Miss Dawes?" he whispered inquiringly, 
 bending toward me as I came up to him. At 
 least that's what I thought he said. 
 
 I nodded ; and he snatched my suit-case from 
 my hand, caught me by the arm and uncere- 
 moniously hurried me toward the open space 
 at the far end of the depot. I was shaking 
 so I could hardly walk. My suspicions were 
 confirmed my surmises were correct, then; 
 Ned or Mr. Durbin had sent word to have me 
 stopped. But, oh! had Ned done done 
 something awful? 
 
 "Did did you hear from Columbus?" I 
 ventured to ask my portly conductor. 
 
 "Sure!" he muttered, according me a won- 
 dering glance. Then he stopped suddenly, 
 scowled fiercely and growled: 
 
 " It's all right to be cautious, young woman; 
 but you came pretty near being too d well, 
 overly cautious. I thought I was going to 
 have to appeal to the gate-keeper to let me 
 through to get you off the train. And that 
 might have balled up things good and proper; 
 for the other side's next and on the watch. 
 Why didn't you come as soon as I motioned 
 to you?" 
 
 331
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 I didn't know why I hadn't come as soon 
 as he beckoned me, Nell as I didn't know 
 why I had come at all; and, in addition 
 and far more important, I didn't know what 
 in the world he meant by his hints in regard 
 to caution, and all that. And I felt like tell- 
 ing him so, frankly ; but something prompted 
 me to keep mum on that particular point. 
 So, instead of ' replying to his question, I 
 queried cautiously: 
 
 "Was it Ned you heard from or or his 
 father?" 
 
 "Huh!" he chuckled, shaking his head. "I 
 don't know anything about Ned or his father 
 or his sisters and his cousins and his aunts. 
 All I know is the boys just sent me down 
 here in an auto, to get you, young woman." 
 
 "The boys!" I gasped, trying to draw away 
 from him. " What boys who what do you 
 mean?" 
 
 "Oh, come off!" he grinned. "You're fly, 
 all right; but there's no need in trying to 
 fool me. You know who sent after you. 
 Here's the auto. Let me help you in." 
 
 "But but " I tried to object. 
 
 "In you go," he broke in upon me. 
 
 332
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 And with the words he whirled me around 
 and gave me a boost that landed me plump 
 in the rear seat, on the far side of the vehicle. 
 Then, before I had recovered sufficiently from 
 my surprise and shock, to say a word in pro- 
 test, he had piled himself at my side with 
 my suit-case upon his knees. 
 
 " All ready," he said to the chauffeur, giving 
 that individual a curt nod. 
 
 "Where are we going?" I cried. 
 
 " Shut up ! " my companion growled. " Don't 
 attract attention to us ; keep still. And what's 
 the use of keeping up the game? You know 
 what's what and where you're going." 
 
 I just gave up, Nell mine, and sank back 
 in dumb and stoical despair. I didn't care 
 what it all meant; I didn't care what became 
 of me! I was too far exhausted, nervously 
 and mentally, I guess, to realize anything 
 fully to do anything but dully wonder. 
 
 Up the broad and beautiful business thor- 
 oughfare we sped, and far out into the resi- 
 dence section. At last we stopped in front 
 of a big house set well back in a grove of 
 trees. Its walls and chimneys were of dark-red 
 brick. An iron fence with an arched gateway 
 
 333
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 surrounded the grounds; and a broad flag 
 walk and well-worn stone steps led up to 
 the front door of the venerable pile. I gave 
 an involuntary shiver, Nell; the building 
 looked like a private hospital for dope fiends 
 or an asylum for insane folks! 
 
 "Here we are," my companion muttered, 
 speaking for the first time since leaving the 
 depot. 
 
 He rolled over and dropped to the ground. 
 Then he grabbed me, literally grabbed me! 
 and snatched me out of the vehicle, as if 
 I were a bit of baggage! and set me down 
 with a thump. 
 
 "Now, get away from here," he called to 
 the chauffeur; " and mind you forget all about 
 this. Understand?" 
 
 A pair of black goggles turned in the direc- 
 tion of the speaker and a leather cap bobbed ; 
 that was all. Then the auto rolled away. 
 
 Again my conductor caught up my suit- 
 case and caught me helpless me, Nell! by 
 the arm. 
 
 " What where where are you taking 
 me?" I cried, dimly divining that something 
 was desperately wrong. 
 
 334
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Oh, the devil!" he grunted roughly. 
 "What is the use of pretending? Come on!" 
 
 He hurried me along. Apathetically I sub- 
 mitted; and soon we stood in the upper hall 
 of the building, and my conductor was rap- 
 ping upon a closed door. 
 
 "Who's there?" demanded a coarse voice 
 within. 
 
 "Me Murphy," answered my guide. 
 
 A key turned in the lock; and the door 
 swung partly open. I caught a glimpse of a 
 lamp-lighted room with its blinds close drawn, 
 and of a hairy face peeping out at us. Then 
 the door swung wide; and my conductor 
 pushed me across the threshold. Dimly I 
 saw a number of men sitting before me; 
 dumbly I heard the door shutting behind me ! 
 
 335
 
 XV. 
 
 YES, there I was, little lone, lorn Marjory 
 Dawes! facing a roomful of strange men. I 
 blinked and winked, and rubbed my eyes. 
 The air was hazy with tobacco smoke and 
 redolent with liquor. The men sat staring 
 at me, sprawling in various attitudes and 
 placidly smoking; and not one of them spoke, 
 not one of them offered me a chair, even. 
 And I was ready to drop in my tracks! 
 
 What awful blunder had I committed ; what 
 awful situation had I got myself into? Was 
 -I dreaming or daffy? Why had the man called 
 Murphy enticed me from the train; and why 
 had I yielded to him? And why why 
 why! 
 
 My heart throbbed and threatened to stop; 
 my head thumped and threatened to burst. 
 Oh, dear dear dear! I wanted to scream; 
 and couldn't make a sound! I wanted to 
 turn and fly from the place; and couldn't 
 move a foot! I was dumb, numb palsied, 
 petrified ! 
 
 336
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 Murphy pushed past me, flung my suit- 
 case upon the floor and panted pompously: 
 
 "Here she is, fellows; and here's the stuff." 
 
 The other men just nodded and grunted 
 ungraciously; that was all the response they 
 made. 
 
 Then a side door opened, and a tall, stoop- 
 shouldered, hatchet-faced young man en- 
 tered briskly, a roll of papers in his hand. 
 Catching sight of me, he stopped with a 
 jerk. Then he swept the assembly with his 
 eyes, and cried angrily: 
 
 "What ails you unmannerly devils? Can't 
 you see there's a lady present? Throw away 
 those cursed cigars, and open the door and 
 let the smoke out. Bosworth, give her a 
 chair. You're a bunch of sweet-scented po- 
 sies you are! 
 
 The men silently, sullenly obeyed his or- 
 ders. I dropped wearily into the chair offered 
 me. The young man went behind a roll- top 
 desk in the corner, and there busied himself 
 for a few moments. Then he came around 
 in front of me and said: 
 
 "Well, I see you got here." 
 
 I looked up at him. He was smiling a 
 
 337
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 complacent, self-satisfied smile that exas- 
 perated me, maddened me. 
 
 "Got here!" I snapped. "I was brought 
 here." 
 
 "Brought here?" he grinned, intertwining 
 his slim beringed fingers and teetering back 
 and forth upon heels and toes. "Of course; 
 Murphy brought you from the depot. But 
 you got that far yourself, didn't you, Miss 
 Graw?" 
 
 Miss Graw! I fairly jumped, Nell Adams! 
 And the young man looked at me in stupid 
 amazement. Miss Graw! A shaft of light 
 punctured my thick skull, entered my dull, 
 dark brain; and in a fraction of a moment 
 everything was bright and clear as noonday 
 everything was plain and simple as a-b-c. 
 Miss Graw! That was what the pursy and 
 persistent Murphy had called me at the depot, 
 then; and not Miss Dawes, as I had thought. 
 And the Miss Graw they were expecting 
 and the Miss Graw they thought me was 
 the young woman I had met in the depot 
 at Columbus. Oh, why hadn't I thought 
 of that at once when Murphy first beck- 
 oned me! How stupid I had been how 
 
 338
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 unpardonably, idiotically stupid! And what 
 horrible fix had I got myself into? Oo-h! 
 And how was I to extricate myself? Should I 
 speak out, make them aware of our mutual 
 mistake, our mutual blunder Murphy's and 
 mine? Or should I keep still trust to blind 
 luck? Oh! what should I do? I didn't know 
 I couldn't even guess; for I hadn't the 
 faintest idea of why they were expecting Miss 
 Graw of what was her mission. Nell Adams 
 Nell mine! Was ever another poor silly 
 girl in such a predicament! 
 
 But I saw I must do something say some- 
 thing; for it was plain the young man was 
 puzzling over my prolonged silence, and the 
 other men were looking at me, curiously. 
 
 "Yes, I I got here, I I suppose," I mur- 
 mured, in a voice barely audible. 
 
 "You didn't have any trouble, did you?" 
 was the next question. 
 
 "N o," I responded faintly, "I I guess 
 not." 
 
 "Guess not," he laughed. "Don't you 
 know?" 
 
 "I had a a little trouble," I ventured. 
 
 "You did?" excitedly. "Where?" 
 
 339
 
 All the other men sat up and began to 
 take notice. 
 
 "At Columbus," I answered. 
 
 "Indeed!" the young man exclaimed; and 
 his elders all gravely listened. 
 
 "Yes," I nodded. 
 
 "What was it like what happened?" my 
 inquisitor demanded eagerly. 
 
 "A detective was watching me." 
 
 "A detective?" 
 
 "Yes; a man, at any rate." 
 
 "Ah!" sharply. 
 
 And several other "ahs" and sundry other 
 exclamations sounded throughout the room. 
 
 "Describe the fellow," the young man pur- 
 sued. 
 
 "He was a little man with dark shriveled 
 features," I said; "and he wore a loose shaggy 
 overcoat and 
 
 "Gargle!" grunted Murphy. "Just his de- 
 scription exactly. 
 
 "That's who it was!" chimed in several 
 others. 
 
 " Well, what did he do? " inquired the young 
 man. 
 
 "He didn't do anything," I replied. 
 
 340
 
 "No?" 
 
 "No; he just watched me." 
 
 "He didn't offer to arrest you or any- 
 thing like that?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "Did he see you leave the depot did he 
 know what train you took?" 
 
 " I think not." 
 
 " Why didn't he if he was watching you?" 
 
 "He wasn't watching me then." 
 
 "Oh! How was 'that?" 
 
 "He had left the depot." 
 
 "You don't say!" evidently greatly sur- 
 prised at my statement. " Why, I can't 
 understand why he should do that when he 
 had his eye on you. Did you throw him off 
 the track some way?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "Maybe he wasn't watching you, at all." 
 
 "Maybe he wasn't." 
 
 "Well, what made you think he was?" 
 
 "He was watching me or the girl with 
 me." 
 
 " The girl with you? What do you mean? " 
 
 "There was a girl sitting beside me." 
 
 "Oh!" 
 
 341
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "And you don't know whether the man, 
 Gargle, was watching you or her is that it?" 
 
 " I guess he must have been watching her." 
 
 "What!" 
 
 "Uh-huh." 
 
 "Why, you said a moment ago he was 
 watching you." 
 
 "Did I?" innocently, sweetly. 
 
 "Did you? To be sure you did. You 
 seem to be sadly mixed up, some way. Let's 
 see if we can't get this thing straightened out. 
 It's important that we understand it under- 
 stand whether you were watched by Gargle; 
 and, if so, whether he learned your destina- 
 tion. Now, what makes you think he was 
 watching the other girl?" 
 
 "She said he was." 
 
 "She did?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "What was he watching her for?" 
 
 "She didn't say." 
 
 "Who was she?" 
 
 "I didn't know her." 
 
 "And she didn't tell you her name?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 342
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Was she waiting for a train?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "What train?" 
 
 "The one I came on." 
 
 "And did she come on it?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "No?" 
 
 "No; she said she couldn't come on it 
 because the man was watching her." 
 
 "Huh!" snorted the man called Bosworth, 
 evidently perplexed and concerned; and 
 "huh!" seconded several of the others. 
 
 "Shut up, you fellows!" the young man 
 cried crossly. Then, to me: "What became 
 of that girl that young woman?" 
 
 "She left the depot." 
 
 "Then what did Gargle the man do?" 
 
 "He followed her." 
 
 "Well, don't that beat the devil!" ejacu- 
 lated Murphy ; and several of his cronies ex- 
 pressed their opinion that it did. 
 
 "Say!" cried the young man, exasperated. 
 "Can't you fellows keep still?" 
 
 He nervously patted his foot and was 
 thoughtful, for a few seconds; then he 
 looked at me, quickly, sharply, and said: 
 
 343
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Did that young woman look anything 
 like you, Miss Graw?" 
 
 "No, she didn't," I replied. 
 
 Nell, you'll wonder what I hoped to accom- 
 plish by my deception and circumlocution. 
 I don't know; I've never been able to find 
 out. I guess I was just sparring for an open- 
 ing as our sporting friends say. I guess I 
 didn't want those men to know what a little 
 fool I had been, to get off the train and come 
 there; guess I just wanted them to go on 
 thinking me Miss Graw. Then, I scented 
 mystery; and, I suppose, my insatiate curi- 
 osity the bane of our sex, you know! im- 
 pelled me to attempt to stick my nose into it. 
 
 The hatchet-faced young man persisted: 
 
 "Well, was she dressed like you?" 
 
 "Yes," I admitted; "she wore a coat and 
 hat very much like mine." 
 
 "Huh!" grunted the man called Bosworth; 
 and "huh!" grunted two or three of the 
 others. 
 
 Murphy cried: "Boys, Gargle spotted the 
 wrong girl!" 
 
 "That's what he did!" chorused several of 
 the others. 
 
 344
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 Then they all burst out laughing; and 
 laughed and continued to laugh, boister- 
 ously, uproariously. And the young man 
 joined them; and I sat and smiled at the 
 applause I was receiving and studied what 
 I should give them for an encore. 
 
 "Say!" my inquisitor grinned gleefully. 
 "You're all right, Miss Graw you are! Or- 
 langer couldn't have picked a better girl for 
 the job." I wondered who in the mischief 
 Orlanger could be! "You just sat still and 
 let Gargle tag off after the wrong party. That 
 was good good! But," his face clouding 
 and puckering, " I wonder who the other 
 girl could be, hey? And why was she ex- 
 pecting to be watched and afraid to take 
 the. train? Well, it doesn't make any dif- 
 ference to us; you're here and Gargle didn't 
 hound you. You brought the the stuff with 
 you, of course?" 
 
 "I brought some stuff," I replied. 
 
 "Some? Didn't you bring it all?" 
 
 All the men were very alert and, appar- 
 ently, very much concerned. I hardly knew 
 what to say. 
 
 "Didn't you?" the young man persisted. 
 
 345
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Why, y-e-s, I I suppose I did," I an- 
 swered. 
 
 Breezy sighs of relief and satisfaction 
 sounded throughout the room. 
 
 " Well, what makes you act so queer about 
 the thing, Miss Graw?" the young man pur- 
 sued. 
 
 "Nothing," I explained; "I guess I'm just 
 tired and hungry." 
 
 "That's so, no doubt," he nodded. "You 
 haven't had any supper, of course." 
 
 "Nor have we," interjected Bosworth, with 
 a short laugh. 
 
 "Nor I haven't had any lunch any din- 
 ner," I volunteered. 
 
 "Heavens!" ejaculated another of the 
 group, feelingly rubbing his stomach. 
 
 "Say, Harris!" Murphy cried. "Call Rot- 
 terden out. Let's get this thing over with; 
 the young lady wants something to eat and 
 I'm hungry as a famine myself." 
 
 "Yes, call the old man out, Harris," sec- 
 onded a number of the others. 
 
 "All right," assented the young man, 
 Harris; and he strode to the side door, threw 
 it open and called: "Rotterden, the young 
 
 346
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 woman's got here with the stuff. Can't you 
 drop that work and come out?" 
 
 "The young woman?" rumbled a rough 
 voice from within. "Oh! Miss Graw, eh? 
 Good! I'll be through with this in a little 
 while." 
 
 "But she hasn't had anything to eat 
 since morning," Harris suggested, rather 
 timidly, I fancied, "and she wants to de- 
 liver the stuff and get away." 
 
 "All right," a surly growl, "I'll be out 
 in a minute, then." 
 
 Sweet Nell Adams dear Nell Adams, right 
 then I knew my exposure was imminent. 
 was coming. How or why I knew it I hadn't 
 the faintest idea and haven't now; but I 
 knew it. And I trembled and wished I was 
 anywhere but where I was; and I condemned 
 myself for a consummate little dunce for 
 concealing my identity as I had done, for 
 coming there at all. And I was ashamed of 
 myself and my cheeks burned; and I was 
 angry at everybody else and my bosom 
 heaved. Oh, Nell Nell! I was in a fix; 
 and I knew it! 
 
 The side door swung wide, and a little man 
 
 347
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 in shiny black bustled into the room. His 
 head was bald as a toy balloon; his features 
 were almost concealed by a bristly, frizzly 
 black beard. He came up within a few feet 
 of me; and, peering through the thick-lensed 
 glasses astride his aquiline nose, he gave an 
 ungracious grunt of greeting. Then he sprang 
 back a step or two and cried : 
 
 "Why why, who's this?" 
 
 "It's Miss Graw," Harris replied wonder- 
 ingly. 
 
 The little man let out a savage growl and 
 fairly jumped up and down glaring, mouth- 
 ing and gesticulating, in mad rage; and his 
 associates looked on in awed silence and 
 growing alarm. 
 
 "What's the matter?" Harris ventured 
 timidly. "What's the matter, Rotterden?" 
 
 " Matter ! " stormed the little man.-" Matter ! 
 Who brought that girl here?" dramatically 
 pointing a finger at me. 
 
 "I did," Murphy volunteered. 
 
 "You did!" Rotterden snarled. "You did! 
 Well, what did you do it for? Trying to butt 
 into trouble and lead us all in with you? 
 That," indicating me, with withering con- 
 
 348
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 tempt and infinite disgust, "isn't Miss 
 Graw!" 
 
 Instantly all of them were upon their feet 
 all talking and gesticulating at once. 
 
 " Well, who the devil is she, then? " shouted 
 one man. 
 
 "That's it!" voiced several others. "Who 
 i$ she, then?" 
 
 "Ask Murphy!" yelled Bosworth. 
 
 "Ask her!" bawled another man. 
 
 "Aw, throw her out!" came a voice from 
 behind me. 
 
 "That's the stuff!" answered another voice. 
 "Put her out!" 
 
 Nell Adams, how would you have liked it 
 to be in my shoes at that moment? And 
 to think I had brought it all upon myself 
 by my own silliness! 
 
 Harris the stoop-shouldered, the hatchet- 
 faced, the weak-looking! was the only one 
 who remained self-possessed. 
 
 "Here!" he commanded authoritatively. 
 " Sit down and be still, you fools ! Sit 
 down, I say! Do you want the police in 
 here? If you don't, stop your noise keep 
 still. That's better. Now, listen. We've got 
 
 349
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 to untangle this thing. Shut and lock that 
 door. Now, listen listen! You can't all 
 talk at once. Let Rotterden or me do the 
 talking." 
 
 "You do it go on," the little man panted, 
 weakly sinking into a chair. 
 
 Harris faced me and demanded sharply, 
 sternly while the others almost held their 
 breaths : 
 
 "Now, miss, what are you doing here?" 
 
 "I don't know," I replied meekly enough. 
 
 The young man keenly searched my face; 
 I guess he thought me crazy, Nell and he 
 had reason on his side. Then he whirled 
 round to Rotterden and said: 
 
 "You know to a certainty she isn't Miss 
 Graw, do you?" 
 
 "Of course I do," the little man muttered. 
 "I saw Miss Graw in Orlanger's office, just 
 last week." 
 
 "Well, do you know this girl?" 
 
 "No, I don't; but I'll bet she's been sent 
 here by the other side. Murphy's a fool ; he's 
 made a mess of things." 
 
 "I couldn't help it," Murphy began in his 
 own defense, "I " 
 
 350
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Shut up!" the young man cut him off. 
 And again he turned to me, and said : " Now, 
 miss," coldly, determinedly, "you've got 
 to answer my questions; and you'd better 
 answer them straight. Understand?" 
 
 I nodded. 
 
 "Well, what are you doing here, then?" 
 
 " I tell you I don't know," I replied truth- 
 fully. 
 
 " What did you come here for? Put it that 
 way." 
 
 "I didn't come here; that man there," 
 indicating Murphy, "brought me here." 
 
 "From the train?" 
 
 "Yes of course." 
 
 "Well, where did you come from what 
 place?" 
 
 "Columbus." 
 
 "What's your name?" 
 
 "Dawes Marjory Dawes." 
 
 Murphy uttered a sharp " huh !" and grinned 
 a sickly grin. 
 
 "Why did you come to Dayton?" Harris 
 pursued. 
 
 "I didn't come to Dayton," I tried to ex- 
 plain; "I was on my way to Cincinnati." 
 
 351
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "What did you get off here for, then?" 
 
 "Because that man/' again indicating the 
 collapsed Murphy, "beckoned me to get 
 off." 
 
 " Oh ! " incredulously, sneeringly . 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "That sounds pretty thin to me." 
 
 "I don't care if it does," angrily. 
 
 "You don't?" 
 
 "No, I don't." 
 
 "Did you think you knew him?" 
 
 "No; but I thought he knew me." 
 
 "Indeed!" nastily. 
 
 "Yes, I did," stiffly. 
 
 "Are you in the habit of getting off trains 
 to meet every man you think knows you 
 every man that nods and smiles at you, hey?" 
 
 Oh, he said it so insultingly, Nell Adams! 
 And tears of mortification came to my eyes. 
 
 "Here, Harris!" Murphy cried hotly. 
 "None of that curse you! or you'll have 
 me to reckon with. Let me do a little talk- 
 ing. I believe this girl's all right; just let 
 her explain. I know this: I had a devil of 
 a time getting her off the train; I motioned 
 and motioned till I got tired till I thought 
 
 352
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 I'd have to board the train and drag her off. 
 Let me ask her a few questions." 
 
 Then, to me: "Miss Miss Dawes, when I 
 called you Miss Graw what did you think?" 
 
 "I thought you called me Miss Dawes," I 
 answered frankly and honestly. 
 
 He nodded and smiled encouragingly; then 
 he went on: 
 
 " And what did you think I wanted of you 
 when I motioned to you to get off the 
 train? TeU us all about it." 
 
 "I was running away from from a a 
 party in Columbus," I stammered, "and I 
 thought maybe they he or his father 
 had telephoned or telegraphed some word to 
 me; and I got off the train to learn what it 
 was." 
 
 " Just so," Murphy said, beaming upon me. 
 Then, to his associates: "Boys, / think she's 
 all right think she's telling the truth; for 
 she mentioned something of the kind some- 
 thing about word from somebody I didn't 
 know anything about as we got into the 
 auto. I think she's telling the truth think 
 she's all straight, boys." 
 
 "She may be," Harris said placidly, "but 
 
 3.53
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 7 don't think so. I'll ask her a few more 
 questions, anyhow. Miss Dawes, as you 
 call yourself! why did you pretend to be 
 Miss Graw?" 
 
 "I didn't," I denied; "you just called me 
 that." 
 
 "Well, why didn't you let us know our 
 mistake at once?" 
 
 "I I didn't want you to know who I 
 was, I I" 
 
 "Of course you didn't!" triumphantly. 
 "But why?" ' 
 
 "I didn't know know what you were ex- 
 pecting of Miss Graw, and and I wanted 
 to find out, I I guess." 
 
 All the men looked very sober ; and Murphy 
 gave a little groan. 
 
 What had I done? I couldn't understand 
 the cause of their sudden gravity. 
 
 "That's just what I thought," Harris said 
 icily; "you wanted to learn all about Miss 
 Graw's mission to us. Now, who sent you 
 here?" 
 
 "Nobody," I replied. 
 
 "Take care. You'd better tell me the 
 truth." 
 
 354
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "I am," I insisted. "Please let me go 
 now; I want to get some supper and go 
 on to Cincinnati." 
 
 "You can't go yet," he muttered stub- 
 bornly; "and you can't go at all till this 
 thing's straightened out satisfactorily. 
 What" 
 
 But just then the telephone bell rang in 
 the adjoining room. Harris left me and 
 went to answer it, closing the door behind 
 him. In a minute or two he returned and 
 remarked : 
 
 "That was Orlanger, boys. He says Miss 
 Graw was shadowed at the Union depot, by 
 Gargle, and that she can't get here till later 
 to-morrow, maybe." 
 
 Then, to me, abruptly: "How did you 
 know she was shadowed?" 
 
 "I saw the man watching her," I mur- 
 mured, sighing wearily, "just as I told you." 
 
 "Yes; and then you thought you'd come 
 on here and pretend to be Miss Graw, and 
 find out all about her business with us. Now, 
 didn't you?" 
 
 "No, I didn't," peevishly. 
 
 "No?" tauntingly. 
 
 355
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "No." 
 
 "And nobody told you to come here?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "Nor suggested such a thing to you?" 
 
 The persistent pest! 
 
 "No." 
 
 "You just came here by chance?" 
 
 "I tell you I didn't come here," irritably. 
 
 "Well, you just got here by chance, then?" 
 
 "Yes, I suppose that's it. And now I want 
 to get away." 
 
 "We're not quite through with you yet. 
 How did you know Miss Graw was coming 
 here?" 
 
 "I didn't know it." 
 
 "Oh!" 
 
 "No, sir, I didn't." 
 
 "You know now we were expecting her 
 and that Murphy took you for her, don't 
 you?" 
 
 "Yes, of course." 
 
 "Do you know what business she what 
 she was coming here for?" 
 
 "I do not." 
 
 "Don't know a thing about it?" 
 
 "Not a thing. And I tell you I want to 
 
 356
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 get away from here; Fm hungry nearly 
 famished." 
 
 "Well, I guess that's all the questions / 
 have to ask you." 
 
 I got upon my feet, preparatory to taking 
 my departure. 
 
 "Wait a moment," said Rotterden, the 
 little frizzly man; "sit down. 7 want to ask 
 you a question or two." 
 
 I dropped back into my chair, catching my 
 breath; I was about ready to cry. 
 
 "Where are you going from here?" he in- 
 quired. 
 
 "To Cincinnati, I told you," I replied 
 crossly. 
 
 "You say you're running away from Co- 
 lumbus?" 
 
 "Y-e-s." 
 
 Now what was coming? 
 
 "Who are you running away from?" 
 
 "My my employer." 
 
 "What for?" sharply, suspiciously, im- 
 pudently. 
 
 "None of your business!" I retorted. 
 
 I was out of patience, old chum. 
 
 Several of the men grinned; and one or 
 
 357
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 two chuckled audibly. The bristly little man's 
 bald head flushed clear to the back of his neck. 
 
 " Don't get gay, young woman ! " he snarled. 
 "You're not out of the woods yet." 
 
 Nell, I flew mad as a wet hen all in a 
 second. 
 
 "You're a despisable little beast!" I 
 screamed. "Shame on you to try to bully 
 a defenceless girl ! Oh, I just wish Ned were 
 here ! He'd settle with you with all of you ! " 
 
 "That's the stuff!" Murphy muttered sotto 
 voce. "Give it to him; I'll back you!" 
 
 " Who's Ned, Miss Dawes? " inquired Harris, 
 grinning his nastiest. 
 
 "He's Ned that's who!" I screeched, in 
 reckless and utter abandon. " My Ned ! Mr. 
 Edward Durbin of Columbus, my employer; 
 and I'll" 
 
 Nell, I never finished that sentence. At 
 the mention of my employer's full name, every 
 man again excitedly sprang to his feet; and 
 pandemonium broke loose. I sank back in 
 my chair amazed, dismayed, overwhelmed. 
 What was the matter? What had I done 
 oh! what had I done? All I could see was a 
 lot of waving arms, stamping feet, bobbing 
 
 358
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 heads, rolling eyes and working mouths; and 
 all I could hear was a rumble and grumble 
 and jumble something like this: 
 
 "It's a shame! Bah! She's a spy! She's 
 an innocent little fool ! Ned Durbin ! Leath- 
 erlips club! Her employer! Sent her! - 
 Didn't! Did! You're a fool! So 're you!- 
 Let 'er go ! Won't ! Ruin everything ! Lock 
 'er up! Never! Police! Hell! Lose elec- 
 tion! Nonsense! Us boys! Get us in trou- 
 ble! Yeah! You're a liar! You're an- 
 other!" 
 
 Nell, I couldn't make anything of it. Do 
 you wonder? It was worse than a South 
 American revolution! 
 
 Finally Harris, by frantically waving them 
 to silence and commanding and beseeching 
 them to come to their senses, succeeded in 
 restoring a semblance of quiet though the 
 rumblings and grumblings and mutterings 
 and sputterings went on. Then he came up 
 to me, took me roughly by the arm and said : 
 
 "Here. I'm going to lock you up in the 
 adjoining room, till we get this thing settled.' 1 
 
 "Well, you're not!" I cried, jerking away 
 from him. 
 
 359
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "I'll be cussed if you lock her up!" Murphy 
 shouted, cracking his fists. 
 
 " That's the stuff!" abetted Bosworth. " I'll 
 stand by you, Murphy!" 
 
 "And I'll stand by you, Harris!" yelled 
 another man. "Lock 'er up!" 
 
 The hullabaloo promised to break loose 
 again; but Harris quickly explained: 
 
 "Listen, you hot-headed fools! Listen! 
 I'm not going to harm her 
 
 "You better bet you're not!" Murphy in- 
 terjected. 
 
 "Shut up!" bawled two or three. 
 
 Harris continued: "I'm just going to shut 
 her up in the other room, while we talk this 
 thing over. She mustn't hear what we have 
 to say; she's heard too much already, and 
 
 "That's what she has!" snarled Rotterden. 
 
 Harris concluded: "And she mustn't hear 
 any more. Do you fellows want to queer the 
 whole game? Say! If you don't, let me 
 have my way; and keep still. When we've 
 talked the thing over, I'll stand by whatever's 
 agreed upon so will Rotterden. Now, be 
 reasonable. We're in a devil of a box; and 
 we've got to get out of it, some way." 
 
 360
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 Then, to me : " This way, Miss Dawes for 
 only a few minutes." 
 
 "And then will you let me go?" I ques- 
 tioned shrewdly. 
 
 "You bet he will, Miss!" Murphy an- 
 swered me. 
 
 I nodded my willingness to be made a 
 prisoner; and Harris hastily bundled me 
 and my suit-case into the adjoining apart- 
 ment. Then he banged and locked the door; 
 and there I was, Sweet Nell of old Oberlin, 
 poor little, pretty little Marjory Dawes of 
 Chesterville ! in durance abominable, a vic- 
 tim of my own silliness ! Did you ever ever 
 oh, Nell, there's no use in saying another 
 word! 
 
 361
 
 XVI. 
 
 I DROPPED limply into a chair, Nell, and 
 covered my face with my hands. Oh, how 
 miserable I was how abjectly and utterly 
 miserable and lonesome and homesick! I 
 wanted Ned my Ned; I wished for Jack 
 dear old Jack ! I longed for Aunt Dodo, you 
 Sweet Nell! Mr. Durbin, Colonel Wells- 
 anybody and everybody I had ever known 
 and loved! And the tears would and did 
 come; and I had a good big cry! Then I 
 felt much better; and I wiped my eyes and 
 began to look around me and listen to the 
 confused buzz and murmur of voices in the 
 room I had just left. 
 
 My place of detention was about the size 
 of the apartment adjoining; and, like its 
 fellow, had a door opening into the hall. 
 It contained a long table, a small safe, a 
 bookcase and a number of chairs. The floor 
 was carpeted; and there was a telephone 
 upon the wall. 
 
 I wondered what chance of escape there 
 
 362
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 was; and I arose and began a tour of in- 
 spection. The door opening into the hall 
 was locked, and the key was gone. No hope 
 in that direction, I decided. Next I went 
 to the two windows. Both looked out upon 
 a black abyss no convenient portico or other 
 aid beneath them. I gave up and returned 
 to my chair helpless, hopeless. Then my 
 gaze rested upon the telephone; and I gave 
 a start and a little shiver of joy. Oo-h! I 
 felt prickly and queer all over, then hot, then 
 cold again all in a few seconds. Why not 
 call for help why not? The hubbub in the 
 other room was so great my jailers wouldn't 
 hear me talking, I was sure. Yes, why not 
 call for help! But whom whom would I 
 call? The police station? Oh, I didn't want 
 to do that! And probably they were in with 
 these political tricksters or whatever they 
 might be at any rate, I reasoned. No, it 
 wouldn't do to call the police. Oo-h! Why 
 not call Ned my Ned! up at Columbus? 
 Of course it would take him quite a while to 
 get to me, I had no idea how long! but 
 what else could I do? Yes, I'd yes, I would? 
 I'd make the attempt, anyhow! 
 
 363
 
 I went over to the phone and took down 
 the receiver. 
 
 "Number?" central said promptly. 
 
 " I want Edward Durbin, Chittenden Hotel, 
 Columbus/' I replied tremulously. "Yes, 
 Durbin; D-u-r-b-i-n. Yes, Edward. Whom 
 for? Oh! who for. Mr. Rotterden," with 
 quick inspiration. "Yes, Mr. Rotterden. 
 And hurry, please; it's very important. No, 
 I'll hold the phone. No matter; I don't 
 mind the wait. All right." 
 
 I meant to prevent the ringing of the bell 
 if possible; so I stood leaning against the 
 wall, the receiver to my ear. I was quiver- 
 ing from head to foot with hunger, weak- 
 ness and excitement. The uproar in the 
 other room was increasing. Their voices 
 sounded more and more animated, more and 
 more excited; hoarse tones contended with 
 shrill tones, and oaths with exclamations. I 
 could hear the shuffle and stamp of feet, the 
 bump and bang of moving furniture. Oh, 
 what was going to happen how was it all 
 going to end! And why didn't I get Ned- 
 why didn't I! Oh, dear dear! 
 
 "Hello!" said a voice in my ear. 
 
 364
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Hello!" I murmured in reply. 
 
 "Here's Columbus; here's Mr. Durbin. 
 Hello, Mr. Durbin!" 
 
 "Hello!" came a voice that I recognized 
 as Ned's dear Ned's! And I danced up and 
 down, in joy! 
 
 " Hel hello ! " I answered. " Hello, Ned ! " 
 
 "Well, who is it?" he demanded gruffly. 
 
 "Why why, don't you know?" I replied. 
 "It's it's me!" 
 
 "Me? "-crossly. "Well, who's me?" 
 
 "It's Marjory!" ever so faintly. 
 
 "What!" excitedly, almost incredulously. 
 
 "Yes, it is, Ned." ' 
 
 " Is that so f Where the mischief are 
 you?" 
 
 "Out here or down here at Dayton." 
 
 "What!" 
 
 "Yes, I am." 
 
 "What in the nation are you doing down 
 there?" 
 
 "I I ran off from you, you know." 
 
 "Yes, I know I think I do; and I've been 
 hunting you all the afternoon." 
 
 "You have?" in a tone of keen gratifica- 
 tion. 
 
 365
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Yes, I have! Don't let me know that you 
 feel so good over the fact, please; it hasn't 
 been any fun for me. Now, what are you 
 doing down there?" 
 
 "I'm not doing anything. I'm I'm a 
 prisoner, N-e-d!" 
 
 "A what?" 
 
 "A prisoner." 
 
 "A a I can't understand you, I guess. 
 What did you say?" 
 
 "I say I'm a prisoner. Understand?" 
 
 "No; spell it." 
 
 "P-r-i-s-o-n-e-r," I spelled slowly and dis- 
 tinctly. 
 
 "A prisoner?" he fairly yelled. 
 
 "Yes; I'm locked up." ' 
 
 "What in the name of common sense do 
 you mean, Marjory Dawes?" 
 
 "Just what I say, Ned Durbin!" peev- 
 ishly. "I'm a prisoner, I'm locked up in a 
 room; and I want to get out. I haven't had 
 anything to eat since morning, and " 
 
 "Well, hold on a minute!" he bawled. 
 "What have you done to get locked up?" 
 
 "Why, nothing!" I replied snappishly. 
 "What a silly boy you are, Ned!" 
 
 see
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "What 're you locked up for, then? Who's 
 locked you up the police?" 
 
 "Nonsense, Ned Durbin!" in keen dis- 
 gust. 
 
 "Who, then?" 
 
 "I don't know," I tried to explain; "some 
 political gang of some kind. They thought 
 me somebody else some other girl, and 
 coaxed me off the train and brought me to 
 this house; and then, when they found out 
 their mistake, they locked me up in this 
 room, and 
 
 "I understand!" he broke in on me. "I 
 understand ! " excitedly. " They thought 
 you Miss Catherine Graw on account of your 
 clothes. Well, we've got Miss Graw shut up 
 here; but nobody knows it but a few of us. 
 Now, where are you? What's the number?" 
 
 "I don't know, Ned; but it's a big brick 
 house away out in the suburbs, and oh, Ned ! 
 Ned!" 
 
 "Yes! Yes!" 
 
 " The men are in the next room right now 
 quarreling over what they'll do with me. 
 Oh, come come quick!" 
 
 " I'll get there as fast as steam or electricity 
 
 367
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 can carry me," he answered heartily; "and 
 Til find you never fear. Don't be worried; 
 those men won't dare to harm you or offer 
 you any indignities. Goodbye, now; I'll be 
 with you in a few hours, at the most. Say!" 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 "You don't find it so nice running away 
 from me, do you?" -The mean fellow! He 
 was laughing! "You find you still need me 
 in your business, don't you? Ta-ta! So 
 long!" 
 
 Just then, from the other room, came the 
 alarming sounds of hoarse oaths, and smash- 
 ing blows and crashing furniture. Evidently 
 the wordy consultation had ended in a free- 
 for-all melee. 
 
 "Ned!" I almost screamed in the receiver. 
 "Ned!" 
 
 But he was gone! Oh, Nell Nell Adams! 
 
 Weak and trembling, I dropped down into 
 a chair. The sounds of struggle and conflict 
 went on. Then I heard the bang of a door; 
 and presently I heard someone fumbling at 
 the lock of my own the one leading to the 
 hall. I sprang to my feet, in fear not know- 
 ing what to expect. The door swung open; 
 
 368
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 and there stood Murphy, panting and per- 
 spiring. His clothes were, dusty and awry; 
 his cheek was bruised and his nose was ooz- 
 ing blood. I could do nothing but silently 
 gawk at him, Nell. The sounds of battle 
 still continued. 
 
 "Come on!" the pursy fellow wheezed. "I 
 got the keys and locked the cusses in. Let 
 'em fight it out! I got you into this 
 muddle, and I'll get you out. Come on." 
 
 He stooped and caught up my suit-case, 
 and lurched through the doorway into the 
 hall; and I closely followed him. Down the 
 stairs we hurried and out upon the street. 
 My deliverer waddled in advance of me, puff- 
 ing laboriously. Under an arc lamp at the 
 nearest corner he stopped and said: 
 
 "Here's the car line; you can take a car 
 here that will carry you right to the depot." 
 
 "Oh, thank you ever so much!" I mur- 
 mured feelingly. 
 
 "You don't owe me any thanks," he said, 
 shaking his head ; " but I want you to prom- 
 ise me something." 
 
 "What is it?" I asked. 
 
 "I want you to promise me that you'll 
 
 369
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 leave town as soon as you can, for wherever 
 you want to go; and that you won't mention 
 your evening's experience to anybody. Does 
 that go?" 
 
 "Y-e-s, I guess so," I answered thought- 
 fully ; " I won't say anything to anybody here, 
 anyhow." 
 
 "I don't want you to say anything about 
 it to anybody anywhere," he said quickly. 
 
 "Oh!" I objected. "I'll have to tell Ned 
 all about it." 
 
 A car was coming in the distance. 
 
 "That's your car," my companion mut- 
 tered. Then, briskly: "Who do you mean 
 by Ned? You don't mean Ned Durbin, do 
 you?" 
 
 "Of course," I made answer. 
 
 "Oh, the devil!" he exclaimed roughly. 
 "You mustn't tell him of all men." 
 
 "Why?" I inquired ingenuously. 
 
 "I can't tell you why. But you mustn't 
 tell him; you'd get me all of us into trou- 
 ble. But you won't see him, will you? Didn't 
 you say you were on your way to Cincinnati?" 
 
 "That's what I said yes." 
 
 The car was drawing near. 
 
 370
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 " Well? "in evident concern. 
 
 "Well, I don't think I'll go there now. 
 While you men were deciding my fate, I 
 phoned Ned; and he's coming down from 
 Columbus, after me." 
 
 His jaw sagged slowly, and he stared at 
 me open-mouthed. I gave a little laugh 
 and moved to the curb; and the car came to 
 a stop. 
 
 "Give me my suit-case," I said. 
 
 "I've a notion not to do it," he growled 
 wrathfully; "I've a notion to grab you and 
 take you back. Confound you! I'm almost 
 convinced that Durbin did send you down 
 here." 
 
 But he walked out to the car with me and 
 assisted me up the steps. 
 
 "Good night," I cried gaily, waving my 
 hand. 
 
 "Good night," he muttered sullenly. 
 
 Then he turned and waddled away; and 
 just then a man emerged from the shadow 
 of a tree and ran to catch the car. I went 
 inside and dropped into a seat; and the man 
 stood upon the rear platform and peered 
 through the glass in the closed door. 
 
 371
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 When we reached the depot, I got off and 
 went at once to the lunch-room ; I was nearly 
 famished. Ten minutes later, feeling much 
 refreshed feeling that life was again worth 
 living, Nell! I sauntered into the waiting- 
 room. Which way would Ned come, I won- 
 dered by steam road or electric? Well, I 
 had better wait at the depot till the next 
 train came in from Columbus, anyhow, I de- 
 cided. But how long would that be? I'd 
 go and inquire. I started to carry out my 
 resolve; but midway of the room I came face 
 to face with the man who had come in from 
 the suburbs with me. 
 
 "I want you," he said quietly, smiling in- 
 scrutably. 
 
 I was startled, mystified for the moment, 
 Nell, of course; but I was not at all alarmed 
 and but little concerned. My stomach was 
 full of warm food and, consequently, my heart 
 or is it one's head? was full of courage. 
 Then, too, I was armed and fortified with the 
 knowledge that Ned was coming to my res- 
 cue no matter what might happen to me; 
 and I replied stiffly, coldly: 
 
 "Sir!" 
 
 372
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "I want you," he repeated coolly; "want 
 you to go with me." 
 
 I looked straight up into his face without 
 flinching from his direct gaze. He was a 
 middle-aged man, smooth-faced, muscular, 
 and not unattractive. 
 
 "I don't understand you," I said. 
 
 "Oh, I guess you do!" he smiled. 
 
 "You must be laboring under a mistake 
 in identity," I suggested. 
 
 "Not at all," he grinned. "Come on with 
 
 me." 
 
 "But I won't." 
 
 "Oh, yes you will!" 
 
 "Why should I?" 
 
 "To prevent a scene." 
 
 "To prevent a scene?" ' 
 
 "Yes. If you don't come with me, with- 
 out resistance, I'll be compelled to call a 
 policeman. That would be embarrassing, 
 wouldn't it? Listen. You've been closeted 
 with Rotterden and Harris and their gang; 
 I tracked you out there and I shadowed 
 you back here. Now you must come with 
 
 me." 
 
 "Where do you want me to go?" 
 
 373
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Up to Judge Montford's house." 
 
 "What for?" 
 
 "The judge and some of the boys want 
 to interview you." 
 
 Some more "boys/' Nell Adams! I didn't 
 relish the thought of making their acquaint- 
 ance! 
 
 "What do they want to interview me 
 about?" I temporized. 
 
 "They'll tell you when you get there; I 
 presume you can guess, though. Come on." 
 
 "But I want to know now," I insisted. 
 
 "I think you can guess," he chuckled. 
 "However, I don't mind saying this: you're 
 not going to be harmed in any way, nor 
 prosecuted nor imprisoned if you'll come 
 along quietly and tell us all you know." 
 
 "Know?" I snapped irritably. "Know 
 about what? I won't go a step till you tell 
 me. There!" 
 
 He silently searched my face for several 
 seconds for signs of weakness, I suppose; 
 then he said : 
 
 "They want you to tell them about what 
 you brought down from Columbus, for Rot- 
 terden and his ring." 
 
 374
 
 "That's easily answered," I smiled; "and 
 I'll answer it right here to you. Then I 
 won't have to go with you. I didn't bring 
 anything." 
 
 He shook his head impatiently. 
 
 "That doesn't go," he muttered. "Come 
 on; I can't fool away any more time."- Then, 
 with a shrewd grin : " I guess you're hoping 
 for a chance to slip away from me; but you 
 won't get it. Come on." 
 
 "I've got to, have I?" 
 
 "Sure." 
 
 "All right," I said, thrusting my suit-case 
 toward him. 
 
 He appeared surprised ; but whether at my 
 readiness to accompany him or at my assur- 
 ance in forcing my baggage upon him, I 
 couldn't tell. 
 
 "I needn't keep a restraining hand upon 
 you, need I?" he questioned. 
 
 "No," I replied curtly, sharply. 
 
 "All right." 
 
 Side by side we walked out of the depot. 
 
 "Here's our car right this minute," he re- 
 marked in a tone of keen gratification. 
 
 We climbed aboard; and rolled away to- 
 
 375
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 ward another residence section of the city. 
 Nell, I was rather enjoying myself and my 
 kaleidoscopic experiences. Little Marjory 
 Dawes was becoming such an important per- 
 sonage! I tried to strike up a conversation 
 with my new conductor hoped for a mild 
 flirtation, almost! but he was as glum as 
 the portly and pursy Mr. Murphy had been. 
 
 Our ride was a short one; and a few mo- 
 ments after alighting from the car, I found 
 myself in the well-lighted parlor of a fine 
 residence and again surrounded by a crowd 
 of men. But these men, without exception, 
 apparently, were well-dressed and polished 
 gentlemen. At any rate, they were well- 
 dressed; and they arose to a man, on my 
 entrance, and remained standing till I was 
 seated. 
 
 Then a big-boned, elderly man with square 
 and heavy jaws, and stubby iron-gray mus- 
 tache, and wiry iron-gray hair combed pompa- 
 dour, and wearing an iron-gray suit! wheeled 
 his chair in front of me, leaned forward with 
 his elbows upon his knees, and began slowly 
 and soberly: 
 
 "My dear young woman, I desire to begin 
 
 376
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 the little talk I hope to have with you, by 
 begging your pardon for bringing you here 
 especially, for bringing you here at such 
 an hour and in such a manner. But I think 
 you'll readily understand that we had no 
 choice in the matter. Now, I'll just preface 
 the questions I mean to ask you, by saying 
 you know some things that it's absolutely 
 necessary that we learn; and if you'll kindly 
 and sensibly tell us all you know without 
 equivocation or reservation we'll soon be 
 through with you and you can go on your 
 way, rejoicing." 
 
 He paused, and smiled affably. 
 
 "Yes, sir," I murmured, also smiling. 
 
 He was such a nice old fellow, Nell mine! 
 
 "That means that you'll answer my ques- 
 tions?" he queried. 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 All the other men kept respectfully silent. 
 
 "Very well," my new inquisitor proceeded. 
 "Now your name is is ", consulting a 
 slip of paper he held in his hand, "is Cath- 
 erine Graw, is it not?" 
 
 "No, sir," I twittered sweetly. 
 
 "What?" 
 
 377
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 I smilingly shook my head. 
 
 There was a stir among my auditors. 
 
 "Your - - name - - isn't - - Catherine - 
 Graw?" the nice old gentleman said slowly, 
 huskily. 
 
 "It is not," I answered composedly. 
 
 "Why, Hobson," turning to the man who 
 had brought me, "what's the meaning of 
 this?" 
 
 "I don't know, Judge Montford," the fel- 
 low admitted, evidently puzzled. "All I 
 know is that she's the young woman that 
 was closeted with Rotterden and Harris and 
 their gang. I'm dead sure of that; I trailed 
 her out there, and I saw Murphy put her 
 aboard a car to send her back into the city, 
 and I rode on the same car with her and 
 I got her at the depot and brought her here. 
 That's all I know." 
 
 "And you say your name isn't Catherine 
 Graw?" the judge inquired, again turning to 
 me. 
 
 "I do," I replied. 
 
 "Your name isn't Graw, at all?" he pur- 
 sued. 
 
 "Not at all." 
 
 378
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Didn't you come from Columbus this 
 afternoon?" 
 
 "I did." 
 
 "And didn't a man by the name of Murphy 
 meet you at the depot, by arrangement?" 
 
 "Not by arrangement no, sir." 
 
 "But he met you?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "And you went in an auto with him, to 
 meet a number of men, didn't you?" 
 
 " I didn't know whom I was going to meet." 
 
 "You didn't? Take care!" 
 
 "No, I didn't." 
 
 "But you went with him?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "And you met a number of men?" 
 
 "Y-e-s, I did; but" 
 
 "Wait a moment, please. What is your 
 name?" 
 
 "Marjory Dawes." 
 
 "That's the truth?" 
 
 "Yes, the truth." 
 
 "Dawes, eh? Well, that sounds a good 
 deal like Graw; our informant got the names 
 mixed in some way, I presume. Now, Miss 
 Dawes, what did you bring from Columbus 
 
 379
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 with you and deliver to Rotterden, or Harris, 
 or any other of the men you met at that big 
 brick house where Murphy took you?" 
 
 "Nothing." 
 
 "Take care take care, now/' smiling and 
 shaking his head, kindly but deprecatingly. 
 
 "Nothing," I repeated. Then, with sud- 
 den inspiration and resolve: "Judge Mont- 
 ford, let me tell you all I know everything." 
 
 "I'll be only too pleased to listen," he 
 smiled. 
 
 I detailed my tale of unusual misadven- 
 ture, from its beginning in the depot at Co- 
 lumbus to its seeming ending in the depot 
 at Dayton; and my auditors gave breathless 
 attention. And when I had concluded my 
 recital of wonderful misunderstandings and 
 mishaps, they sat staring at one another in 
 open-mouthed amazement and incredulity. 
 
 But I didn't say a word, Nell, about my 
 phoning to Ned ; nor did I mention his name. 
 I don't know why I didn't; it was just an 
 instance of over-precaution and foolish timid- 
 ity, I guess. But this I do know now: had 
 I mentioned his name, as my employer, it 
 would have saved me all further annoyance. 
 
 380
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 Judge Montford, apparently, was the first 
 to recover from the astonishment my story 
 occasioned. 
 
 "Well, gentlemen," he said placidly, "are 
 we to give credence to Miss Dawes' statement 
 or what are we to do?" 
 
 Nobody responded for a few moments ; each 
 man silently and interrogatively looked at his 
 neighbor. Then Hobson spoke up timidly 
 and half-apologetically : 
 
 "Judge, may I say a word?" 
 
 "Certainly," was the gracious permission. 
 
 "I think you've forgotten a part of what 
 Gargle phoned. us: that when he was in Or- 
 langer's office he got a chance to scratch his 
 name on the valise he thought Miss Graw, 
 or Dawes, or whatever her name is, would 
 bring with her. I believe I'd examine that 
 valise there; it might help us to settle the 
 question." 
 
 "Not a bad suggestion, Hobson," the judge 
 drawled musingly. "By the way, gentle- 
 men, it's a little odd we haven't heard any- 
 thing more from Gargle; you remember he 
 was to phone us again as soon as Miss Graw, 
 as he called the party, left Columbus. His 
 
 381
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 silence, to my way of thinking, is rather 
 confirmatory of Miss Dawes' story." All the 
 while he was closely examining the outside 
 of my suit-case, turning it round and tipping 
 it this way and that. "Then another thing 
 in proof of Miss Dawes' veracity is the fact 
 why why why! " 
 
 He paused stopped speaking; and I held 
 my breath, as did all the others. 
 
 "Why," the judge announced, with all the 
 solemnity of an oracle of doom, "here's Gar- 
 gle's name on this valise right here on this 
 corner, scratched with a pin, evidently. G-a-r- 
 g-l-e. Well well!" 
 
 And he leaned back and looked me full 
 in the face, pityingly shaking his handsome 
 head. 
 
 Sweet Nell of old Oberlin, I was utterly 
 dumbfounded. I bent down and looked at 
 that confusing, accusing and convicting name 
 scratched upon one end of my suit-case 
 and, for the moment doubted my own iden- 
 tity ; and wished Ned would come and change 
 my name at once that I might know myself! 
 
 "Well well!" Judge Montford repeated, 
 still deprecatingly wagging his head. 
 
 382
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 And I knew he considered me an artistic 
 but conscienceless liar. The red mantled my 
 face; and I cried nervously, shrilly: 
 
 "It isn't mine; this case isn't mine!" 
 
 "My dear girl," he replied soberly, feelingly, 
 "I wouldn't say it I wouldn't say a word 
 more; you'll only make a bad matter worse, 
 perhaps. I'm very sorry, but 
 
 "But it isn't mine, I tell you!" I inter- 
 rupted indignantly. " It must belong to that 
 girl I met in the depot at Columbus Miss 
 Graw, or whatever her name is; she must 
 have taken my suit-case, when she left me 
 in such a hurry, and left her own. At any 
 rate, it isn't mine. That detective's name 
 couldn't be on my suit-case just couldn't! 
 He never had a chance to put it there." 
 
 The judge earnestly searched my face. His 
 associates were growing restless. 
 
 "Just a few moments more," he said to 
 them, with a wave of his hand. "Let's be 
 sure of our ground." Then, to me: "What 
 would be in your suit-case, Miss Miss 
 Dawes?" 
 
 "Why, my clothes, of course," I answered 
 promptly. 
 
 383
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Did you pack it full?" 
 
 " Yes certainly." 
 
 " Didn't leave room in it for anything else? " 
 
 "No, sir." 
 
 "Let's examine this case and see what it 
 contains, then," he suggested. 
 
 "Very well," I consented readily. "But 
 maybe it's locked." 
 
 "No doubt," he replied, smiling inscrut- 
 ably. "But try your key upon it." 
 
 I did so, Nell boldly, confidently, being 
 dead sure my key wouldn't work the lock. 
 Judge of my surprise when, after a slight 
 catch or two, it turned easily and the case 
 sprung open! 
 
 But I didn't have time to think of what 
 it meant that my key should open the 
 locked baggage of a stranger. The two halves 
 of the case fell apart and there exposed to 
 the gaze of the surprised lot of us were a 
 number of packages of printed matter and 
 a number of rolls of bank bills. 
 
 I gave a little screech and sank back in 
 my chair, my heart fluttering. The men got 
 upon their feet and craned their necks to 
 see, uttering grunts and exclamations. 
 
 384
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Why why!" the judge ejaculated, ac- 
 cusingly eyeing me. 
 
 Instantly I roused myself. 
 
 "Can't you see," I cried, "that that proves 
 what I said that the case isn't mine? Can't 
 you see that it's Miss Graw's and that those 
 other men knew I wasn't Miss Graw, and 
 thought the case mine, and didn't open it? 
 Can't you see? Can't you see?" 
 
 "That's a fact," said one man; and two 
 or three of his comrades nodded approval of 
 the statement. 
 
 "That's so," muttered another; and " that's 
 so" echoed several of his companions. 
 
 I felt easier. 
 
 "Well, we've got 'em dead to rights and 
 got their stuff," chuckled Hobson, rubbing 
 his palms together and bobbing his head. 
 
 " Say ! " cried the judge. " That's the truth, 
 isn't it?" 
 
 Then they all laughed, and slapped one an- 
 other upon the back and capered about the 
 room; and chuckled and sputtered, and 
 coughed and choked and did it all over 
 again, till their features were aquiver and 
 their eyes were moist with tears. 
 
 385
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Can't I go now?" I suggested to the judge, 
 when the hubbub had somewhat subsided. 
 
 "My dear girl/' he said gravely, laying a 
 hand upon my shoulder, "I'm afraid we'll 
 have to hold you; I don't know but we 
 may need you." 
 
 "Need me?" I cried fretfully, my patience 
 worn threadbare. "What for?" 
 
 "Never mind never mind!" he murmured 
 soothingly. "Maybe we won't need you at 
 all; but you'll have to stay a little longer 
 till we talk the affair over." 
 
 "Oh, dear!" I half whimpered. "I wish 
 Ned would come and take me back to Co- 
 lumbus; I'm tired to death of this town." 
 
 "Ned?" the judge questioned. 
 
 "Yes, Ned," I replied petulantly; "Ned 
 Durbin. If he was here 
 
 "Ned Durbin?" the judge interrupted. 
 "Young Ned Durbin the real-estate man?" 
 
 "Of course," I yawned behind my hand; 
 "he's my employer." 
 
 "Why, girl Miss Dawes!" the dear old 
 fellow laughed, pinching my arm. "Why 
 didn't you tell us that long ago that Ned 
 Durbin' s your employer? We'd have known 
 
 386
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 at once you were all right; would have had 
 no doubt of your story. Did you say he's 
 coming after you?" 
 
 I answered in the affirmative; and told him 
 about my running away from Ned and about 
 my phoning him to come to my rescue. He 
 laughed heartily; and the other men joined 
 him. I felt very silly, Nell; but I felt very 
 happy, too for Judge Montford was saying: 
 
 "Well, Mr. Durbin can't get here till after 
 midnight the best he can do. You come 
 with me, Miss Dawes. I'll turn you over 
 to Mrs. Montford; she'll mother you and 
 look after you. I can see you're completely 
 fagged out. Come with me." 
 
 And a half-hour later, Sweet Nell, I was 
 tucked up in the whitest little bed in the 
 neatest and sweetest little bedroom and 
 was fast asleep. 
 
 Early next morning Ned phoned me from the 
 hotel where he was stopping. Judge Mont- 
 ford had met him at the train and told him 
 where I was. After breakfast he came around 
 to see me. I met him in the parlor; and he 
 just stood and grinned at me, in silence in 
 unholy I-told-you-so amusement. 
 
 387
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 The mean impudent man! 
 
 "Ned Bui-bin," I said loftily, "if you don't 
 stop that, you'll go back to Columbus alone. 
 Now!" 
 
 And then he he well, you can guess what 
 he did, Nell. 
 
 An hour later we were aboard our train 
 and speeding toward the Capital city. Ned 
 tried to talk to me; but I was silent and pre- 
 occupied thinking, thinking. Was I doing 
 right, going back with him? Did I really 
 desire to go back with him considering what 
 I had done? Would he could he ever for- 
 get the loss of his money? Would he could 
 he truly forget the deplorable blunder I had 
 made, and forgive me? 
 
 He roused me from my bitter reverie, by 
 asking : 
 
 "What are you thinking about, Marjory?" 
 
 "Nothing much," I murmured. 
 
 "Yes, you are; and I can tell you what 
 it is." 
 
 "What?" 
 
 'You're wondering why you ran away 
 from me." 
 
 "Well, I'm not!" I cried indignantly. "I'm 
 
 388
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 wondering why I'm going back with you 
 why I ever sent for you." 
 
 " Oh!" he laughed. " I can answer all such 
 easy questions as that." He was grinning 
 like he was enjoying himself greatly! "You 
 sent for me because you found out you weren't 
 able to take care of yourself; and you're go- 
 ing back with me for the same reason." 
 
 My face reddened with anger I felt it; 
 and the big rude fellow at my side just 
 hawhawed. 
 
 "Indeed," I quavered, tears in my voice 
 and eyes, "you're very kind, Ned Durbin." 
 
 And I turned my back upon him and sat 
 blinking out the window. 
 
 "Now now!" he said coaxingly, tenderly. 
 "Marjory, look around here." 
 
 But I made no move to comply with his 
 request. 
 
 "Marjory," he whispered. 
 
 I gave no heed. 
 
 "Marjory," he repeated. 
 
 "What?" tearfully. 
 
 "Look around here." 
 
 "I I can't." 
 
 "Yes, you can. Wipe your tears away; I 
 
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 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 want to talk to you. I've got something in- 
 teresting to tell you." 
 
 I dried my eyes with repeated little jabs 
 of my handkerchief; then turned to him, 
 silently, questioningly. 
 
 "I'm telling you the truth," he said so- 
 berly, earnestly. "You have found you can't 
 do without me; and I've found I can't do 
 without you." I was comforted at once, 
 Sweet Nell! "Now, I want you to tell me 
 why you ran away from me." 
 
 "Why, you know Ned," I breathed softly, 
 snuggling a little closer to him. 
 
 "No, I don't," he smiled. 
 
 "Surely you do." 
 
 "Surely I don't sweetheart." 
 
 "Why, I ran away because because I 
 lost you all that money, of course." 
 
 "What money?" grinning provokingly. 
 
 "What money! You know, Ned dear." 
 
 "You didn't lose me any money, Marjory." 
 
 "Ned!" 
 
 "You didn't. Listen, sweetheart," joy- 
 fully. "You didn't lose me any money; you 
 made me money." 
 
 "Why why " 
 
 390
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 "Listen! When you said you had a head- 
 ache, yesterday, and left the office, you 
 hadn't been gone more than half an hour 
 till a fellow came in and wanted to buy the 
 Klein tract. He offered me fifty thousand 
 dollars; but I knew at once he was the agent 
 of the Transylvania people, and I just laughed 
 at him. In the end I sold it to him for a clean 
 hundred and fifty thousand. So you see, 
 Marjie, you made me seventy-five thousand 
 instead of losing me fifty thousand. You 
 were right all the time; I was wrong. The 
 word was sent out from the Transylvania for 
 effect; my friend I met at Newark was mis- 
 informed ; the Journal was mistaken as you 
 insisted. And now 
 
 He stopped and beamed upon me devour- 
 ing me with his eyes, Nell. 
 
 "And now?" I whispered faintly -but en- 
 couragingly. 
 
 "Now," he resumed, "you must help me 
 to spend it, Marjory." Oo-h! Delight, Nell 
 Adams! It had come at last! "You must 
 marry me, Marjie; and we'll take a flight 
 abroad and then come back and build us 
 a nest. Eh?" 
 
 391
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 The big bold man! He slipped his arm 
 around me right there in the car. 
 
 "Don't!" I pleaded, blushing to the tip of 
 my nose. "Please don't, Ned; somebody'll 
 see you." 
 
 "Well, answer me, then," he laughed. 
 
 "Take away your arm and I will." 
 
 "Answer me first." 
 
 "Answer you what?" 
 
 "Will you marry me?" 
 
 "Oh, Mr. Durbin, this is so sud 
 
 "Hush!" 
 
 "So sudden, I" 
 
 "Marjory Dawes, answer me! Will you 
 marry me?" 
 
 "Why, you said I must, didn't you?" 
 
 "Does that mean yes?" 
 
 " Y fx 5 " 
 -L v Q. 
 
 And then we talked and planned, and 
 planned and talked, and enjoyed ourselves 
 immensely to the limit, Ned said. 
 
 But at last a thought intruded itself; and 
 I inquired: 
 
 " Ned, what were those men down at Day- 
 ton Rotterden and Harris and the rest 
 trying to do?" 
 
 392
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 He laughed: "They, with Orlanger of Co- 
 lumbus, were trying to buy and steal the 
 election down there; trying to put in Rotter- 
 den as state senator. He has pledged him- 
 self to support some railroad schemes of Or- 
 langer's; Orlanger's a lobbyist for the rail- 
 roads. I don't suppose I can make you under- 
 stand it all," he looked at me so fondly, Nell, 
 I couldn't resent his implied lack of confidence 
 in my keen discernment! "and I don't 
 know that it matters. I'll just say this: I'm 
 president of the Leatherlips political club, 
 and I got onto their game and queered it. 
 Now, let's talk about ourselves." 
 
 But what's the use of writing more, Nell 
 mine? You've guessed the conventional and 
 tiresome finale, " they married and were happy 
 ever afterward," long ago. Yes, we married 
 Ned and I; married down at old Chester- 
 ville, or should I say were married? last 
 Christmas. I forgave Jack and Aunt Dodo 
 and Dorothy, of course; and blessed them 
 and fate that Jack's marriage had made an 
 exile of me. For had not said exile brought 
 me Ned my Ned? 
 
 It was at my own wedding that I again 
 
 393
 
 THE MISADVENTURES OF MARJORY 
 
 met Colonel Wells my dear old Southron; 
 and it was there he told me all about how 
 he befooled the marshal at Conesville. 
 
 Ned and I went abroad immediately to 
 southern Europe and Egypt and the Holy 
 Land, first, then back by the way of Berlin 
 and Paris and London. We were gone six 
 months, and spent six thousand dollars; and 
 brought back a whole shipload of foreign 
 trumpery to litter up our new home. 
 
 And now, Nell Adams, as soon as you've 
 read this no, don't stop to read it; it'll 
 take too long! pack your things at once and 
 come to see me out here on Bryden Road. 
 Maybe I'll give you Daddy Durbin as a hus- 
 band; he's awfully nice. Then oh, I've got 
 a secret to tell you; and I haven't got the 
 courage to put it down in cold, unfeeling 
 black-and-white ! 
 
 MARJORY. 
 
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