CHAPTER V.

MISS ALLYN’S SECRET.

Marion never quite knew what kept her silent after Miss Allyn had mentioned the name of Reginald Brookes, but she allowed her friend to leave the room without saying a word, although she had news that would have interested both of her companions greatly.

“I am surprised that she did not see him at the depot,” she thought, as she lay silently beside Dollie, “but I guess they left too quickly.”

For an hour after that Marion’s mind wandered restlessly. It had been an exciting day as well as a painful one. She rehearsed over and over the scene in the old kitchen—her parents’ grief when she first saw them and their rejoicing later.

The glimpse of the old home had stirred memories of her childhood, but it had also brought back all the old loathing for country life and made her wondrously contented with her present surroundings.

“Poor Sallie! How I pity her!” she exclaimed, then listened breathlessly to see if she had awakened Dollie.

“The dear child! How happy she is in her love for Ralph!” she mused. “Well, if she loves him and he is kind to her, what does it matter? After all, it is one’s happiness that is to be considered first. Oh, I wonder if I shall ever be really and truly happy?” Then, strangely enough, two faces appeared suddenly before her mind. They were both handsome, both young, and both fired with manly purpose, and peculiarly enough, they were both of men who possessed great riches.

The first picture was that of a tall young man, with dark, trusting eyes and a tender smile that was almost irresistible.

The other was of a blonde, with bright, laughing blue eyes, yet with a frankness and alertness of expression which won one’s confidence immediately.

The first picture was that of an old friend who was now abroad—Mr. Archibald Ray, the young man who had aided her in her search for Dollie. The other was that of Reginald Brookes, the medical student—the one whom her friend, Miss Allyn, had said was just the kind of a man that she should marry.

When the girls awoke the next morning they were as happy as larks. There was so much to be talked over in regard to their plans for the future.

Miss Allyn went downtown to her work, early, as usual, but she astonished the girls by coming in at noon and bringing a tall, dark gentleman with her.

“My _fiancé_, Mr. Colebrook,” she said, with a deep blush. “You must forgive me, girls, but I could not tell you any sooner.”

“Oh, how perfectly lovely!” cried Dollie, giving her a hug. “To think that you, too, are in love, and we never even guessed it!”

Marion smiled as cordially as possible as she greeted Mr. Colebrook, but there was something about him that repelled her strangely.

Once before in her life she had experienced the same sensation, and as she thought of it now she could feel herself becoming awkward and embarrassed.

“We are on our way to a matinee,” said Miss Allyn, hurriedly, “but I could not resist the temptation of just bringing him in and introducing him.”

“We are ever so glad you did,” said Dollie, so cordially that Marion’s hesitating manner passed unnoticed for the time.

Miss Allyn’s every expression spoke of confidence in her lover. She looked at him shyly, but with such trust in her glance that to Marion she hardly seemed like the same little woman.

“How she does love him!” cried Dolly, the moment they had gone.

Marion still said nothing, but bit her lips savagely. She was wondering why her friend’s _fiancé_ should have pressed her hand so tenderly when he said good-by at parting.

“What’s the matter, Marion? You look so glum!” said Dollie, after a minute. She had been dusting the room, while Marion put the dressing case in order.

“I don’t like that man, that Mr. Colebrook,” said Marion, slowly. “I hope I may be wrong, but I don’t trust him, Dollie.”

Dollie dropped her duster and gave a little cry. “Oh, Marion, don’t say that!” she exclaimed. “You are so keen in your intuitions, and read people so cleverly that I shall begin this moment to tremble for Alma.”

“Well, I hope I am mistaken,” was Marion’s answer. “But, nevertheless, I shall keep an eye on him whenever I can, for I have never felt such a dreadful feeling at sight of a person unless there was something about them that wasn’t trustworthy.”

“I know,” said Dollie, sadly, “you felt that way about Mr. Lawson. Oh, if you had only acted upon your first impulse with our rascally boarder I might never have fallen into his clutches, Marion.”

“I hope this fellow isn’t a hypnotist like Mr. Lawson,” said Marion, slowly, “but there’s one thing sure—he has cast a spell over Miss Allyn. He’s made her love him, and I call that wonderful.”

“Do you suppose he is rich,” said Dollie, remembering Miss Allyn’s conversation the evening before.

“Did you notice her eyes?” asked Marion, sagely. “Why, that girl is so much in love with him she doesn’t even think about it. I’d be willing to declare she’s forgotten that there is such a thing as money—and to think of her reading us such a lecture on finance!”

Both girls laughed heartily, but Marion’s smile ended in a sigh.

She was not able to shake off her impression of Mr. Colebrook.

“Hello! Can I come in?” called a voice outside the door.

Dollie opened it quickly and admitted a youth of seventeen, frank-faced and healthy and brimming over with good nature.

“Oh, Bert, is that you?” called Marion, quickly. “Come right in, so I can tell you all about my visit to the country.”

“Have they erected a headstone to my memory in the Poor Farm graveyard yet?” asked the boy, “and is the village of Hickorytown draped in mourning for my decease?”

“No, neither,” said Marion, laughing, “but they all think you are dead, Bert. That letter of mine to Matt Jenkins, telling him of your death, was accepted by them all, in spite of the made-up signature.”

“You did me a big favor when you wrote that letter, Marion,” said Bert, quickly, “and I’ll never forget it if I live to be a hundred; but see here, I’ve got some news for you that will make your eyes stick out! There is a personal in the paper for Ila de Parloa, the singer.”

He held out a scrap of paper toward Marion as he spoke, and the girl’s face flushed and paled alternately as she read it.

“A manager of some theatrical troupe wants my address,” she said to Dollie. “He tried to get it from the manager of that concert hall where I sang, but old Vandergrift was so mad that he wouldn’t give it to him.”

“I’ll bet there’s lots of them that want you, and that will give you a good price, too, Marion,” said Bert Jackson, eagerly. “If you say so, I’ll look this up and see what there is in it.”

“Wait a minute—let me think,” said the fair girl, slowly; then she shook her head with a decided motion. “No, I will not listen to their offers at present,” she said, emphatically. “I am to enter Charity Hospital as a nurse next Monday. It is a noble profession, and I feel, some way, that I am called to it.”