CHAPTER XII.
MARION DISCOVERS DOLLIE.
Once more Mr. Ray proved his noble character. Not by so much as a glance did he show that he noticed Marion’s changed appearance.
“Do I look very countrified and dowdy?” she asked, timidly, when he came for her that evening.
“You look as pretty as a peach,” was the young man’s answer. “There’s thousands of women who would gladly change places with you—they’d take your clothes if they could have your face and figure.”
Marion was so embarrassed that she could not answer for a minute.
“I am glad you are not ashamed of me,” she managed to say finally.
What Mr. Ray would have answered under other circumstances Marion could almost guess, but just then Bert Jackson came in and put a stop to further conversation of a confidential nature.
“Oh, I do hope I am right in my suspicions,” she said quickly, when they were on their way to the hall. “I do hope that Professor Dabroski will prove to be Mr. Lawson, for, while it is dreadful for my sister to be in the power of such a monster, still it will end the suspense which is almost killing me.”
“I hope so, too, for that reason,” was Mr. Ray’s answer. “It seems remarkable that you should have found him so soon. The fellow must be a fool to be so utterly reckless.”
“Oh, he knew my father would never attempt to rescue Dollie, and there was no one else. Why, he never even gave me a thought! I was only a little country girl; he did not dream that I would follow him!”
“Well, he didn’t read your character very well, that’s all I’ve got to say,” said Mr. Ray, laughing. “Why, my sister says you would go through fire and water for any one you loved! You have made a friend of her for life, my poor wronged sister!”
There were tears very near Mr. Ray’s lashes now, and it was Marion’s turn to play the comforter.
“Dear Miss Gray, I loved her almost as soon as I met her, but I must call her Miss Ray now—the other name was a disgrace to her.”
“That scoundrel who deceived her is about to pay the penalty for his sins,” said Mr. Ray, slowly. “My father is growing old, but he has lots of spunk left. Why, he has already given the fellow twenty-four hours to leave the country. If he stays, we shall make it hot for him, I can tell you, and as for Emile Vorse, the Chief of Police is after him. It seems that there is enough against him already to send him to prison!”
“He deserves it,” cried Marion, “the infamous wretch! No country girl is safe in a city like this so long as it is infested with such wolves in sheeps’ clothing.”
When Marion, Bert and Mr. Ray reached the dingy little theatre they found it nearly filled with a crowd of ordinary-looking people.
They went in at once and Marion selected a seat behind a post, so that she could keep her face continually in the shadow.
She realized that there was a chance of her being mistaken, for a bill board picture is not always over-accurate, and then, too, she admitted that there was something strange about the fancied resemblance.
“It was his general contour that convinced me, not his face,” she said, over and over. “Mr. Lawson was very dark, but Professor Dabroski is lighter.”
“That is easily done,” was Mr. Ray’s answer; “but you must be very certain in your identification. It would be an awful thing to accuse the wrong person.”
“I’ll be very careful,” was Marion’s answer, and then the curtain went up amid great applauding.
Marion’s nerves were so tense that she felt like screaming when her first glimpse of the stage showed it to be entirely empty.
The rough crowd in the theatre began jeering and whistling, and at last a man appeared upon the stage and walked directly to the footlights.
“Is that he?” asked Mr. Ray, in a trembling whisper.
Marion shook her head as she scrutinized the face and figure.
“Professor Dabroski, the greatest living hypnotist, will demonstrate his power before you this evening,” began the man, with a pompous gesture, “and to do this it will be necessary for him to secure a few ‘subjects,’ which will be picked out indiscriminately throughout the audience.”
Marion turned and looked at her companion inquiringly, and Mr. Ray hastened to explain the fraud contained in this statement.
“He has confederates scattered all about through the house,” he told her briefly, “but they’ll make believe that they don’t know him, just to fool the rest of us. Then he’ll take them on the stage and make them cut capers. Of course, some of them are genuinely mesmerized and some are not, but they all get paid for their part in the performance.”
“His power is genuine, I am sure,” said Marion softly. “It was surely a black art that deceived poor Dollie.”
Mr. Ray looked at her tenderly, and even pressed her hand in sympathy. To him she was the personification of all that was pure and noble.
Suddenly Marion started forward and bit her lip viciously, while she clenched his hand with a grip of iron.
A man had come upon the stage attired in full evening dress. He wore eye-glasses and was a blonde, but Marion knew instinctively that it was Mr. Lawson.
“Hush! Don’t make a sound—not yet!” warned Mr. Ray, under his breath.
Marion nodded her head, her eyes were riveted on the “professor.”
Almost like one in a trance, she watched what followed; the selection of “subjects” from the curious audience.
As the professor approached her chair, Marion drew back cautiously. While she would have given her all to see him closer, she was afraid herself of being detected.
“You are a shrewd one,” whispered her escort; “he did not even see you. Most women would have stared at him and attracted his attention.”
The brave girl smiled sadly as she leaned a little nearer.
“There is too much at stake,” she said shortly. “I must be more than cautious if I would save my poor sister.”
One after another of the “subjects” were “put to sleep” or led into semi-hypnotic conditions by the professor’s magic. They danced, sang, recited, in fact, did anything whatsoever that he wished. Not one seemed able to move a muscle unless he willed it.
The brave country girl’s heart grew heavy as she witnessed his power. Her brain seemed to reel under the full consciousness of Dollie’s danger.
Suddenly she felt a light touch on her arm from some one in the rear. She turned and saw a quiet-looking man leaning carelessly toward her.
“The detective from headquarters,” whispered Mr. Ray, in her ear.
Marion smiled and nodded, and the man moved a little nearer.
“You are sure it’s the chap?” he said, very softly.
“Certain,” was the girl’s low answer, “that is Mr. Lawson.”
The man moved away and was lost in the crowd, and just then Professor Dabroski advanced to the front of the stage and made an announcement.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” he began, in that voice which Marion knew so well, “I have given you an exhibition of my power this evening which must prove conclusively to every one that I am what the bill boards call me, ‘The World’s Greatest Hypnotist.’ But before this exhibition is ended, I have one more proof to give you. I shall now produce a ‘subject’ whom you have not seen—a woman who will demonstrate the full extent of my skill, for she is absolutely unable to breathe unless I will it.”
There was a roar of applause as the professor finished, which was stilled as soon as he raised his hand for silence.
“This is what is usually termed a ‘cataleptic’ condition,” he said, “but you will see that I control it perfectly, which is more than can be done by any physician in creation.”
He moved to the rear of the stage and held out his hand, while Marion half rose in her seat, her eyes fixed and staring.
Suddenly from behind the scenes a woman advanced. She was dressed in white and looked like an angel.
As he led her down to the footlights the house was as still as the grave; then a shrill, sweet voice rang out like a bugle peal.
“Stop! stop! He must not do it! That is Dollie, my sister!”
CHAPTER XIII.
THE ARREST AND RESCUE.
For just one brief moment not a sound was heard; then an echoing shriek broke from the lips of the “subject.”
“Marion! Oh, Marion! Save me!”
In less than a second the house was in an uproar. Men and women had sprang from their seats and were yelling like demons.
Before any one could stop him, Professor Dabroski darted toward the wings, but while he was still in full view of his audience, he was stopped peremptorily.
The detective from headquarters was the first man to confront him.
“I arrest you for kidnapping,” he said very plainly. “Here, handcuff him, officers. We must not take any chances!”
Two officers sprang forward and caught the professor’s arms, but he was too thoroughly frightened to make any resistance.
“She is my wife,” he said faintly; “she is over sixteen!”
A curse from one of the indignant officers silenced him.
At that instant Mr. Ray sprang upon a seat and explained the situation. His voice was clear and distinct, every person in the house heard it.
A perfect storm of hisses followed his remarks, and for a moment it looked as if the entire audience intended making a rush for the professor.
Cries of “The villain!” “The scoundrel!” sounded on all sides, for in an instant every one appreciated the terrible crime he had committed.
A score of hands were reached forward and Dollie was lifted straight over the footlights and placed in the arms of her noble sister.
As Marion clasped her in her arms, Mr. Ray and Bert tried to lead the two girls out, while the crowd, as soon as it saw Dollie’s girlish, frightened face, yelled with one voice: “Lynch him! Lynch the rascally professor!”
The officers hurried their prisoner away and the detective came back. He had found Dollie’s hat and gloves and something to wrap around her.
The crowd made way for them to pass, and as they passed a mighty cheer went up that almost shook the building.
“Hurrah for the brave country girl!” they screamed and howled. “Three cheers for the farmer’s daughter who came to the city to save her sister!”
Marion wept with delight as Mr. Ray bundled them both into a carriage, and as for Dollie, she clung to her sister and cried both from fear and pleasure.
When they reached the hotel, Mr. Ray sent a telegram to Joshua Marlowe telling him briefly of Marion’s success in finding her sister.
“He will never forgive me,” cried Dollie, her face burning and scarlet. “He will never understand that I could not help it! Oh, it seems like a hideous dream! Can I ever forget it?”
Marion took her in her arms to soothe and comfort her, and Mr. Ray bade them good-night in his heartiest manner.
“You have been so good, so kind to me,” faltered Marion.
“Who could help it?” was the roguish but sincerely meant answer. “For you are the bravest little woman in all the world, for not only have you found your own, but you have also restored my darling sister.”
“And there is much more for me to do,” said Marion, moving away from Dollie for a moment. “For I have made the charge of kidnapping against that rascally professor, and I shall leave no stone unturned to have him thoroughly punished. The Chief of Police has told me what to do, but much will depend upon what I learn of his treatment of poor Dollie.”
The two young people looked at each other with solemn eyes.
“Thank God there are such women in the world as you,” said the young man soberly.
“And such men as you,” said Marion, archly.
“Good-night, Mr. Ray, the honors are even. Good-night, Bert.”
Marion took Dollie to her room before she broke down; then, when the door was safely locked, she burst out crying.
“Oh, Marion, dear, what shall we do?” asked Dollie helplessly. “I can’t go home to father now! Whatever shall we do in this big, wicked city?”
Marion wiped her eyes and smiled as brightly as ever.
“Nonsense, Dollie!” she said, gayly. “It is not a wicked city at all! It is perfectly glorious! And oh, how I love it!”
“Then you don’t intend to go back?” asked Dollie, relieved.
“Never!” said Marion, stoutly, “or, at least not if I can help it. We’ll get something to do, and stay right here, Dollie. There’s a place for us here, but we’ve got to find it!
“Isn’t it lovely, Dollie?” cried Marion suddenly. “The superintendent of the lodging-house has found Bert Jackson a position!”
Then noticing Dollie’s look she hastened to explain the exciting episode in Bert’s day. Her sister was delighted when she heard of the adventure.
“I just caught a glimpse of him on the street,” she said, “when that monster, Mr. Lawson, stepped directly between us. Bert knocked him down, but he was up in a flash—then the next I knew poor Bert had been arrested and he was leading me along—I could not resist him.”
“You must tell me all, every word,” said Marion soberly. “I must know the full length and breadth of that man’s villainy, Dollie. After that you must try to forget him, dear! You are safe from him, now—never again can he harm you! When he is safely disposed of we shall have enough to do, for we must go to work to win fame and fortune.”
Dollie shook her head and a dazed look crept into her eyes.
“To-morrow, Marion. I am so tired to-night! To-morrow my head will be clearer and perhaps I can remember.”
Marion took her in her arms and began smoothing her hair.
“Just one thing, little sister, and then you shall go to sleep. Did you take grandma’s topazes from the old chest, Dollie? I looked for them one night, but I could not find them.”
“I took them, yes, dear,” said Dollie sleepily. “He told me to do it, and I dared not disobey. There was some reason, I don’t know what—I always obeyed him.”
“I understand the reason, darling; he had hypnotized you, but now go to bed, dear, we will finish our talking to-morrow.”
Marion helped to undress her, soothing her gently as she did so.
“We will get along famously, I am sure we will,” she said, cheerily; “for all we need is perseverance and courage.”
“And you have courage enough for both,” said Dollie, brightening. “You are the bravest girl in the world, and I am proud of you, Marion!”
“I mean that you shall be proud of me some day,” said the fair girl, slowly; “for if patience, perseverance and courage count for anything, I shall be famous, even if I am only a farmer’s daughter!”
And the beautiful speaker’s words were all fulfilled, but before she could realize her highest ambitions there were thrilling adventures to be passed through and dangerous pitfalls to be avoided.
Fortunately for her, there were other charges against Professor Dabroski, and by the advice of counsel, Dollie’s case was discontinued. The rascally hypnotist was sent to Sing Sing for ten years without their appearing against him, and the two gentle girls were only too glad to escape the notoriety of a trial.
As for Deacon Marlowe, he lived to repent his hardness of heart. The nobility of his daughters overwhelmed him with shame and remorse, but it was a pity the lesson could not have been learned a little earlier.
Archie Ray took his sister abroad at once to escape unpleasant remarks, but his friendship for Marion never waned for an instant.
Emile Vorse remained at large for a little time, but both he and his boon companion—the wretch who had wrecked Adele Ray’s life—were caught in the net of the law later on and both were confined in the same dismal prison.
Thus the downfall of three villains was at last effected, and all indirectly through the heroic courage of a farmer’s daughter.
THE END.
The next number will contain “Marion Marlowe’s Courage; or, A Brave Girl’s Struggle for Life and Honor.”