The Dugdale Millions — page 137: what you’re looking at

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

THE BED SHAWL. 127 home. Bessie was sick with a headache this morning and did not go with us.” ‘*Lord Merrimount is still at the Hetlows’?”’ ‘Yes. He was with us to-day. He 1s a fine fel- low. I like him. I don’t favor, as a rule, American girls marrying these foreigners, but I think this would be a good thing for Bessie ss He stopped short, recollecting Dick’s affection for Bessie. ‘I beg your pardon, Mason. I’d forgotten your interest in this matter.”’ **No pardon is necessary, sir,’’ replied Dick sadly. “I am not so blind as not to see that Miss Hetlow’s friends naturally think that Lord Merrimount, son of the Duke of Mountchessington, must be a much better alliance for her than would Dick Mason, a clerk in her father’s office, with his way yet to make and his fortune yet to get. Do you consider the matter determined?”’ ‘Why, bless me!’’ cried the old lawyer, his sym- pathies stirred by Dick’s tone. ‘“‘I know nothing about it. Hetlow has never said a word to me on the subject. I have fallen into the belief, if belief it is, from hearing everybody say so—everybody, that is, except Wallis. She insists that Bessie won’t have him, if he offers himself. In fact she says Bessie’s in love with you,’’ bluntly added the old lawyer. **Wallis is mistaken,’’ said Dick quietly. Mr. Stanton looked at him amoment seriously, but as the young man made no further remark took a cigar from his pocket, lit it, and smoked. Dick, in whom this conversation had revived sad thoughts, got up and walked the length of the veranda. As he reached the end, from which a view of the Hetlow mansion could be had, he observed Wallis turning the corner of the house. She saw him at the same moment. ‘‘I want to see you. Come down,”’ manded. she com- Comicbookks 3}