The Dugdale Millions — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

A PERPLEXING COMMISSION. 5 son and grandson home at once. On arriving, how- ever, the clerk found that Edmund Dugdale, for such was the son’s name, was dead, and buried by charity. Before his death the child had disappeared; no trace of him being discoverable. The clerk returned to England, but was sent back to search for the child—a search made without result and abandoned after a year or two. *‘Now,’’ continued Mr. Hetlow, growing more im- pressive, “‘Samuel Dugdale died intestate, and, if this child cannot be found, why, since she is the daughter of the sister of Samuel Dugdale, and therefore is the next of kin, my daughter Bessie inherits this vast property and becomes the largest wool merchant in the world.’”’ So utterly unexpected was the conclusion of the old merchant that Dick Mason nearly lost that sangfroid which it was the boast of his friends never forsook him, under the most trying occasions, *‘By Heavens,’’ he murmured, ‘‘what chance have I with a girl with a million for an income. It was bad enough before, but now x *‘Now,’’ continued Mr. Hetlow, deeply interested in his tale and unmindful of the effect produced upon Dick, ‘‘I have a letter from the family solicitor in London, informing me of this condition of affairs, but strongly asserting that before steps are taken to put Miss Hetlow in possession of all this property, I should make sure the grandchild does not exist, and will not turn up to make trouble and disappoint hopes that have settled into certainty. In other words, the solicitor puts upon me the burden of discovering whether or not the fellow exists. If he does, he must now be a young man of twenty-six or seven. Itisa trying and strange position in which to place a man— to force him toa search for one, who, if found, will deprive his daughter of an enormous fortune. I do Comicloeo® S C@© 3