The Dugdale Millions — page 207: what you’re looking at

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

DICKS DISCOVERY. 197 suddenly as he thought of the story of Dick’s love for Bessie. “Of everything else, you would say,” Dick went on, completing the sentence. “I’m not particularly imaginative, sir, and I am quite certain my imagination has nottricked me. Iam positive I saw Harold Pier- son with Ransom, and I[ would so testify under oath Peiore a 1ury. ‘Well, suppose you did?” asked Mr. Hetlow in a controversial tone. “ Of what significance would it be? © “ Well, sir,” replied Dick thoughtfully “ under all the circumstances, it seems to me, it would be of the greatest significance. Let me argue it, 1f you please. We put an advertisement in the papers asking anyone having knowledge of Edmund Dugdale to commu- nicate with me. In the course of time Ransom ap- pears, assuining to have knowledge of him, of Powers, of the child, and of its adoption but—and here is the first point—he has no recollection of the person or persons adopting the child. Subsequently, after a reasonable time, he writes a letter in which he says he has recollected the name and it 1s Pierson, which let- ter—and here is the second point—is couched in such terms as to convey the idea that he has no knowledge of, or acquaintance with, the people. Yet, notwithstand- ing all this, the next time I see him, J find him in com- pany with Harold Pierson, who purports to be young Dugdale, and when I intimate I have seen him in such company he denies it. Now, sir, if there was no significance in these facts, if he had made Dugdale’s or Harold Pierson’s acquaintance subsequent to his calling upon me, either by accident, or by open effort, if he did not want to still leave me in the same mind that he did not know him, why did he deny it? Now, sir’ continued Dick, growing more argumentative, “the place, which I know is not a reputable place, is the last place a man of the breeding of Harold Pier- Comicbookk<s C@ 3}