The Dugdale Millions — page 251: what you’re looking at

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

COMPLICATIONS. 241 tion revealed that none of the papers had been extracted. : ‘‘This goes to the proof,’’ he said, thoughtfully to himself, ‘‘that the Jenkins box was the one the thieves were after, and that in their haste they took the three to make sure of the right one. They have returned these two because they were of no use tothem. There is something in young Mason’s theory after all.’’ He called his wife and Wallis to tell them the extra- ordinary occurrence. Mrs. Stanton was much agi- tated when she saw the two stolen boxes returned, for knowing that they were the only ones taken, she feared that their return was preliminary to either a confession or a revelation on the part of Harold Pier- son, which would expose her own guilty part in the Intrigue in which she had become involved, and from which she had receded at the last moment, but which, nevertheless, had led to the burglary. She was on the point of confessing to her husband that theJenkins box had not been taken with the others, but was hidden by her on the morning after the burglary. She was restrained, however, by the fear of her husband’s anger and of the humiliating position she would be placed in before Wallis and their neighbors of ‘‘The Larches.’’ “‘Mr. Mason was right,’’ exclaimed Wallis, ‘in say- ing that it was the Jenkins box that was wanted.”’ “So I think,”’ replied her uncle, ‘‘but I am puzzled to know how these boxes were sent back. They must have uncovered their tracks in returning them in some way. ‘They were brought here by the expressman. I am going into the village to make inquiries. I ought to be able to learn from what place they were shipped and by whom.”’ He left them to carry out this intention. Wallis waited until her uncle was gone from the house, when she turned to her aunt and said most pointedly: ‘‘The theft of that box is most unfortunate. If any- Comicloeo S C@© 3