The Dugdale Millions — page 321: what you’re looking at

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

DETECTED AND CAPTURED. 311 was, nor whether he could combat it, nor indeed whether the day was lost to him or only endangered. He made a gallant effort. “Sir !’’ he said to the old lawyer, “ you are hasty with your epithets. In a court of law you will be given an opportunity to sustain them.” “T will sustain them,” excitedly exclaimed the law- yer 1 De proot in that box is-conclusive:” All of this time Harold Pierson had been standing immediately in front of the fire blazing openly upon the hearth. When Mr. Stanton made this declaration, he tossed the papers which he had brought with him as proofs, deftly, without being observed, into the fire. He had hardly done so when Lord Merrimount entered the room. ‘Turning to see who it was, Harold started back so violently in his surprise that he nearly fell. ‘* Erie Lacey !.’. he exclaimed aghast. eGreav ed! Allan Mark Everard !”’ Pee ~ cricdstather than asked Mr,.<Stanten. ‘That man claims to be young Dugdale, and to be named Harold Pierson.” Sie = coeds Mermimount. * He? Nensense ! Ee is Allan Mark Everard. He was my fag at Eton. [ have known him since he was a lad, and his family as well.”’ Mr. Hetlow and Dick had risen from their seats. They were regarding the two young men with interest the most intense. Mrs, Stanton sat in a chair trembling with excite- ment, while Bessie and Wallis, hardly grasping the situation, were supporting each other. “That man,’ said Mr. Stanton, pointing to Harold, now standing with bended head, shamestricken be- fore his old schoolmate, all his assurance gone, know- ing full well that his game was lost, ‘‘ that man is the one who has claimed to be Harold Pierson, adopted Comichoo C@©