The Dugdale Millions — page 34: what you’re looking at

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

24 THE DUGDALE MILLIONS. events for many years tocome. Yet a complete real- ization of the bar which existed between them did not prevent him from seizing every opportunity to throw himself into Bessie Hetlow’s society. The truth of it was that he was in love with the fair young girl—in love with herself, apart from any consideration of the worldly advantages of such a match. These thoughts occupied his mind until the carriage stopped in front of the residence of Mr. Stanton and he was compelled to alight. Handing his card toa servant who responded to his ring, he was ushered into a small apartment near the door and here he was left to himself for some time. Finally, there came to him a middle-aged lady, who informed him that her husband was absent, but was expected home momen- tarily. She asked him to remain, yet suggested, and, as Mason thought, with a curious mixture of eager- ness and timidity, that she might, perhaps, be able to serve him. Dick replied that he did not think she could, as his business must necessarily be with Mr. Stanton ona matter she could not be expected to have any know- ledge of. Why so polite and guarded a response should have produced the effect it did, Dick could not determine, but he observed with a great deal of sur- prise that the lady became the prey to repressed ex- citement and that her voice fairly trembled as she asked: ‘Is it a matter which concerns Mr. Stanton?’ Dick was so much surprised at the eagerness with which she asked the question, that he hesitated in replying, and the lady repeated it with an appearance of increased alarm. Then he hastened to assure her that it did not. An expression of disappointment swept over her face as she fell into a brown study, and Dick began to feel that he had happened upon the lawyer in an inopportune moment, in that it was a COmicloo CO 3