The Dugdale Millions — page 55: what you’re looking at

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

S/GNVOR BARDBL AIT, 45 wallet, which he opened with trembling fingers. After fumbling over-a number of well worn and dirty papers he extracted a slip cut from a newspaper, which he extended to Dick, asking: ‘‘Are you the gentleman as put that into the news- papers?”’ It was the advertisement asking for communication with anyone having knowledge of Edmund Dugdale. “Ves,’’ Dick answered, with a sudden increase of interest in the old man. ‘“‘Have you any knowledge of Dugdale?”’ **I knew him when he was alive.’’ ‘‘T want to know all I can learn of him,’’ said Dick, as he drew up achair, and seated himself beside his visitor. ‘For what purpose,’ shrewd eyes upon Dick. To reveal his purpose was not Dick’s intention, yet he could not let the first chance for obtaining the knowledge he sought that presented itself slip from him. A rapid survey of the old man’s appearance determined his course, so he said imperiously: ‘‘My purpose is my own. I want to know the life led by Edmund Dugdale and the names of the people with whom he associated in this city. If you have such knowledge I will pay for it. If you have not, you have no wares to sell me.’’ Laughing slyly to himself, as if well pleased with his own shrewdness, while his hand played over his chin, white with a stubble growth of many days, the old man answered: ‘*T can hit it close. It’s about the money left by Samuel Dugdale, the great Lunnon merchant.’’ Startled by the answer Dick showed his surprise, to the great amusement of the old man. ‘“Oh!’’ he cried, ‘‘then you know something as to the antecedents of Dugdale?’’ ‘*A little, a little,’’ replied the old man, with an air asked the old man, turning cComicloeo® S C@ 3}