The Dugdale Millions — page 112: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XI. PLAYING THE KNAVE. Mason, after his excursion to West Point with Lord Merrimount, was depressed and apprehensive. Every- thing tended to confirm him in the belhef that the young nobleman’s mission was to secure the hand of Bessie, provided she was in fact the heir to the Dug- dale millions. Though he was quite certain, after his conversation with Merrimount, that no sentiment was involved in the young nobleman’s plans, and that he paid no more attention to Bessie than any polite and well bred young man would do, being a guest in her father’s house, still he did not fail to recognize the formidable character of the rivalry he was certain to encounter. On Merrimount’s side was ambition, *ank, distinction, and the sanction of the father, family influ- ence, and the pressure of opinion within the circle in which Bessie moved. ‘These influences, he thought, even exerted passively, would be influential, and, he feared, controlling. While upon his own side, was only his deep and passionate love for Bessie, not even declared, and which, if declared, would doubtless meet with the determined opposition of Mr. Hetlow. And over and above all was the growing conviction that the prospect of sudden and vast enrichment was having a baleful influence upon Bessie herself. The only course open to him to follow, which would seem to lead to anything like success, was a vigorous prosecu- tion of the search for young Dugdale, the successful end of which seemed now to be far away. _ it was thus that he was musing, as he was seated 202 Comicbooks.€© 3