The Dugdale Millions — page 125: what you’re looking at

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

A PERVERSE MAIDEN. 115 into the river, turned, and in an instant were lost to view behind a projecting bowlder. Why the incident, which was not a significant one, should have caused the sensation Dick was conscious of experiencing, and just what that sensation was, Dick would have been put to great trouble to explain. Re- flection showed him that he was by no means sure the man was Ransom, and even if it were, there was no rea- son to regard it as important, or as having any bear- ing upon the matter he hadin hand. The direct effect of it was, however, to divert him from the peaceful scene, and he wandered on. ‘Turning a point of the rock along which he knew there was a path, and among which rocks there was a recess and a natural seat much favored by Walls, he suddenly came upon the one who had to such an extent occupied his thoughts that afternoon. When she looked up to see who was the intruder upon her solitude, it was evident she was as much surprised to look upon him as he was to find her there. He had supposed she was with the yachting party. She had no knowledge he was expected at Spring Hill. As he saluted her, he expressed surprise that she was not upon the river with her father. On her part she replied, with some constraint of manner, that a severe headache had prevented her going in the morning, but recovering, she had strolled out for the air in the afternoon. Here was the opportunity ready made for which Dick had only ten minutes previously firmly determined he would diligently seek. Yet, now that it was pre- cipitated upon him, from being a young man noted for the promptness with which he seized passing oppor- tunities, he passed into one without wits and with nothing to say. Perhaps it was his silence which embarrassed Bessie, for neither could she find words for a tongue usually most voluble. The situationwasawkward. Realizing Comicboclk CO 3}