The Dugdale Millions — page 152: what you’re looking at

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

142 THE DUGDALE MILLIONS. prove the preliminary talks with Mrs. Pierson and the subsequent call of Mrs. Pierson and her husband upon Mrs. Tomlinson in reference to the adoption. The fact that the child of Dugdale had been adopted by someone could be easily established. So far as he could see, the whole matter turned upon the point as to whether Pierson could establish the fact that the child adopted by him was the one confided by Mrs. Tomlinson to the care of Mrs. Powers, for the purpose of being adopted by someone whose name Mrs, Tomlinson had forgotten. Then it occurred to him that the box Mrs. Jenkins had spoken of might contain the very proof desired, and as well the papers which Pierson said Powers had insisted upon retaining. Following up this thought, he determined to write to Mrs. Jenkins, urging her to make the search of the box and communicate its con- tents as promptly as she could. He went into the _ hbrary to write this letter, and while thus engaged, the coaching party returned. = Dick went out to meet Mr. Stanton at once, to tell him he had reached important results, and to express the opinion that the facts should be presented to Mr. Hetlow without delay. As a consequence, a messen- ger was at once dispatched to Mr. Hetlow, asking if it would be agreeable to receive Dick on a matter of importance. While waiting for the return of the messenger Dick went back to the library to complete his letter to Mrs. Jenkins, to which place Mr. Stanton soon followed. ‘IT hope you will go to Mr. Hetlow with me,’ remarked Dick, as he closed and directed the letter, “What I have to tell Mr. Hetlow is important 1n every aspect. Iwillreserve my story until then, and I should oF e have your judgment upon it.’”’ . Stanton consented. In the meantime Dick’s rave and preoccupied manner had been observed by gs Mrs. Stanton and Wallis, Comicboocl< C@ 3