The Dugdale Millions — page 174: what you’re looking at

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

164 THE DUGDALE MILLIONS. reconcile this cool calculation with his simple manly nature, nor could she refrain from admitting that, in every other way, he was admirable. She had finally settled it by attributing his theory of the marital re- lation as one simply of convenance to the training of the world tn which he moved. Wallis, however, had. formally accepted him as a good fellow and had been one with him. She had therefore gotten on famously with him. Her utter want of deference to his rank, her frankness, startling Bessie often, and her audacity of address, without more respect than she accorded other young gentle- men of her acquaintance, amused and interested him, though at first, having been accustomed all his life to the greatest consideration, it made him wonder. On the same morning Dick had accompanied Mr. Hetlow and Mr. Stanton to the city, so the girls were left alone to spend the day together. They had gone for a stroll in the morning, and by easy degrees reached that nook in the rocks on the river shore where Dick had so unexpectedly declared to Bessie his love for her. Bessie was in gay spirits—gayer than she had been for many days—lighter-hearted and more prone to laughter. As they were sitting together watching the river with its ever changing face, Wallis abruptly said : ‘“ Bessie, you are happier than you have been for many days.” The other looked up quickly, her face beaming, laughing to conceal her emotions, for she knew only too well to what her happiness was to be attributed. “I presume, she saicdl,that it is the reliel I feel from the weighty burden of riches and the awfully narrow escape I have had from becoming Lady Merrimount.”’ “Oh, that isn’t it,” said Wallis, rising from her seat and perching herself upon a large rock, from which Comicboclk CO) 3