The Dugdale Millions — page 181: what you’re looking at

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

THE DUGDALE HEIR. 171 lead her astothe movements of the three gentlemen, engaged inan intrigueto shield her husband. When, however, the hour drew near and no excuses for the non-appearance of Harold Pierson were made, but on the contrary the announcement that he had arrived, she was much perplexed. Finally, she found a way out of her perplexity by the ingenious imagining that a young man had been employed to personate the Dugdale heir for the time. This reasonable conclu- sion she communicated to Wallis, who, in her vex- ation, said: “Tf you are driven to imagine things, auntie, I should think it would be far more reasonable to sup- pose that Harold Pierson was really the Dugdale heir, but in consideration of the great benefit Mr. Hetlow is about to confer upon him, they will insist that he must help them by personating the baby you are so much troubled about. Such theory, at all events, would have the advantage of plausability.” ‘That is the most sensible thing I have ever known youto say,’ cried the delighted lady. ‘“‘ Undoubtedly that is the very thing they have done. I have not given youcredit for such sense and shrewdness. Yes, that is it. Iam really obliged to you for thinking of Lee “ But I don’t think it,” protested Wallis. ‘ I merely Suggest it as the least foolish of all the imaginings you may engage upon.” But it was now a settled conviction with the good lady, and she went away to prepare for the dinner quite light-hearted over so great a discovery, as she called it. When the people from Springhill were ushered into the drawing-room, the young man, to discover whom Dick had spent so many anxious hours, was found seated with Mr. Hetlow. Bessie had not yet come from her room. The young man was presented under his name of Comicloeo® <S C@© 3