The Dugdale Millions — page 195: what you’re looking at

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

REBELLIOUS INDEPENDENCE. 185 and did so believe until, in conversation with him, I learned the mistake I had made.”’ Her words now came slowly, but only because she was carefully selecting them. “ During that conversation I came to know,” she went on, “though Iam sure Mr. Mason did not in- tend I should, that he loved me with a deep and en- during love. He was respectful and self-restrained. He did not offer his love, did not ask me to return it, did not ask me to be his wife.” | She looked into her father’s face and encountered his eyes bent uponher earnestly. Without faltering in her gaze, she went on: “TI donot know that he ever will. He believesI do not reciprocate his passion. I think, no, I am sure, he believes his love to be hopeless.”’ Her father’s brow cleared as he listened to her, but she went on now more rapidly and with greater firm- ness. ‘ But, should he ever pay me the compliment—the highest a woman can receive—shall tell me of his love, and ask me to be wife to him, I shall say yes.”’ she bravely encountered the anger ot her father. He stopped short in his walk, detaining her by grasp- ing her arm. ‘They were standing in the middle of the great field which separated Springhill from “ The Larches.”’ “You dare to say that to your father?”’ he gasped out, almost choking with rage. She did not quail an instant before him; but said as firmly as he could have done: “Your daughter dares to say that she claims the right to choose her own husband, since she must live with him all her life.” ‘““And your father dares to say he claims the right of bestowing his fortune where he chooses, since he has made it himself,” he shouted. Comicloee® S C@ 3