The Dugdale Millions — page 197: what you’re looking at

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

REBELLIOUS INDEPENDENCE. 187 cently passed, silently working a revolution. He did not understand that from having passed from a cone dition of doubt and uncertainty—almost, if not wholly despair—into an assurance of Dick’s strong love, she was now rejoicing in the knowledge of it. Heknew neither how to reply, nor what to say. In argument she had met him, and his covert threat of disinheritance had fallen upon indifferent ears. Her allusion to his own past had affected him more than he was willing to admit. She had presented himself to himself, as a purseproud man who wanted to forget his own upris- ing. The picture of his own youth and struggles was vividly before him. He contrasted, involuntarily, the past youth of Howard Hetlow with the present youth of Richard Mason, and not wholly to the disadvantage of Mason. He could not summon a single essential fault against the man his daughter had so bravely as- serted she loved—only one, and that, that at the age of twenty-six his future was not assured. Yet he, Hetlow, was two years older before his feet were firmly placed upon the lowest round of that ladder by which he had mounted to riches and power. Through his mind flitted the vexing idea that it was within his power to place the feet of Mason on the same ladder, the mounting of which, he could not but confess, could be safely left to this able and ener- getic young man. As he was thus thinking they had reached the stile which let them into their own grounds. Suddenly Bessie spoke. “This is a useless discussion. After what has passed between us, Mr. Mason will never make a tender of his love for me. But I shall regret very much, and it will add to the sorrow and distress under which I am now, if you permit this frankness of mine to interfere with Mr. Mason’s relations to your business.” “I think I know how to separate my business Comicboclk C@ 3}