The Dugdale Millions — page 198: what you’re looking at

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

188 THE DUGDALE MILLIONS. interests from my domestic affairs, without instruc. tions from my daughter,’ answered Mr. Hetlow grimly. ‘My partners would not accept, as a suf- ficient justification for the dismissal of a valued assistant, the fact that he aspired to the hand of my daughter. Over my house, however, I am absolute, and Mr. Mason must no longer be received here.”’ Bessie made no reply and they walked on in silence. At the door of the library they parted; Mr. Hetlow entered that room by no means satisfied. It was true he had asserted his authority as the master of his home, but he was not at all certain that he had asserted his authority as a parent in that forceful and impres- sive manner he was wont to employ. He had been astonished and somewhat confused by his daughter’s sudden display of spirit and firmness. Her attitude did not seem to admit of argument, and she did not admit his right to interfere. The revel- ation of this new phase of her character had so amazed him that, in his endeavor to comprehend it, he had neglected to combat it, and 1t was now a ques- tion whether he had not permitted the opportunity to exert his authority to pass from him. He was also influenced by another consideration. From what Bessie had said, Mason had made no proffer of his love. After all he could ‘net expect to contra emotions, for men could not control them themselves. So long as Mason refrained from tendering his love to Bessie, he could not see how he could interfere. The trouble was that Bessie, by her own confession, was ready to yield when asked. Would she not find a way to elicit that tender? ‘True, Bessie had rebuked him for suggesting that she would. ‘The more he thought of it all, the more perplexed he grew. He could not bring himself to the determination to warn or threaten Mason. He might be told to wait until cause for admonition presented itself. What he could do, and this he would, would be to put an end Comicboolkks C@ 3