The Dugdale Millions — page 264: what you’re looking at

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

204 THE DUGDALE MILLIONS. Larches.’’ The note which he had received from Bessie had still been unexplained and the attitude assumed by Mr. Hetlow toward himself, which, result- ing in nothing overt, had, nevertheless, erected a bar- rier intangible yet actual. While he had been ina fairly contented frame of mind regarding Bessie’s feeling toward himself, he had, by reason of the events so rapidly treading on each other’s heels, permitted all other things to drift. Now, however, on learning that Lord Merrimount had returned, and so much sooner than was expected, he fell back into that condition of mind in which he had been, when he first believed that Merrimount’s purpose in his visit to America was to sue for Bessie’s hand. The acute Wallis quickly perceived the anxious ex- pression which had settled upon his face. So she said: ‘“Does my news give you alarm? Well, rest assured you areinnodanger. I think that I can tell you, with- out betraying confidences, that no matter whether Bessie does or does not inherit the Dugdale estates, she will not accept Lord Merrimount.”’ Since you haye teld me so.much, said Dick,” think you might relieve my suspense with regard to the other matter I have asked you.”’ “Oh, no,’ laughed Wallis, © cannot fell you tha. Bessie will not allow me to do so. Ido not think it is because she does not want you to know, but because she wants to tell you it herself.’’ ‘You promised me an interview with her which you did not give me,’’ said Dick. ‘I promised you,’’ repeated Wallis. ‘‘It was Bes- sie who promised you the interview. I merely carried the message, but I will be gracious. I will tell you of an inference I have drawn from a conversation with Bessie, and that is that whoever may come a-wooing to “The Larches’ there will be but one who will receive the favor of the daughter, no matter how he Comicbooclk C@© 3