The Dugdale Millions — page 266: what you’re looking at

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

256 THE DUGDALE MILLIONS. Mr. Stanton, much surprised to see Dick, whom he imagined could hardly have returned from Philadel- phia. Anxious to learn the result of Dick’s hurried trip to Philadelphia, the old lawyer carried Dick into the library to listen to the tale. That which seemed to him the most significant was the discovery that Moore had preceded Dick in his visit to Mrs. Jenkins. It was quite evident from his talk that he did not anticipate that Dick would learn much that was impor- tant from Mrs. Jenkins, but that he had urged him to go upon the principle that no stone should be left unturned. Heargued as to Moore’s trip, as Dick had done, that it indicated that the conspirators had not secured the information they desired in securing the box, and that the sole purpose of Moore’s effort was to supplement such information as they had obtained by a personal interview with the daughter of James Powers. -in.short,’’ said the old lawyer; concluding “his remarks, ‘‘I do not believe we have lost very much in losing that box. If its contents were conclusive as to the adoption of the child, Moore would not have gone to Philadelphia.”’ ; Ab!” exclaimed Dick, struck by.a new, thought which had not until then occurred to him, ‘‘suppose the information is conclusive, would it’not have been the part of wisdom for them, before proceeding further, to have attempted to learn how much Mrs. Jenkins knew as to the contents? And was not that the pur- pose of Moore’s call?”’ ‘You are quite nght,’’ said Mr. Stanton promptly, ‘that did not occur tome. To be sure Moore did not learn anything from Mrs. Jenkins—but he did, on sec- ond thought. He did learn that Mrs. Jenkins knew nothing about it and so, if the information disclosed by the contents of the box 1s conclusive as to the person adopting Edmund Dugdale’s child, then their position CoMmicloo cS 3