The Dugdale Millions — page 270: what you’re looking at

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

260 THE DUGDALE MILLIONS. subjected to humiliation is a matter of such concern te you that you could seek to save me from it.”’ This was coming to rather closer quarters than Bes- sie desired. Perhaps it is not correct to say that she did not desire it, but, nevertheless, she recognized something in Dick’s tone and manner which made her believe that, now the opportunity presented itself, he was not disposed to let it pass by without bringing mat- ters to an issue between them. . From this she shrank, more perhaps by reason of her maidenly modesty than from an intention to deny him. Dick grew bolder as he went on. ‘‘Miss Hetlow—Bessie—I will not pretend that I do not comprehend what lay back of that note. But whatever it was 1t cannot prevent me now, no matter what may be the attitude of your father toward me— and nothing compels me to ask or to seek to learn— from asking to know how it stands with me. You are under no doubt as to the state of my feelings with regard to you. On that day by the riverside when my passion—love for you—broke its bounds, I told you how deep and unconquerable it was. And when you averted your face from me and I believed your heart was cold, and crushed and stricken I left you, it was with the promise to myself, expressed to you in words, that I would seek you again and tell you of it. The time is here: I do tell youvof it, - I teil you, that thas love possesses me—that it 1s deep, enduring, and un- conquerable. I could not control it if I would. I know that I am bringing all my fortunes—nay, my life and my future, to the test. And I know that having done so, if you are to say me nay, all the joy, all the purpose of my life will be taken from me. I cannot recollect the time since you were a little girl, not more than a babe, and I but a boy, when I did not love you. To grow, to work, to make myself worthy of the time when I could lay my heart and myself at your feet has been the incentive of all these years. Well, the time . CoMmicbdOoks.€© 3}