The Dugdale Millions — page 309: what you’re looking at

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

HAROLD'S PROOF. 299 shall myself be disposed to believe that the proof is made and the end is reached.” As he talked he unwrapped the package and laid out the papers. No remark was made by anyone when he concluded. He added in a somewhat disap- pointed air: ‘Of course I know it is a great favor I ask, to com- pare the letters of Edmund Dugdale received by his father, and unquestionably authentic, with the note we have here purporting to have been written by him. I quite understand that, occupying the position you do, insisting that the burden of proof rests upon our shoulders, nothing compels you, even from a moral standpoint, to accede to my request. I therefore want to say, as I said upon a previous occasion, that one of the chief desires I have is to assure you of the truth of my claim, and that I will be content with nothing short of a full acquiescence upon your part that I am indeed the son of Edmund Dugdale. I ask it, therefore, more with the idea that you should be satisfied by such comparison than that I should grat- ify myself by making it.” Mr. Hetlow, rising from his chair, said hastily and warmly: “Of course your request is granted. It never en- tered into my head to deny it. I conceive it to be very proper.” Mr. Stanton, however, interposed by saying : ‘“In a strict legal proceeding, Mr. Hetlow, one oc- cupying the position you do would use a document, such as you have in your possession, in an attempt to confound rather than to assist the other side.” “ But this is not a strict legal proceeding,” said Mr. Hetlow rather irritably. ‘If Mr. Pierson hasa letter written by Edmund Dugdale that fact can be established as conclusively here as in a court of law.” The merchant went to a cabinet in the corner of the room, and taking from it a bundle of papers came Comiclbookks C@ 3