The Dugdale Millions — page 61: what you’re looking at

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

SIGNOR BARBERINI. oF ‘*Millions,’’ said the ex-ballet-master unctuously. “Millions upon millions.”’ ‘‘What means millions?’’ asked the younger man contemptuously. ‘*‘That ‘ad’?’’ ‘‘Just that advertisement,’’ answered the old man impressively, proud that he had something to say which enlisted the interest of the two men, accustomed to treat him and his remarks with contempt. ‘‘I knew Edmund Dugdale when he was the gayest young man in Lunnon, making the sovereigns spin in a way to set your head in a whirl; I knew him when he married a girl in the ballet, and when he was kicked out for it by his father, the richest merchant in Eng- land. Rich! ‘Talk about Vanderbilt’s money—why, Edmund Dugdale’s father thirty years ago could have bought and sold three Vanderbilts.”’ ‘‘Bah,’’ cried the younger man in supreme disgust. ‘‘What’s this you are giving us?”’ ‘*The truth. And yet Edmund Dugdale died in this city for want of food, as his wife died before him.’’ ‘‘What has ail this to do with this ‘ad’?’’ inquired the young man. ‘‘Everything. Samuel Dugdale’s great fortune is going a-begging. Six months ago I was reading in a Lunnon paper that Samuel Dugdale was dead, and it went on to say that the business had descended from father and son for near on to two hundred years, but now the only son of Dugdale having died in America, the business and the great fortune would go to a dif- ferent branch of the family.’’ The younger man, tired of the tale, shifted his posi- tion in his chair. As he did so he caught a darting look from the other, accompanied by a sudden uplift- ing of the heavy brows. He turned to Barber and said impatiently: ve Weel y? ° ‘‘Well,’’ continued the old ballet-master, ‘“‘here comes the advertisement I showed you.’’ Comicloeo® S C@ 3}