The Dugdale Millions — page 70: what you’re looking at

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

60 THE DUGDALE MILLIONS, failed in the exercise of a proper discretion, and had told Bessie of his frank confession of his love for her, And he feared that if Wallis had done so, Bessie would take umbrage at that. By conjuring up all sort of doubts and possibilities, as lovers are so apt to do in that period when hope and uncertainty hold equal sway, Dick had succeeded in making himself very uncomfortable. On arriving, he found the old lawyer seated upon the veranda overlooking the river, intent upon the panorama below. ‘““O Mason! You are earlier than I expected,’’ was Mr. Stanton’s greeting as he came down the steps to meet him. ‘*Powers was the name of those people who lived in the MacDougall Street house.’’ Dick laughed as he replied: ‘‘T supposed I would give youthe news. I learned that fact this morning.’’ ‘“What more do you know,"’ asked the lawyer, much interested. ‘“Not a single fact more,”’ “*Well, I know a httle more,’’ said the lawyer, as he motioned Dick to be seated in one of the cane-bot- tomed chairs onthe veranda. ‘‘The head of the family was named James. Hewasamorocco finisher. His family consisted of a wife and two girls—small ones then. The MacDougall Street house belongs to the old Gadwise estate, and the man who has had charge of it for thirty years has so still. He has kept a record of all the tenants.’’ Dick told him of his interview with Mrs. Tomlinson. ‘“Well,’’ said the old gentleman, having listened closely to the recital, ‘‘well, certain facts are estab- lished. The child was adopted by someone yet un- known. The chances are that it is alive. The next step is to find James Powers. Here the chances are against you. Assuming that he was thirty-five in 1857, he would be over sixty years old now. The chances are largely that he is dead. And his wife Comicloo® S C@ 3