The Twin Detectives; or, The Robbers of the Tomb — page 74: what you’re looking at

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

THE TWIN DETECTIVES. 65 would not do me such gross injustice. I am your own flesh and blood.” | ‘‘T do not love you; there you are right. Do you deserve my love?” ‘* Well, I may have done wrong in the past, but, mother, I will try to do better. You surely would not rob your own child of his rightful inheritance!” ‘No, I surely would not.” ‘*'Then you may not understand, mother. Have you my baptismal register?” ‘J have my son’s baptismal register.” ‘« Show it to me, mother.” ‘<< Here it i*” She unlocked the same box that McLean had seen her take the paper from, and drew out an old leather pocket- book. It contained several papers. ‘« Here is the baptismal register of my son: ‘ Archibald George Cuthbert, born March 9th, 18—, at No. — Windsor street, Edinburgh, Scotland, and baptized at St. Matthew’s Church, by the Rev. Alexander Garrick, May 22d of the same year.” You see it is all regular. The witnesses have signed it; the child is declared the child of Archibald Leon- ard Cuthbert and Helen Ross, his wife.” ‘““Why, mother, this is proof positive. Why have you lived all your life with a stain upon you? You are Countess of Cuthbert, and | am Earl ; that imbecile shall usurp my rights no longer. Ill go home by the next steamer, and establish them in every court in Scotland.” «You may disgrace yourself if you choose; but I will not allow you to disgrace me any longer !” ‘*Oh, you won’t?” she asked, with a sneer on her dark, proud face. ‘“No; I will not.” Ecomicbooks 1 E(@)