The Twin Detectives; or, The Robbers of the Tomb — page 85: what you’re looking at

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

16 THE TWIN DETECTIVES. McLean looked with increased respect on his bold and unscrupulous companion. ‘““Now, Mac,” Hall went on, ‘‘ I’ve come to talk about that other matter. You have no objection to seeing your daughter Countess of Cuthbert?” ‘““None. But I have been thinking over what you told me, and I don’t think it is possible.” “No one would, unless they knew the unnatural mother I have.” ““But why did she not make some objection when your father married the countess?” ‘“ Because he persuaded her it was useless. She is an Hnglishwoman, and thought nothing was a marriage unless it took pinee. in a church, and the ceremony was: Bertone by a parson.” ‘But surely she might have learned by the terms of your baptismal certificate that she was the wife of the earl?” ‘McLean, you know what an excessively obstinate wo- man she is. ‘The earl, for his own purposes, persuaded her that the wording of the certificate was only a matter of form.” ‘* And she still believes this?” ‘< Believes it—or pretends to. My mother hates me so that she would rather I was hanged than anything good should come to me.” “It is very strange, Archy.” ‘¢ Well, will you go with me in proving my claim, in case I am ever in a position to urge it?” ‘‘Certainly. I have seen the paper, though I am gur- _ prised she did not show it to me years ago.” ‘“ Jean would like to be a countess?” “Yes. But you know, Archy, your claim holds good only in Scotland.” «Well, the estate lies in Scotland. The title is a Scotch one,” mm \ cS (e(@) Eomicboo = =