The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel — page 160: what you’re looking at

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

THE FREEMASONS DAUGHTER. 151 thought it was because you preferred your fine lord’s friendship to mine. There—don't reproach me. I felt lonely and dull, as moping as a solitary hound used to hunt in couples ; so I e’en asked a kind-hearted little girl, a neighbour of the governor's, near Burnley, if she would try and love me.” “‘ And her reply was ?” “‘ Like a frank-hearted, dear, good girl as she is, that she had done so for some time, and without éryzg. But what in the name of fortune, Henry,” continued the speaker, struck by a sudden recollection; “if you are in love, and out of debt, makes you wretched ? It can’t be that your love is not returned. I should like to see the girl who could say no, when Henry Beacham offered her his heart. ‘<I, too, am loved,” replied his friend. ‘Of course,’ said Bowles, as if it was a necessary consequence. ‘But she I love is poor.” ‘Your uncle is rich enough. Besides, you are your own master—have a capital turn for business, if you would only stick to it. Come more frequently upon Change, and look at the price of cotton; I shall always be at hand to help you. So never mind your uncle, who never deserved to have such a true-hearted fellow for his nephéw.” ‘Not a word against my uncle,’ interrupted Beacham; “he has this very day announced his intention of making me a partner in the firm.” COniiclooecl SS (SO