The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel — page 183: what you’re looking at

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

174 THE FREEMASONS DAUGHTER. ‘Lie down !”’.repeated the astonished Small. ‘‘Mat- thew, you have been drinking.” “If I haven’t, 1 guess who has,” replied the young man, with a grin. ) *““ Matthew !” exclaimed his parent, trying to look virtuously indignant at the insinuation. ‘* Father !” ““T am serious, Matthew—quite serious. I have discovered,” he added, in a whisper, “‘a secret which puts Grindem completely in my power. I am the real head—the heart, the soul of the firm now. Small —Small and Grindem! do you understand that ?”’ And the little man, in the anticipation of his triumph over his partner, chuckled with joy. ‘Then you are not drunk!” exclaimed his son, scarcely daring to believe that what he heard was true. ‘¢Drunk—before dinner! For shame, Matthew— for shame !”’ “It might have been the case!” replied the young hopeful, doubtingly. ‘‘I say, governor ?”’ “Well.” “If you really have got old Grimdem in the cleft stick, why did you suffer him to bullyrag you just now !” ‘Because I have not got the proofs ; but I shall have them,” he added, “ this very night. Matthew, I shall require you, Mark, and John, to accompany me this evening at nine o’clock.” COniiclooecl SS (SO