The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

THE FREEMASONS DAUGHTER. 15 ‘“‘ Nothing more than the regulation of the office. I would not take upon myself the responsibility of in- trusting Gridley, during the absence of Mr. Lawrence, to collect for the house.” “‘ Oh, he is honest !”’ interrupted his partner, bitterly. ‘“¢ But a drunkard !”? added Small. ‘‘ True, true! it has been the poor devil’sruin. But for that one fault, Small, he would now be sitting in your place, and you at his desk. He is a strange compound,” he added, “‘and has lost more than one occasion. Let Matthew take the out-door department for a month.” ‘© Matthew’s health is delicate,’ observed the father, drily. «* Mark or John, then, which you will,” exclaimed the head of the firm, impatiently; ‘‘ surely, for a month you can arrange it amongst you.”’ ‘It is not that, sir. Thank Heaven, neither I nor my sons shrink from toil where the interests of the firm are concerned !”’ “TI know, I know.” “‘ But at the end of the month ?”’ ‘¢ At the end of the month Lawrence will return, and things resume their usual course,’ said Mr. Grindem, with an air of impatience, for he began to feel annoyed, and had not the slightest reason for managing the susceptibility of his partner. ‘¢Lawrence never will return,’”’ observed Small, emphatically. COniiclooecl SS (SO mn