The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel — page 285: what you’re looking at

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

278 THE FREEMASONS DAUGHTER. there, bought and sold, only the price,” he added, “ is seldom quoted.” ‘¢ Ah, then it does not concern our firm,’”’ observed Mr. Bowles, senior. ‘‘ No,” added his wife, with a good-humoured glance at her son; “although I suspect the junior partner has been speculating pretty largely in it on his own account.” “Come,” said Mary, with that pretty, graceful tyranny which girls are so fond of assuming when they are sure they are beloved, “ the letter, sir. If you keep Amy any longer in this dreadful suspense, PI—IT’ll call you a monster !” ** You may.” ‘And withdraw the guarantee,” she added, archly, “which I gave so inconsiderately for the payment of your commission in the transaction.” The last threat was effectual. William hastily opened the Jetter addressed to himself, and which contained but a few hurried lines, and took out the one it inclosed for Amy. Oh, how closely it was written—crossed, and in some parts crossed again—and with what patience the orphan followed the words, line by liine— turning it sideways, corner-ways, and every possible way; for not a scrap but was filled with the out- pourings of the warm and generous heart of the writer. The information it contained was exceedingly scant—a methodical clerk, employed to make an abstract of its contents, would have done so in a few words :—‘** The ecomnuicloooks (SO