The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel — page 72: what you’re looking at

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

THE FREEMASONS DAUGHTER. 63 A glance at Matthew, who scarcely knew whether to retreat or advance, sufficiently indicated the aggressor. Bowing gravely tothe lady, Henry Beacham, quietly advanced towards the heir of the house of Small, drew off his glove, seized him by the collar, turned him round with a half-pirouette on the kerb-stone, and kicked him into the middle of the street. A loud laugh from a party of gentlemen, who, from the door of the Royal Hotel, witnessed the transaction, added to the discomfiture of the puppy—who was too great a cur to fight. Hastily rushing down the lane by the side of the Infirmary, he escaped from the sneers of those who had seen the punishment inflicted, muttering curses as he made his escape. ‘* Allow me, Amy,” said Henry Beacham, offering his arm, “‘ to see you safely home ?”’ | ‘“Oh, Henry, what have you done ?”’ ‘‘My duty—you forget I have the right to protect you now,” said the young man, coolly; “ would you have me despise myself ?” “No; but pray—pray be prudent! should your uncle hear of this ?”’ ‘‘Pshaw! the fellow for his own sake, will be dis- creet; besides, my uncle, Amy, has about as great a contempt for the entire family of the Smalls as I have; added to which, he is a gentleman, and must feel that my first duty, as his nephew, was to protcct the daughter of a man who died in his service ?”’ COniiclooecl SS (SO