The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel — page 95: what you’re looking at

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

86 THE FREEMASONS DAUGHTER. herself which would be the less dangerous experiment of the two—the massacre of one of the long-eared Innocents, or the little piece of domestic treachery pro- posed. While in this state, the eldest girl came running into the yard. . , “Mother,” roared the child, “little Tim is crying for more bread!” ) Marjoram made the sovereigns chink in his hand. There was a fascination in the sound which the heart of the wife might have withstood, but which the feelings of the mother could no longer resist. “Ten!” she muttered. *‘ As bright as ever were coined,” added the officer. “Wait a minute!” exclaimed the poor creature. ** My husband often used to say that gold destroyed as many souls as the sword. But surely,” she added, “ I can’t be doing wrong, when it is to save my children from starving. ‘Tim will forgive me.” With these words the woman hurried into the house, and in about five minutes returned with a packet, carefully tied and sealed, in her hand. She had long been aware of its being in the possession of her husband; had, in his absence, turned it over and over—weighed it in her hand—eyed it wistfully, and speculated upon its contents, but never ventured to open it. Perhaps the hope of ascertaining what it contained was one slight inducement to her yielding to the temptation— not that Meg was more curious than the rest of her sex. COniiclooecl SS (SO