The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel — page 144: what you’re looking at

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

THE FREEMASONS DAUGHTER. 135 It was not without some slight trepidation that the speaker turned her face to the iron bars, to enable the clerk to take the proffered kiss. Gridley was deeply moved, and, as he pressed his lips to her unpolluted cheek, he blessed her with a captive’s blessing. © Lizzy,” he exclaimed, a thought suddenly striking him that the child might be made the instrument of his communicating with those who were both able and willing to protect him, “could you not supply me with pens, ink, and paper ?” ** I have no paper.” ** You have your copy-book, in which I used to set you such pretty copies?” urged Gridley, trusting that the recollection of his former kindness would not be without influence upon the child’s grateful, affectionate nature. ‘<'Yes,”’ said Lizzy, doubtingly, ‘“‘I have my copy- book, but the pages are numbered.” “Could you not spare one,”’ he demanded, “ just one, for your poor old friend to write a few lines to a friend ?” ‘‘T dare not! Pray don’t ask me! I once did so for a poor lady who was here, and some strange persons came. There was a quarrel, and I don’t know what mischief it did not make. Pray don’t ask me! I promised never to do so again, and you would not have me break my word 2” ‘¢Well, not a letter then; only afew words, Lizzy,” said the captive. ‘“‘If you were locked up in a dark, COniiclooecl SS (SO