The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

THE FREEMASONS DAUGHTER. 17 «You cannot do better. The counting-house will then become quite a family affair.” “Dear me,” said the parent of the amiable Miss Small, who, im despair of the conquest of Henry Beacham, had accepted the offer of the clerk, whose grandfather had lately left him four thousand pounds, ‘‘Mr. Bainton the suitor of my girl! What could induce you to imagine so improbable a circumstance ?”’ «‘ Seeing them together at the theatre.” ‘¢ At the theatre! My daughter in the devil’s hot- house !”” exclaimed Small, with pious horror. ‘‘T am not in the habit, sir,” said the young man, gravely, “of uttering a falsehood. I repeat, I saw your daughter and the young man in question at the theatre. I learnt his name by accident.” “* May I ask by what accident ?”’ demanded the mor- tified parent, who suspected that there was probably some circumstance connected with the speaker’s own visit which he did not wish his uncle to become ac- quainted with. “You really wish to know ?” ‘¢ Certainly.” ‘Well, then, I and my friend Lord Somers were bail for him and your son Matthew at the police-court. There had been a dispute—a fight, or some such low affair—at the house where they had supped, after having, as I presume, seen your daughter home.” A groan of mortification and rage broke from the breast of the overwhelmed and astonished Mr. Small, VOL. I. C COUN Goo! SS (SO