The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel — page 267: what you’re looking at

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

260 THE FREEMASONS DAUGHTER. delicacy. He knew the great energy of his partner ; how fertile he was in resources, how dogged when con- tradicted ; he therefore abandoned the hope of having himself entreated—of seeing the man who had so long ruled him with a rod of iron, humbled like an abject thing before him—and at once blurted out his terms. ‘¢ An equal share in the firm.” Grindem bit his lips, in order to suppress his passion, at the insolence of his former drudge. «‘ And what capital do you propose to bring into the concern?” he demanded. ‘*That which it most wants—character,” was the coarse reply. | ‘¢ And on this condition you give up the papers?” ‘‘ Not so,” replied Small; ‘I suppress them.” ‘And do you think,” exclaimed his partner, “ I am so dull an ass as to be gulled by your promise—give you an equal share in the firm, and become your dupe —your slave—the sport of yourself and the cubs you call your sons?” | “I think it very likely,” coolly answered his part- ner; “since I don’t well see how you can avoid it. I am. not here to accept terms, Mr. Grindem, but fo dic- tate them. Do you understand me—to dictate them? The tables are changed, Mr. Grindem—changed, sir.”’ And the little man struck his fist upon the table, and glared upon his late redoubtable superior with all the fury of a tiger-cat sporting with the prey completely within its power. COniiclooecl SS (SO