The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel — page 295: what you’re looking at

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

290 THE FREEMASONS DAUGHTER. sight of the liquid. He turned away his head, and the speaker passed on to the next berth. « ‘Won’t you eat ?”” demanded Ben, uneasily, for he began to feel seriously alarmed at his companion’s manner ; not from any pity or sympathy which he felt for his sufferings—but Flin had all the money, and that rendered him an object of interest. “‘T can’t eat,” was the reply. « Drink your tea, then.” With a desperate effort to master his repugnance, Flin raised the pannikin to his ips. The convulsions in his throat and countenance became terrible. With a deep groan, he set it down. “Are you ill 2?” “Til! No, I won’t be ll—I dare not be ill! You must be an idiot to ask such a question !”’ muttered the ruffian, between his clenched teeth. ‘‘ The tea is hot, infernally hot ; and my throat is not like yours. There,’ he added, after a pause, “it is cooler now. See—see, J can drink as well as you can.” The speaker once more raised the vessel to his lips> and took a mouthful of the contents; it cost him a dreadful struggle, but to swallow it was beyond his strength. After twice making the attempt, with a yell of agony he spurted it out, and dashed himself upon the bed, burying his face upon the pillow, which he gnawed and bit, to repress the desire he felt to shriek and laugh. Both Tim’s Dick and the little terrier were fearfully avenged upon their per- s | ecomnuicloooks (SO