The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel — page 44: what you’re looking at

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

THE FREEMASONS DAUGHTER. 35 a clever plan that, to hide the first murder by committing a second !” *‘ There I defy you !’’ said his master ; ‘ the testimony of the first medical men in Manchester will prove, if necessary, that the infernal fellow from India died a natural death.” ““And are there no murders,” demanded Gridley, doggedly, ‘“‘save those which are committed by the knive and bludgeon? No moral assassination, by which the victim is slain through the bitter pangs of poverty and hope deferred? Had the father of Richard Law- rence not been robbed of the wealth his uncle left him in India—wealth which saved the firm of Grindem from utter ruin, and formed the foundation of its wealth—his life might have been saved, or at least prolonged; and his son, instead of being in the last stage of consumption, in the enjoyment of health, and the full, fresh hopes which youth 1s heir to.” ‘«* And who witnessed the deed by which old Lawrence when he signed, as he thought, a receipt for an advance of his quarter’s salary, gave me power to receive the money which sustained the sinking credit of my house ?”’ said the merchant, with a sneer. “<T did,” rephed the old man, mournfully. ‘Who received a thousand pounds as the price of a secret which he had obtained while im the act of robbing his employer ?” Gridley hung his head. “* And who has used the power which the knowledge D2 COniiclooecl SS (SO