The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel — page 50: what you’re looking at

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

THE FREEMASONS DAUGHTER, 4] With these words the old man opened the door and entered the outward office, where the three Smalls, to all appearance, were busily occupied at their desks. The father of the hopeful youths was standing in his favourite position—his back to the fire, his thumbs stuck in his waistcoat-pockets. Huis curiosity was ex- cited to the highest pitch by the lengthened interview between Gridley and his principal; but the closing of the baize door rendered all attempts to listen to the conversation of those in the private room impossible ; since it was so contrived, that any attempt to open the outward door, caused a corresponding movement with the inward one. The contrivance was his own, and, for the first time in his life, he bitterly cursed it. He would have given much to have learnt the secret, for secret he felt convinced there was; with his genius, he could have turned it to account. Vainly he tried to read it im the countenance of the clerk, its expression was imperturbable. ‘‘ Three days!’’ muttered Grindem, as the door was closed, and he was fairly alone; “‘it is not much; but when a man has a mind resolved, wealth at his command, and a soul free from the ridiculous scruples of what the world calls conscience, it is everything. Three days!’ he repeated, with a sinister smile. ‘ In half the time I would undertake to lay a storm more menacing than this. Three days! We shall see, Gridley—we shall see !”” At this moment his nephew, Henry Beacham, made COniclooecl SS (SO mn