The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel — page 80: what you’re looking at

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

THE FREEMASONS DAUGHTER. ra fault ; “something’s up; the firm of Grindem and Small is too wealthy to be in any difficulties, too pru- dent to have run any great risks. This must be a pri- vate affair ; if so, there is money to be made. We shall see.” Punctual to the hour, the worthy officer made his appearance at the house of the junior partner, and was shown into Mr. Small’s private room. “T perceive,” said the gentleman, “ that you received my note ?” ‘< Yes, sir.” ** You are a punctual man, Mr. Marjoram.” “‘ Always was in business.” “You have been a long time in Manchester ?”’ “Thirty years, sir. ‘There must be something in the wind,” he muttered to himself; “the old fox beats about the bushes so.” ‘Then you know everyone in the place ?” ‘© Man, woman or child, sir.”’ ** Do you know anything of a fellow called Tim’s Dick ?” ‘‘ A poor, simple-minded fellow, sir, with odd notions of equality, crossed with a touch of Socialism; but honest, sir, honest as the day. I would stake my thirty years’ experience on that man’s honesty.” “ Possibly, and yet be deceived ; such characters are always deceptive. Equality—ridiculous! Providence never intended us to be equal in this world, whatever it may have designed for us in the next.” COniiclooecl SS (SO