Octavia's Pride; or, The Missing Witness — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

6 | OCTAVIA’S PRIDE. ness office where he was employed. ‘<I af) not recognize you, and you have not given me your name.’ “You cannot well recognize one upon whom you have never looked before,” answered the stranger, coolly, while he took the proffered chair, ‘‘and it does not matter about the name of a person whom you will not be likely to meet again.” Captain Lo bowed a little stifily. ‘‘ It is your matter more than mine,” he said; ‘‘ but I am at a loss to know why you have come on board the Sea Foam at this late hour.” ‘‘T have a business proposition to lay before you. I will put it in your way to make five hundred pounds with very little trouble to yourself, and if you agree to it, I will ad- vance at once two hundred and fifty pounds, and the rest shall be put into your hands the hour you sail. I come prepared to give you the sum in gold to-night.” “Two hundred and fifty pounds to-night!” ejaculated Captain Lo, in a tone which betrayed what salvation the sum insured. A grim smile curled the lips under the bushy mustache. “‘Hive hundred rather, and the whole can be yours to- night, if you insist.” | ‘““What do you want of me?” was Captain Lo’s brusque demand. ‘“A very simple thing. J want you to take a passenger in the Sea Foam whose name shall not appear on the ship’s papers, who will not be received on board until the scans is lifted.” | Captain Lo drew a long breath. “That is an easy matter. ‘The owners are indulgent and liberal. I might take my iets family if I chose. ‘They leave all such matters to me.’ ‘‘And it is not a small one, that family of yours,” ob- served the stranger, with another of those peculiar smiles. - ~ comicboo cS ae