Octavia's Pride; or, The Missing Witness — page 250: what you’re looking at

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

my i, _ ( ie ae 240 OCTAVIA’S PRIDE. “ **Ttisno choice between ease and poverty. If it were, one could never blame you. But you know very well my wife will lack no comforts of life, if she fails to win its elegancies. It is only the temptation of rank and power. Believe me—oh, believe me! you will find it a-poor and worthless thing! Pause, before it is wholly too late! listen to me!” She had not stirred her eyes from the face which in its pale passion, seemed to empty upon her the very soul itself. Scarcely had she breathed, only her fingers had fallen away from the filmy lace, and fastened with an iron grip on the massive gold circlet on her finger, in which was blazing the rare rose diamond of the Falkners. A strong struggle shook her as with an ague. Felix, awed, and aa faint with suspense, watched her silently. She rose at lat, whiter than the statue beyond, and almost as rigid looking. ‘It is too late now, Felix. I shall marry Lord Ronald!’ said Octavia, and went out slowly, as if the movement of her limbs required all her strength. She heard, with dull ears, the malediction he Hate after her. Two hours afterward he saw her in the drawing-room, recelving with graceful ease the cordial congratulations and — gay badinage of the company. | She was to remain only a week longer at Chichester Rookery, and the seclusion having been broken into, Lord Ronald merrily agreed that they should make one couple of a famous yachting expedition which had occupied the minds of the guests for a week past. When that was over Miss Wainwright was to return to her own home, the preparations for a magnificent trousseau and wedding fes- tival were to be hurried up, and Lord and Lady Falkner com nicboo! “ ‘ P a ? (Ja Pe q 7 4 of LP AP PRT C4 hey Sat . 7 Sif. wie Tt . % - Kis ay Avr a Am r - ou Bs om Ses ie | a ee el G ee Pa. ” ee eee ae vor, (ie Pg ED Se one A eee. Se es a, 1 eee are wee TOCA Ne ee ee, | oe -) thea t. SNARES, ok Rien NEY 4 Tome teh REN YT Rh GOR, HBG” Re BBC Ty GEERT ND! Ah gia, NN) UD LL eR PMY Oh RS Oar wae er ge | RRL UPS Whe Sn Rr SAD ia: cclnaidian Maa Sua: Wet Aa wi sink Hi Ye estan 4 : 1 ih te A . : 4 . a A idee 22 th ’ ‘ st eee s " ‘ ’ to 4 e he'y SEAN rt vo ae 4 Oden . / . ant ‘ Se eh } nals : \ . . | +a Yah t > sey ee b / tis) br cho & soa ry ) ag? Yee 4 (35 aS Tae aise eee SS De m ¥ ’ ~ Pb Ay tis ; ray t pnd pila Ps Fis 1 ae , Re eid at Goes | 4 ® : 5 c =) j f : Fat bos A Ve. ' ix a = a heey bh) be RAS Oe Sat hy A uf uf ee Ah ’ ue ye a Pe a) s