Octavia's Pride; or, The Missing Witness — page 257: what you’re looking at

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

; pike gt a Pitgt ae ee A we 3) obs a. 2 <4 . 7 “ oe eA 4 + ‘ 7 4 eo. vst Ww OCTAVIA’S PRIDE. : 247 great agitation overmastered him; therefore refrained from the angry reprimand he intended. ‘‘T have kept you waiting,” said Mathew Merle, ‘‘ but it wasn’t my own fault. I was waylaid by an officer of the law and a couple of simpletons who fancied I intended to escape from a summons to attend a trial as witness when the assizes come on. They made me give down some written testimony. Much good may it do them!” “Yes, we have waited. I almost believed you would fail to come,” said. the earl. ‘““No fear of that. I was hindered the last hour by good news of my own. People like me have feelings, you know, almost as keen and sensitive as those of lords and ladies. And there’s a ship just been signaled coming up the river. The Comet, from the Indies—and she has a right costly cargo, Vl be bound; but it is all of little account to me, in comparison with the passenger she brings. My son, you see, an only child, and I haven’t seen him since I left Calcutta myself. And that reminds me I haven’t much time to waste, for I must get back and be on the wharf to give him the first greeting. My son George, your ladyship,” and he turned toward the countess with a proud smile, ‘‘ you will understand some- thing what I feel, who are taking so much pains to secure your own son’s position.” — The haughty spirit of the earl chafed at this familiarity of speech ; but he bit his lip, and kept silence. It was the countess who spoke first. ‘‘We understand that you have brought those papers. Of course we must see that they are genuine before we hand you such a sum as you demand. One half the money, I understand from the earl, has been paid to your order al- ready, to prove the good faith on our side. Will you show me the papers now?” RGA SE Ret, SAMY) 1b PRS ML ANY PALME afte Baal) wi). ieee IWS, TAM SAL AT SOU Fae He e £ i vi tet ‘ Led A Re: area! - , A ‘a . a ‘7 rae As ) Pi ra 7 sal eo a es Sf $ tub ey i es bh by aD, . iy U4 ¢ yg - b a @ ' , ; \ (< “y J re ‘ - : . ¢s) (e(e) EComicboo mn et