Octavia's Pride; or, The Missing Witness — page 38: what you’re looking at

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

28 | OCTA VIA'S PRIDE. at the wedatae. This, Screw & Scattergood have got out of the old man, by pretending to be agents for the Middle- tons, and I think they are pretty well convinced of the worth of his testimony to the opposite side. He is seventy- one years old, and remarkably preserved in all his faculties. They say he behaves very shrewdly, and hints of holding some still undeveloped secret, and sticks stoutly for a gen- erous reward, inasmuch as you would be likely to give twice as much to silence him.” ‘What is the man’s name?” asked General Wainwright, in a voice scarcely above a whisper, turning his face a little away from the glance of that keen blue eye. | ‘‘Mathew Merle,” answered Octavia, bending over to smooth out the coverlet, and thus made aware of the ghastly patlor which swept over the averted countenance. _ The invalid dropped heavily to his pillow. ‘‘l am so sorry to disturb you, dear papa; but you see that this odious affair gives me no alternative. Screw & Scattergood ask for immediate instructions.” ‘They must ruin that man’s testimony somehow. ‘Tell them no cost need to alarm them,” gasped the general. ~€ You think, then, that Gustavus Wainwright really knew such a person as Mathew Merle?” _ “The letter mentions him,” moaned her father, flinging up his arms to his head, as if some remembrance tortured him. | | _ She rose promptly. ‘* You must not talk any more to-night. Leave theaffair - tome. ‘With Screw & Scattergood’s help, I will manage it.”’ _*To you—to you—a woman—a carefully guarded pet like you, my Octavia!’ said he, mournfully. She smiled proudly. ‘* Yes, lam a woman, but none the less capable for that. Have you never seen, my father, that I possess a resolute and determined spirit, like your own? Come, you must ‘comicboo (S.cO Pita Map hia cc Se cake HU Vee uit Uw ier iy sake Fl ah Gey Vee: . ws yelitw : at oy ay 4 ¥ ’ \ 7 * v ' - a ' = eer x \w