Octavia's Pride; or, The Missing Witness — page 125: what you’re looking at

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

OCTAVIA’S PRIDE. 115 - her eyes upon his face again. But the girl was found drowned, and her clothingus now in the care of the police, waiting his call, if he ever comes. Don’t you see that the | whole is explained now? Mathew Merle, filled with ; _ remorse, has gone searching for the girl. I have taken her _ name, and I mean to reach him through that. I shall insert a cautious advertisement in the leading papers of our principal cities. Something, you know, like this: ‘If any relative of hers wishes to hear of the whereabouts of one Maria Merle, let him address or call upon so and so.’ Don’t you think it ought to work?” ‘‘T should think so. J wish, Maurice, you had taken hold of the case before.” ¥* } «¢ Ah, so at last you have a faint suspicion that your im- maculate paragon might have managed more shrewdly. At last you have an inkling that the worthless dreamer has some capability.” ‘‘T always said you were capable, Maurice, if only you would rouse up and take hold of anything. Il’ve told Felix so a dozen times. But you must own you have quixotic notions that hinder sometimes.” Maurice looked over to the puzzled, deprecating ex-: pression of his father’s face, and the young fellow laughed heartily before he replied: “Thank you for the compliment. JI understand just what men of your stamp mean by ‘quixotic.’ You mean if there’s a roundabout, shuffling, manageable case, ’m not of that sort to undertake it. You are right. It’s more » guited to Felix.” “J wish you ‘and Felix were better friends, Maurice. You're as hard on him, in your way, Maurice, as you used to complain he was on you. He’s not happy at all now. Something or other troubles him.’’, | ““Remorse for his gross mismanagement, I presume,’ answered Maurice, dryly. ‘‘ When Felix treats me as if I 3 PERMA. Ff e pA leet de alte RR TS WY esa ty he Pe OR. Peat ee 4 Pee | SVS ere PERE ARE 2) Can = Sr t : ( rea A) a> + f fey i rat" ~ ' so - af t.> ~ >, 4 AY An bs ~ “$1 ; ef ris .* . - - - - , 2 . 4 i’ . ‘A comicbooks.com —