Octavia's Pride; or, The Missing Witness — page 189: what you’re looking at

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

Neat : ‘OCTAVIA'S PRIDE. here 179 the other against her palpitating heart, and looked so wretched, so utterly miserable, that Jane was touched. In a moment more she held out her hands. “Give it tome. It will be very precious, though it may sting me with remorse; and try to have a little pity for one who was driven by a dire extremity and a timid disposition to be a partner in this monstrous wrong. The proofs you say are here, and the diary.” «“They are. [read them all through, and relocked the box, and have never opened it since. ‘There is the key.” She pushed away the jewels with a scornful hand, and set the box upon the table, and herself thrust in the key, turned it, and swung back the hid. Lady Falkner watched her like one fascinated. Which _ face of the pair was the paler one could not say. But suddenly Jane’s face grew almost purple. Shestag- gered back with a great cry, and wrung her hands. The box was empty. ““T have come all this weary way only to lose the treasure Doctor Morley gave to my care,” said she, with a hollow groan. *< Lost!’ et ocad Lady Falkner. ‘‘ You do not, cannot mean that any one else has those proofs!” ‘‘ Heaven only knows!” answered Jane, covering her face, and trying, through the wild rush of thoughts, to find a solution of the mystery. She started forward at last. “Ah! I have the truth now. Mathew Merle, the cunning villain! Poor Will declared always that he heard our mu- tual confessions. He has stolen the contents of that box. But I will find him; I will find him. Oh, Doctor Morley, to think I should have bungled so in this errand of yours!” And without a look toward the half-fainting lady, Jane turned, hurried out of the room, found her way to the outer = “igs . = = wh he , sped <> er” y fat SSNS oe Sea ts See So ‘ee ¢ SR aT, a= een Oe - A as . a - - a . i “ “7 “ é a : ‘ : a . . « ‘ « at ~- : . - 7 . - , ; t~ ee + : J e * dh : ‘ ‘ : % : - : .. 4m be | : 48 : a 4 ‘ - f be ; ‘ i a ‘ , : t . =| 7 - .4 al cor