Octavia's Pride; or, The Missing Witness — page 218: what you’re looking at

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

208 OCTAVIA’S PRIDE. and ambition may be gratified, but your heart will be starved,” he cried, cel am aa “Come to a better refuge.” He half opened his arms, and all the passion and strength of his powerful nature seemed to have passed into those elittering eyes of his. She stood a moment trembling, once actually took a step toward him, and then suddenly she turned and fled. Felix sank back into the chair, and dropped his head to the table with a bitter groan. FTI & CHAPTER XXII. “INSULT TO INJURY!” Lady Mary Falkner’s interview with Mathew Merle had been exceedingly agitating, and she had found the shrewd, crafty old man so exorbitant in his demands, that she had been obliged to give the signal upon the bell, which the earl stood impatient to answer. His lordship came into the apartment wearing his sternest and haughtiest look. But Mathew Merle was not so easily daunted. He maintained his ground coolly, despite the angry threats of the great man, and would not abate one iota of his claim. ‘“You are an arrant rogue,” said the earl, impatiently, ‘and your greediness will lose you the generous sum I am willing to give. Let the matter pass. Keep the papers. After all, what are they worth to me? The affair is past and buried. ‘To be sure, to save the unpleasantness of a little scandal, [ am willing to buy them, even of one who has obtained them by fraud, to save the reviving of a youthful indiscretion. I tell you, there can no harm come © of them—nothing beyond a little scandal, and who will heed ee comicbooks.com