Octavia's Pride; or, The Missing Witness — page 246: what you’re looking at

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

iia 4 hy e ie ay 236 OCTAVIA'S PRIDE. and ambition. What will it be when I am fettered to his side for life?” Yes! Amid the triumph are flattery of her envied posi- bese tion as the betrothed of Lord Ronald, for all her father’s deep joy and proud hopes, Octavia was miserable. And it was not the pang of alarm lest the lawsuit should be renewed; it was not the fear of losing Wainwright Slope, - nor the dread of any exposure which might come which pressed such sharp pain into her heart. She tried to cheat herself into believing it, but there were times when the truth looked at her unvailed by any sophistry. Her heart had cried out for its true nourishment, and for bread she had given it astone. It did not ease the smart that the stone was no common pebble, but a rose-diamond set in purest gold. She saw the cold, stern face of Helix, growing every day more haggard and ghastly, with a wild terror that would not be coaxed into quiet. Yet still she persisted stubbornly upon the appointed course. She could not descend to a lowly position. She, Octavia Wainwright, be willing to marry her father’s secretary, the earl’s business agent! No, she must shine before the world as Lady Falkner. Let it _ cost what secret pain it might, the brilliant destiny must be accomplished. And so Octavia smiled, and allowed Lord Ronald to withdraw her, with his lover solicitude, from the only scene which made her life there endurable. She was petted and caressed, and overwhelmed with his attentions, until she grew to shudder at the very sound of his coming footsteps, to shrink from the slightest touch of his hand. _ Lord Ronald was singularly unfortnate in his method of bestowing attentions, and had none of that fine, subtle per- ception and tact which would have shown Felix so unerr- - ingly, just when to leave her alone, and when to soothe and cheer by his companionship. ‘To be sure if Octavia had 60) bls ich poo oks.con i