Octavia's Pride; or, The Missing Witness — page 87: what you’re looking at

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

OCTAVIA’S PRIDE. (7 men out from the dining-room? And what did Miss Wain- wright say?” “She was just going, my lady. She left her thanks for yout kindness. Lord Ronald escorted her to the carriage. I thmk the gentlemen are all in the drawing-room. Miss Anstruther is playing and Lady Florence singing.” ‘«“Then, I need not hurry. Only a little rouge—just enough to hide my pallor. Be ready to get me speedily to bed when I am able to escape; I shall be worn out and ex- hausted, I know. ‘There, you are a good girl, Delicie. I am tired of those jet bracelets, and you may take them. You will not mention this illness to any one?” ““No, my lady, certainly not. But it is wicked that you should be obliged to go down to-night.” «There are a great many wicked things in this world, Delicie, child,” said Lady Falkner, and sighed—oh, so drearily. ’ CHAPTER VIII. ““T COUNTED THE COST.” ** Middleton vs. Wainwright” had not attracted so much public attention, because of the secrecy with which the _ plaintiff had conducted the case. He did not talk over his affairs in any public places; he made no appeal for sympathy, nor in any way spread abroad the particulars of the case. This was owing mostly to the careful instructions of his eldest son, although Mr. John Middleton himself was naturally a reticent man. Those, of course, familiar with the talk in and about the court-house, understood that a great and important question was pending, but somehow the immediate friends and ac- quaintances of the Wainwrights did not get hold of the 900 (ECO HA Ke - 7 ek < ake | : a “S : ~# : - "VR nN. , mn +* co