Octavia's Pride; or, The Missing Witness — page 91: what you’re looking at

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

OCTAVIA’S PRIDE. ‘81 : Oh, would it not be something to see this “haughty, % imperious creature humiliated. and humbled? Amid his te passionate love there ran a wild thrill of anger and resent- ‘ ment. He could rejoice in her downfall, though he meant a his should be the hand to lift her back to pride and a power. | a Nothing more was said. She dropped ‘her vail, and was np assisted from the carriage. i Felix followed her, and found a good seat for her in the Hi visitors’ gallery. | if Proceedings had already commenced, and testimony been ; introduced to prove Mr. John Middleton’s identity as the o son of a certain Augustus Middleton, whose change of name i was likewise well established. ‘To one not vitally interested the testimony elucidated was rather dull and monotonous. ys Miss Wainwright, however, never moved her eyes from = the scene, nor lost a word. Felix knew, by her attitude us and the poise of her stately head, that she was giving breathless attention. He was thankful when the warmth i of the air induced her to throw aside the heavy vail which a concealed the expression of her face, and watched her nar- 3 rowly, irritated at the tranquil calmness there, when for ‘1 himself the blood seemed seething and boiling in his veins. ; He saw her lip curl disdainfully when his father moved ¥ around, and whispered a word with his counsel. The : lawyers on the defendant’s side looked unconcerned like- o wise. Soe i ~ Felix searched over their sphinx faces for an explanation, ae but did not find it. : ‘*“Do they think we have been playing a child’s game,” a thought he, ‘‘or have they obtained an inkling of Merle’s | disappearance according to Miss Wainwright’s conjecture? : They do not guess the card we mean to play. But I wish s| I knew what trump they are themselves holding back.” : Scattergood announced that the defendants demanded ah