Witch Hazel; or, The Secret of the Locket — page 109: what you’re looking at

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

his own affairs that he had no opportunity to discuss hers. He went away troubled and perplexed, and this state, of feeling only increased as tine passed. Hazel was as lovable aud beautiful as ever. She was brilliant and fascinating in conversation, and yet he was conscious of a radical change in her. She never refused the caress which he never forgot at meeting or parting: she submitted tuo itin a quiet, lady-like way ; but never offered it now in her free; merry way as ‘of old. “Tam afraid that this last year is too much for you, Hazel,” he said, at one time, “I fear that you are wearing yourself out.” “No, indeed. Perey, I am perfectly well,” she an- swered, with animation, “and I am enjoying my work 80 much—I am looking forward to my graduation very hopefully.” “Still | cannot feel quite easy about you,” he per- sisted; “you have not scemed like Fourselt for months—you are not my ‘Witch Hazel at all,” he Segnde , Smiling wistfully, and regarding her anx- ously Hazel felt startled. For the world she would not have him suspect the nature of the change in her. She must do something to allay his fears. “Tam getting rather old to be the witch I used to be,” she said, with a merry little laugh, and then she began chatting more like her old self, although, if he had been less lad to see her so, he must have noticed the unnatural constraint there was about her, - “T shall be glad when it is all over,” he told her, ‘when I can have you all to myself. I will have you riding horseback every day, and see if we cannot freshen np these fading roses fetaut he us touching her cheek softly. ‘I must be looking aft, iebeialare cory aud a housekeeper pretty soon; how many ro