Witch Hazel; or, The Secret of the Locket — page 191: what you’re looking at

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

edge that she loved him as she had never expected to love any one. | Thespell had begun to be woven about her that morning at Osterly, when he had made his second call upon her and remained so long conversing with her; but, perchance, if he had never come to Brighton it might have been gradually dissolved, and she would, eventually, have married Lord Nelson. As it was, however, every time she had met Percy the charm of his presence had enthralled her more and more, until now she knew that life would be you for her if she could not succeed in winning im. - That very evening there was to be a reception at Crescent Villa, and Perey had accepted an imvita- tion, more because he hoped to see Hazel than for any other reason. He had only met her two or three times since that morning when he had said good-by to heron the veranda, aud then only in the preseneo of others. Lord Nelson or Charles Harwood were invariably hovering about her, and he had not been able to get one word of private conversation with her. He was beginning to be very jealous of the youn lord’s attentions to her, and yet common sense tolc him that if Hazel loved him, and wished to marry him, he should be glad to have her do so well, and would rejoice at the brilliant future awaiting her. But his heart cried out in despair against any such alliance. He loved herso wholly that it was torture to think of her being won by any one else. He weut 2 little early this evening to Mrs. Stew- art’s, hoping to get afew moments alone with her before any one else claimed her. He met her in the hall, as he entered. __. She had just come down from her GHahibey ava