Witch Hazel; or, The Secret of the Locket — page 281: what you’re looking at

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

Fe ee eae ay ee ee “T fear that you allow your infatuation for Miss Gay to warp your judgment, my son. As a disin- terested party, I ust say that things look very dark for this young girl. Itis not reasonable to suppose a@person in her position could be the rightful pos- sessor of such a valuable necklace; while the very tact that she withholds the name of the only person who knows anything of her early history, shows that something is very wrong.” “T cannot understand that,” Lord Nelson admitted. “Tt may be, however, that it is an act of self-sacrifice on her part.” “You are strangely infatuated,’ her grace re- marked, with a heavy sigh. *T am sorry you 80 regard my feelings,” the young nan returned, ‘for Lassure you [ entertain a strong aud lasting attachment for her. I believe that Hazel Gay ig apure and noble woman, and I am as positive, in my own iind, that she never took that gene from Mrs. Stewart as that I did not steal it myself.” The duchess arose in despair, feeling that it would be useless to further prolong the conversation. “One thing I must inaist upon, my‘son,’’ she said, with decision, ‘‘and that is, your promise not to commit yourself to her, in any way, while she is an inmate of this house. I will befriend her only upon that condition. I am very, very sorry for her, and I will care tor her as I would for any other poor child who has erred and who has no friends to defend her. We will provide good counsel for her, and trust that an official investigation will reveal some miti- gating circumstances. If I help you in this, you munt set wy mind at rest upon the one point that isturbs me. - She stood looking sorrowfully at hint’ Waite var