Witch Hazel; or, The Secret of the Locket — page 332: what you’re looking at

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

Again she threw out ber fair hands, and the ges- ture was full of pain. : “Oh, pray, do not say that! I cannot bear it,’ she pleaded, huskily. “Forgive me,’ he said, humbly; “I have no right to wound you thus. Forget all that I have said if it gives you pain, buf at least grant me the assurance that I have not forfeited your friendship by my rash declaration.” “No, indeed; you never could do that.’ Hazel breathed, earnestly. ‘I shall ever regard you as one of my best and truest friend. I can never forget your great kindness to me.” A spasin of agony contracted the young lord’s face. This was but poor comfort to him when he had just failed in the dearest purpose of his life. He made noreply; he could not speak; but reach- ing down, he again took one of the small hands that he had a moment before released, and raised it rey- erently to his lips, then turned abruptly and left her, going swiftly along the veranda, and passing down into the grounds. Hazel bowed her head upon her hands with a stified sob, and sat thus lost in sad musing. She was not aware of the flight of time; she saw nothing, she heard nothing; she scarcely seemed to realize where she was, until a gentle touch upon her bowed head aroused her, when, looking up, she found Percy standing beside her, regarding her with wist- ful tenderness and perplexity. Edogn quick blood leaped to her brow as she met his glance. ‘What is it, Hazel?’ he asked, with gentle gravity. Ht caine wet iea AP depressed Pad one to whom such yood tidings have come to-day. What lias oc- curred to tnaables you ?” : CARE