Witch Hazel; or, The Secret of the Locket — page 356: what you’re looking at

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

“What makes you say that, dear?’ she asked, with quickened heart-throbs. “Because—!I was born on the sea,” he said, m&king a bold dive. “I know the truth at last. J am not your son |” ‘Charlie!’ Both tone and look were full of agony. He arose, went to her, and knelt upon the floor be- side her. Then he rolled up his sleeve, and showed her the marks upon his arin. “Mother,” he said, gravely, ‘‘you and my father have both evaded me when I have questioned you about this. Now I want you to tell me, without any reservation, if itis a birth-mark. Was it there when I was born?” Mrs. Harwood was very pale. She knew that the moment which she had been dreading all her life had come at last. Her dear boy had learned something to excite bis suspicion that he was not her own child, and he would never rest until he knew the truth. “I—I do not know,” she falterered,in a scarcely audible tone. His handsome lips twitched convulsively. “Then it ig as | said, lamnot your own son,” he returned. He had half hoped that she would contra- dict hii. She threw her arnis about his neck, bowed her head upon his shoulder, and burst into tears. “Oh, Charlie, what do you mean? What have you heard 2?’ she sobled. “Answer my question, please, mother, then you shall knew my reasons for asking you,” he replied, folding his arms tenderly about her. “Oh! but I have always loved you as dearl as if you were my very own, she whispered. gens OOKxS.COM