Witch Hazel; or, The Secret of the Locket — page 359: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XXXYVIII. BELLE’S AND MARIE’S DAY ON THE ROCKS. During Hazel's trial and the other scenes which | were being enacted during that eventful day, Belle, who would not go to the court-room ‘to see her darling Hazel so persecuted,” was also having her. adventures. - Left alone when her mother and Helena went to the court, she started out for a walk, feeling greatly depressed and very unhappy. Indeed she had been jn this state of mind most of the time ever silice Hazel’s arrest and banishment from her home, and agg ti in asserting that she was innocent, that er mother would yet find it to be true, to her sor- row; while she accused Helena of heartlessness and malice, and thus she was at variance with both mother and sister and with the world in general for | its inhumanity and injustice. | She was just passing out of the grounds belonging to Cresceut Villa when she met Marie Earlescourt, coming to spend the day with her. Her face lighted with its first really joyous smile since Hazel’s departure, as she saw her and she sprang eagerly forward to greet her. . These two young girls had become deeply attached to each other during the summer and it was quite a trial when they were separated by the departure of Mr. and Mrs. Earlescourt from Brighton, although they promised themselves much pleasure in_ the re-- newal of their friendship when Belle should go to London later. “Where did you drop from, you dear girl ?” Belle uestioned, after her hearty greeting. '‘What blessed ate sent you to me just as I was read gee eee Re