Witch Hazel; or, The Secret of the Locket — page 372: what you’re looking at

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

| race for a life. Mr. Osborn’s boat bad now reached the spot where they had seen that object, and both men, leaning over the side, seized the body of a man, and with great difficulty lifted it into the craft; then springing to-their oars again, they rowed with all possible speed toward the shore, and landed at the foot of Sir Henry Harwood’s grounds, when they lifted out their lifeless burden, dripping and help- less, and bore it toward the house. Then the two girls, saddened by the fear of a tragedy, turned their faces homeward, and neither spoke for some distance. At last Belle turned impulsively to her companion. “Oh, Marie,” she cried, searching her downcast face, “are you sorry that you bave told me your secret?” “T cannot say that I am sorry, yet it has resulted in a very startling discovery,” she replied, gravely. “Darling, I cannot bear to have you sorrowful over it,” Belle returned, “for Iam very happy, My heart tells ne that you-belong to we; it owns its kin. I have always wanted a sister nearer my own age— Helena is eight yeara older than I, and somehow she has never scemed to care very much forme; I sup- pose I have tormented her go much that she can’t.” “Tormented her?” questioned Marie, in surprise. Tn her happy bome each had been taught to be helpful and tender toward the other, “Yes; I’ve always been—well, a sort of spiritual looking-glass to her,” Belle said, with a short laugh; “that is, ve held up her faults before her. and she isn't very patient or agreeable when she is made to look at her true self. So you see we haven't been over and above congenial. But, come—l am nearly wild to get to mamma with our news.” 4 é Arm in ™ ste two en? Ary war steps toward srescent Villa, where they found the houge sooksicond quiet, for Helena had gone to bed with comichooksicon