Witch Hazel; or, The Secret of the Locket — page 139: what you’re looking at

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

——_ CHAPTER XVI, PERCY MORTON'S ESTIMATE OF HELENA STEWART. They spent an hour or more looking about the pretty island, and then they sat down beneath the shade of a great tree to discuss the contents of the lunch basket, to which Mr. Harwood contributed hy bringing forth, from some mysterious corner of his boat, a bag of delicious fruit. “This is just the jolliest kind of a picnic,” Belle affirmed, as she set her white teeth into a luscious peach. ‘There are just enough of us—I detest large parties.” &Do you?) Why?” inquired Charles Harwood, growing more and more interested in this frank girl. “Oh, because if there is rowing, or dancing, or bowling, a certain set have all the fun, and a certain other set, of which T am always sure to be one, are set aside as of no account and left to themselves.” Both Hazel and Mr. Harwood indulged in a hearty laugh at this rather doubtful estimate of picnics. “Do you like then?" Belle demanded; ‘‘men gen- erally think such things stupid.” “That depends somewhat upon the company,” he replied, ‘‘although | have had some very good times at rustic parties, I am,Yound to confess.” “Well, you just wait until Helena comes; there’ll be gay goings on then, aud you can have your fil) of picnics or anything else. The duchess’ party is coming next week, and mamma is making great plans, Do you know Lord Nelson Hartwell?” the young girl asked. “Oh, yes; well. We were at Oxford together,” re- plied the young man. “Do yout Isn't he splendid? I think beds the nicest young gentleman I ever knew,” BEHUassertee