Witch Hazel; or, The Secret of the Locket — page 199: what you’re looking at

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

hope in his heart. But his manner betrayed more entice her out of doors into the moonlight, where he meant to tell her something of the love an] fond than he meantit should, and Hazel made some ex- cuse about being obliged to find Belle, and thus, for a time, the tale remained untold. © Lord Nelson feared that her grace the duchess would oppose his choice; he knew, too, that she was very anxious that he should marry Helena Stewart, but he had made up his mind to choose for himself, and that Hazel Gay should be his wifeif he could | win her. Thus, in musi¢ and dancing, in gayety and pleasure, the days at Brighton slipped by, and no one enjoyed it all with more zest than Belle and Hazel, who, by the faithful performance of their duties during the early part of the day, felt that they had earned aright to make the most of the recreation that followed. Perey came to Brighton every other day, and some- times oftener, for his duties in London were not heavy just now, and Sir Henry insisted that he should play while he had the chance, saying he would have to work hard enough to pay for it by and by. He became very much attached to Charles Har- wood, and this good feeling was returned by that young man, who found much to admire in Perey. Mrs. Harwood smilingly called them her ‘two boys,” for Percy made his home with them, at their earnest solicitation, while he found himself growing ’ very fond of the sweet, beantiful woman who made everything so pleasant for him. One afternoon young Harwood and Percy were strolling along the beach smoking their after-dinner cigars, but neither seemed to be in a very social frame of mind, Charles Harwood, especially, appear- ing to be depressed and troubled about something. All at once he broke out, impulsively : “T say, Morton, [ want to ask you a Serr pesaimM