Witch Hazel; or, The Secret of the Locket — page 230: what you’re looking at

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

there, with a pretty inlaid box in his hands anda roll of something under his arm. Her face broke at ounce into a sunny smile. It was not her nature to be sad or to brood over what she eould not help; she was naturally as bright and mnerry as a singing-bird, and no one could be long gloomy or depressed when in her presence, “Everybody, save the servants, is gone; but I caused myself to be left behind, Mr. Harwood. Mrs, Stewart and the young ladies are out driving, and I might have gone also, but I am very lazy to-day and preferred to remain at home,” she explained. “How 1s the wounded member?” the young man asked, with a tender glance at the bandaged arm resting in its spotless s age ‘Better, thank you, and by another week I am to have the splinters removed, It will be a great relief; but it is surprising how much one can do with only one hand if one tries,” Hazel concluded, brightly. “You look on the bright side of life, Miss Gay; with the exception of that one sigh, to which you just gave vent, you have always seemed the very SR Onaca ens of happiness,” Mr. Harwood observed, smiling. “Did Lsigh? Iwas not conscious of it,’”’ Hazel re- turned, although she was still aware of a dull heart- ache as she recalled her troubled musings regarding Percy’s future, “But whathave you there, Mr. Har- wood, if Imay be so inquisitive!” sheasked, glanc- ing at the box in his bands. “I have a delightful sus- picion that it may be a box. of chessmen,”’ “Your suspicion is correct,” he answered, rattling them slightly, ‘‘I, too, have been alone to-day, an have hardly known what to do with m elt til I suddenly conceived the plan of coming” COT