Witch Hazel; or, The Secret of the Locket — page 357: what you’re looking at

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

“Then it is true, your blood does not flow in my veins?” he said, in an unsteady voice. ‘‘Forgive me for paining you thus, but since I have Jearned that which excited my suspicions it will be far better to tell me the whole truth.’ She, too, knew that it would be far better, though it was a bitter trial from which she had always shrunk, and, with many tears, she confessed the fact ote his adoption and related how it had been brought about. When she had told him all, he, in turn, narrated what had oecurred at Brighton and repeated the story which he had forced from Tom Lawson. “Tt is very wonderful,” she said, when he con- cluded, “but I did not believe it possible that this secret could ever be revealed. We were so careful never to let even our own friends know anything aboutit, and your father felt so sure that the man who left you at the asylum could never trace you. [ have often wondered abont those marks upon your arm, but never dreamed that they would lead to your identification since they seemed likely to be always outof sight. But, oh! Charlie, I hope this kuowledge will make no difference in your affection for us,” Mrs. Harwood concluded, with emotion. “Tt will make a difference, mother dear, just this difference,” he said, kissing her lips fondly, ‘that I shallleve you a hundred fold more because of the affection and care that you have giveu a poor little waif, who, but for you, night never have known the love of parents or the comforts of a delightful home. IT owe you gratitude as well as love. You have done everything for me when [ might have had to strug- gle with poverty and been thrown into settle that would have ruined ny life.” She drew his face down to her and preSeee reefs