Witch Hazel; or, The Secret of the Locket — page 66: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER IX. A WEDDING—A RETROSPECT—A MYSTERY. A smile of tenderness and joy illumined Adrien Farlescourt's face at this confession, and drawing the woman of his love to his breast, he folded his strong arms about her, “7 thought I should solve the riddle if I came in person,” he said, fondly, as Le drew her to a seat, “Riddle?” she repeated, looking up inquiringly, while her beautiful face was like the dawn in her new-found happiness. “Yes; T told you that your letter was wholly unlike you. But forthe penmanship and your signature, I never should have believed that you wrote it, I knew at ounce that something was very wrong with you, and I was determined to know what it was. The moment I found your address in the directory it was made plain to ie.” “T could not tell you,” she faltered. ‘““You had known me only as rich, prosperous, and occupying a high social position—I could not explain that if you took me, it must be empty-handed.” He lifted her hands reverently to his ups. “All the more reason why I should take you,” he replied, tenderly. “Dear, busy hands! how faithfully they have wrought! But they belong to me, now— do they not?” “Yes,if you will have them, in spite of everything,” Emelie Graham murmured, with a brilliant flush and tremulous smile, although there were tears in her eyes, She was 80 touched | by his nobility. His great love humbled her, too, shained her pride, and yet she experienced a blessed relief, a sense of rest and comfort in the possession of it. “Whenmay Ihave them? When will you be my wife, Emelie? Let it be just as early as possible, dear. How soon can you get ready to go back to England with me?” She looked up, startled. “You are taking me by storm,” she Said, smiling. “But you forget—there 1s mamma—"” “-Thy people shall be my people,’” he interposed. “And Marie——” “Dear little May! Have we not both an equal in- terest in her? Can we not persuade Mrs. Gerard to accompany us? And Marie—as I see you like Lo eall her—shall be regularly adopted as Miss ES@ Ucgogkescom at eee Pa Lp eee Maa aa 3 ee Ba