At a Girl's Mercy, or, The Fortunes of War — page 147: what you’re looking at

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

136 AT A GIRL'S MERCY. this may be my time. If she refuses, or gives me any more of her devilish temper, Ill set the trap a little deeper. She’ll not escape me if there 1s power jin earth or heaven to win her. I never give over when once my mind is made up.”’ It was a day or two after that on which the news reached the Hall that Ned Travers was dead, and Howard Blake had timed his visit well, for he knew Nan’s proud spirit would never show to him how deeply the wound had cut, or that Captain Travers was more to her than a pleasant friend. Had she not shielded her heart well that morning, even laughing as though there were nothing gone wrong, save that the intense pallor of her face and the set lines of the sweet mouth had betrayed her. But she need not have so attempted to hide from him the secret of her heart. He had fathomed it long ago, and would use it to work his end. He was capable of that, and worse, if necessary, to win her. He smiled grimly at the thought of how well he had worked his plans, and how they had succeeded. And he could be more eruel than he had been if she did not give him kindly answer to what he would say to-day. There was nothing should thwart him now; he had gone. too far for that. A sudden strange pallor left his face deathlike for a moment, and his black eyes flashed fiercely under the frowning brows. He had gone too far to go back—yes, that was true, and there was nothing should turn him back. After all, she was well worth the trouble. The thought of his revenge for all her slights alone was worth the trouble, but he had almost lost the thought of re- venge in his new thought of love. She was worth loving, and she was worth fighting for. He paused at the wicket, and looked down the comicbooks.co as >, * ~ - ater, r u »\, ~ a