At a Girl's Mercy, or, The Fortunes of War — page 161: what you’re looking at

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

150 AT A GIRL’S MERCY. even do without giving so much to the help of those we wish, to be rid of him. He is such a coward, it is unjust to our soldiers to send the money to them that we would pay him with. They wouldn’t want it, lam sure, if they knew, papa.”’ Her eyes were purple and flashing, her face flushed, while her slim white fingers were clasped fiercely together as she uttered her fierce [protest against the man who was too cowardly himself to help fight the battles of their country, and yet could hold such a brave face against the claim of what should never be made good to him. ‘“‘How did you: know, Nan?’’ the squire asked, leaning his head back wearily against the cushions of the chair. It had fallen upon him suddenly, this demand for the money stolen during its presence in his house, although he had been ready for some such claim every day, knowing the man to whom it belonged, though he had hoped in a brave sort of way to himself that even this Howard Blake would see the neighborly side of the question, and let the sum remain to his credit until the war was over. It had proved a vain hope, but the proof of this had made the need of returning it harder than he would have believed. And it came, too, at a time when he was, if anything, less able than usual to meet the demand, for he had sent away as much as he could only the day before, and his ready money was drained pretty low, and he would have to draw the necessary thousands from his bankers. Up to this he had been careful to use only what was free of the bank books, for he would not, when he should be _ called away, leave less than should bring comforts to those he left behind. He was growing old. He (E(0) nicboo <S ae ~ P| - i a* > ~f i. « ama