The Colonel's Wife — page 187: what you’re looking at

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

180 GENTLE, WHITE-WINGED PEACE. eyes. ‘Their glances met—she smiled and held out her hand. In a moment he was at her side, on one knee, and had seized that hand, borne it to his bearded lips and kissed it passionately, nor did Mollie offer the slight- est objection. “You have been ill, my darling—I feared it when — you failed to come back. Then in the hands of the enemy I was sent toa prison, made my escape, and | the same strange fate that had linked our lives directed me here. But you are in mourning—who is dead—your father ?’’ ‘“‘No, no. I fell in a faint—they brought me here, and for weeks I lay hovering between life and death. When I grew stronger they told me you had died. I even saw the item in the paper,’’ she replied, with a slight blush that caused John to grow even bolder— only one of his hands held hers now, the other having stolen around her waist. “You mourned—for me! Oh! Mollie, my wife through the fortune of war, why should we longer resist this decree of fate? Heaven intended us for each other. I have learned to love you dearly—will you deny that Iam of more importance in your eyes than other men ?’’ “Tt would be folly, John! 199 closing her eyes. And this time he was not content to press a kiss upon her hand with those ruby lips so near. “Tt is strange that we should meet again on this day, of all others. You have not heard the news, John. It was inevitable and although it almost breaks my heart when I think of my suffering country, I am glad it is over.”’ “Richmond has fallen, then?” ‘he asked, quickly: ‘Yes. The news was brought by my father, who has gone to his room prostrated.’’ ‘Thank God that this terrible war will soon be - comicboo "| ‘ vith. ce ee pen big Ae %