Under Fire: A Tale of the Shenandoah Valley — page 114: what you’re looking at

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

BERTHA’S VICTORY, a 107 — Attempt to harm this man, who is under our protec- tion, and, as true as I live, I will shoot you dead!”’ The girl’s face became ashen in hue, and her eyes seemed to dilate as she uttered these words with a cocked pistol leveled at the breast of her betrothed. It was a strange position, indeed, but .Bertha Mc- Vane held what she deemed sacred duty above love, on ~ this occasion, and it may be that the latter feeling was not so strong in her heart as it had been in times past. Colonel Trafton was a prudent man. He remembered the broad acres, the numerous city © blocks belonging to the McVanes, and realized that it would not do to go too far. Of a sudden he broke into an amused laugh. ; ‘High tragedy, indeed!’ he uttered. ‘*Well, Bertha, since you are so determined, I will give over my claims, and suffer the traitor to live; but we shall meet again ere long, Moses Bluff; then look well to yourself. ’’ With these words, the colonel strode from the room. | “What think you now of the colonel’s courage?”’ This question Bluff put to Bertha some minutes later, after he had expressed his gratitude in words that were burning. ‘Hush, Moses, do not ask me,’’ uttered Bertha, in a low tone. Ss Her face was pale, and she seemed deeply troubled over the events of the day. In a little time she went below, and some time later the Confederate party dashed away. Perhaps ten minutes had passed, when something | caught the eye of ‘‘Loyal Mose’’ that caused him to_ fix his gaze on the barn, beyond the negro huts. What was it? ns Smoke, followed immediately by a red tongue of flame. — The barn was on fire? — al (Efe) Eomicbooks