Under Fire: A Tale of the Shenandoah Valley — page 116: what you’re looking at

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

4 Sy | - a, ; - - cll ae * THE BURNING BARN. 109 Captain Chetwood remained near the burning pile for some time, directing movements for preventing — the spread of the fire. This was no easy task. Great brands were hurled by the wind through the air, and alighting on the roofs of the outhouses, ig- nited them as though they ‘were composed of powder. There was plenty of water in a cistern near, and with buckets found on the premises, the rangers man- aged to save the farmer’s house and surroundings from sharing the fate of the barn. For more than an hour this fight with the fire fiend prevailed. After all danger was past, Captain Chetwood walked to the house and confronted Bertha, the far- mer being too greatly prostrated at his loss to feel able to meet and converse with strangers then. The captain’s face was flushed, his hair singed from his fight with the flames. Bertha met him at the door. “Tt is not necessary for you to remain long, sir, cried the maiden, fiercely. ‘‘Perhaps, though, you- intended to give my uncle’s house to the flames also ?”’ The captain looked his astonishment. This was a reception he little expected, after the herculean work he had put in to save the house from destruction. ‘“‘T certainly have no desire to burn the house after these men and I have worked so hard to save it,’’ an- swered the captain, quickly. | ») ‘““A hot job,’ growled one .of the rangers, who stood near. ‘‘I wouldn’t a fit fre fur no reb, ef the boss hadn’t been keered fur here. hem as is kind to’ Moses is our friends, let ’em fight on which side they will.’ This was a sentiment that Bertha ought to have appreciated, but just then she was laboring under a Eomicbooks (E(@)