Under Fire: A Tale of the Shenandoah Valley — page 143: what you’re looking at

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

136 | COLONEL TRAFTON FALLS. With bated breath, Captain Chetwood awaited his approach. ! | ‘‘T will not shoot him down unawares,’’ thought the Union captain. ‘‘I wouldn’t mind securing that horse; he is a splendid animal. Ah! good heavens!’’ Captain Chetwood had made a discovery. The approaching officer had advanced so near that his face was plainly visible, and Captain Chetwood had recognized him. : "It was Colonel Trafton! 3 The villain was coming directly upon him. There was no escaping the conflict that was sure to come. Seialti?y . Captain Chetwood sprang upright and leveled his pistol at the head of the colonel. He drew rein at once. ‘*Captain Chetwood!”? | ‘‘Fixactly,’’? returned the Unionist. ‘‘You will oblige me, colonel, by dismounting at once. I want your horse. ’’ ‘‘T am sorry, but can’t oblige you,’’ answered the colonel quickly. Captain Chetwood saw the man’s hand fall to his holster. “Stop, or I will fire!”’ But the warning was unheeded by the Southerner, who drew his pistol and opened fire on the Union captain. : Two leaden pellets went hurtling through the air, burying themselves in the ground behind Captain Chetwood ere he attempted to return the fire. The captain remembered the request of ‘‘Loyal Mose,’’ that he would spare the colonel for his ven- geance, and on this occasion would have spared him had not he opened hostilities without ceremony, and forced the Yankee captain to retaliate. ‘The Union officer’s right arm shot suddenly for- ward, a bit of fire leaped from the muzzle of his re- Comicbooks.co!