Under Fire: A Tale of the Shenandoah Valley — page 177: what you’re looking at

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

170 LOOKING INTO HIS OWN GRAVE. was closely watched by the six men, each holding a revolver in hand, ready for instant use. Colonel Trafton had proclaimed him a spy, and such persons are usually considered desperate charac- ters, which accounted for the severe watch kept on the captain by his captors. Chetwood was not long in doubt as to the identity of the coming horsemen. Colonel T'rafton soon appeared, and springing from the saddle confronted his prisoner. A dozen of his troopers had followed the colonel into the woods, while others were gathering in the cleared field beyond. “Did vou bring the scalp of ‘Loyal Mose’ with you ?’’ questioned Captain Chetwood, a peculiar smile raising his blonde mustache as he faced the colonel. ‘Fire away with your smart speeches,’’ growled the Southerner. ‘‘You won’t have many minutes to hiss your venom in the faces of gentlemen. ”’ “Indeed! What has come over you now, ‘colonel ?’’ ‘*1’m not in a mood for bandying words,’’ retorted his enemy, bluntly. Then he called one of his men aside, an n officer. ap- _ parently, and conversed with him for some minutes earnestly. ‘‘T am sure it will be all right, colonel. Mosby watt approve. ’? “Tt wouldn’t be safe to give the fellow his preeiony _and to attempt to hold him a prisoner for any length of time would be to give him a chance for escape. I shall proceed at once to do my duty.”’ ‘“‘Ouite right, colonel. As Davy Crockett said, ‘Be sure you’re right, then go ahead.’ In this case, you are certainly right.”’ A part of this conversation came to the ears of Cap- tain Chetwood, enough to assure him that he was the subject of conversation, and that the colonel was anx- & comicbooks co