Under Fire: A Tale of the Shenandoah Valley — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

16 BETRAYED AND BETRAYER.,. The roar of the batteries down the bay was sweet music to his soul, and in a measure soothed the bitter, rebellious passions aroused by the non-success of his love affair in which Bertha McVane so largely fig- ured. But his jealous resentment toward his more success- ~ ful rival—Royal Chetwood—did not for a moment slumber. His crafty heart had already devised means for thwarting the young Pennsylvanian, and he hugged the consolation to his breast that his revenge would be both sure and speedy. His Satanic Majesty must have chuckled over such a compliant pupil, and should out of pure infernal ecstasy have smoothed the evil pathway the captain was treading; but not so; instead, he was preparing fresh obstacles and annoyances for his ready tool; which ought to be a sufficient warning for all inclined to put faith in so slippery a taskmaster. Captain Trafton had scarcely divested himself of his coat and vest with a view of seeking a few hours’ slumber, when his quick eye descried an envelope on the bureau addressed to himself. The writing seemed a bit familiar, and yet he did not immediately recognize his correspondent. He tore the covering off the epistle, and glanced quickly down the paper for the signature. It was plain enough, and when we say that the two words gave him a great and unexpected shock, we are putting it very mild indeed. With a face as white as the ceiling above him, he crushed the note in his grasp with an oath. **She here—in Charleston—at this moment! Great Heaven! What shall I do?”’ - After afew minutes he became sufficiently com- posed to read the communication. It ran thus: —— a Gomicbooks.co