Under Fire: A Tale of the Shenandoah Valley — page 55: what you’re looking at

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

48 LOVE’S SACRIFICE. It is but yust that my poor father and mother should be relieved of the uncertainty of my sister’s fate. Her death will bow them down with grief, but at least they will know that she, poor child, is at rest, and it is better that my lips should soften the intelli- gence, than that they should casually learn the full horror of the tragedy from other sources.”’ ‘You are right, Moses,’’ said his friend. ‘“‘T then intend to raise a troop of my neighbors, for most of my intimate associates are loyal to Old Glory, and will take the field at once.”’ ‘“Well,’? said Royal, ‘‘I will not demur, though I regret the necessity that we must part. However, we shall meet again, for as soon as I can assure my own family that I have not been gobbled up down at Charleston, I shall enlist and go to the front.”? And so it was settled. After supper that night Royal chanced to wander into the ladies’ parlor, possibly with the view of glancing out upon the main thoroughfare which the windows of this room commanded. As he laid his hand upon the heavy damask cur- tains he became aware of the presence of a lady standing in their shadow. ‘I beg your pardon,’’ he said, and was about to withdraw, when a flash of light from a freshly started bonfire lighted up their countenances. ‘“Miss McVane!’’ he exclaimed, in surprise. ‘“Mr. Chetwood !?’ Her voice was low and somewhat constrained. ‘“This is unexpected,’’ he said, gently. ‘‘But it is not my intention to intrude upon you.”’ ‘“Stay,’’ she said, with a: slight gesture. ‘‘We meet under changed circumstances, Roy—Mr. Chet- wood. Why are you in Richmond—at this time??? ‘Because my journey North was interrupted by a sad accident that happened to a friend—I might almost say brother.’’ comicbooks:co