Under Fire: A Tale of the Shenandoah Valley — page 71: what you’re looking at

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

64 COLONEL EZRA TRAFTON. “Oh, indeed!’’ said the colonel, incredulously. ‘How is that??? | ; “‘T cannot tell; perhaps Bertha can enlighten you, for he’s an old friend of hers.’’ Ezra Trafton turned to his frazcee, whose face was now all of a crimson glow. The colonel perceived the flush, and his jealous nature was in arms at once. “Who was this—fellow, Bertha ?”’ The sneer was not lost on her. ‘(A Federal officer whom I met before the war.”’ ‘(A Federal officer?’’ repeated Trafton. ‘He was extremely polite to favor youin such a signal manner. May I ask his name ??”’ ‘““You may have met him. His nameis Royal Chet- wood.’’ An ugly frown settled on the colonel’s face. “*T have heard of him. A contemptible spy!’ ‘Ri zra. ») ‘Well?’ he said, a bit roughly, noticing the indig¢- nant flash from her eyes. ‘You wrong him by applying such an epithet.’’ ‘‘Oh, pardon me,’’ he said, ironically. ‘‘I forgot he was your /riend.”? ‘“He is one of my country’s foés—as such I hate him; but as an officer and a gentleman, I respect him, » she said. “One might almost fancy you were a bit—er—in- terested in this—er—er person.”’ ‘Don’t be foolish, Ezra,’’ she said, impatiently, ‘‘T should be delighted to meet him.” He spoke vindictively it was easy to see. - “He has been gone but a few moments,”’ said Orvin Clymore. ‘‘You and your men might overtake him, I - think, if you cut across the fields. ”’ ‘Tm afraid that’s impossible,’’ said the colonel, “much as I should desire the encounter. Had hea large detachment ?”’ (c(0) cEomicbooks