At a Girl's Mercy, or, The Fortunes of War — page 153: what you’re looking at

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

142 AT A GIRL’S MERCY. time, he had not adoubt. When had words ever failed him? And they surely would never fail him in the presence of such a wee woman as Nan Ceurt- land. But ashe sat there with her pure, pale face before him, and her frank eyes looking into his, he erew afraid of what he might say, and his courage failed him almost to his leaving the words unsaid altogether for that day. But he laughed inwardly as he thought of this girl’s daring to refuse him, and ere Nan knew of what he would do, he had arisen and stood before her, stooping to catch her hands in his, a flush on his dark face, a ight in his black eyes that startled her. “Nan,” he said, swiftly—'‘Nan, look up—listen to me. You have always been cruel to me; be kind to me this morning, and tell me that you will give me hope—that you will love me some time, if you do not love me now, for I love you, Nan—I love you, and I will win you.” She shrank from the pain he was inflicting crush- ing her hands in his, his eyes upon her fiercely, as though he were. capable of killing her should she say him nay. She tried to draw her hands from his, but he would not let them go. <A flush came to her cheeks and a flash in her eyes. Her lips curved scornfully and her voice was steady with wrath as she said. icily: ‘“Mr Blake, I haee never given you the slightest right to say this tome. Ihave shown you in every way a woman could how utterly I dislike you. For- give me if this sounds harsh, but you have no right to think I would have any other answer for you. I have tried to be kind to you lately, for. you have tried to be kind to me, but this——”’ the scorn in her voice made his eyes blaze, and his voice was shaken ecomicbooks.com