At a Girl's Mercy, or, The Fortunes of War — page 172: what you’re looking at

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

AT A GIRI’S MERCY. (161 held her to her promise of this tender thought should there be need during the terrible time she should spend in the midst of. the battle-fields and the wounded that must come to her. She was thinking of that evening as she stood be- side the cot one night, going her last round ere giv- ing place to the night watch, and there was a mist before her eyes that blinded her, and made the face on the pillow waver before her and fade to a strange pallor. Then he stirred, and the low voice, weak even in its delirium, began its monotonous murmuring, and she forgot self in the need of quiet- ing him. He was back in the old garden with Nan and Frank and his friends. Helen was back with him, and her quiet voice and steady eyes must have made themselves felt even in the midst of his wah- dering, for presently there came a quiet look in the gray eyes, and a gentle softening of the white lips; as the aimless words stopped, and the weak voice murmured her name in the old-time tenderness. She stooped above him, her cool hand on his hot brow, as she uttered soothing words that brought the look of peace to his face. She had forgotten her own feel- ings and her own trouble. This was Nan’s brother, brave Captain Charlie Courtland, brought to her care wounded, and there was a warm thrill at her heart when the low voice uttered her name, and the eyes smiling into his deepened in their color as she bent still lower to catch any word he might wish to give her for those in the quiet old home where he might never again go. “Helen,” he said, softly, the deep voice weak in spite of his brave effort to make it natural. ‘“T knew you would be where—you were—needed. It is sweet to have you here near me. It has seemed to me— all this time—that an angel was—near me, but J— felt it was you!’’ The parting of the lips in a smile that he tried to make brave, was almost more than the gentle watcher could bear, but she stood her ground with the bravery she would wish the sister and friend of such men to show. ‘‘Don’t let—them— know,” he said. presently, after the eyes, weak in spite of themselves, had closed and opened again comicbooks