At a Girl's Mercy, or, The Fortunes of War — page 209: what you’re looking at

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

198 AT A GIRL’S MERCY. Suppose she went in vain, and the morrow’s dawn- ing ended her father’s life, as it would end the worthless life that held him in its power. At dawn- ing—that was not long. Only a few hours at the most, and the death or the liberty of her father would be assured. Then it would be too late for re- . grets at failing courage, for regrets for lack of power. If she would do her work she must hesitate not an instant. She must go to the man who could free her father’s saviour, and thus free her father. She would win through her bravery, not her tears, and surely she could not fail to win. She held out her hands to the man beside her. as she said, stead- ily, though her heart was throbbing madly: ‘“‘T will come back to you as soon as I can, Sur- geon McAllister, but I do not know how long it will take to soften the heart of my lion. I shall do my best with him. - Wish me success, won’t you?”’ She was very brave and sweet, with her wistful eyes upon his face, and he could not daunt her brave spirit with any foreboding of ill, though in his heart he did not believe she could win. When once the command of one of these stern generals was uttered it was like reclaiming the dead to break them. But he could not darken the hope of this brave woman, standing in the failing light with her outstretched hands and her earnest face uplifted to his, waiting for his words of good will. ‘‘If there is any one in the wide world can gain his — life, Miss Nan, you are the one to doit! It wouldn’t take me long to say yes to you if you were to plead with me. I wish you’d try it.’’ He laughed and held her hands warmly in his for -amoment, and then let her go, knowing that surely she would fail utterly, but unable to dim the eager- ness of the brave heart. But how could he know that she would not win? With her tender face and her womanly soul, was it impossible to win nearly any battle she should fight? Had she not the courage, and the patience, and the hope that brings victory at the last? She went with this orderly as bravely as though she were one of the soldiers of the army, trusting him /comicbooks.com | ai ~~ al - ) ae +