The Blockade Runner — page 146: what you’re looking at

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

THE BLOCKADE RUNNER. 147 not lift a finger to retain:those possessions. Let the Confederacy take them. My father’s whole soul was wrapped up in the Southern cause ; he would have begeared himself for it. Men—his enemies—would have made out that he wavered, that his heart was not in the cause; but a truer man.to the South than he never lived. He will not see the humiliation of the government you serve, Captain Powers ; therefore it is well, perhaps, that the blue sea covers him.” “Tt is well, too, that he has not lived to see you arrayed on the side of the power he so cordially hated,” said Powers bitterly. “ You will not tind any North- ern sentiment prevailing at Nassau.” “T shall not court society of any kind while there,” was the gentle answer. “ You forget, Captain Pow- ers, that the terrible deed committed on board this ship has darkened more than one page of my life history. I loved Gordon Mowbray, .and to-night I throw the mantle of charity upon his faults.” Norah’s eyes became suffused with tears as she fin- ished. Captain Powers watched her with the eyes of the eagle that sees a dove in his power. He threw a rapid glance over his shoulder and stepped forward. “Ah! if you would but bestow upon others a tithe of the love he drew from you!” he said, in tones that lifted the girl’s gaze to his face. “What do you mean ”” “ Have you been blind till this time ?’ was the quick, passionate response. ‘“ Norah, | stand before you a self-confessed lover. I have loved you with all the depth and the ardor of my soul,.and I here, for the CoOmicbdoo S (E@) =} °