Transcribers note: Some inconsistencies of spelling, punctuation andhyphenation have been normalised. 

WITH LEE IN VIRGINIA

_A STORY OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR_

BY

G. A. HENTY

AUTHOR OF "WITH CLIVE IN INDIA, " "WITH WOLFE IN CANADA, " "BY ENGLAND'SAID, " "IN THE REIGN OF TERROR, " "THE DRAGON AND THE RAVEN"

NEW YORKHURST AND COMPANYPUBLISHERS

PREFACE. 

My Dear Lads:

The Great War between the Northern and Southern States of Americapossesses a peculiar interest to us, not only because it was a strugglebetween two sections of a people akin to us in race and language, butbecause of the heroic courage with which the weaker party, with ill-fed, ill-clad, ill-equipped regiments, for four years sustained the contestwith an adversary not only possessed of immense numerical superiority, but having the command of the sea, and being able to draw its arms andmunitions of war from all the manufactories of Europe. Authorities stilldiffer as to the rights of the case. The Confederates firmly believedthat the States, having voluntarily united, retained the right ofwithdrawing from the Union when they considered it for their advantageto do so. The Northerners took the opposite point of view, and an appealto arms became inevitable. During the first two years of the war thestruggle was conducted without inflicting unnecessary hardship upon thegeneral population. But later on the character of the war changed, andthe Federal armies carried widespread destruction wherever they marched. Upon the other hand, the moment the struggle was over the conduct of theconquerors was marked by a clemency and generosity altogether unexampledin history, a complete amnesty being granted, and none, whether soldiersor civilians, being made to suffer for their share in the rebellion. Thecredit of this magnanimous conduct was to a great extent due to GeneralsGrant and Sherman, the former of whom took upon himself theresponsibility of granting terms which, although they were finallyratified by his government, were at the time received with anger andindignation in the North. It was impossible, in the course of a singlevolume, to give even a sketch of the numerous and complicated operationsof the war, and I have therefore confined myself to the central point ofthe great struggle--the attempts of the Northern armies to force theirway to Richmond, the capital of Virginia and the heart of theConfederacy. Even in recounting the leading events in these campaigns, Ihave burdened my story with as few details as possible, it being myobject now, as always, to amuse, as well as to give instruction in thefacts of history. 

Yours sincerely, G. A. Henty. 

CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER

 I. A Virginia Plantation, II. Buying a Slave, III. Aiding a Runaway, IV. Safely Back, V. Secession, VI. Bull Run, VII. The "Merrimac" and the "Monitor, "

 VIII. McClellan's Advance, IX. A Prisoner, X. The Escape, XI. Fugitives, XII. The Bushwhackers, XIII. Laid Up, XIV. Across the Border, XV. Fredericksburg, XVI. The Search for Dinah, XVII. Chancellorsville, XVIII. A Perilous Undertaking, XIX. Free!

 XX. The End of the Struggle, WITH LEE IN VIRGINIA. 

CHAPTER I. 

A VIRGINIA PLANTATION. 

"I won't have it, Pearson; so it's no use your talking. If I had my wayyou shouldn't touch any of the field hands. And when I get my way--thatwon't be so very long--I will take very good care you shan't. But youshan't hit Dan. "

"He is not one of the regular house hands, " was the reply; "and I shallappeal to Mrs. Wingfield as to whether I am to be interfered with in thedischarge of my duties. "

"You may appeal to my mother if you like, but I don't think that youwill get much by it. You are too fond of that whip, Pearson. It neverwas heard on the estate during my father's time, and it shan't be againwhen it comes to be mine, I can tell you. Come along, Dan; I want you atthe stables. "

Vincent Wingfield turned on his heel, and followed by Dan, a negro ladof some eighteen years old, he walked toward the house, leaving JonasPearson, the overseer of the Orangery Estate, looking after him with anevil expression of face. 

Vincent Wingfield was the son of an English officer, who, making a tourin the States, had fallen in love with and won the hand of WinifredCornish, a Virginia heiress, and one of the belles of Richmond. Afterthe marriage he had taken her to visit his family in England; but shehad not been there many weeks before the news arrived of the suddendeath of her father. A month later she and her husband returned toVirginia, as her presence was required there in reference to businessmatters connected with the estate, of which she was now the mistress. 

The Orangery, so called from a large conservatory built by Mrs. Wingfield's grandfather, was the family seat, and the broad lands aroundit were tilled by upward of two hundred slaves. There were in additionthree other properties lying in different parts of the State. HereVincent, with two sisters, one older and one younger than himself, hadbeen born. When he was eight years old Major and Mrs. Wingfield had goneover with their children to England, and had left Vincent there for fouryears at school, his holidays being spent at the house of his father'sbrother, a country gentleman in Sussex. Then he had been sent forunexpectedly; his father saying that his health was not good, and thathe should like his son to be with him. A year later his father died. 

Vincent was now nearly sixteen years old, and would upon coming of ageassume the reins of power at the Orangery, of which his mother, however, would be the actual mistress as long as she lived. The four yearsVincent had passed in the English school had done much to render theinstitution of slavery repugnant to him, and his father had had manyserious talks with him during the last year of his life, and had shownhim that there was a good deal to be said upon both sides of thesubject. 

"There are good plantations and bad plantations, Vincent; and there aremany more good ones than bad ones. There are brutes to be foundeverywhere. There are bad masters in the Southern States just as thereare bad landlords in every European country. But even from self-interestalone, a planter has greater reason for caring for the health andcomfort of his slaves than an English farmer has in caring for thecomfort of his laborers. Slaves are valuable property, and if they areover-worked or badly cared for they decrease in value. Whereas if thelaborer falls sick or is unable to do his work the farmer has simply tohire another hand. It is as much the interest of a planter to keep hisslaves in good health and spirits as it is for a farmer to feed andattend to his horses properly. 

"Of the two, I consider that the slave with a fairly kind master is tothe full as happy as the ordinary English laborer. He certainly does notwork so hard, if he is ill he is carefully attended to, he is well fed, he has no cares or anxieties whatever, and when old and past work he hasno fear of the workhouse staring him in the face. At the same time I amquite ready to grant that there are horrible abuses possible under thelaws connected with slavery. 

"The selling of slaves, that is to say, the breaking up of families andselling them separately, is horrible and abominable. If an estate weresold together with all the slaves upon it, there would be no morehardship in the matter than there is when an estate changes hands inEngland, and the laborers upon it work for the new master instead of theold. Were I to liberate all the slaves on this estate to-morrow and tosend them North, I do not think that they would be in any way benefitedby the change. They would still have to work for their living as they donow, and being naturally indolent and shiftless would probably fare muchworse. But against the selling of families separately and the use of thelash I set my face strongly. 

"At the same time, my boy, whatever your sentiments may be on thissubject, you must keep your mouth closed as to them. Owing to theattempts of Northern Abolitionists, who have come down here stirring upthe slaves to discontent, it is not advisable, indeed it is absolutelydangerous, to speak against slavery in the Southern States. Theinstitution is here, and we must make the best we can of it. People hereare very sore at the foul slanders that have been published by Northernwriters. There have been many atrocities perpetrated undoubtedly, bybrutes who would have been brutes wherever they had been born; but tocollect a series of such atrocities, to string them together into astory, and to hold them up, as Mrs. Beecher Stowe has, as a picture ofslave life in the Southern States, is as gross a libel as if anyone wereto make a collection of all the wife-beatings and assaults of drunkenEnglish ruffians, and to publish them as a picture of the average lifeof English people. 

"Such libels as these have done more to embitter the two sections ofAmerica against each other than anything else. Therefore, Vincent, myadvice to you is, be always kind to your slaves--not over-indulgent, because they are very like children and indulgence spoils them--but beat the same time firm and kind to them, and with other people avoidentering into any discussions or expressing any opinion with regard toslavery. You can do no good, and you can do much harm. Take things asyou find them and make the best of them. I trust that the time may comewhen slavery will be abolished; but I hope, for the sake of the slavesthemselves, that when this is done it will be done gradually andthoughtfully, for otherwise it would inflict terrible hardship andsuffering upon them as well as upon their masters. "

There were many such conversations between father and son, for feelingon the subject ran very high in the Southern States, and the former feltthat it was of the utmost importance to his son that he should avoidtaking any strong line in the matter. Among the old families of Virginiathere was indeed far less feeling on this subject than in some of theother States. Knowing the good feeling that almost universally existedbetween themselves and their slaves, the gentry of Virginia regardedwith contempt the calumnies of which they were the subject. Secure inthe affection of their slaves, an affection which was afterwardabundantly proved during the course of the war, they scarcely saw theugly side of the question. The worst masters were the smallest ones; theman who owned six slaves was far more apt to extort the utmost possiblework from them than the planter who owned three or four hundred. Andthe worst masters of all, were those who, having made a little money intrade or speculation in the towns, purchased a dozen slaves, a smallpiece of land, and tried to set up as gentry. 

In Virginia the life of the large planters was almost a patriarchal one;the indoor slaves were treated with extreme indulgence, and werepermitted a far higher degree of freedom of remark and familiarity thanis the case with servants in an English household. They had been thenurses or companions of the owners when children, had grown up withthem, and regarded themselves, and were regarded by them, as almost partof the family. There was, of course, less connection between theplanters and their field hands; but these also had for the most partbeen born on the estate, had as children been taught to look up to theirwhite masters and mistresses, and to receive many little kindnesses attheir hands. 

They had been cared for in sickness, and knew that they would beprovided for in old age. Each had his little allotment, and could raisefruit, vegetables, and fowls, for his own use or for sale, in hisleisure time. The fear of loss of employment, or the pressure of want, ever present to our English laborers, had never fallen upon them. Theclimate was a lovely one, and their work far less severe than that ofmen forced to toil in cold and wet, winter and summer. The institutionof slavery assuredly was capable of terrible abuses, and was marked inmany instances by abominable cruelty and oppression; but taken all inall, the negroes on a well-ordered estate, under kind masters, wereprobably a happier class of people than the laborers upon any estate inEurope. 

Jonas Pearson had been overseer in the time of Major Wingfield, but hisauthority had at that time been comparatively small, for the majorhimself personally supervised the whole working of the estate, and wasgreatly liked by the slaves, whose chief affections were, however, naturally bestowed upon their mistress, who had from childhood beenbrought up in their midst. Major Wingfield had not liked his overseer, but he had never any ground to justify him making a change. Jonas, whowas a Northern man, was always active and energetic; all MajorWingfield's orders were strictly and punctually carried out, andalthough he disliked the man, his employer acknowledged him to be anexcellent servant. 

After the major's death, Jonas Pearson had naturally obtained greatlyincreased power and authority. Mrs. Wingfield had great confidence inhim, his accounts were always clear and precise, and although theprofits of the estate were not quite so large as they had been in herhusband's lifetime, this was always satisfactorily explained by a fallin prices, or by a part of the crops being affected by the weather. Sheflattered herself that she herself managed the estate, and at times rodeover it, made suggestions, and issued orders, but this was only in fitsand starts; and although Jonas came up two or three times a week to thehouse nominally to receive her orders, he managed her so adroitly, thatwhile she believed that everything was done by her directions, she inreality only followed out the suggestions which, in the first place, came from him. 

She was aware, however, that there was less content and happiness on theestate than there had been in the old times. Complaints had reached herfrom time to time of overwork and harsh treatment. But upon inquiringinto these matters, Jonas had always such plausible reasons to give thatshe was convinced he was in the right, and that the fault was among theslaves themselves, who tried to take advantage of the fact that they hadno longer a master's eye upon them, and accordingly tried to shirk work, and to throw discredit upon the man who looked after the interests oftheir mistress; and so gradually Mrs. Wingfield left the management ofher affairs more and more in the hands of Jonas, and relied moreimplicitly upon him. 

The overseer spared no pains to gain the good will of Vincent. When thelatter declared that the horse he rode had not sufficient life andspirit for him, Jonas had set inquiries on foot, and had selected forhim a horse which, for speed and bottom, had no superior in the State. One of Mrs. Wingfield's acquaintances, however, upon hearing that shehad purchased the animal, told her that it was notorious for its vicioustemper, and she spoke angrily to Jonas on the subject in the presence ofVincent. The overseer excused himself by saying that he had certainlyheard that the horse was high spirited and needed a good rider, and thathe should not have thought of selecting it had he not known that Mr. Vincent was a first-class rider, and would not care to have a horse thatany child could manage. 

The praise was not undeserved. The gentlemen of Virginia were celebratedas good riders; and Major Wingfield, himself a cavalry man, had beenanxious that Vincent should maintain the credit of his English blood, and had placed him on a pony as soon as he was able to sit on one. Apony had been kept for his use during his holidays at his uncle's inEngland, and upon his return Vincent had, except during the hours hespent with his father, almost lived on horseback, either riding aboutthe estate, or paying visits to the houses of other planters. 

For an hour or more everyday he exercised his father's horses in apaddock near the house, the major being wheeled down in an easy-chairand superintending his riding. As these horses had little to do and werefull of spirit, Vincent's powers were often taxed to the utmost, and hehad many falls; but the soil was light, and he had learned the knack offalling easily, and from constant practice was able at the age offourteen to stick on firmly even without a saddle, and was absolutelyfearless as to any animal he mounted. 

In the two years which had followed he had kept up his riding. Everymorning after breakfast he rode to Richmond, six miles distant, put uphis horse at some stable there, and spent three hours at school; therest of the day was his own, and he would often ride off with some ofhis schoolfellows who had also come in from a distance, and not returnhome till late in the evening. Vincent took after his English fatherrather than his Virginia mother, both in appearance and character, andwas likely to become as tall and brawny a man as the former had beenwhen he first won the love of the Virginia heiress. 

He was full of life and energy, and in this respect offered a strongcontrast to most of his schoolfellows of the same age. For althoughsplendid riders and keen sportsmen, the planters of Virginia were inother respects inclined to indolence; the result partly of the climate, partly of their being waited upon from childhood by attendants ready tocarry out every wish. He had his father's cheerful disposition and goodtemper, together with the decisive manner so frequently acquired by aservice in the army, and at the same time he had something of the warmthand enthusiasm of the Virginia character. 

Good rider as he was, he was somewhat surprised at the horse theoverseer had selected for him. It was certainly a splendid animal, withgreat bone and power; but there was no mistaking the expression of itsturned-back eye, and the ears that lay almost flat on the head whenanyone approached him. 

"It is a splendid animal, no doubt, Jonas, " he said the first time heinspected it; "but he certainly looks as if he had a beast of a temper. I fear what was told my mother about him is no exaggeration; for Mr. Markham told me to-day, when I rode down there with his son, and said wehad bought Wildfire, that a friend of his had had him once, and onlykept him for a week, for he was the most vicious brute he ever saw. "

"I am sorry I have bought him now, sir, " Jonas said. "Of course I shouldnot have done so if I had heard these things before; but I was told hewas one of the finest horses in the country, only a little tricky, andas his price was so reasonable I thought it a great bargain. But I seenow I was wrong, and that it wouldn't be right for you to mount him; soI think we had best send him in on Saturday to the market and let it gofor what it will fetch. You see, sir, if you had been three or fouryears older it would have been different; but naturally at your age youdon't like to ride such a horse as that. "

"I shan't give up without a trial, " Vincent said shortly. "It is aboutthe finest horse I ever saw; and if it hadn't been for its temper, itwould have been cheap at five times the sum you gave for it. I haveridden a good many bad-tempered horses for my friends during the lastyear, and the worst of them couldn't get me off. "

"Well, sir, of course you will do as you please, " Jonas said; "butplease to remember if any harm comes of it, that I strongly advised younot to have anything to do with it, and I did my best to dissuade youfrom trying. "

Vincent nodded carelessly, and then turned to the black groom. 

"Jake, get out that cavalry saddle of my father's, with the high cantleand pommel, and the rolls for the knees. It's like an armchair, and ifone can't stick on on that, one deserves to be thrown. "

While the groom was putting on the saddle, Vincent stood patting thehorse's head and talking to it, and then taking its rein led it downinto the inclosure. 

"No, I don't want the whip, " he said, as Jake offered him one. "I havegot the spurs, and likely enough the horse's temper may have beenspoiled by knocking it about with a whip; but we will try what kindnesswill do with it first. "

"Me no like his look, Massa Vincent; he debble of a hoss dat. "

"I don't think he has a nice temper, Jake; but people learn to controltheir temper, and I don't see why horses shouldn't. At any rate we willhave a try at it. He looks as if he appreciates being patted and spokento already. Of course if you treat a horse like a savage he will becomesavage. Now, stand out of the way. "

Gathering the reins together, and placing one hand upon the pommel, Vincent sprang into the saddle without touching the stirrups; then hesat for a minute or two patting the horse's neck. Wildfire, apparentlydisgusted at having allowed himself to be mounted so suddenly, lashedout viciously two or three times, and then refused to move. For half anhour Vincent tried the effect of patient coaxing, but in vain. 

"Well, if you won't do it by fair means you must by foul, " Vincent saidat last, and sharply pricked him with his spurs. 

Wildfire sprang into the air, and then began a desperate series ofefforts to rid himself of his rider, rearing and kicking in such quicksuccession that he seemed half the time in the air. Finding after awhile that his efforts were unavailing, he subsided at last into sulkyimmovability. Again Vincent tried coaxing and patting, but as no successattended these efforts, he again applied the spur sharply. This time thehorse responded by springing forward like an arrow from a bow, dashed atthe top of his speed across the inclosure, cleared the high fencewithout an effort, and then set off across the country. 

He had attempted to take the bit in his teeth, but with a sharp jerk ashe drove the spurs in, Vincent had defeated his intention. He now didnot attempt to check or guide him, but keeping a light hand on the reinslet him go his own course. Vincent knew that so long as the horse wasgoing full speed it could attempt no trick to unseat him, and hetherefore sat easily in his saddle. 

For six miles Wildfire continued his course, clearing every obstaclewithout abatement to his speed, and delighting his rider with his powerand jumping qualities. Occasionally, only when the course he was takingwould have led him to obstacles impossible for the best jumper tosurmount, Vincent attempted to put the slightest pressure upon one reinor the other, so as to direct it to an easier point. 

At the end of six miles the horse's speed began slightly to abate, andVincent, abstaining from the use of his spurs, pressed it with his kneesand spoke to it cheerfully, urging it forward. He now from time to timebent forward and patted it, and for another six miles kept it going at aspeed almost as great as that at which it had started. Then he allowedit gradually to slacken its pace, until at last first the gallop andthen the trot ceased, and it broke into a walk. 

"You have had a fine gallop, old fellow, " Vincent said, patting it; "andso have I. There's been nothing for you to lose your temper about, andthe next road we come upon we will turn your face homeward. Half a dozenlessons like this, and then, no doubt, we shall be good friends. "

The journey home was performed at a walk, Vincent talking the greaterpart of the time to the horse. It took a good deal more than six lessonsbefore Wildfire would start without a preliminary struggle with hismaster, but in the end kindness and patience conquered. Vincent oftenvisited the horse in the stables, and, taking with him an apple or somepieces of sugar, spent some time there talking to and petting it. Henever carried a whip, and never used the spurs except in forcing it tomake its first start. 

Had the horse been naturally ill-tempered Vincent would probably havefailed, but, as he happened afterward to learn, its first owner had beena hot-tempered and passionate young planter, who, instead of beingpatient with it, had beat it about the head, and so rendered it restiveand bad-tempered. Had Vincent not laid aside his whip before mounting itfor the first time, he probably would never have effected a cure. It wasthe fact that the animal had no longer fear of his old enemy the whip, as much as the general course of kindness and good treatment, that hadeffected the change in his behavior. 

It was just when Vincent had established a good understanding betweenhimself and Wildfire that he had the altercation with the overseer, whomhe found about to flog the young negro Dan. Pearson had sent the ladhalf an hour before on a message to some slaves at work at the other endof the estate, and had found him sitting on the ground watching a treein which he had discovered a 'possum. That Dan deserved punishment wasundoubted. He had at present no regular employment upon the estate. Jake, his father, was head of the stables, and Dan had made himselfuseful in odd jobs about the horses, and expected to become one of theregular stable hands. The overseer was of opinion that there werealready more negroes in the stable than could find employment, and hadurged upon Mrs. Wingfield that one of the hands there and the boy Danshould be sent out to the fields. She, however, refused. 

"I know you are quite right, Jonas, in what you say. But there werealways four hands in the stable in my father's time, and there alwayshave been up to now; and though I know they have an easy time of it, Icertainly should not like to send any of them out into the fields. As toDan, we will think about it. When his father was about his age he usedto lead my pony when I first took to riding, and when there is a vacancyDan must come into the stable. I could not think of sending him out as afield hand; in the first place for his father's sake, but still more forthat of Vincent. Dan used to be told off to see that Vincent did not getinto mischief when he was a little boy, and he has run his messages andbeen his special boy since he came back. Vincent wanted to have him ashis regular house servant; but it would have broken old Sam's heart if, after being my father's boy and my husband's, another had taken hisplace as Vincent's. "

And so Dan had remained in the stable, but regarding Vincent as hisspecial master, carrying messages for him to his friends, or doing anyodd jobs he might require, and spending no small portion of his time insleep. Thus he was an object of special dislike to the overseer; in thefirst place because he had not succeeded in having his way with regardto him, and in the second because he was a useless hand, and theoverseer loved to get as much work as possible out of everyone on theestate. The message had been a somewhat important one, as he wanted theslaves for some work that was urgently required; and he lost his temper, or he would not have done an act which would certainly bring him intocollision with Vincent. 

He was well aware that the lad did not really like him, and that hisefforts to gain his good will had failed, and he had foreseen thatsooner or later there would be a struggle for power between them. However, he relied upon his influence with Mrs. Wingfield, and upon thefact that she was the life owner of the Orangery, and believed that hewould be able to maintain his position even when Vincent came of age. Vincent on his side objected to the overseer's treatment of the hands ofwhich he heard a good deal from Dan, and had already remonstrated withhis mother on the subject. 

He, however, gained nothing by this. Mrs. Wingfield had replied that hewas too young to interfere in such matters, that his English ideas wouldnot do in Virginia, and that naturally the slaves were set against theoverseer; and that now Pearson had no longer a master to support him, hewas obliged to be more severe than before to enforce obedience. At thesame time it vexed her at heart that there should be any severity on theOrangery Estate, where the best relations had always prevailed betweenthe masters and slaves and she had herself spoken to Jonas on thesubject. 

He had given her the same answer that she had given her son: "The slaveswill work for a master, Mrs. Wingfield, in a way they will not for astranger. They set themselves against me, and if I were not severe withthem I should get no work at all out of them. Of course, if you wish it, they can do as they like; but in that case they must have anotheroverseer. I cannot see a fine estate going to ruin. I believe myselfsome of these Abolition fellows have been getting among them and doingmischief, and that there is a bad spirit growing up among them. I canassure you that I am as lenient with them as it is possible to be. Butif they won't work I must make them, so long as I stay here. "

And so the overseer had had his way. She knew that the man was a goodservant, and that the estate was kept in excellent order. After all, theseverities of which she had heard complaints were by no means excessive, and it was not to be expected that a Northern overseer could ruleentirely by kindness, as the owner of an estate could do. A change wouldbe most inconvenient to her, and she would have difficulty in suitingherself so well another time. Besides, the man had been with her sixteenyears, and was, as she believed, devoted to her interests. Therefore sheturned a deaf ear to Vincent's remonstrances. 

She had always been somewhat opposed to his being left in England atschool, urging that he would learn ideas there that would clash withthose of the people among whom his life was to be spent; and she stillconsidered that her views had been justified by the result. 

The overseer was the first to give his version of the story about Dan'sconduct; for on going to the house Vincent found his sisters, Rosa andAnnie, in the garden, having just returned from a two days' visit tosome friends in Richmond, and stayed chatting with them and listening totheir news for an hour, and in the meantime Jonas had gone in and seenMrs. Wingfield and told his story. 

"I think, Mrs. Wingfield, " he said when he had finished, "that it willbe better for me to leave you. It is quite evident that I can have noauthority over the hands if your son is to interfere when I am about topunish a slave for an act of gross disobedience and neglect. I foundthat all the tobacco required turning, and now it will not be done thisafternoon, owing to my orders not being carried out, and the tobaccowill not improbably be injured in quality. My position is difficultenough as it is; but if the slaves see that instead of being supported Iam thwarted by your son, my authority is gone altogether. No overseercan carry on his work properly under such circumstances. "

"I will see to the matter, Jonas, " Mrs. Wingfield said decidedly. "Beassured that you have my entire support, and I will see that my son doesnot again interfere. "

When, therefore, Vincent entered the house and began his complaint, hefound himself cut short. 

"I have heard the story already, Vincent. Dan acted in grossdisobedience, and thoroughly deserved the punishment Jonas was about togive him. The work of the estate cannot be carried on if such conduct isto be tolerated; and once for all, I will permit no interference on yourpart with Jonas. If you have any complaints to make, come to me and makethem; but you are not to interfere in any way with the overseer. As forDan, I have directed Jonas that the next time he gives cause forcomplaint he is to go into the fields. "

Vincent stood silent for a minute, then he said quietly:

"Very well, mother. Of course you can do as you like; but at any rate Iwill not keep my mouth shut when I see that fellow ill-treating theslaves. Such things were never done in my father's time, and I won't seethem done now. You said the other day you would get me a nomination toWest Point as soon as I was sixteen. I should be glad if you would doso. By the time I have gone through the school, you will perhaps seethat I have been right about Jonas. "

So saying, he turned and left the room and again joined his sisters inthe drawing room. 

"I have just told mother that I will go to West Point, girls, " he said. "Father said more than once that he thought it was the best education Icould get in America. "

"But I thought you had made up your mind that you would rather stop athome, Vincent?"

"So I had, and so I would have done, but mother and I differ inopinion. That fellow Jonas was going to flog Dan, and I stopped him thismorning, and mother takes his part against me. You know, I don't likethe way he goes on with the slaves. They are not half so merry and happyas they used to be, and I don't like it. We shall have one of themrunning away next, and that will be a nice thing on what used to beconsidered one of the happiest plantations in Virginia. I can't makemother out; I should have thought that she would have been the lastperson in the world to have allowed the slaves to be harshly treated. "

"I am sure we don't like Jonas any more than you do, Vincent; but yousee mamma has to depend upon him so much. No, I don't think she can likeit; but you can't have everything you like in a man, and I know shethinks he is a very good overseer. I suppose she could get another?"

Vincent said he thought that there could not be much difficulty aboutgetting an overseer. 

"There might be a difficulty in getting one she could rely on sothoroughly, " Rosa said. "You see a great deal must be left to him. Jonashas been here a good many years now, and she has learned to trust him. It would be a long time before she had the same confidence in astranger; and you may be sure that he would have his faults, though, perhaps, not the same as those of Jonas. I think you don't makeallowance enough for mamma, Vincent. I quite agree with you as to Jonas, and I don't think mamma can like his harshness to the slaves any morethan you do; but everyone says what a difficulty it is to get a reallytrustworthy and capable overseer, and, of course, it is all the harderwhen there is no master to look after him. "

"Well, in a few years I shall be able to look after an overseer, "Vincent said. 

"You might do so, of course, Vincent, if you liked; but unless youchange a good deal, I don't think your supervision would amount to verymuch. When you are not at school you are always on horseback and away, and we see little enough of you, and I do not think you are likely for along time yet to give up most of your time to looking after the estate. "

"Perhaps you are right, " Vincent said, after thinking for a minute; "butI think I could settle down, too, and give most of my time to theestate, if I was responsible for it. I dare say mother is in adifficulty over it, and I should not have spoken as I did; I will go inand tell her so. "

Vincent found his mother sitting as he had left her. Although she hadsided with Jonas, it was against her will; for it was grievous to her tohear complaints of the treatment of the slaves at the Orangery. Still, as Rosa had said, she felt every confidence in her overseer, andbelieved that he was an excellent servant. She was conscious that sheherself knew nothing of business, and that she must therefore give herentire confidence to her manager. She greatly disliked the strictness ofJonas, but if, as he said, the slaves would not obey him without thisstrictness, he must do as he thought best. 

"I think I spoke too hastily, mother, " Vincent said as he entered; "andI am sure that you would not wish the slaves to be ill-treated more thanI should. I dare say Jonas means for the best. "

"I feel sure that he does, Vincent. A man in his position cannot makehimself obeyed like a master. I wish it could be otherwise, and I willspeak to him on the subject; but it will not do to interfere with himtoo much. A good overseer is not easy to get, and the slaves are alwaysready to take advantage of leniency. An easy master makes bad work, butan easy overseer would mean ruin to an estate. I am convinced that Jonashas our interests at heart, and I will tell him that I particularly wishthat he will devise some other sort of punishment, such as depriving menwho won't work of some of their privileges, instead of using the lash. "

"Thank you, mother. At any rate, he might be told that the lash is neverto be used without first appealing to you. "

"I will see about it, Vincent, and talk it over with him. " And with thatVincent was satisfied. 

CHAPTER II. 

BUYING A SLAVE. 

Mrs. Wingfield did talk the matter over with the overseer, and thingswent on in consequence more smoothly. Vincent, however, adhered to hiswish, and it was arranged that as soon as he could get a nomination heshould go to West Point, which is to the American army what Sandhurstand Woolwich are to England. Before that could be done, however, a greatpolitical agitation sprang up. The slave States were greatly excitedover the prospect of a Republican president being chosen, for theRepublicans were to a great extent identified with the abolitionmovement; and public feeling, which had for some time run high, becameintensified as the time approached for the election of a new president, and threats that if the Democrats were beaten and a Republican electedthe slave States would secede from the Union, were freely indulged in. 

In Virginia, which was one of the most northern of the slave States, opinion was somewhat divided, there being a strong minority against anyextreme measures being taken. Among Vincent's friends, however, who werefor the most part the sons of planters, the Democratic feeling was verystrongly in the ascendant and their sympathies were wholly with theSouthern States. That these had a right to secede was assumed by them asbeing unquestionable. 

But, in point of fact, there was a great deal to be said on both sides. The States which first entered the Union in 1776 considered themselvesto be separate and sovereign States, each possessing power and authorityto manage its own affairs, and forming only a federation in order toconstruct a central power, and so to operate with more effect againstthe mother country. Two years later the Constitution of the UnitedStates was framed, each State giving up a certain portion of itsauthority, reserving its own self-government and whatever rights werenot specifically resigned. 

No mention was made in the Constitution of the right of a State tosecede from the Union, and while those who insisted that each State hada right to secede if it chose to do so declared that this right wasreserved, their opponents affirmed that such a case could never havebeen contemplated. Thus the question of absolute right had never beensettled, and it became purely one of force. 

Early in November, 1860, it became known that the election of Mr. Lincoln, the Republican candidate, was assured, and on the 9th of thatmonth the representatives of South Carolina met at Charleston, andunanimously authorized the holding of a State convention to meet on thethird week in December. The announcement caused great excitement, for itwas considered certain that the convention would pass a vote ofsecession, and thus bring the debated question to an issue. Althoughopinion in Virginia was less unanimous than in the more southern States, it was generally thought that she would imitate the example of SouthCarolina. 

On the day following the receipt of the news, Vincent, who had riddenover to the plantations of several of his friends to talk the matterover, was returning homeward, when he heard the sound of heavy blowswith a whip, and loud curses, and a moment later a shrill scream in awoman's voice rose in the air. 

Vincent checked his horse mechanically with an exclamation of anger. Heknew but too well what was going on beyond the screen of shrubs thatgrew on the other side of the fence bordering the road. For a moment hehesitated, and then muttering, "What's the use!" was about to touch thehorse with the whip and gallop on, when the shriek again rose louder andmore agonizing than before. With a cry of rage Vincent leaped from hishorse, threw the reins over the top of the fence, climbed over it in amoment, and burst his way through the shrubbery. 

Close by, a negro was being held by four others, two having hold of eachwrist and holding his arms extended to full length, while a white lad, some two years Vincent's senior, was showering blows with a heavy whipupon him. The slave's back was already covered with weals, and the bloodwas flowing from several places. A few yards distant a black girl, witha baby in her arms, was kneeling on the ground screaming for mercy forthe slave. Just as Vincent burst through the bushes, the young fellow, irritated at her cries, turned round and delivered a tremendous blowwith the whip on her bare shoulders. 

This time no cry came from her lips, but the slave, who had stoodimmovable while the punishment was being inflicted upon himself, made adesperate effort to break from the men who held him. He wasunsuccessful, but before the whip could again fall on the woman'sshoulders, Vincent sprang forward, and seizing it, wrested it from thehands of the striker. With an oath of fury and surprise at this suddeninterruption, the young fellow turned upon Vincent. 

"You are a coward and a blackguard, Andrew Jackson!" Vincent exclaimed, white with anger. "You are a disgrace to Virginia, you ruffian!"

Without a word the young planter, mad with rage at this interference, rushed at Vincent; but the latter had learned the use of his fists athis English school, and riding exercises had strengthened his muscles, and as his opponent rushed at him, he met him with a blow from theshoulder which sent him staggering back with the blood streaming fromhis lips. He again rushed forward, and heavy blows were exchanged; thenthey closed and grappled. For a minute they swayed to and fro; butalthough much taller, the young planter was no stronger than Vincent, and at last they came to the ground with a crash, Vincent uppermost, Jackson's head as he fell coming with such force against a low stumpthat he lay insensible. 

The contest had been so sudden and furious that none had attempted tointerfere. Indeed the negroes were so astonished that they had not movedfrom the moment when Vincent made his appearance upon the scene. The ladrose to his feet. 

"You had better carry him up to the house and throw water on him, " hesaid to the negroes, and then turned away. As he did so, the slave whohad been flogged broke from the others, who had, indeed, loosened theirhold, and ran up to Vincent, threw himself on his knees, and taking thelad's hand pressed it to his lips. 

"I am afraid I haven't done you much good, " Vincent said. "You will benone the better off for my interference; but I couldn't help it. " Sosaying he made his way through the shrubbery, cleared the fence, mounted, and rode homeward. 

"I have been a fool, " he said to himself as he rode along. "It will beall the worse for that poor beggar afterward; still I could not help it. I wonder will there be any row about it. I don't much expect there will, the Jacksons don't stand well now, and this would not do them any goodwith the people round; besides I don't think Jackson would like to gointo court to complain of being thrashed by a fellow a head shorter thanhimself. It's blackguards like him who give the Abolitionists a right tohold up the slave-owners as being tyrants and brutes. "

The Jacksons were newcomers in Virginia. Six years before, the estate, of which the Cedars, as their place was called, formed a part, was put upfor sale. It was a very large one, and having been divided into severalportions to suit buyers, the Cedars had been purchased by Jackson, who, having been very successful as a storekeeper at Charleston, had decidedupon giving up the business and leaving South Carolina, and settlingdown as a landowner in some other State. His antecedents, however, weresoon known at Richmond, and the old Virginian families turned a coldshoulder to the newcomer. 

Had he been a man of pleasant manners, he would gradually have made hisway; but he was evidently not a gentleman. The habits of trade stuck tohim, and in a very short time there were rumors that the slaves, whom hehad bought with the property, found him a harsh and cruel master. Thisin itself would have been sufficient to bring him into disrepute inVirginia, where as a rule the slaves were treated with great kindness, and, indeed, considered their position to be infinitely superior to thatof the poorer class of whites. Andrew Jackson had been for a few monthsat school with Vincent; he was unpopular there, and from the rumorscurrent as to the treatment of the slaves on the estate was known by thenickname of the "slave-driver. "

Had Vincent been the son of a white trader, or a small cultivator, heknew well enough that his position would be a very serious one, and thathe would have had to ride to the border of the State with all speed. Hewould have been denounced at once as an Abolitionist, and would havebeen accused of stirring up the slaves to rebellion against theirmasters; a crime of the most serious kind in the Southern States. Butplaced as he was, as the heir of a great estate worked by slaves, such acry could hardly be raised against him. He might doubtless be fined andadmonished for interfering between a master and his slave; but thesympathy of the better classes in Virginia would be entirely with him. Vincent, therefore, was but little concerned for himself; but he doubtedgreatly whether his interference had not done much more harm than goodto the slave and his wife, for upon them Andrew Jackson would vent hisfury. He rode direct to the stables instead of alighting as usual at thedoor. Dan, who had been sitting in the veranda waiting for him, ran downto the stables as he saw him coming. 

"Give the horse to one of the others, Dan, I want to speak to you. Dan, "he went on when he had walked with him a short distance from thestables, "I suppose you know some of the hands on Jackson's plantation. "

Dan grinned, for although there was not supposed to be any communicationbetween the slaves on the different estates, it was notorious that atnight they were in the habit of slipping out of their huts and visitingeach other. 

"I know some ob dem, Marse Vincent. What you want ob dem? Bery badmaster, Marse Jackson. Wust master hereabout. "

Vincent related what had happened, to Dan's intense delight. 

"Now, Dan, " he went on, "I am afraid that after my interference theywill treat that poor fellow and his wife worse than before. I want youto find out for me what is going on at Jackson's. I do not know that Ican do anything, however badly they treat them; but I have been thinkingthat if they ill-treat them very grossly, I will get together a party offifteen or twenty of my friends, and we will go in a body to Jackson'sand warn him that, if he behaves with cruelty to his slaves, we willmake it so hot for him that he will have to leave the State. I don't saythat we could do anything; but as we should represent most of the largeestates round here, I don't think old Jackson and his son would likebeing sent to coventry. The feeling is very strong at present againstill-treatment of the slaves. If these troubles lead to war, almost allof us will go into the army, and we do not like the thought of thepossibility of troubles among the hands when the whites are all away. "

"I will find out all about it for you to-night, sah. I don't suspect datdey will do nuffin to-day. Andrew Jackson too sick after dat knockagainst de tump. He keep quiet a day or two. "

"Well, Dan, you go over to-night and find out all about it. I expect Ihad better have left things alone, but now I have interfered I shall goon with it. "

Mrs. Wingfield was much displeased when Vincent told her at dinner ofhis incident at Jackson's plantation, and even his sisters were shockedat the interference between a master and his slave. 

"You will get yourself into serious trouble with these fanciful notionsof yours, " Mrs. Wingfield said angrily. "You know as well as I do howeasy it is to get up a cry against anyone as an Abolitionist, and howdifficult to disprove the accusation; and just at present, when thepassions of every man in the South are inflamed to the utmost, such anaccusation will be most serious. In the present instance there does notseem that there is a shadow of excuse for your conduct. You simply heardcries of a slave being flogged. You deliberately leave the road andenter these people's plantation, and interfere without, so far as I cansee, the least reason for doing so. You did not inquire what the man'soffense was; and he may, for aught you know, have half murdered hismaster. You simply see a slave being flogged, and you assault his owner. If the Jacksons lay complaints against you, it is quite probable thatyou may have to leave the State. What on earth can have influenced youto act in such a mad-brained way?"

"I did not interfere to prevent his flogging the slave, mother, but toprevent his flogging the slave's wife, which was pure wanton brutality. It is not a question of slavery one way or the other. Anyone has a rightto interfere to put a stop to brutality. If I saw a man brutallytreating a horse or a dog, I should certainly do so; and if it is rightto interfere to save a dumb animal from brutal ill-treatment, surely itmust be justifiable to save a woman in the same case. I am not anAbolitionist. That is to say, I consider that slaves on a properlymanaged estate, like ours for instance, are just as well off as are thelaborers on an estate in Europe; but I should certainly like to see lawspassed to protect them from ill-treatment. Why, in England there arelaws against cruelty to animals; and a man who brutally flogged a dog ora horse would get a month's imprisonment with hard labor. I consider ita disgrace to us that a man here may ill-treat a human being worse thanhe might in England a dumb animal. "

"You know, Vincent, " his mother said more quietly, "that I object asmuch as you do to the ill-treatment of the slaves, and that the slaveshere, as on all well-conducted plantations in Virginia, are welltreated; but this is not a time for bringing in laws or carrying outreforms. It is bad enough to have scores of Northerners doing their bestto stir up mischief between masters and slaves, without a Southerngentleman mixing himself up in the matter. We have got to stand togetheras one people and to protect our State rights from interference. "

"I am just as much in favor of State rights as anyone else, mother; andif, as seems likely, the present quarrel is to be fought out, I hope Ishall do my best for Virginia as well as other fellows of my own age. But just as I protest against any interference by the Northerners withour laws, I say that we ought to amend our laws so as not to give themthe shadow of an excuse for interference. It is brutes like the Jacksonswho afford the materials for libels like 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' upon us asa people; and I can't say that I am a bit sorry for having given thatyoung Jackson what he deserved. "

"Well, I hope there will be no trouble come of it, " Mrs. Wingfield said. "I shouldn't think the Jacksons would like the exposure of their doings, which would be caused by bringing the matter into court; but if they do, you may be quite sure that a jury in Richmond at the present time wouldfind against you. "

"I don't suppose that they will do anything, mother. But if they must, they must; and I don't suppose anything serious will come of it, anyway. "

The next morning Vincent went down early to the stables. As heapproached them Dan came out to meet him. 

"Well, Dan, what's your news?"

"Bery great bobbery ober at Jackson's last night, Massa Vincent. Fust ofall I crept round to de huts ob de field hands. Dey all knew nuffinabout it; but one of dem he goes off and gets to hab a talk with a galemployed in de house who was in de habit of slipping out to see him. Shesay when de young un war carried in de old man go on furious; he bringsuit against you, he hab you punished berry much--no saying what he notgoing to do. After a time de young un come round, he listen to what theold man say for some time; den he answer: 'No use going on like dat. Setall de county families against us if we have suit. As to dat infernalyoung villain, me pay him out some other way. ' Den de old man say he cutde flesh off de bones ob dat nigger; but de young one say: 'Mustn't dodat. You sure to hear about it, and make great bobbery. Find some oderway to punish him. ' Den dey talk together for some time, but girl nothear any more. "

"Well, then, there will be no suit anyhow, " Vincent said. "As to payingme out some other way, I will look after myself, Dan. I believe thatfellow Jackson is capable of anything, and I will be on the lookout forhim. "

"Be sure you do, Massa Vincent. You ride about a great deal, dat fellowbery like take a shot at you from behind tree. Don't you go near datplantation, or sure enuff trouble come. "

"I will look out, Dan. There is one thing, I always ride fast; and itwants a very good shot to hit one at a gallop. I don't think they willtry that; for if he missed, as he would be almost sure to do, it wouldbe a good deal worse for him than this affair would have been had hebrought it into court. You keep your ears open, Dan, and find out howthey are thinking of punishing that poor follow for my interference onhis behalf. "

After breakfast a negro arrived with a note for Mrs. Wingfield from Mr. Jackson, complaining of the unwarrantable and illegal interference byher son on behalf of a slave who was being very properly punished forgross misconduct; and of the personal assault upon his son. The writersaid that he was most reluctant to take legal proceedings against amember of so highly respected a family, but that it was impossible thathe could submit to such an outrage as this. 

Although Mrs. Wingfield had expressed her disapproval of Vincent'sconduct on the evening before, there was no trace of that feeling in herreply to this letter. She wrote in the third person, coldlyacknowledging the receipt of Mr. Jackson's letter, and saying that shehad heard from her son of his interference to put a stop to one of thosebrutal scenes which brought discredit upon the Southern States, and thatshe considered he had most rightly punished Mr. Jackson, Jr. , for hisinhuman and revolting conduct; that she was perfectly aware theinterference had been technically illegal, but that her son was fullyprepared to defend his conduct if called upon to do so in the courts, and to pay any fine that might be inflicted for his suffering himself tobe carried away by his righteous indignation. She ended by saying thatas Mr. Jackson was a stranger in Virginia, he was perhaps not aware thatthe public sentiment of that State was altogether opposed to such actsof brutality as that of which his son had been guilty. 

"What have you been doing to that fellow Andrew Jackson?" one ofVincent's friends, a young fellow two years older than himself, said tohim a few days later. "There were a lot of us talking over thingsyesterday, in Richmond, and he came up and joined in. Something was saidabout Abolitionists, and he said that he should like to see everyAbolitionist in the State strung up to a tree. He is always prettyviolent, as you know; but on the present occasion he went further thanusual, and then went on to say that the worst and most dangerousAbolitionists were not Northern men, but Southerners, who were traitorsto their State. He said: 'For example, there is that young Wingfield. Hehas been to England, and has come back with his head filled withAbolitionist notions;' and that such opinions at the present time were adanger to the State. 

"Two or three of us took the matter up, as you might guess, and told himhe had better mind what he was saying or it would be the worse for him. Harry Furniss went so far as to tell him that he was a liar, and that ifhe didn't like that he could have satisfaction in the usual way. MasterJackson didn't like it, but muttered something and slunk off. What's thematter between you?"

"I should not have said anything about it, " Vincent replied, "if Jacksonhad chosen to hold his tongue; but as he chooses to go about attackingme, there is no reason why I should keep the matter secret. " And he thenrelated what had taken place. 

The young Virginian gave a low whistle. 

"I don't say I blame you, Wingfield; but I tell you, you might have gotyourself into an awful mess if the Jacksons had chosen to take it up. You know how hot the feeling is at present, and it is a serious matterat any time to interfere between a master and his slaves in the SouthernStates. Of course among us our feelings would be all against Jackson;but among the poorer class of whites, who have been tremendously excitedby the speeches, both in the North and here, the cry of Abolitionist atthe present moment is like a red rag to a bull. However, I understandnow the fellow's enmity to you. 

"None of us ever liked him when he was at school with us. He is anevil-tempered brute, and I am afraid you may have some trouble with him. If he goes about talking as he did to us, he would soon get up a feelingagainst you. Of course it would be nonsense to openly accuse a member ofan old Virginian family of being an Abolitionist; but it would be easyenough to set a pack of the rough classes of the town against you, andyou might get badly mauled if they caught you alone. The fellow isevidently a coward, or he would have taken up what Furniss said; but acoward who is revengeful is a good deal more dangerous than an open foe. However, I will talk it over with some of the others, and we will see ifwe can't stop Andrew Jackson's mouth. "

The result of this was that the next day half a dozen of Vincent'sfriends wrote a joint letter to Andrew Jackson, saying that theyregarded his statements respecting Vincent as false and calumnious, andthat if he repeated them they would jointly and severally hold himresponsible; and that if, as a result of such accusations, any harmhappened to Vincent, they should know where to look for the originatorof the mischief, and punish him accordingly. 

"You should be more careful, Andrew, " his father said, as, white withfury, he showed him his letter. "It was you who were preaching prudencethe other day and warning me against taking steps that would set all thecounty families against us; and now, you see, you have been letting yourtongue run, and have drawn this upon yourself. Keep quiet for thepresent, my son; all sorts of things may occur before long, and you willget your chance. Let this matter sleep for the present. "

A day or two later when Vincent went down to the stables he saw that Danhad something to tell him and soon found out that he wished to speak tohim alone. 

"What is your news, Dan?"

"I heard last night, Marse Vincent, dat old man Jackson is going to sellDinah; dat de wife ob de man dey flogged. "

"They are going to sell her!" Vincent repeated indignantly. "What arethey going to do that for?"

"To punish Tony, sah. Dar am no law against dar selling her. I hear datdey are going to sell two oder boys, so dat it cannot be said dat dey doit on purpose to spite Tony. I reckon, sah, dey calculate dat when deysell his wife Tony get mad and run away, and den when dey catch himagain dey flog him pretty near to death. Folk always do dat with runawayslaves; no one can say nuffin agin dem for dat. "

"It's an infamous shame that it should be lawful to separate man andwife, " Vincent said. "However, we will see what we can do. You manage topass the word to Tony to keep up his spirits, and not let them drive himto do anything rash. Tell him I will see that his wife does not getinto bad hands, I suppose they will sell the baby too?"

"Yes. Marse Vincent. Natural the baby will go wid de modder. "

Vincent watched the list of advertisements of slaves to be sold, and aday or two later saw a notice to the effect that Dinah Moore, agetwenty-two, with a male baby at her breast, would be sold on thefollowing Saturday. He mounted his horse and rode into Richmond. He hadnot liked to speak to his mother on the subject, for she had not toldhim of the letter she had written to Jackson; and he thought that shemight disapprove of any interference in the matter, consequently he wentdown to Mr. Renfrew, the family solicitor. 

"Mr. Renfrew, " he said, "I want some money; can you lend it me?"

"You want money, " the solicitor said in surprise. "What on earth do youwant money for? and if you want it why don't you ask your mother for it?How much do you want?"

"I don't know exactly. About eight hundred dollars, I should think;though it may be a thousand. I want to buy a slave. "

"You want to buy a slave!" repeated Mr. Renfrew. "What on earth do youwant to buy a slave for? You have more than you want now at theOrangery. "

"It's a slave that man Jackson is going to sell next Saturday, onpurpose to spite the poor creature's husband and drive him todesperation, " and Vincent then repeated the whole story of thecircumstances that had led up to the sale. 

"It is very abominable on the part of these Jacksons, " Mr. Renfrew said, "but your interference was most imprudent, my young friend; and as yousee, it has done harm rather than good. If you are so quixotic as tobecome the champion of every ill-treated slave in the State, your workis pretty well cut out for you. "

"I know that, sir, " Vincent replied, smiling, "and I can assure you Idid not intend to enter upon any such crusade; but, you see, I havewrongly or rightly mixed myself up in this, and I want to repair themischief which, as you say, I have caused. The only way I can see is tobuy this negress and her baby. "

"But I do not see that you will carry out your object if you do, Vincent. She will be separated just as much from her husband if you buyher as if anyone else does. He is at one plantation and she is atanother, and were they ten miles apart or a hundred, they are equallyseparated. "

"I quite see that, Mr. Renfrew; but, at least she will be kindlytreated, and his mind will be at rest on that score. Perhaps some day orother the Jacksons may put him up for sale, and then I can buy him, andthey will be reunited. At any rate, the first step is to buy her. Canyou let me have the money? My mother makes me a very good allowance. "

"And I suppose you spend it, " the lawyer interrupted. 

"Well, yes, I generally spend it; but then, you see, when I come of ageI come in for the outlying estates. "

"And if you die before, or get shot, or any other accident befalls you, "Mr. Renfrew said, "they go to your sisters. However, one must risksomething for a client, so I will lend you the money. I had better putsomebody up to bid for you, for after what has happened the Jacksonswould probably not let her go if they knew that you were going to be thepurchaser. "

"Thank you very much, " Vincent said warmly; "it will be a great weightoff my mind, " and with a light heart he rode back to the Orangery. 

Vincent said nothing during the next two days to any of his friends asto the course the Jacksons were taking in selling Tony's wife; for hethought that if the news got about, some one of his friends who hadheard the circumstances might go down to the auction and make such ademonstration that Jackson would be obliged to withdraw Dinah from thesale, in which case he could no doubt dispose of her privately. On theSaturday he mounted his horse and rode into Richmond, telling Dan tomeet him there. At the hour the sale was announced he went to the yardwhere it was to take place. 

This was a somewhat quiet and secluded place; for although the sale ofslaves was permitted by law in Virginia, at any rate these auctions wereconducted quietly and with as little publicity as possible. For althoughthe better classes still regarded slavery as a necessary institution, they were conscious that these sales, involving as they did theseparation of families, were indefensible, and the more thoughtful wouldgladly have seen them abolished, and a law passed forbidding the sale ofnegroes save as part and parcel of the estate upon which they worked, anexception only being made in the case of gross misconduct. Many of theslave-owners, indeed, forbade all flogging upon their estates, andpunished refractory slaves, in the first place, by the cutting off ofthe privileges they enjoyed in the way of holidays, and if this did notanswer, threatened to sell them--a threat which was, in the vastmajority of cases, quite sufficient to insure good behavior; for theslaves were well aware of the difference between life in thewell-managed establishments in Virginia and that in some of the otherSouthern States. Handing his horse to Dan, Vincent joined a knot of fouror five of his acquaintances who had strolled in from mere curiosity. 

There were some thirty or forty men in the yard, a few of whom had comein for the purpose of buying; but the great majority had only attendedfor the sake of passing an idle hour. Slaves had fallen in value; foralthough all in the South professed their confidence that the law wouldnever attempt by force of arms to prevent their secession, it was feltthat slave property would in future be more precarious, for the Northwould not improbably repeal the laws for the arrest of fugitive slaves, and consequently all runaways who succeeded in crossing the border wouldbe lost to their masters. 

Upon the other side of the yard Vincent saw Andrew Jackson talking totwo or three men who were strangers to him, and who, he guessed, werebuyers from some of the more southern States. There were in all twelvelots to be disposed of. Of these two or three were hands who were nolonger fit for field work, and who were bought at very low prices by menwho owned but a few acres of land, and who could utilize them for oddjobs requiring but little strength. Then there was a stir of attention. Dinah Moore took her stand upon the platform, with her baby in her arms. The message which Dan had conveyed from Vincent to her husband had givenher some hope, and though she looked scared and frightened as sheclasped her babe to her breast, she was not filled with such utterdespair as would otherwise have been the case. 

The auctioneer stated the advantages of the lot in the same businesslike tone as if he had been selling a horse. 

"Lot 6. Negro wench, Dinah; age twenty-two; with male child. Strong andwell made, as you see, gentlemen; fit for field work, or could be made auseful hand about the house; said to be handy and good-tempered. Nowgentlemen, what shall we say for this desirable lot?"

One of the men standing by Andrew Jackson bid a hundred dollars. The bidwas raised to a hundred and fifty by a rough-looking fellow standing infront of the platform. For some time the bidding was confined to thesetwo, and it rose until it reached seven hundred and fifty, at whichpoint the man near the platform retired, and there was a pause. 

Vincent felt uncomfortable. He had already been round to Mr. Renfrew, who had told him that he had deputed an agent to buy; and until the mannear the platform stopped he had supposed that he was the solicitor'sagent. 

"Now, gentlemen, " the auctioneer said, "surely you are not going to letthis desirable piece of property go for seven fifty? She would be cheapat double the price. I have sold worse articles for three thousand. "

"I will go another twenty-five dollars, " a tall man in homespun and aplanter's broad straw hat said quietly. 

The contest now recommenced, and by bids of twenty-five dollars at atime the amount was raised to twelve hundred and fifty dollars. 

"That's enough for me, " the man standing by Andrew Jackson said; "he mayhave her at twelve fifty, and dear enough, too, as times go. "

"Will anyone else make an offer?" the auctioneer asked. There was noresponse, and the hammer fell. 

"What name?"

"Nathaniel Forster, " the tall man said; and advancing to the table hecounted out a roll of notes and gave them to the auctioneer, who handedto him a formal note certifying to his having legally purchased DinahMoore and her infant, late the property of Andrew Jackson, Esquire, ofthe Cedars, State of Virginia. 

The purchaser had evidently made up his mind beforehand to secure thelot, for he handed a parcel he had been holding to Dinah, and saidbriefly, "Slip those things on, my lass. "

The poor girl, who had before been simply attired in the scantiest ofpetticoats, retired to a corner of the yard, and speedily came forwardagain dressed in a neat cotton gown. There were several joking remarksmade by the bystanders, but Dinah's new master took no notice of them, but with a motion of his hand to her to follow him, walked out of theyard. 

A minute later Vincent followed, and although he had no doubt that theman was the agent Mr. Renfrew had employed, he did not feel thoroughlysatisfied until he saw them enter the lawyer's office. He quicklyfollowed. They had just entered the private room of Mr. Renfrew. 

"That's right, Wingfield, " the lawyer said. "You see we have settled thebusiness satisfactorily, and I think you have got a fairly cheapbargain. Just wait a minute and we will complete the transaction. "

Dinah gave a start as Vincent entered, but with the habitualself-repression of a slave, she stood quietly in the corner to which shehad withdrawn at the other end of the room. 

The lawyer was busy drawing up a document, and, touching a bell, ordereda clerk to go across to Mr. Rawlins, justice of the peace, and ask himto step across the road. 

In a minute Mr. Rawlins entered. 

"I want you to witness a deed of sale of a slave, " Mr. Renfrew said. "Here are the particulars: 'Nathaniel Forster sells to Vincent Wingfieldhis slave, Dinah Moore and her male infant, for the sum of fourteenhundred dollars. ' These are the parties. Forster, sign this receipt. "

The man did so. The justice put his signature as witness to thetransaction, dropped into his pocket the fee of five dollars that thelawyer handed to him, and without a word strolled out again. 

"There, Dinah, " Mr. Renfrew said, "Mr. Wingfield is now your master. "

The girl ran forward, fell on her knees before Vincent, seized his handand kissed it, sobbing out her thanks as she did so. 

"There, that will do, Dinah, " the lawyer said, seeing that Vincent wasconfused by her greeting. "I think you are a lucky girl, and have made agood exchange for the Orangery instead of the Cedars. I don't supposeyou will find Mr. Wingfield a very hard master. What he is going to dowith you I am sure I don't know. "

Vincent now went to the door and called in Dan and told him to takeDinah to the Orangery, then mounting his horse he rode off home toprepare his mother for the reception of his new purchase. 

CHAPTER III. 

AIDING A RUNAWAY. 

"Well, you are an extraordinary boy, Vincent, " Mrs. Wingfield said asher son told her the story, while his sister burst into fits of laughterat the idea of Vincent owning a female slave with a baby. "Why did younot tell me that you wanted the money, instead of going to Mr. Renfrew?I shall tell him I am very angry with him for letting you have it forsuch a purpose. "

"I was not sure whether you would let me have it, mother; and if you hadrefused, and I had got it afterward from Mr. Renfrew, I should not haveliked to bring her home here. "

"That would have been fun, " Annie said. "Fancy Vincent's troubles with afemale slave on his hands and nowhere to put her. What would you havedone, Vincent?"

"I suppose I could have got a home for her somewhere, " Vincent saidquietly. "I don't think there would have been any difficulty about that. Still I am glad I didn't have to do so, and one slave more or less canmake no difference here. "

"Not at all, " Mrs. Wingfield said; "I dare say Chloe will find somethingfor her to do in the way of washing, and such other light work that sheis fit for about the house. It is not that, but it is years since aslave was brought into the Orangery; never since I can remember. Weraise more than we want ourselves; and when I see all those childrenabout, I wonder sometimes what on earth we are to find for them all todo. Still, it was a scandalous thing of that man Jackson selling thegirl to punish her husband; and, as you say, it was your foolishinterference in the matter that brought it about, so I do not know thatI can blame you for doing what you can to set the matter straight. Still, except that the knowledge that she is here, and will be welltreated, will be a comfort to the man, I do not see that he will be muchbetter off, unless, indeed, the Jacksons should try to sell him also, inwhich case I suppose you will want to buy him. "

"I am afraid they won't do that, mother. Still, somehow or other, intime they may come together again. "

"I don't see how they can, Vincent. However, we need not think of thatnow. At any rate I hope there will be no further opportunity for yourmixing yourself up in this business. You have made two bitter enemiesnow, and although I do not see that such people as these can do you anyharm, it is always well not to make enemies, especially in times likethese when no one can foresee exactly what may occur. "

And so Dinah Moore became an inmate of the Orangery; and though thegirls had laughed at their brother, they were very kind to her when shearrived with Dan, and made much of her and of her baby. The same nightDan went over to the Cedars, and managed to have an interview with Tony, and to tell him that his wife had been bought by Vincent. The joy of thenegro was extreme. The previous message had raised his hopes thatVincent would succeed in getting her bought by someone who would be kindto her, but he knew well that she might nevertheless fall to the lot ofsome higher bidder and be taken hundreds of miles away, and that hemight never again get news of her whereabouts. He had then sufferedterrible anxiety all day, and the relief of learning that Vincenthimself had bought her, and that she was now installed as a houseservant at the Orangery, but a few miles away, was quite overpowering, and for some minutes he could only gasp out his joy and thankfulness. Hecould hope now that when better times came he might be able to stealaway some night and meet her, and that some day or other, though how hecould not see, they might be reunited. The Jacksons remained inignorance that their former slave was located so near to them. 

It was for this reason that Mr. Renfrew had instructed his agent to buyher in his own name instead of that of Vincent; and the Jacksons, havingno idea of the transfer that had subsequently taken place, took nofurther interest in the matter, believing that they had achieved theirobject of torturing Tony, and avenging upon him the humiliation thatAndrew had suffered at Vincent's hands. Had they questioned theirslaves, and had these answered them truly, they would have discoveredthe facts. For although Tony himself said no word to anyone of what hehad learned from Dan, the fact that Dinah was at the Orangery wasspeedily known among the slaves; for the doings at one plantation weresoon conveyed to the negroes on the others by the occasional visitswhich they paid at night to each other's quarters, or to some commonrendezvous far removed from interruption. 

Occasionally Tony and Dinah met. Dan would come up late in the eveningto the house, and a nod to Dinah would be sufficient to send her flyingdown the garden to a clump of shrubs, where he would be waiting for her. At these stolen meetings they were perfectly happy; for Tony said noword to her of the misery of his life--how he was always put to thehardest work and beaten on the smallest pretext, how in fact his lifewas made so unendurable that the idea of running away and taking to theswamps was constantly present to him. 

As to making his way north, it did not enter his mind as possible. Slaves did, indeed, at times succeed in traveling through the NorthernStates and making their way to Canada, but this was only possible bymeans of the organization known as the underground railway, anassociation consisting of a number of good people who devoted themselvesto the purpose, giving shelter to fugitive slaves during the day, andthen passing them on to the next refuge during the night. For in theNorthern States as well as the Southern any negro unprovided with papersshowing that he was a free man was liable to be arrested and sent backto the South a prisoner, large rewards being given to those who arrestedthem. 

As he was returning from one of these interviews with his wife, Tony wasdetected by the overseer, who was strolling about around the slaves'quarters, and was next morning flogged until he became insensible. Soterrible was the punishment that for some days he was unable to walk. Assoon as he could get about he was again set to work, but the followingmorning he was found to be missing. Andrew Jackson at once rode intoRichmond, and in half an hour placards and handbills were printedoffering a reward for his capture. These were not only circulated in theneighborhood, but were sent off to all the towns and villages throughwhich Tony might be expected to pass in the endeavor to make his waynorth. Vincent soon learned from Dan what had taken place. 

"You have no idea, I suppose, Dan, as to which way he is likely to go?"

Dan shook his head. 

"Me suppose, massa, dat most likely he gone and hidden in de great woodsby the James River. Bery difficult to find him dere. "

"Difficult to find him, no doubt, " Vincent agreed. "But he could notstop there long--he would find nothing to eat in the woods; and thoughhe might perhaps support himself for a time on corn or roots from theclearings scattered about through the James Peninsula, he must sooner orlater be caught. "

"Dar are runaways in de woods now, Marse Vincent, " Dan said; "some obdem hab been dar for months. "

"But how do they live, Dan?"

"Well, sar, you see dey hab friends on de plantations; and sometimes atnight one of de slaves will steal away wid a basket ob yams and corncakes and oder things and put dem down in a certain place in de forest, and next morning, sure enough, dey will be gone. Dangerous work, dat, massa; because if dey caught with food, it know for sure dat dey carryit to runaway, and den you know dey pretty well flog the life out ofdem. "

"Yes, I know, Dan; it is a very serious matter hiding a runaway slave, and even a white man would be very heavily punished, and perhapslynched, if caught in the act. Well, make what inquiries you can amongthe slaves, and find out if you can whether any of those Jacksons havean idea which way Tony has gone. But do not go yourself on to Jackson'splace; if you were caught there now it would be an awkward matter forboth of us. "

"I will find out, Marse Vincent; but I don't s'pose Tony said a word toany of the others. He know well enough dat de Jacksons questioneberyone pretty sharp, and perhaps flog dem all round to find out if deyknow anything. He keep it to himself about going away, for suah. "

The Jacksons kept up a vigorous hunt after their slave, and day afterday parties of men ranged through the woods, but without discovering anytraces of him. Bloodhounds were employed the first day, but before thesecould be fetched from Richmond the scent had grown cold; for Tony hadgone off as soon as the slaves had been shut up for the night, and haddirectly he left the hut wrapped leaves round his feet, therefore thehounds when they arrived from Richmond were unable to take up the scent. 

A week after Tony's escape Vincent returned late one evening from avisit to some friends. Dan, as he took his horse, whispered to him:"Stop a little on your way to house, Marse Vincent; me hab someting totell you. "

"What is it, Dan?" Vincent asked as the lad, after putting up his horsein the stable, came running up to him. 

"Me have seen Tony, sah. He in de shrubs ober dar. He want to see Dinah, but me no take message till me tell you about him. He half starved, sah;me give him some yams. "

"That's right, Dan. "

"He pretty nigh desperate, sah; he say dey hunt him like wild beast. "

"I will see him, Dan. If I can help him in any way I will do so. Unfortunately I do not know any of the people who help to get slavesaway, so I can give him no advice as to the best way to proceed. Still Imight talk it over with him. When I have joined him, do you go up to thehouse and tell Chloe from me to give you a pile of corn cakes--it's nouse giving him flour, for he would be afraid to light a fire to cook it. Tell her to give you, too, any cold meat there may be in the house. Don't tell Dinah her husband is here till we have talked the matterover. "

Dan led Vincent up to a clump of bushes. 

"It am all right, Tony, " he said; "here is Massa Vincent come to seeyou. "

The bushes parted and Tony came out into the full moonlight. He lookedhaggard and worn; his clothes were torn into strips by the bushes. 

"My poor fellow, " Vincent said kindly, "I am sorry to see you in such astate. "

A great sob broke from the black. 

"De Lord bless you, sah, for your goodness and for saving Dinah from dehands of dose debils! Now she safe wid you and de child, Tony no carebery much what come to him--de sooner he dead de better. He wish dat oneday when dey flog him dey had kill him altogether; den all de trouble atan end. Dey hunt him ebery day with dogs and guns, and soon they catchhim. No can go on much longer like dis. To-day me nearly gib myself up. Den me thought me like to see Dinah once more to say good-by, so makegreat effort and ran a bit furder. "

"I have been thinking whether it would be possible to plan some way foryour escape, Tony. "

The negro shook his head. 

"Dar never escape, sah, but to get to Canada; dat too far, anyway. Notpossible to walk all dat way and get food by the road. Suah to becaught. "

"No, I do not think it will be possible to escape that way, Tony. Theonly possible plan would be to get you on board some ship going toEngland. "

"Ships not dare take negro on board, " Tony said. "Me heard dat said manytimes--dat against de law. "

"Yes, I know it's against the law, " Vincent said, "and it's against thelaw my talking to you here, Tony; but you see it's done. The difficultyis how to do it. All vessels are searched before they start, and anofficer goes down with them past Fortress Monroe to see that they takeno one on board. Still it is possible. Of course there is risk in thematter; but there is risk in everything. I will think it over. Do notlose heart. Dan will be back directly with enough food to last you forsome days. If I were you I would take refuge this time in White OakSwamp. It is much nearer, and I hear it has already been searched fromend to end, so they are not likely to try again; and if you hear themyou can, if you are pressed, cross the Chickahominy and make downthrough the woods. Do you come again on Saturday evening--that will giveme four days to see what I can do. I may not succeed, you know; for thepenalty is so severe against taking negroes on board that I may not beable to find anyone willing to risk it. But it is worth trying. "

"De Lord bless you, sah!" Tony said. "I will do juss what you tell me;but don't you run no risks for me, my life aint worth dat. "

"I will take care, Tony. And now here comes Dan with the provisions. "

"Can I see Dinah, sah?" Tony pleaded. 

"I think you had better not, " Vincent replied. "You see the Jacksonsmight at any moment learn that she is here, and then she might bequestioned whether she had seen you since your escape; and it would bemuch better for her to be able to deny having done so. But you shall seeher next time you come, whether I am able to make any arrangements foryour escape or not. I will let her know to-morrow morning that I haveseen you, and that you are safe at present. "

The next morning Vincent rode over to City Point, where ships with alarge draught of water generally brought up, either transferring theirgoods into smaller craft to be sent up by river to Richmond, or to becarried on by rail through the town of Petersburg. Leaving his horse ata house near the river, he crossed the James in a boat to City Point. There were several vessels lying here, and for some hours he hung aboutthe wharf watching the process of discharging. By the end of that timehe had obtained a view of all the captains, and had watched them as theygave their orders, and had at last come to the conclusion as to whichwould be the most likely to suit his purpose. Having made up his mind, he waited until the one he had fixed upon came ashore. He was a man ofsome five and thirty years old, with a pleasant face and good-naturedsmile. He first went into some offices on the wharf, and half an hourlater came out and walked toward the railway station. Vincent at oncefollowed him, and as he overtook him said:

"I want very much to speak to you, sir, if you could spare me a minuteor two. "

"Certainly, " the sailor said, with some surprise. "The train forPetersburg does not go for another half hour. What can I do for you?"

"My name is Vincent Wingfield. My father was an English officer, and mymother is the owner of some large estates near Richmond. I am mostanxious to get a person in whom I am interested on board ship, and I donot know how to set about it. "

"There's no difficulty about that, " the captain said, smiling; "you haveonly to go to an office and pay for his passage to where he wants togo. "

"I can't do that, " Vincent replied; "for unfortunately it is against thelaw for any captain to take him. "

"You mean he is a negro?" the captain asked, stopping short in his walkand looking sharply at Vincent. 

"Yes, that is what I mean, " Vincent said. "He is a negro who has beenbrutally ill-treated and has run away from his master, and I wouldwillingly give a hundred pounds to get him safely away. "

"This is a very serious business in which you are meddling, young sir, "the sailor said. "Putting aside the consequences to yourself, you areasking me to break the law and to run the risk of the confiscation of myship. Even if I were willing to do what you propose, it would beimpossible, for the ship will be searched from end to end before thehatches are closed, and an official will be on board until we dischargethe pilot after getting well beyond the mouth of the river. "

"Yes, I know that, " Vincent replied; "but my plan was to take a boatand go out beyond the sight of land, and then to put him on board afteryou have got well away. "

"That might be managed, certainly, " the captain said. "It would becontrary to my duty to do anything that would risk the property of myemployers; but if when I am out at sea a boat came alongside, and apassenger came on board, it would be another matter. I suppose, younggentleman, that you would not interfere in such a business, and run therisk that you certainly would run if detected, unless you were certainthat this was a deserving case, and that the man has committed no sortof crime; for I would not receive on board my ship a fugitive fromjustice, whether he was black or white. "

"It is indeed a deserving case, " Vincent said earnestly. "The poorfellow has the misfortune of belonging to one of the worst masters inthe State. He has been cruelly flogged on many occasions, and wasfinally driven to run away by their selling his wife and child. "

"The brutes!" the sailor said. "How you people can allow such a thing tobe done is a mystery to me. Well, lad, under those circumstances I willagree to do what you ask me, and if your boat comes alongside when I amso far away from land that it cannot be seen, I will take the man toEngland. "

"Thank you very much indeed, " Vincent said; "you will be doing a goodaction. Upon what day do you sail?"

"I shall drop down on Monday into Hampton Roads, and shall get up sailat daylight next morning. I shall pass Fortress Monroe at about seven inthe morning, and shall sail straight out. "

"And how shall I know your ship?" Vincent asked. "There may be othersstarting just about the same time. "

The sailor thought for a moment. "When I am four or five miles out Iwill hoist my owner's flag at the fore-masthead. It is a red flag with awhite ball, so you will be able to make it out a considerable distanceaway. You must not be less than ten or twelve miles out, for the pilotoften does not leave the ship till she is some miles past FortressMonroe, and the official will not leave the ship till he does. I willkeep a sharp lookout for you, but I cannot lose any time in waiting. Ifyou do not come alongside I shall suppose that you have met with someinterruption to your plans. "

"Thank you very much, sir. Unless something goes wrong I shall bealongside on Tuesday. "

"That's settled, " the captain said, "and I must be off, or else I shalllose my train. By the way, when you come alongside do not make any signthat you have met me before. It is just as well that none of my crewshould know that it is a planned thing, for if we ever happen to put inhere again they might blab about it, and it is just as well not to givethem the chance. Good-by, my lad; I hope that all will go well. But, youknow, you are doing a very risky thing; for the assisting a runawayslave to escape is about as serious an offense as you can commit inthese parts. You might shoot half a dozen men and get off scot free, butif you were caught aiding a runaway to escape, there is no saying whatmight come of it. "

After taking leave of the captain, Vincent recrossed the river and rodehome. He had friends whose fathers' estates bordered some on the Jamesand others on the York River, and all of these had pleasure boats. Itwas obviously better to go down the York River, and thence round to themouth of the James at Fortress Monroe, as the traffic on the York wascomparatively small, and it was improbable that he would be noticedeither going down or returning. He had at first thought of hiring afishing boat from some of the free negroes who made their living on theriver. But he finally decided against this; for the fact of the boatbeing absent so long would attract its owner's attention, and in caseany suspicion arose that the fugitive had escaped by water, the hiringof a boat by one who had already befriended the slave and its absencefor so long a time, would be almost certain to cause suspicion to bedirected toward him. He therefore decided upon borrowing a boat from afriend, and next morning rode to the plantation of the father of HarryFurniss, this being in a convenient position on the Pamunky, one of thebranches of the York River. 

"Are you using that sailboat of yours at present, Harry? Because, ifnot, I wish you would let me have the use of it for a week or so. "

"With pleasure, Vincent; and my fishing lines and nets as well, if youlike. We very seldom use the boat. Do you mean to keep it here or moveit higher up the river, where it would be more handy for you, perhaps?"

"I think I would rather leave it here, Furniss. A mile or two extra toride makes no difference. I suppose it's in the water?"

"Yes; at the foot of the boathouse stairs. There is a padlock and chain. I will give you the key, so you can go off whenever you like withoutbothering to come up to the house. If you just call in at the stable asyou ride by, one of the boys will go down with you and take your horse, and put him up till you come back again. "

"That will do capitally, " Vincent replied. "It is some time since I wason the water, and I seem to have a fancy for a change at present. One issick of riding into Richmond and hearing nothing but politics talked of. Don't be alarmed if you hear at any time that the boat has not come backat night, for if tide and wind are unfavorable at any time, I might stopat Cumberland for the night. "

"I have often had to do that, " Furniss said. "Besides, if you took itaway for a week I don't suppose anyone would notice it; for no one goesdown to the boathouse unless to get the boat ready for a trip. "

The next day Vincent rode over to his friend's plantation, sending Danoff an hour beforehand to bale out the boat and get the masts and sailsinto her from the boathouse. The greater part of the next two days wasspent on the water, sometimes sailing, sometimes fishing. The eveningof the second of these days was that upon which Vincent had arranged tomeet Tony again, and an hour after dark he went down through the gardento the stable; for that was the time the fugitive was to meet him, forhe could not leave his place of concealment until night fell. Afterlooking at the horses, and giving some instructions to the negroes incharge, he returned to the shrubbery, and, sending Dan up to summonDinah, he went to the bushes where he had before met Tony. The negrocame out as he approached. 

"How are you, Tony?"

"Much better dan I was, massa. I have not been disturbed since I sawyou, and, thanks to dat and to de good food and to massa's kind words, I'm stronger and better now, and ready to do whatever massa think best. "

"Well, Tony, I am glad to say that I think I have arranged a plan bywhich you will be got safely out of the country. Of course, it may fail;but there is every hope of success. I have arranged for a boat, andshall take you down the river, and put you on board a ship bound forEngland. "

The black clapped his hands in delight at the news. 

"When you get there you will take another ship out to Canada, and assoon as I learn from you that you are there, and what is your address, Iwill give Dinah her papers of freedom and send her on to you. "

"Oh! massa, it is too much, " Tony said, with the tears running down hischeeks; "too much joy altogeder. "

"Well, I hope it will all come right, Tony. Dinah will be here in aminute or two. Do not keep her long, for I do not wish her absence fromthe house to be observed just now. Now, listen to my instructions. Doyou know the plantation of Mr. Furniss, on the Pamunky, near CoalHarbor?"

"No, sir; but me can find out. "

"No, you can't; because you can't see anyone or ask questions. Verywell, then, you must be here again to-morrow night at the same hour. Danwill meet you here, and act as your guide. He will presently bring youprovisions for to-morrow. Be sure you be careful, Tony, and get back toyour hiding place as soon as you can, and lie very quiet to-morrow untilit is time to start. It would be terrible if you were to be caught now, just as we have arranged for you to get away. "

On the following afternoon Vincent told his mother that he was goingover that evening to his friend Furniss, as an early start was to bemade next morning; they intended to go down the river as far asYorktown, if not further; that he certainly should not be back for twodays, and probably might be even longer. 

"This new boating freak of yours, Vincent, seems to occupy all yourthoughts. I wonder how long it will last. "

"I don't suppose it will last much longer, mother, " Vincent said, with alaugh. "Anyhow, it will make a jolly change for a week. One has got sosick of hearing nothing talked about but secession, that a week withouthearing the word mentioned will do one lots of good, and I am sure Ifelt that if one had much more of it, one would be almost driven to takeup the Northern side, just for the sake of a change. "

"We should all disown you, Vin, " Annie said, laughing; "we should havenothing to say to you, and you would be cut by all your friends. "

"Well, you see, a week's sailing and fishing will save me from all that, Annie; and I shall be able to begin again with a fresh stock ofpatience. "

"I believe you are only half in earnest in the cause, Vincent, " hismother said gravely. 

"I am not, indeed, mother. I quite agree with what you and everyone sayas to the rights of the State of Virginia, and if the North shouldreally try to force us and the other Southern States to remain withthem, I shall be just as ready to do everything I can as anyone else;but I can't see the good of always talking about it, and I think it'svery wrong to ill-treat and abuse those who think the other way. InEngland in the Civil War the people of the towns almost all thought oneway, and almost all those of the counties the other, and even nowopinions differ almost as widely as to which was right. I hate to hearpeople always laying down the law as if there could not possibly be twosides to the case, and as if everyone who differed from them must be arascal and a traitor. Almost all the fellows I know say that if it comesto fighting they shall go into the State army, and I should be quitewilling, if they would really take fellows of my age for soldiers, toenlist too; but that is no reason why one should not get sick of hearingnothing but one subject talked of for weeks. "

It was nearly dark when Vincent started for his walk of ten miles; forhe had decided not to take his horse with him, as he had no means ofsending it back, and its stay for three days in his friend's stableswould attract attention to the fact of his long absence. 

After about three hours' walking he reached the boathouse, having seenno one as he passed through the plantation. He took the oars and sailsfrom the boathouse and placed them in the boat, and then sat down in thestern to await the coming of the negroes. In an hour they arrived; Tonycarrying a bundle of clothes that Dan had by Vincent's orders bought forhim in Richmond, while Dan carried a large basket of provisions. Vincentgave an exclamation of thankfulness as he saw the two figures appear, for the day having been Sunday, he knew that a good many men would belikely to join the search parties in hopes of having a share in thereward offered for Tony's capture, and he had felt very anxious all day. 

"You sit in the bottom of the boat, Tony, and do you steer, Dan. Youmake such a splashing with your oar that we should be heard a mile away. Keep us close in shore in the shadow of the trees; the less we arenoticed the better at this time of night. "

Taking the sculls, Vincent rowed quietly away. He had often been out onboating excursions with his friends, and had learned to row fairly. During the last two days he had diligently instructed Dan, and aftertwo long days' work the young negro had got over the first difficulties, but he was still clumsy and awkward. Vincent did not exert himself. Heknew he had a long night's row before him, and he paddled quietly alongwith the stream. The boat was a good-sized one, and when not under sailwas generally rowed by two strong negroes accustomed to the work. 

Sometimes for half an hour at a time Vincent ceased rowing, and let theboat drift along quietly. There was no hurry, for he had a day and twonights to get down to the mouth of the river, a distance of some seventymiles, and out to sea, far enough to intercept the vessel. At fouro'clock they arrived at Cumberland, where the Pamunky and MattaponyRivers unite and form the York River. Here they were in tidal waters;and as the tide, though not strong, was flowing up, Vincent tied theboat to the branch of a tree, and lay down in the bottom for an hour'ssleep, telling Dan to wake him when the tide turned, or if he heard anynoise. Day had broken when the boat drifted round, and Dan aroused him. 

The boat was rowed off to the middle of the river, as there could be nolonger any attempt at concealment. Dan now took the bow oar, and theyrowed until a light breeze sprang up. Vincent then put up the mast, and, having hoisted the sail, took his place at the helm, while Dan wentforward into the bow. They passed several fishing boats, and the smokewas seen curling up from the huts in the clearings scattered here andthere along the shore. The sun had now risen, and its heat was pleasantafter the damp night air. 

Although the breeze was light, the boat made fair way with the tide, andwhen the ebb ceased, at about ten o'clock, the mouth of the river wasbut a few miles away. The mast was lowered and the sails stowed. Theboat was then rowed into a little creek and tied up to the bushes. Thebasket of provisions was opened, and a hearty meal enjoyed, Tony beingnow permitted for the first time to sit up in the boat. After the mealVincent and Dan lay down for a long sleep, while Tony, who had sleptsome hours during the night, kept watch. 

At four in the afternoon the tide again slackened, and as soon as it hadfairly turned they pushed out from the creek and again set sail. Inthree hours they were at the mouth of the river. A short distance outthey saw several fishing boats, and dropping anchor a short distanceaway from these, they lowered their sail, and taking the fishing linesfrom the locker of the boat, set to to fish. As soon as it was quitedark the anchor was hauled up, and Vincent and Dan took the oars, thewind having now completely dropped. For some time they rowed steadily, keeping the land in sight on their right hand. 

Tony was most anxious to help, but as he had never had an oar in hishand in his life, Vincent thought that he would do more harm than good. It was, he knew, some ten miles from the mouth of the York River toFortress Monroe, at the entrance to Hampton Roads, and after rowing forthree hours he thought that he could not be far from that point, andtherefore turned the boat's head toward the sea. They rowed until theycould no longer make out the land astern, and then laying on their oarswaited till the morning, Vincent sitting in the stern and often noddingoff to sleep, while the two negroes kept up a constant conversation inthe bow. 

As soon as it was daylight the oars were again got out. They couldclearly make out the outline of the coast, and saw the break in theshore that marked the entrance to Hampton Roads. There was a lightbreeze now, but Vincent would not hoist the sail lest it might attractthe attention of someone on shore. He did not think the boat itselfcould be seen, as they were some eight or nine miles from the land. Theyrowed for a quarter of an hour, when Vincent saw the white sails of aship coming out from the entrance. 

The breeze was so light that she would, he thought, be nearly threehours before she reached the spot where they were now, and whether sheheaded to the right or left of it he would have plenty of time to cuther off. For another two hours he and Dan rowed steadily. The wind hadfreshened a good deal, and the ship was now coming up fast to them. Twoothers had come out after her, but were some miles astern. They hadalready made out that the ship was flying a flag at her masthead, andalthough they had not been able to distinguish its colors, Vincent feltsure that it was the right ship; for he felt certain that the captainwould get up sail as soon as possible, so as to come up with them beforeany other vessels came out. They had somewhat altered their course, toput themselves in line with the vessel. When she was within a distanceof about a mile and a half Vincent was able to make out the flag, andknew that it was the right one. 

"There's the ship, Tony, " he said; "it is all right, and in a fewminutes you will be on your way to England. "

Tony had already changed his tattered garments for the suit of sailor'sclothes that Dan had bought for him. Vincent had given him fullinstructions as to the course he was to pursue. The ship was bound forLiverpool; on his arrival there he was at once to go round the docks andtake a passage in the steerage of the next steamer going to Canada. 

"The fare will be about five pounds, " he said. "When you get to Canadayou will land at Quebec, and you had better go on by rail to Montreal, where you will, I think, find it easier to get work than at Quebec. Assoon as you get a place you are likely to stop in, get somebody to writefor you to me, giving me your address. Here are a hundred dollars, whichwill be sufficient to pay your expenses to Montreal and leave you aboutfifty dollars to keep you till you can get something to do. "

CHAPTER IV. 

SAFELY BACK. 

When the ship came within a few hundred yards, Vincent stood up andwaved his cap, and a minute later the ship was brought up into the windand her sails thrown aback. The captain appeared at the side and shoutedto the boat, now but fifty yards away. 

"What do you want, there?"

"I have a passenger for England, " Vincent replied. "Will you take him?"

"Come alongside, " the captain said. "Why didn't he come on board beforeI started?"

The boat was rowed alongside, and Vincent climbed on board. The captaingreeted him as a stranger and led the way to his cabin. 

"You have managed that well, " he said, when they were alone, "and I amheartily glad that you have succeeded. I made you out two hours ago. Wewill stop here another two or three minutes, so that the men may thinkyou are bargaining for a passage for the negro, and then the sooner heis on board and you are on your way back the better, for the wind isrising, and I fancy it is going to blow a good deal harder beforenight. "

"And won't you let me pay for the man's passage, captain? It is onlyfair, anyhow, that I should pay for what he will eat. "

"Oh, nonsense!" the captain replied. "He will make himself useful, andpay for his keep. I am only too glad to get the poor fellow off. Now, wewill have a glass of wine together and then say good-by. "

Two minutes later they returned to the deck. Vincent went to the side. 

"Jump on board, Tony. I have arranged for your passage. " The negroclimbed up the side. 

"Good-by, captain, and thank you heartily. Good-by, Tony. "

The negro could not speak, but seized the hand Vincent held out to himand pressed it to his lips. Vincent dropped lightly into his boat andpushed off from the side of the vessel. As he did so he heard ordersshouted, the yards swung round, and the vessel almost at once began tomove through the water. 

"Now, Dan, up with the mast and sail again; but let me put two reefs infirst, the wind is getting up. "

In five minutes the sail was hoisted, and with Vincent at the helm andDan sitting up to windward, was dashing through the water. AlthoughVincent understood the management of a sailing-boat on the calm watersof the rivers, this was his first experience of sea-sailing; andalthough the waves were still but small, he felt somewhat nervous as theboat dashed through them, sending up at times a sheet of spray from herbows. But he soon got over this sensation, and enjoyed the lively motionand fresh wind. The higher points of the land were still visible; buteven had they not been so it would have mattered little, as he had takenthe precaution to bring with him a small pocket-compass. The wind wasfrom the southwest, and he was therefore able, with the sheet hauled in, to make for a point where he judged the mouth of the York River lay. 

"Golly, massa! how de boat do jump up and down. "

"She is lively, Dan, and it would be just as well if we had some ballaston board; however, she has a good beam and walks along splendidly. Ifthe wind keeps as it is, we shall be back at the mouth of the York inthree or four hours. You may as well open that basket again and hand methat cold chicken and a piece of bread; cut the meat off the bones andput it on the bread, for I have only one hand disengaged, and hand methat bottle of cold tea. That's right. Now you had better take somethingyourself. You must be hungry. We forgot all about the basket in ourinterest in the ship. "

Dan shook his head. 

"A little while ago, massa, me seem bery hungry, now me doesn't feelhungry at all. "

"That's bad, Dan. I am afraid you are going to be seasick. "

"Me no feel seasick, massa; only me don't feel hungry. "

But in a few minutes Dan was forced to confess that he did feel ill, anda few moments afterward was groaning in the agonies of seasickness. 

"Never mind, Dan, " Vincent said cheerfully. "You will be better afterthis. "

"Me not seasick, massa; de sea have nuffin to do with it. It's de boatdat will jump up and down instead of going quiet. "

"It's all the same thing, Dan; and I hope she won't jump about morebefore we get into the river. "

But in another half hour Vincent had to bring the boat's head up to thewind, lower the lug, and tie down the last reef. 

"There she goes easier now, Dan, " he said, as the boat resumed hercourse; but Dan, who was leaning helplessly over the side of the boat, could see no difference. 

Vincent, however, felt that under close sail the boat was doing better, and rising more easily on the waves which were now higher and fartherapart than before. In another hour the whole of the shore-line wasvisible; but the wind had risen so much that, even under her reducedsail, the boat had as much as she could carry, and often heeled overuntil her gunwale was nearly under water. Another hour and the shore wasbut some four miles away, but Vincent felt he could no longer hold on. 

In the hands of an experienced sailor, who would have humored the boatand eased her up a little to meet the seas, the entrance to the YorkRiver could no doubt have been reached with safety; but Vincent wasignorant of the art of sailing a boat in the sea, and she was shippingwater heavily. Dan had for some time been baling, having only undertakenthe work in obedience to Vincent's angry orders, being too ill to caremuch what became of them. 

"Now, Dan, I am going to bring her head up to the wind, so get ready tothrow off that halyard and gather in the sail as it comes down. That'sright, man, now down with the mast. "

Vincent had read that the best plan, when caught in an open boat in agale, was to tie the oars and mast, if she had one, together, and tothrow them overboard with the head rope tied to them, as by this meansthe boat would ride head to sea. The oars, sculls, mast, and sail werefirmly tied together and launched overboard, the rope being first takenoff the anchor and tied round the middle of the clump of spars. 

Vincent carefully payed out the rope till some fifteen yards were over, then he fastened it to the ring of the head rope, and had thesatisfaction of finding that the boat rode easily to the floatinganchor, rising lightly over the waves, and not shipping a drop of water. He then took the baler and got rid of the water that had found its wayon board, Dan, after getting down the sail, having collapsed utterly. 

"Now, Dan, sit up; there, man, the motion is much easier now, and we aretaking no water on board. I will give you a glass of rum, that will putnew strength into you. It's lucky we put it in the basket in case ofemergency. "

The negro, whose teeth were chattering from cold, fright, andexhaustion, eagerly drank off the spirit. Vincent, who was wet to theskin with the spray, took a little himself, and then settled himself ascomfortably as he could on the floorboards in the stern of the boat, andquietly thought out the position. The wind was still rising, and a thickhaze obscured the land. He had no doubt that by night it would beblowing a gale; but the boat rode so easily and lightly that he believedshe would get through it. 

They might, it was true, be blown many miles off the shore, and not beable to get back for some time, for the gale might last two or threedays. The basket of provisions was, however, a large one. Dan hadreceived orders to bring plenty and had obeyed them literally, andVincent saw that the supply of food, if carefully husbanded, would lastwithout difficulty for a week. The supply of liquid was lesssatisfactory. There was a bottle of rum, and a two-gallon jar, nearlyhalf empty, of water. The cold tea was finished. 

"That would be a poor supply for a week for two of us, " Vincentmuttered, as he removed the contents of the basket and stored themcarefully in the locker; "however, if it's going to be a gale there issure to be some rain with it, so I think we shall manage very well. "

By night it was blowing real heavily, but although the waves were highthe boat shipped but little water. Dan had fallen off to sleep, andVincent had been glad to wrap himself in the thick coat he had broughtwith him as a protection against the heavy dews when sleeping on theriver. At times sharp rain squalls burst upon them, and Vincent had nodifficulty in filling up the water-bottle again with the baler. 

The water was rather brackish, but not sufficiently so to be ofconsequence. All night the boat was tossed heavily on the waves. Vincentdozed off at times, rousing himself occasionally and baling out thewater, which came in the shape of spray and rain. The prospect in themorning was not cheering. Gray clouds covered the sky and seemed to comedown almost on to the water, the angry sea was crested with white heads, and it seemed to Vincent wonderful that the boat should live in such asea. 

"Now, Dan, wake yourself up and get some breakfast, " Vincent said, stirring up the negro with his foot. 

"Oh, Lor!" Dan groaned, raising himself into a sitting position from thebottom of the boat, "dis am awful; we neber see the shore no more, massa. "

"Nonsense, man, " Vincent said cheerily; "we are getting on capitally. "

"It hab been an awful night, sah. "

"An awful night! You lazy rascal, you slept like a pig all night, whileI have been baling the boat and looking out for you. It is your turnnow, I can tell you. Well, do you feel ready for your breakfast?"

Dan, after a moment's consideration, declared that he was. The feelingof seasickness had passed off, and except that he was wet through andmiserable, he felt himself again, and could have eaten four times theallowance of food that Vincent handed him. A pannikin of rum and waterdid much to restore his life and vitality, and he was soon, with thelight-heartedness of his race, laughing and chatting cheerfully. 

"How long dis go on, you tink, sah?"

"Not long, I hope, Dan. I was afraid last night it was going to be a biggale, but I do not think it is blowing so hard now as it was in thenight. "

"Where have we got to now, sah?"

"I don't exactly know, Dan; but I do not suppose that we are very manymiles away from shore. The mast and oars prevent our drifting fast, andI don't think we are further off now than we were when we left that shipyesterday. But even if we were four or five times as far as that, weshould not take very long in sailing back again when the wind drops; andas we have got enough to eat for a week we need not be uncomfortableabout that. "

"Not much food for a week, Massa Vincent. "

"Not a great deal, Dan; but quite enough to keep us going. You can makeup for lost time when you get to shore again. "

In a few hours it was certain that the wind was going down. By middaythe clouds began to break up, and an hour later the sun was shiningbrightly. The wind was still blowing strongly, but the sea had a verydifferent appearance in the bright light of the sun to that which it hadborne under the canopy of dark gray clouds. Standing up in the boat twohours later, Vincent could see no signs of land. 

"How shall we find our way back, Marse Vincent?"

"We have got a compass; besides, we should manage very well even if wehad not. Look at the sun, Dan. There it is right ahead of us. So, youknow that's the west--that's the way we have to go. "

"That very useful ob de sun, sah; but suppose we not live in de west desun not point de way den. "

"Oh, yes, he would, just the same, Dan. We should know whether to goaway from him, or to keep him on the right hand or on the left. "

This was beyond Dan. "And I s'pose the moon will show de way at night, massa?"

"The moon would show the way if she were up, but she is not always up;but I have got a compass here, and so whether we have the sun or themoon, or neither of them, I can find my way back to land. "

Dan had never seen a compass, and for an hour amused himself turning itround and round and trying to get it to point in some other directionthan the north. 

"Now, Dan, " Vincent said at last, "give me that compass, and get out thefood. We will have a better meal than we did this morning, for now thatthe wind is going down there's no chance of food running short. When wehave had dinner we will get up the sail again. The sea is not so roughas it was, and it is certainly not so high as it was before we loweredthe sail yesterday. "

"De waves bery big, massa. "

"They are big, Dan; but they are not so angry. The heads are notbreaking over as they did last night, and the boat will go better overthese long waves than she did through the choppy sea at the beginning ofthe gale. "

Accordingly the bundle of spars was pulled up alongside and lifted. Themast was set up and the sail hoisted. Dan in a few minutes forgot hisfears and lost even his sense of uneasiness as he found the boat mountedwave after wave without shipping water. Several times, indeed, a showerof spray flew high up in the air, but the gusts no longer buried her sothat the water came over the gunwale, and it was a long time beforethere was any occasion to use the baler. As the sun set it could be seenthat there was a dark line between it and the water. 

"There is the land, Dan; and I do not suppose it is more than twentymiles away, for most of the coast lies low. "

"But how we find de York River, massa? Will de compass tell you dat?"

"No, Dan. I don't know whether we have drifted north or south of it. Atordinary times the current runs up the coast, but the wind this morningwas blowing from the north of west, and may have been doing so allthrough the night for anything I know. Well, the great thing is to makeland. We are almost sure to come across some fishing boats, but, if not, we must run ashore and find a house. "

They continued sailing until Vincent's watch told him it was twelveo'clock, by which time the coast was quite close. The wind now almostdropped, and, lowering their sail, they rowed in until, on lowering theanchor, they found that it touched the ground. Then they lay down andslept till morning. Dan was the first to waken. 

"Dar are some houses dere close down by the shore, sah, and some mengetting out a boat. "

"That's all right, Dan, " Vincent said, as he roused himself and lookedover. "We shall learn soon where we are. "

In a quarter of an hour the fishing boat put off, and the lads at oncerowed to it. 

"How far are we from the mouth of the York River?" Vincent asked the twonegroes on board. 

"About twenty miles, sah. Where you come from?"

"We were off the mouth of the river, and were blown off in the gale. "

"You tink yourself bery lucky you get back, " one of them said. "Beryfoolish to go out like dat when not know how to get back. "

"Well, we have managed to get back now, you see, and none the worse forit. Now, Dan, up with the sail again. "

There was a light wind offshore, and all the reefs being shaken out theboat ran along fast. 

"I should think we are going about five miles an hour, Dan. We ought tobe off the mouth of the river in four hours. We must look out sharp orelse we shall pass it, for many of these islets look just like the mouthof the river. However, we are pretty sure to pass several fishing boatson our way, and we shall be able to inquire from them. "

There was no need, however, to do this. It was just four hours from thetime of starting when they saw some eight or ten fishing boats ahead ofthem. 

"I expect that that is the entrance to the river. When we get half amile further we shall see it open. "

On approaching the fishing boats they recognized at once the appearanceof the shore, as they had noticed it when fishing there before, and weresoon in the entrance to the river. 

"It will be high tide in about two hours, " Vincent said, "according tothe time it was the other day. I am afraid when it turns we shall haveto get down our sails; there will be no beating against both wind andtide. Then we must get out oars and row. There is very little tide closein by the bank, and every little gain will be a help. We have been outfour days. It is Thursday now, and they will be beginning to get veryanxious at home, so we must do our best to get back. "

Keeping close under the bank, they rowed steadily, making on an averageabout two miles an hour. After five hours' rowing they tied up to thebank, had a meal, and rested until tide turned; then they again hoistedtheir sail and proceeded on their way. Tide carried them just up to thejunction of the two rivers, and landing at Cumberland they procured bedsand slept till morning. 

Another long day's work took them up to the plantation of Mr. Furniss, and fastening up the boat, and carrying the sails and oars on shore, they started on their walk home. 

"Why, Vincent, where have you been all this time?" Mrs. Wingfield saidas her son entered. "You said you might be away a couple of nights, andwe expected you back on Wednesday at the latest, and now it is Fridayevening. "

"Well, mother, we have had great fun. We went sailing about right downto the mouth of the York River. I did not calculate that it would takeme more than twice as long to get back as to get down; but as the windblew right down the river it was precious slow work, and we had to rowall the way. However, it has been a jolly trip, and I feel a lot betterfor it. "

"You don't look any better for it, " Annie said. "The skin is all offyour face, and you are as red as fire. Your clothes look shrunk as wellas horribly dirty. You are quite an object, Vincent. "

"We got caught in a heavy gale, " Vincent said, "and got a thoroughducking. As to my face, a day or two will set it all to rights again;and so they will my hands, I hope, for I have got nicely blisteredtugging at those oars. And now, mother, I want some supper, for I am ashungry as a hunter. I told Dan to go into the kitchen and get a goodsquare meal. "

The next morning, just after breakfast, there was the sound of horses'hoofs outside the house, and, looking out, Vincent saw Mr. Jackson, witha man he knew to be the sheriff, and four or five others. A minute laterone of the servants came in, and said that the sheriff wished to speakto Mrs. Wingfield. 

"I will go out to him, " Mrs. Wingfield replied. Vincent followed her tothe door. 

"Mrs. Wingfield, " the sheriff said, "I am the holder of a warrant tosearch your slave-huts and grounds for a runaway negro named AnthonyMoore, the property of Mr. Jackson here. "

"Do you suppose, sir, " Mrs. Wingfield asked angrily, "that I am the sortof person to give shelter to runaway slaves?"

"No, madam, certainly not, " the sheriff replied; "no one would supposefor a moment that Mrs. Wingfield of the Orangery would have anything todo with a runaway, but Mr. Jackson here learned only yesterday that thewife of this slave was here and everyone knows that where the wife isthe husband is not likely to be far off. "

"I suppose, sir, " Mrs. Wingfield said coldly, "that there was nonecessity for me to acquaint Mr. Jackson formally with the fact that Ihad purchased through my agent the woman he sold to separate her fromher husband. "

"By no means, madam, by no means; though, had we known it before, itmight have been some aid to us in our search. Have we your permission tosee this woman and to question her?"

"Certainly not, " Mrs. Wingfield said; "but if you have any question toask I will ask her and give you her answer. "

"We want to know whether she has seen her husband since the day of hisflight from the plantation. "

"I shall certainly not ask her that question, Mr. Sheriff. I have nodoubt that, as the place from which he has escaped is only a few milesfrom here, he did come to see his wife. It would have been very strangeif he did not. I hope that by this time the man is hundreds of milesaway. He was brutally treated by a brutal master, who, I believe, deliberately set to work to make him run away, so that he could hunt himdown and punish him. I presume, sir, you do not wish to search thishouse, and you do not suppose that the man is hidden here. As to theslave-huts and the plantation, you can, of course, search themthoroughly; but as it is now more than a fortnight since the manescaped, it is not likely you will find him hiding within a few miles ofhis master's plantation. "

So saying, she went into the house and shut the door behind her. 

Mr. Jackson ground his teeth with rage, but the sheriff rode off towardthe slave-huts without a word. The position of Mrs. Wingfield of theOrangery, connected as she was with half the old families of Virginia, and herself a large slave-owner, was beyond suspicion, and no one wouldventure to suggest that such a lady could have the smallest sympathy fora runaway slave. 

"She was down upon you pretty hot, Mr. Jackson, " the sheriff said asthey rode off. "You don't seem to be in her good books. " Jacksonmuttered an imprecation. 

"It is certainly odd, " the sheriff went on, "after what you were tellingme about her son pitching into Andrew over flogging this very slave, that she should go and buy his wife. Still, that's a very differentthing from hiding a runaway. I dare say that, as she says, the fellowcame here to see his wife when he first ran away; but I don't think youwill find him anywhere about here now. It's pretty certain from what wehear that he hasn't made for the North, and where the fellow can behiding I can't think. Still the woods about this country are mighty big, and the fellow can go out on the farms and pick corn and keep himselfgoing for a long time. But he's sure to be brought up, sooner or later. "

A thorough search was made of the slave-huts, and the slaves wereclosely questioned, but all denied any knowledge of the runaway. Danescaped questioning, as he had taken up Vincent's horse to the house inreadiness for him to start as soon as he had finished breakfast. 

All day the searchers rode about the plantation, examining every clumpof bushes, and assuring themselves that none of them had been used as aplace of refuge for the runaway. 

"It's no good, Mr. Jackson, " the sheriff said at last. "The man may havebeen here; he aint here now. The only place we haven't searched is thehouse, and you may be quite sure the slaves dare not conceal him there. Too many would get to know it. No, sir, he's made a bolt of it, and youwill have to wait now till he is caught by chance, or shot by somefarmer or other in the act of stealing. "

"I would lay a thousand dollars, " Andrew Jackson exclaimedpassionately, "that young Wingfield knows something about hiswhereabouts, and has lent him a hand!"

"Well, I should advise you to keep your mouth shut about it till you getsome positive proof, " the sheriff said dryly. "I tell you it's no joketo accuse a member of a family like the Wingfields of helping runawayslaves to escape. "

"I will bide my time, " the planter said. "You said that some day youwould lay hands on Tony, dead or alive. You see if some day I don't layhands on young Wingfield. "

"Well, it seems, Mr. Jackson, " the sheriff remarked with a sneer, for hewas out of temper at the ill success of the day's work, "that he hasalready laid hands on your son. It seems to me quite as likely that hewill lay hands on you as you on him. "

Two days afterward, as Vincent was riding through the streets ofRichmond he saw to his surprise Andrew Jackson in close conversationwith Jonas Pearson. 

"I wonder what those two fellows are talking about!" he said to himself. "I expect Jackson is trying to pump Pearson as to the doings at theOrangery. I don't like that fellow, and never shall, and he's just thesort of man to do one a bad turn if he had the chance. However, as Ihave never spoken to him about that affair from beginning to end, Idon't see that he can do any mischief if he wants to. "

Andrew Jackson, however, had obtained information which he consideredvaluable. He learned that Vincent had been away in a boat for five days, and that his mother had been very uneasy about him. He also learned thatthe boat was one belonging to Mr. Furniss, and that it was only quitelately that Vincent had taken to going out sailing. 

After considerable trouble he succeeded in getting at one of the slavesupon Mr. Furniss' plantation. But he could only learn from him thatVincent had been unaccompanied, when he went out in the boat, either byyoung Furniss or by any of the plantation hands; that he had taken withhim only his own slave, and had come and gone as he chose, taking outand fastening up the boat himself, so that no one could say when he hadgone out, except that his horse was put up at the stables. The slavesaid that certainly the horse had only stood there on two or threeoccasions, and then only for a few hours, and that unless Mr. Wingfieldhad walked over he could never have had the boat out all night, as thehorse certainly had not stood all night in the stables. 

Andrew Jackson talked the matter over with his son, and both agreed thatVincent's conduct was suspicious. His own people said he had been awayfor five days in the boat. The people at Furniss' knew nothing aboutthis, and therefore there must be some mystery about it, and theydoubted not that that mystery was connected with the runaway slave, andthey guessed that he had either taken Tony and landed him near the mouthof the York River on the northern shore, or that he had put him on boarda ship. They agreed, however, that whatever their suspicions, they hadnot sufficient grounds for openly accusing Vincent of aiding theirrunaway. 

CHAPTER V. 

SECESSION. 

While Vincent had been occupied with the affairs of Tony and his wife, public events had moved forward rapidly. The South Carolina Conventionmet in the third week in December, and on the 20th of that month theOrdinance of Secession was passed. On the 10th of January, three daysafter Vincent returned home from his expedition, Florida followed theexample of South Carolina and seceded. Alabama and Mississippi passedthe Ordinance of Secession on the following day; Georgia on the 18th, Louisiana on the 23d, and Texas on the 1st of February. 

In all these States the Ordinance of Secession was received with greatrejoicings: bonfires were lit, the towns illuminated, and the militiaparaded the streets, and in many cases the Federal arsenals were seizedand the Federal forts occupied by the State troops. In the meantime theNorthern slave States--Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Missouri--remained irresolute. The general feeling was strongly infavor of their Southern brethren; but they were anxious for peace, andfor a compromise being arrived at. Whether the North would agree toadmit the constitutional right of secession, or whether it would useforce to compel the seceding States to remain in the Union, was stilluncertain; but the idea of a civil war was so terrible a one that thegeneral belief was that some arrangement to allow the States to go theirown way would probably be arrived at. 

For the time the idea of Vincent going to West Point was abandoned. Among his acquaintances were several young men who were already at WestPoint, and very few of these returned to the academy. The feeling therewas very strongly on the side of secession. A great majority of thestudents came from the Southern States, as, while the sons of theNorthern men went principally into trade and commerce, the Southernplanters sent their sons into the army, and a great proportion of theofficers of the army and navy were Southerners. 

As the professors at West Point were all military men, the feeling amongthem, as well as among the students, was in favor of State rights; theyconsidering that, according to the Constitution, their allegiance wasdue first to the States of which they were natives, and in the secondplace to the Union. Thus, then, many of the professors who were nativesof the seven States which had seceded resigned their appointments, andreturned home to occupy themselves in drilling the militia and thelevies, who were at once called to arms. 

Still all hoped that peace would be preserved, until on the 11th ofApril General Beauregard, who commanded the troops of South Carolina, summoned Major Anderson, who was in command of the Federal troops inFort Sumter, to surrender, and on his refusal opened fire upon the forton the following day. 

On the 13th the barracks of the fort being set on fire, Major Anderson, seeing the hopelessness of a prolonged resistance, surrendered. Theeffect of the news throughout the United States was tremendous, and Mr. Lincoln at once called out 75, 000 men of the militia of the variousStates to put down the rebellion--the border States being ordered tosend their proportion. This brought matters to a climax. Virginia, NorthCarolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Missouri all refused to furnishcontingents to act against the Southern States; and Virginia and NorthCarolina a few days later passed Ordinances of Secession and joined theSouthern States. Missouri, Maryland, and Delaware were divided in theircounsels. 

The struggle that was about to commence was an uneven one. The whitepopulation of the Seceding States was about 8, 000, 000; while that of theNorthern States was 19, 614, 885. The North possessed an immenseadvantage, inasmuch as they retained the whole of the Federal navy, andwere thereby enabled at once to cut off all communication between theSouthern States and Europe, while they themselves could draw unlimitedsupplies of munitions of war of all kinds from across the Atlantic. 

Although the people of Virginia had hoped to the last that some peacefularrangement might be effected, the Act of Secession was received withenthusiasm. The demand of Mr. Lincoln that they should furnish troops tocrush their Southern brethren excited the livliest indignation, andVirginia felt that there was no course open to her now but to throw inher lot with the other slave States. Her militia was at once called out, and volunteers called for to form a provisional army to protect theState from invasion by the North. 

The appeal was answered with enthusiasm; men of all ages took up arms;the wealthy raised regiments at their own expense, generally handingover the commands to experienced army officers, and themselves takingtheir places in the ranks; thousands of lads of from fifteen to sixteenyears of age enrolled themselves, and men who had never done a day'swork in their lives prepared to suffer all the hardships of the campaignas private soldiers. 

Mrs. Wingfield was an enthusiastic supporter of State rights; and whenVincent told her that numbers of his friends were going to enrollthemselves as soon as the lists were opened, she offered no objection tohis doing the same. 

"Of course you are very young, Vincent; but no one thinks there will beany serious fighting. Now that Virginia and the other four States havecast in their lot with the seven that have seceded, the North can neverhope to force the solid South back into the Union. Still it is right youshould join. I certainly should not like an old Virginian family likeours to be unrepresented; but I should prefer your joining one of themounted corps. 

"In the first place, it will be much less fatiguing than carrying aheavy rifle and knapsack; and in the second place, the cavalry will forthe most part be gentlemen. I was speaking only yesterday, when I wentinto Richmond, to Mr. Ashley, who is raising a corps. He is one of thebest riders in the country, and a splendid specimen of a Virginiangentleman. He tells me that he has already received a large number ofapplications from young volunteers, and that he thinks he shall be ablewithout any difficulty to get as many as he wants. I said that I had ason who would probably enroll himself, and that I should like to havehim in his corps. 

"He said that he would be glad to put down your name, and that he hadhad many applications from lads no older than yourself. He consideredthat for cavalry work, scouting, and that sort of thing age matteredlittle, and that a lad who was at once a light weight, a good rider, and a good shot was of as much good as a man. "

"Thank you, mother. I will ride into Richmond to-morrow morning and seeAshley. I have often met him and should like to serve under him verymuch. I should certainly prefer being in the cavalry to the infantry. "

Rosie and Annie, who were of course enthusiastic for the South, werealmost as pleased as was Vincent when they heard that their mother hadconsented to his enrolling himself. So many of the girls of theiracquaintance had brothers or cousins who were joining the army, thatthey would have felt it as something of a slur upon the family name hadVincent remained behind. 

On the following morning Vincent rode over and saw Mr. Ashley, who hadjust received his commission as major. He was cordially received. 

"Mrs. Wingfield was speaking to me about you, and I shall be glad tohave you with me--the more so as you are a capital rider and a goodshot. I shall have a good many in my ranks no older than you are. Did Inot hear a few months since that you bought Wildfire? I thought, when Iheard it, that you would be lucky if you did not get your neck broken inthe course of a week. Peters, who owns the next estate to mine, had thehorse for about three weeks, and was glad enough to get rid of it forhalf what he had given for it. He told me that the horse was the mostsavage brute he ever saw. I suppose you didn't keep it many days?"

"I have got it still, and mean to ride it with you. The horse is notreally savage. It was hot-tempered, and had, I think, been badly treatedby its first owner. It only wanted kindness and a little patience; andas soon as it found that it could not get rid of me, and that I had nointention of ill-treating it, it settled down quietly, after runningaway a few times and giving me some little trouble at starting. And nowI would not change it for any horse in the State. "

"You must be a first-rate rider, " Major Ashley said, "to be able to tameWildfire. I never saw the horse, for I was away when Peters had her;but from his description it was a perfect savage. "

"Are we allowed to bring a servant with us?" Vincent asked. 

"Yes, if you like. I know that a good many are going to do so, but youmust not make up your mind that you will get much benefit from one. Weshall move rapidly, and each man must shift for himself, but at the sametime we shall of course often be stationary; and then servants will beuseful. At any rate I can see no objection to men having them. We mustbe prepared to rough it to any extent when it is necessary, but I see noreason why at other times a man should not make himself comfortable. Iexpect the order to-morrow or next day to begin formally to enrollvolunteers. As I have now put down your name there will be no occasionfor you to come in then. You will receive a communication telling youwhen to report yourself. 

"I shall not trouble much about uniform at first. High boots andbreeches, a thick felt hat that will turn the edge of a sword, and aloose coat-jacket of dark-gray cloth. Here is the name of the tailor whohas got the pattern, and will make them. So I should advise you to go tohim at once, for he will be so busy soon that there is no saying whenthe whole troop will get their uniforms. "

Upon his return home Vincent related to his mother and sisters theconversation that he had had with Major Ashley. 

"Certainly you had better take a servant with you, " his mother said. "Isuppose, when you are riding about you will have to cook your dinner anddo everything for yourself; but when you are in a town you should havethese things done for you. Who would you like to take?"

"I should like to take Dan, mother, if you have no objection. He is verystrong and active, and I think would generally be able to keep up withus; besides, I know he would always stick to me. "

"You shall have him certainly, Vincent; I will make him over formally toyou. "

"Thank you, mother, " Vincent said joyfully; for he had often wished thatDan belonged to him, as he would then be able to prevent anyinterference with him by the overseer or anyone else, and could, if heliked, give him his freedom--although this would, he knew, be of verydoubtful advantage to the lad as long as he remained in the South. 

The next morning the necessary papers were drawn up, and the ownershipof Dan was formally transferred to Vincent. Dan was wild with delightwhen he heard that Vincent was now his master, and that he was toaccompany him to the war. It had been known two days before that Vincentwas going, and it seemed quite shocking to the negroes that the youngmaster should go as a private soldier, and have to do everything forhimself--"just, " as they said, "like de poor white trash"; for theslaves were proud to belong to an old family, and looked down withalmost contempt upon the poorer class of whites, regarding their ownposition as infinitely superior. 

Four days later Vincent received an official letter saying that thecorps would be mustered in two days' time. The next day was spent in along round of farewell visits, and then Vincent mounted Wildfire, and, with Dan trotting behind, rode off from the Orangery amidst a chorus ofblessings and good wishes from all the slaves who could on any pretextget away from their duties, and who had assembled in front of the houseto see him start. 

The place of meeting for the regiment was at Hanover Courthouse--astation on the Richmond and Fredericksburg Railway, close to the PamunkyRiver, about eighteen miles from the city. 

The Orangery was a mile from the village of Gaines, which lay to thenortheast of Richmond, and was some twelve miles from HanoverCourthouse. 

A month was spent in drill, and at the end of that time the corps wereable to execute any simple maneuver. More than this Major Ashley didnot care about their learning. The work in which they were about toengage was that of scouts rather than that of regular cavalry, and therequirements were vigilance and attention to orders, good shooting, anda quick eye. Off duty there was but little discipline. Almost the wholeof the men were in a good position in life, and many of them verywealthy; and while strict discipline and obedience were expected whileon duty, at all other times something like equality existed betweenofficers and men, and all were free to live as they chose. 

The rations served out were simple and often scanty, for at present thevarious departments were not properly organized, and such numbers of menwere flocking to the standards that the authorities were at their wits'end to provide them with even the simplest food. This mattered butlittle, however, to the regiment, whose members were all ready andwilling to pay for everything they wanted, and the country people roundfound a ready market for all their chickens, eggs, fruit, and vegetablesat Hanover Courthouse, for here there were also several infantryregiments, and the normally quiet little village was a scene of bustleand confusion. 

The arms of the cavalry were of a very varied description. Not more thana dozen had swords; the rest were armed with rifles or shot-guns, withthe barrels cut short to enable them to be carried as carbines. Many ofthem were armed with revolvers and some carried pistols so antiquatedthat they might have been used in the Revolutionary War. A certainnumber of tents had been issued for the use of the corps. These, however, were altogether insufficient for the numbers, and most of themen preferred to sleep in shelters composed of canvas, carpets, blankets, or any other material that came to hand, or in arborsconstructed of the boughs of trees, for it was now April and warm enoughto sleep in the open air. 

In the third week in May the order came that the corps was to march atonce for Harper's Ferry--an important position at the point where theShenandoah River runs into the Potomac, at the mouth of the ShenandoahValley. The order was received with the greatest satisfaction. TheFederal forces were gathering rapidly upon the northern banks of thePotomac, and it was believed that, while the main army would march downfrom Washington through Manassas Junction direct upon Richmond, anotherwould enter by the Shenandoah Valley, and, crossing the Blue RidgeMountains, come down on the rear of the Confederate army, facing themain force at Manassas. The cavalry marched by road, while the infantrywere dispatched by rail as far as Manassas Junction, whence they marchedto Harper's Ferry. The black servants accompanied the infantry. 

The cavalry march was a pleasant one. At every village through whichthey passed the people flocked out with offerings of milk and fruit. Thedays were hot, but the mornings and evenings delightful; and as thetroops always halted in the shade of a wood for three or four hours inthe middle of the day, the marches, although long, were not fatiguing. At Harper's Ferry General Johnston had just superseded Colonel Jacksonin command. The force there consisted of eleven battalions of infantry, sixteen guns, and after Ashley's force arrived, three hundred cavalry. Among the regiments there Vincent found many friends, and learned whatwas going on. 

He learned that Colonel Jackson had been keeping them hard at work. Someof Vincent's friends had been at the Virginia Military Institute atLexington, where Jackson was professor of natural philosophy andinstructor of artillery. 

"He was the greatest fun, " one of the young men said; "the stiffest andmost awkward-looking fellow in the Institute. He used to walk about asif he never saw anything or anybody. He was always known as Old Tom, andnobody ever saw him laugh. He was awfully earnest in all he did, andstrict, I can tell you, about everything. There was no humbugging him. The fellows liked him because he was really so earnest abouteverything, and always just and fair. But he didn't look a bit like asoldier except as to his stiffness, and when the fellows who had been atLexington heard that he was in command here they did not think he wouldhave made much hand at it; but I tell you, he did. You never saw such afellow to work. 

"Everything had to be done, you know. There were the guns, but no horsesand no harness. The horses had to be got somehow, and the harnessmanufactured out of ropes; and you can imagine the confusion of ninebattalions of infantry, all recruits, with no one to teach them except ascore or two of old army and militia officers. Old Tom has done wonders, I can tell you. You see, he is so fearfully earnest himself everyoneelse has got to be earnest. There has been no playing about anything, but just fifteen hours' hard work a day. Fellows grumbled and growledand said it was absurd, and threatened to do all sorts of things. Yousee, they had all come out to fight, if necessary, but hadn't bargainedfor such hard work as this. 

"However, Jackson had his way, and I don't suppose anyone ever told himthe men thought they were too hard worked. He is not the sort of man onewould care about remonstrating with. I don't know yet whether he is asgood at fighting as he is at working and organizing; but I rather expecta fellow who is so earnest about everything else is sure to be earnestabout fighting, and I fancy that, when he once gets into the thick ofit, he will go through with it. He had such a reputation as an oddity atLexington that there were a lot of remarks when he was made colonel andsent here; but there is no doubt that he has proved himself the rightman so far, and although his men may grumble they believe in him. 

"My regiment is in his brigade, and I will bet any money that we haveour share of fighting. What sort of man is Johnston? He is a finefellow--a soldier, heart and soul. You could tell him anywhere, and wehave a first-rate fellow in command of the cavalry--Colonel Stuart--asplendid, dashing fellow, full of life and go. His fellows swear by him. I quite envy you, for I expect you will astonish the Yankee horsemen. They are no great riders up there, you know, and I reckon the first timeyou meet them you will astonish them. "

[Illustration: Map--GENL. LEE'S CAMPAIGNS IN VIRGINIA. ]

Here he suddenly stopped, stood at attention, and saluted. 

Vincent at once did the same, although, had he not been set the exampleby his friend, he would never have thought of doing so to the figure whohad passed. 

"Who is it?" he asked, as his companion resumed his easy attitude. 

"Why, that's Old Tom. "

"What! Colonel Jackson!" Vincent said in surprise, "Well, he is anodd-looking fellow!"

The figure that had passed was that of a tall, gaunt man, leaningawkwardly forward in his saddle. He wore an old gray coat, and there wasno sign of rank, nor particle of gold lace upon the uniform. He wore onhis head a faded cadet cap, with the rim coming down so far upon hisnose that he could only look sideways from under it. He seemed to paybut little attention to what was going on around him, and did not enterinto conversation with any of the officers he met. 

The brigade commanded by Jackson was the 1st of the Army of theShenandoah, and consisted of the 2d, 4th, 5th, and 27th Virginians, towhich was shortly added the 33d. They were composed of men of all ranksand ages, among them being a great number of lads from fifteen andupward; for every school had been deserted. Every boy capable ofcarrying a musket had insisted upon joining, and among them were a wholecompany of cadets from Lexington. The regiments selected their ownofficers, and among these were many who were still lads. Many of theregiments had no accouterments, and were without uniforms, and numberscarried no better arms than a double-barreled shot-gun; but all wereanimated with the same spirit of enthusiasm in their cause, and adetermination to die rather than to allow the invaders to pass onthrough the fertile valleys of their native land. 

Of all these valleys that of the Shenandoah was the richest and mostbeautiful. It was called the Garden of Virginia; and all writers agreedin their praises of the beauties of its fields and forests, mountainsand rivers, its delicious climate, and the general prosperity whichprevailed among its population. 

It was a pleasant evening that Ashley's horse spent at Harper's Ferry onthe day they marched in. All had many friends among the other Virginiaregiments, and their campfires were the center toward which men troopedby scores. The rest was pleasant after their hard marches; and, althoughready to do their own work when necessary, they appreciated theadvantage of having their servants again with them to groom their horsesand cook their food. 

The negroes were not less glad at being again with their masters. Almostall were men who had, like Dan, been brought up with their young owners, and felt for them a strong personal attachment, and, if it had beenallowed, would gladly have followed them in the field of battle, andfought by their side against the "Yankees. " Their stay at Harper's Ferrywas to be a short one. Colonel Stuart, with his 200 horse, was scoutingalong the whole bank of the Potomac, watching every movement of theenemy, and Ashley's horse was to join them at once. 

It was not difficult for even young soldiers to form an idea of thegeneral nature of the operations. They had to protect the ShenandoahValley, to guard the five great roads by which the enemy would advanceagainst Winchester, and not only save the loyal inhabitants and richresources of the valley from falling into the hands of the Federals, butwhat was of even greater importance, to prevent the latter from marchingacross the Blue Ridge Mountains, and falling upon the flank of the mainConfederate army at Manassas. 

The position was a difficult one, for while "the grand army" wasassembling at Alexandria to advance against Manassas Junction, McClellanwas advancing from the northwest with 20, 000 men, and Patterson fromPennsylvania with 18, 000. 

In the morning, before parading his troop, 100 strong, Ashley calledthem together and told them that, as they would now be constantly on themove and scattered over a long line, it was impossible that they couldtake their servants with them. 

"I should never have allowed them to be brought, " he said, "had I knownthat we should be scouting over such an extensive country; at the sametime, if we can manage to take a few on it would certainly add to ourcomfort. I propose that we choose ten by lot to go on with us. They mustbe servants of the troop and not of individuals. We can scatter them inpairs at five points, with instructions to forage as well as they can, and to have things in readiness to cook for whoever may come in off dutyor may for the time be posted there. Henceforth every man must groom andsee to his own horse, but I see no reason, military or otherwise, why weshouldn't get our food cooked for us; and it will be just as well, aslong as we can, to have a few bundles of straw for us to lie on insteadof sleeping on the ground. 

"Another ten men we can also choose by lot to go to Winchester; whichis, I imagine, the point we shall move to if the enemy advance, as Ifancy they will, from the other side of the Shenandoah Valley. The restmust be sent home. "

Each man accordingly wrote his name on a piece of paper, and placed itin a haversack. Ten were then drawn out; and their servants were toaccompany the troop at once. The servants of the next ten were toproceed by train to Winchester, while the slaves of all whose namesremained in the bag were to be sent home at once, provided with passespermitting them to travel. To Vincent's satisfaction his name was one ofthe first ten drawn, and Dan was therefore to go forward. The greaterpart of the men evaded the obligation to send their servants back toRichmond by dispatching them to friends who had estates in theShenandoah Valley, with letters asking them to keep the men for themuntil the troop happened to come into their neighborhood. 

At six o'clock in the morning the troop mounted and rode to Bath, thirtymiles away. It was here that Stuart had his headquarters, whence he sentout his patrols up and down the Potomac, between Harper's Ferry on theeast and Cumberland on the west. Stuart was away when they arrived, buthe rode in a few hours afterward. 

"Ah, Ashley! I am glad you have arrived, " he said as he rode up to thetroop, who had hastily mounted as he was seen approaching. "There isplenty for you to do, I can tell you; and I only wish you had brought athousand men instead of a hundred. I am heartily glad to see you all, gentlemen, " he said to the troop. "I am afraid just at first that thebrightness of your gray jackets will put my men rather to shame; but weshall soon get rid of that. But dismount your men, Ashley; there isplenty for them and their horses to do without wasting time in paradework. There is very little of that here, I can tell you. I have not seena score of my men together for the last month. "

Vincent gazed with admiration at the young leader, whose name was soonto be celebrated throughout America and Europe. The young Virginian--forhe was not yet twenty-eight years old--was the _beau ideal_ of a cavalryofficer. He was singularly handsome, and possessed great personalstrength and a constitution which enabled him to bear all hardships. Hepossessed unfailing good spirits, and had a joke and laugh for all hemet; and while on the march, at the head of his regiment, he was alwaysready to lift up his voice and lead the songs with which the men madethe woods resound. 

He seemed to live in his saddle, and was present at all hours of thenight and day along the line he guarded, seeing that the men werewatchful and on the alert, instructing the outposts in their duty, andinfusing his own spirit and vigilance among them. He had been educatedat West Point, and had seen much service with the cavalry against theIndians in the West. Such was the man who was to become the most famouscavalry leader of his time. So far he had not come in contact with theenemy, and his duties were confined to obtaining information regardingtheir strength and intentions, to watching every road by which theycould advance, and to seeing that none passed North to carry informationto the enemy as to the Confederate strength and positions, for even inthe Shenandoah Valley there were some whose sympathies were with theFederals. 

These were principally Northern men settled as traders in the towns, andit was important to prevent them from sending any news to the enemy. Sowell did Stuart's cavalry perform this service, and so general was thehostility of the population against the North, that throughout the wholeof the war in Virginia it was very seldom that the Northern generalscould obtain any trustworthy information as to the movements andstrength of the Confederates, while the latter were perfectly informedof every detail connected with the intentions of the invaders. 

The next morning Ashley's troop took up their share of the work at thefront. They were broken up into parties of ten, each of which wasstationed at a village near the river, five men being on duty night andday. As it happened that none of the other men in his squad had aservant at the front, Vincent was able without difficulty to have Danassigned to his party. A house in the village was placed at theirdisposal, and here the five off duty slept and took their meals whilethe others were in the saddle. Dan was quite in his element, and turnedout an excellent cook, and was soon a general favorite among the mess. 

CHAPTER VI. 

BULL RUN. 

The next fortnight passed by without adventure. Hard as the work was, Vincent enjoyed it thoroughly. When on duty by day he was constantly onthe move, riding through the forest, following country lanes, questioning everyone he came across; and as the men always worked inpairs, there was no feeling of loneliness. Sometimes Ashley would drawtogether a score of troopers, and crossing the river in a ferry-boat, would ride twenty miles north, and dashing into quiet villages, astonishthe inhabitants by the sight of the Confederate uniform. Then thevillagers would be questioned as to the news that had reached them ofthe movements of the troops; the post-office would be seized and theletters broken open; any useful information contained in them beingnoted. But in general questions were readily answered; for aconsiderable portion of the people of Maryland were strongly in favor ofthe South, and were only prevented from joining it by the strong forcethat held possession of Baltimore, and by the constant movement ofFederal armies through the State. Vincent was often employed in carryingdispatches from Major Ashley to Stuart, being selected for that duty asbeing the best mounted man in the troop. The direction was always avague one. "Take this letter to Colonel Stuart, wherever he may be, " andhowever early he started, Vincent thought himself fortunate if hecarried out his mission before sunset; for Stuart's front covered overfifty miles of ground, and there was no saying where he might be. Sometimes, after riding thirty or forty miles, and getting occasionalnews that Stuart had passed through ahead of him, he would learn fromsome outpost that the colonel had been there but ten minutes before, andhad ridden off before he came, and then Vincent had to turn his horseand gallop back again, seldom succeeding in overtaking his activecommander until the latter had halted for his supper at one or other ofthe villages where his men were stationed. Sometimes by good luck hecame upon him earlier, and then, after reading the dispatch, Stuartwould, if he were riding in the direction where Ashley's command lay, bid him ride on with him, and would chat with him on terms of friendlyintimacy about people they both knew at Richmond, or as to the detailsof his work, and sometimes they would sit down together under the shadeof some trees, take out the contents of their haversacks, and sharetheir dinners. 

"This is the second time I have had the best of this, " the colonellaughed one day; "my beef is as hard as leather, and this cold chickenof yours is as plump and tender as one could wish to eat. "

"I have my own boy, colonel, who looks after the ten of us stationed atElmside, and I fancy that in the matter of cold rations he gives me anundue preference. He always hands me my haversack when I mount with agrin, and I quite understand that it is better I should ask no questionsas to its contents. "

"You are a lucky fellow, " Stuart said. "My own servant is a good man, and would do anything for me; but my irregular hours are too much forhim. He never knows when to expect me; and as he often finds that when Ido return I have made a meal an hour before at one of the outposts, anddo not want the food he has for hours been carefully keeping hot for me, it drives him almost to despair, and I have sometimes been obliged toeat rather than disappoint him. But he certainly has not a genius forcooking, and were it not that this riding gives one the appetite of ahunter, I should often have a good deal of difficulty in devouring themeal he puts into my haversack. "

But the enemy were now really advancing, and on the 12th of June atrooper rode in from the extreme left, and handed Vincent a dispatchfrom Colonel Stuart. 

"My orders were, " he said, "that, if you were here, you were to carrythis on at all speed to General Johnston. If not, someone else was totake it on. "

"Any news?" Vincent asked, as, aided by Dan, he rapidly saddledWildfire. 

"Yes, " the soldier said; "2000 of the enemy have advanced up the westernside, and have occupied Romney, and they say all Patterson's force is onthe move. "

"So much the better, " Vincent replied, as he jumped into the saddle. "Wehave been doing nothing long enough, and the sooner it comes thebetter. "

It was a fifty-mile ride; but it was done in five hours, and at the endof that time Vincent dismounted in front of General Johnston's quarters. 

"Is the general in?" he asked the sentry at the door. 

"No, he is not in; but here he comes, " the soldier replied, and twominutes later the general, accompanied by three or four officers, rodeup. 

Vincent saluted, and handed him the dispatch. The general opened it andglanced at the contents. 

"The storm is going to burst at last, gentlemen, " he said to theofficers. "Stuart writes me that 2000 men, supposed to be the advance ofMcClellan's army, are at Romney, and that he hears Patterson is alsoadvancing from Chambersburg on Williamsport. His dispatch is dated thismorning at nine o'clock. He writes from near Cumberland. No time hasbeen lost, for that is eighty miles away, and it is but five o'clocknow. How far have you brought this dispatch, sir?"

"I have brought it from Elmside, general; twenty miles on the other sideof Bath. A trooper brought it in just at midday, with orders for me tocarry it on at once. "

"That is good work, " the general said. "You have ridden over fifty milesin five hours. You must be well mounted, sir. "

"I do not think there is a better horse in the State, " Vincent said, patting Wildfire's neck. 

The general called an orderly. 

"Let this man picket his horse with those of the staff, " he said, "andsee that it has forage at once. Take the man to the orderlies' quarters, and see that he is well cared for. "

Vincent saluted, and, leading Wildfire, followed the orderly. When hehad had a meal, he strolled out to see what was going on. Evidently somemovement was in contemplation. Officers were riding up or dashing offfrom the general's headquarters. Two or three regiments were seenmarching down from the plateau on which they were encamped into thetown. Bells rang and drums beat, and presently long trains of railwaywagons, heavily laden, began to make their way across the bridge. Untilnext morning the movement continued unceasingly; by that time all themilitary stores and public property, together with as much privateproperty, belonging to inhabitants who had decided to forsake theirhomes for a time rather than to remain there when the town was occupiedby the enemy, as could be carried on in the available wagons, had beentaken across the bridge. A party of engineers, who had been all nighthard at work, then set fire both to the railway bridge across the riverand the public buildings in the town. The main body of troops had movedacross in the evening. The rearguard passed when all was in readinessfor the destruction of the bridge. 

General Johnston had been preparing for the movement for some time; hehad foreseen that the position must be evacuated as soon as the enemybegan to advance upon either of his flanks, and a considerable portionof his baggage and military stores had some time previously been sentinto the interior of Virginia. The troops, formed up on the high groundssouth of the river, looked in silence at the dense volumes of smokerising. This was the reality of war. Hitherto their military work hadbeen no more than that to which many of them were accustomed when calledout with the militia of their State; but the scene of destruction onwhich they now gazed brought home to them that the struggle was aserious one--that it was war in its stern reality which had now begun. 

The troops at once set off on their march, and at night bivouacked inthe woods around Charleston. The next day they pushed across the countryand took up a position covering Winchester; and then the enemy, findingthat Johnston's army was in front of them, ready to dispute theiradvance, recrossed the river, and Johnston concentrated his force roundWinchester. 

Vincent joined his corps on the same afternoon that the infantry marchedout from Harper's Ferry, the general sending him forward with dispatchesas soon as the troops had got into motion. 

"You will find Colonel Stuart in front of the enemy; but more than thatI cannot tell you. "

This was quite enough for Vincent, who found the cavalry scouting closeto Patterson's force, prepared to attack the enemy's cavalry, should itadvance to reconnoiter the country, and to blow up bridges acrossstreams, fell trees, and take every possible measure to delay theadvance of Patterson's army, in its attempt to push on toward Winchesterbefore the arrival of General Johnston's force upon the scene. 

"I am glad to see you back, Wingfield, " Major Ashley said, as he rodeup. "The colonel tells me that in the dispatch he got last night fromJohnston the general said that Stuart's information reached him in aremarkably short time, having been carried with great speed by theorderly in charge of the duty. We have scarcely been out of our saddlessince you left. However, I think we have been of use, for we have beenbusy all round the enemy since we arrived here in the afternoon, and Ifancy he must think us a good deal stronger than we are. At any rate, hehas not pushed his cavalry forward at all; and, as you say Johnston willbe up to-morrow afternoon, Winchester is safe anyhow. "

After the Federals had recrossed the river, and Johnston had taken uphis position round Winchester, the cavalry returned to their old work ofscouting along the Potomac. 

On the 20th of June movements of considerable bodies of the enemy werenoticed; and Johnston at once dispatched Jackson with his brigade toMartinsburg, with orders to send as much of the rolling-stock of therailroad as could be removed to Winchester, to destroy the rest, and tosupport Stuart's cavalry when they advanced. A number of locomotiveswere sent to Winchester along the highroad, drawn by teams of horses. Forty engines and three hundred cars were burned or destroyed, andJackson then advanced and took up his position on the road toWilliamsport, the cavalry camp being a little in advance of him. Thiswas pleasant for Vincent, as, when off duty, he spent his time with hisfriends and schoolfellows in Jackson's brigade. 

On the 2d of July the scouts rode into camp with the news that a strongforce was advancing from Williamsport. Jackson at once advanced with the5th Virginia Infantry, numbering 380 men and one gun, while Stuart, with100 cavalry, started to make a circuitous route, and harassed the flankand rear of the enemy. There was no intention on the part of Jackson offighting a battle, his orders being merely to feel the enemy, whosestrength was far too great to be withstood, even had he brought hiswhole brigade into action, for they numbered three brigades of infantry, 500 cavalry, and some artillery. 

For some hours the little Confederate force skirmished so boldly thatthey checked the advance of the enemy, whose general naturally supposedthat he had before him the advanced guard of a strong force, andtherefore moved forward with great caution. Then the Confederates, beingthreatened on both flanks by the masses of the Federals, fell back ingood order. The loss was very trifling on either side, but the fact thatso small a force had for hours checked the advance of an army greatlyraised the spirits and confidence of the Confederates. Stuart's smallcavalry force, coming down upon the enemy's rear, captured a good manyprisoners--Colonel Stuart himself capturing forty-four infantry. Ridingsome distance ahead of his troop to find out the position of the enemy, he came upon a company of Federal infantry sitting down in a field, having no idea whatever that any Confederate force was in theneighborhood. Stuart did not hesitate a moment, but riding up to themshouted the order, "Throw down your arms, or you are all dead men!"Believing themselves surrounded, the Federals threw down their arms, andwhen the Confederate cavalry came up were marched off as prisoners. 

Jackson, on reaching his camp, struck his tents and sent them to therear, and formed up his whole brigade in order of battle. The Federals, however, instead of attacking, continued their flank movement, andJackson fell back through Martinsburg and halted for the night a milebeyond the town. 

Next day he again retired, and was joined six miles further on byJohnston's whole force. For four days the little army held its position, prepared to give battle if the enemy advanced; but the Federals, thoughgreatly superior in numbers, remained immovable at Martinsburg, andJohnston, to the great disgust of his troops, retired to Winchester. Thesoldiers were longing to meet the invaders in battle, but their generalhad to bear in mind that the force under his command might at any momentbe urgently required to join the main Confederate army and aid inopposing the Northern advance upon Richmond. 

Stuart's cavalry kept him constantly informed of the strength of theenemy gathering in his front. Making circuits round Martinsburg, theylearned from the farmers what number of troops each day came along; andwhile the Federals knew nothing of the force opposed to them, andbelieved that it far outnumbered their own, General Johnston knew thatPatterson's force numbered about 22, 000 men, while he himself had beenjoined only by some 3000 men since he arrived at Winchester. 

On the 18th of July a telegram from the government at Richmond announcedthat the Federal grand army had driven in General Beauregard's picketsat Manassas, and had begun to advance, and Johnston was directed, ifpossible, to hasten to his assistance. A few earthworks had been thrownup at Winchester, and some guns mounted upon them, and the town was leftunder the protection of the local militia. Stuart's cavalry was postedin a long line across the country to prevent any news of the movementreaching the enemy. As soon as this was done the infantry, 8300 strong, marched off. The troops were in high spirits now, for they knew thattheir long period of inactivity was over, and that, although ignorantwhen and where, they were on their march to meet the enemy. 

They had no wagons or rations; the need for speed was too urgent even topermit of food being cooked. Without a halt they pressed forwardsteadily, and after two days' march, exhausted and half famished, theyreached the Manassas Gap Railroad. Here they were put into trains asfast as these could be prepared, and by noon on the 20th joinedBeauregard at Manassas. The cavalry had performed their duty ofpreventing the news of the movement from reaching the enemy until theinfantry were nearly a day's march away, and then Stuart reassembled hismen and followed Johnston. Thus the Confederate plans had beencompletely successful. Over 30, 000 of the enemy, instead of being inline of battle with the main army, were detained before Winchester, while the little Confederate force which had been facing them hadreached Beauregard in time to take part in the approaching struggle. 

In the North no doubt as to the power of the grand army to make its wayto Richmond was entertained. The troops were armed with the best weaponsobtainable, the artillery was numerous and excellent, the army was wellfed, and so confident were the men of success that they regarded thewhole affair in the light of a great picnic. The grand army numbered55, 000 men, with nine regiments of cavalry and forty-nine rifle-guns. Tooppose these, the Confederate force, after the arrival of Johnston'sarmy, numbered 27, 833 infantry, thirty-five smooth-bore guns, and 500cavalry. Many of the infantry were armed only with shot-guns and oldfowling-pieces, and the guns were small and ill-supplied withammunition. There had been some sharp fighting on the 18th, and theFederal advance across the river of Bull Run had been sharply repulsed, therefore their generals determined, instead of making a direct attackon the 31st against the Confederate position, to take a wide sweepround, cross the river higher up, and falling upon the Confederate leftflank, to crumple it up. 

All night the Federal troops had marched, and at daybreak on the 21stnearly 40, 000 men were in position on the left flank of theConfederates. The latter were not taken by surprise when Stuart'scavalry brought in news of the Federal movement, and General Beauregard, instead of moving his troops toward the threatened point, sent orders toGeneral Longstreet on the right to cross the river as soon as the battlebegan, and to fall upon the Federal flank and rear. 

Had this movement been carried out, the destruction of the Federal armywould probably have been complete; but by one of those unfortunateaccidents which so frequently occur in war and upset the best laidplans, the order in some way never came to hand, and when late in theday the error was discovered, it was too late to remedy it. 

At eight o'clock in the morning two of the Federal divisions reached theriver, and while one of them engaged the Confederate force stationed atthe bridge, another crossed the river at a ford. Colonel Evans, whocommanded the Confederate forces, which numbered but fifteen companies, left 200 men to continue to hold the bridge, while with 800 he hurriedto oppose General Hunter's division, which had crossed at the ford. 

This consisted of 16, 000 infantry, with cavalry and artillery, andanother division of equal force had crossed at the Red House Ford, higher up. To check so great a force with this handful of men seemed allbut impossible; but Colonel Evans determined to hold his ground to thelast, to enable his general to bring up re-enforcements. His forceconsisted of men of South Carolina and Louisiana, and they contestedevery foot of the ground. 

The regiment which formed the advance of the Federals charged, supportedby an artillery fire, but was repulsed. As the heavy Federal lineadvanced, however, the Confederates were slowly but steadily pressedback, until General Bee, with four regiments and a battery of artillery, came up to their assistance. The newcomers threw themselves into thefight with great gallantry, and maintained their ground until almostannihilated by the fire of the enemy, who outnumbered them by five toone. As, fighting desperately, they fell back before Hunter's division, the Federals, who had crossed at Red House Ford, suddenly poured downand took them in flank. 

Swept by a terrible musketry fire, these troops could no longer resist, and in spite of the efforts of their general, who rode among themimploring them to stand firm until aid arrived, they began to fall back. Neither entreaties nor commands were of avail; the troops had done allthat they could, and broken and disheartened they retreated in greatconfusion. But at this moment, when all seemed lost, a line ofglittering bayonets was seen coming over the hill behind, and thegeneral, riding off in haste toward them, found Jackson advancing withthe first brigade. 

Unmoved by the rush of the fugitives of the brigades of Bee and Evans, Jackson moved steadily forward, and so firm and resolute was theirdemeanor that Bee rode after his men, and pointing with his sword to thefirst brigade, shouted, "Look, there is Jackson standing like a stonewall!" The general's words were repeated, and henceforth the brigade wasknown as the Stonewall Brigade, and their general by the nickname ofStonewall Jackson, by which he was ever afterward known. The greaterpart of the fugitives rallied, and took up their position on the rightof Jackson, and the Federal forces, who were hurrying forward assured ofvictory, found themselves confronted suddenly by 2600 bayonets. After amoment's pause they pressed forward again, the artillery preparing a wayfor them by a tremendous fire. 

Jackson ordered his men to lie down until the enemy arrived within fiftyyards, and then to charge with the bayonet. Just at this moment GeneralsJohnston and Beauregard arrived on the spot, and at once seeing thedesperate nature of the situation, and the whole Federal army pressingforward against a single brigade, they did their best to prepare to meetthe storm. First they galloped up and down the disordered lines of Bee, exhorting the men to stand firm; and seizing the colors of the 4thAlabama, Johnston led them forward and formed them up under fire. 

Beauregard hurried up some re-enforcements and formed them on the leftof Jackson, and thus 6500 infantry and artillery, and Stuart's twotroops of cavalry, stood face to face with more than 20, 000 infantry andseven troops of regular cavalry, behind whom, at the lower fords, were35, 000 men in reserve. While his men were lying down awaiting theattack, Jackson rode backward and forward in front of them as calm andas unconcerned to all appearance as if on the parade ground, and hisquiet bravery greatly nerved and encouraged the young troops. 

All at once the tremendous artillery fire of the enemy ceased, and theirinfantry came on in massive lines. The four Confederate guns poured intheir fire and then withdrew behind the infantry. When the line camewithin fifty yards of him, Jackson gave the word, his men sprang totheir feet, poured in a heavy volley, and then charged. A wild yell rosefrom both ranks as they closed, and then they were mingled in adesperate conflict. For a time all was in wild confusion, but the ardorand courage of Jackson's men prevailed, and they burst through thecenter of the Federal line. 

Immediately Jackson had charged, Beauregard sent forward the rest of thetroops, and for a time a tremendous struggle took place along the wholeline. Generals Bee and Barlow fell mortally wounded at the head oftheir troops. General Hampton was wounded, and many of the colonelsfell. So numerous were the Federals, that although Jackson had piercedtheir center, their masses drove back his flanks and threatened tosurround him. With voice and example he cheered on his men to hold theirground, and the officers closed up their ranks as they were thinned bythe enemy's fire, and for an hour the struggle continued without markedadvantage on either side. 

Jackson's calmness was unshaken even in the excitement of the fight. Atone time an officer rode up to him from another portion of the field andexclaimed, "General, I think the day is going against us!" To whichJackson replied in his usual curt manner, "If you think so, sir, you hadbetter not say anything about it. "

The resolute stand of the Confederates enabled General Beauregard tobring up fresh troops, and he at last gave the word to advance. 

Jackson's brigade rushed forward on receiving the order, burst throughthe Federals with whom they were engaged, and, supported by thereserves, drove the enemy from the plateau. Then the Federals, thoughvastly superior in force, brought up the reserves, and prepared to renewthe attack; but 1700 fresh men of the Army of the Shenandoah came uponthe field of battle, Smith and Early brought up their divisions from theriver, and the whole Southern line advanced at the charge, and drove theenemy down the slopes and on toward the ford. 

A panic seized them, and their regiments broke up and took to headlongflight, which soon became an utter rout. Many of them continued theirflight for hours, and for a time the Federal army ceased to exist; andhad the Confederates advanced, as Jackson desired that they should do, Washington would have fallen into their hands without a blow beingstruck in its defense. 

This, the first great battle of the war, is sometimes known as thebattle of Manassas, but more generally as Bull Run. 

With the exception of one or two charges, the little body of Confederatehorse did not take any part in the battle of Bull Run. Had they beenaware of the utter stampede of the Northern troops, they could safelyhave pressed forward in hot pursuit as far as Washington, but beingnumerically so inferior to the Federal cavalry, and in ignorance thatthe Northern infantry had become a mere panic-stricken mob, it wouldhave been imprudent in the extreme for such a handful of cavalry toundertake the pursuit of an army. 

Many of the Confederates were of opinion that this decisive victorywould be the end of the war, and that the North, seeing that the Southwas able as well as willing to defend the position it had taken up, would abandon the idea of coercing it into submission. This hope wasspeedily dissipated. The North was indeed alike astonished anddisappointed at the defeat of their army by a greatly inferior force, but instead of abandoning the struggle, they set to work to retrieve thedisaster, and to place in the field a force which would, they believed, prove irresistible. 

Vincent Wingfield saw but little of the battle at Bull Run. As they wereimpatiently waiting the order to charge, while the desperate conflictbetween Jackson's brigade and the enemy was at its fiercest, a shellfrom one of the Federal batteries burst a few yards in front of thetroop, and one of the pieces, striking Vincent on the side, hurled himinsensible from his horse. He was at once lifted and carried by Dan andsome of the other men-servants, who had been told off for this duty, tothe rear, where the surgeons were busily engaged in dressing the woundsof the men who straggled back from the front. While the conflict lastedthose unable to walk lay where they fell, for no provision had atpresent been made for ambulance corps, and not a single man capable offiring a musket could be spared from the ranks. The tears were flowingcopiously down Dan's cheeks as he stood by while the surgeons examinedVincent's wound. 

"Is he dead, sah?" he sobbed as they lifted him up from his stoopingposition. 

"Dead!" the surgeon repeated. "Can't you see he is breathing, and didyou not hear him groan when I examined his side? He is a long way frombeing a dead man yet. Some of his ribs are broken, and he has had a verynasty blow; but I do not think there is any cause for anxiety about him. Pour a little wine down his throat, and sprinkle his face with water. Raise his head and put a coat under it, and when he opens his eyes andbegins to recover, don't let him move. Then you can cut up the side ofhis jacket and down the sleeve, so as to get it off that sidealtogether. Cut his shirt open, and bathe the wound with some water andbit of rag of any sort; it is not likely to bleed much. When it hasstopped bleeding put a pad of linen upon it, and keep it wet. When wecan spare time we will bandage it properly. "

But it was not until late at night that the time could be spared forattending to Vincent; for the surgeons were overwhelmed with work, andthe most serious cases were, as far as possible, first attended to. Hehad soon recovered consciousness. At first he looked with a feeling ofbewilderment at Dan, who was copiously sprinkling his face with water, sobbing loudly while he did so. As soon as the negro perceived that hismaster had opened his eyes he gave a cry of delight. 

"Thank de Lord, Marse Vincent! Dis child tought you dead and gone forsure. "

"What's the matter, Dan? What has happened?" Vincent said, trying tomove, and then stopping suddenly with a cry of pain. 

"You knocked off your horse, sah, wid one of de shells of dem cussedYanks. "

"Am I badly hurt, Dan?"

"Bery bad, sah; great piece of flesh pretty nigh as big as my hand comeout ob your side, and doctor says some ob de ribs broken. But de doctornot seem to make much ob it; he hard sort ob man dat. Say you get allright again. No time to tend to you now. Hurry away just as if you somepoor white trash instead of Massa Wingfield ob de Orangery. "

Vincent smiled faintly. 

"It doesn't make much difference what a man is in a surgeon's eyes, Dan. The question is how badly he is hurt, and what can be done for him?Well, thank God it's no worse. Wildfire was not hurt, I hope?"

"No, sah; he is standing tied up by dat tree. Now, sah, de doctor say mecut your jacket off and bave de wound. "

"All right, Dan; but be a little careful with the water, you seem to bepretty near drowning me as it is. Just wipe my face and hair, and getthe handkerchief from the pocket of my jacket, and open the shirt collarand put the handkerchief inside round my neck. Then see how the battleis going on. The roar seems louder than ever. "

Dan went forward to the crest of a slight rise of the ground whence hecould look down upon the field of battle, and made haste to return. 

"Can't see bery well, sah; too much smoke. But dey in de same placestill. "

"Look round, Dan, and see if there are any fresh troops coming up. "

Dan again went to the rise of ground. 

"Yes, sah; lot of men coming ober de hill behind. "

"That's all right, Dan. Now you can see about this bathing my side. "

As soon as the battle was over, Major Ashley rode up to where Vincentand five or six of his comrades of the cavalry were lying wounded. 

"How are you getting on, lads? Pretty well, I hope?" he asked as hedismounted. 

"First-rate, major, " one of the men answered. "We all of us took a turnas soon as we heard that the Yanks were whipped. "

"Yes, we have thrashed them handsomely, " the major said. "Ah, Wingfield!I am glad to see you are alive. I thought, when you fell, it was allover with you. "

"I am not much hurt, sir, " Vincent replied. "A flesh wound and some ribsare broken, I hear; but they won't be long mending, I hope. "

"It's a nasty wound to look at, " the major said, as Dan lifted the padof wet linen. "But with youth and health you will soon get round it, never fear. "

"Ah, my poor lad! yours is a worse case, " he said as he bent over ayoung fellow who was lying a few paces from Vincent. 

"It's all up with me, major, " he replied faintly; "the doctor said hecould do nothing for me. But I don't mind, now we have beaten them. Youwill send a line to the old people, major, won't you, and say I dieddoing my duty? I've got two brothers, and I expect they will send one onto take my place. "

"I will write to them, my lad, " the major said, "and tell them all aboutyou. " He could give the lad no false hopes, for already a gray shade wasstealing over the white face, and the end was close at hand; in a fewminutes he ceased to breathe. 

Late in the evening the surgeons, having attended to more urgent cases, came round. Vincent's wound was now more carefully examined than before, but the result was the same. Three of the ribs were badly fractured, butthere was no serious danger. 

"You will want quiet and good nursing for some time, " the principalsurgeon said. "There will be a train of wounded going off for Richmondthe first thing in the morning, and you shall go by it. You had betterget a door, " he said to some of the troopers, who had come across fromthe spot where the cavalry were bivouacked to see how their comradeswere getting on, "and carry him down and put him in the train. One hasjust been sent off and another will be made up at once, so that thewounded can be put in it as they are taken down. Now I will bandage thewound, and it will not want any more attention until you get home. "

A wad of lint was placed upon the wound and bandaged tightly round thebody. 

"Remember you have got to lie perfectly quiet, and not attempt to movetill the bones have knit. I am afraid that they are badly fractured, andwill require some time to heal up again. "

A door was fetched from an outhouse near, and Vincent and two of hiscomrades, who were also ordered to be sent to the rear, were one by onecarried down to the nearest point on the railway, where a train stoodready to receive them, and they were then laid on the seats. 

All night the wounded kept arriving, and by morning the train was packedas full as it would hold, and with two or three surgeons in chargestarted for Richmond. Dan was permitted to accompany the train, atVincent's urgent request, in the character of doctor's assistant, and hewent about distributing water to the wounded, and assisting the surgeonsin moving such as required it. 

It was night before the train reached Richmond. A number of people wereat the station to receive it; for as soon as the news of the battle hadbeen received, preparations had been made for the reception of thewounded, several public buildings had been converted into hospitals, andnumbers of the citizens had come forward with offers to take one or moreof the wounded into their houses. The streets were crowded with people, who were wild with joy at the news of the victory which, as theybelieved, had secured the State from further fear of invasion. Numbersof willing hands were in readiness to carry the wounded on stretchers tothe hospitals, where all the surgeons of the town were already waitingto attend upon them. 

Vincent, at his own request, was only laid upon a bed, as he said thathe would go home to be nursed the first thing in the morning. This beingthe case, it was needless to put him to the pain and trouble of beingundressed. Dan had started, as soon as he saw his master carried intothe hospital, to take the news to the Orangery; being strictly chargedby Vincent to make light of his injury, and on no account whatever toalarm them. He was to ask that the carriage should come to fetch him thefirst thing in the morning. 

It was just daybreak when Mrs. Wingfield drove up to the hospital. Danhad been so severely cross-examined that he had been obliged to give anaccurate account of Vincent's injury. There was bustle and movement evenat that early hour, for another train of wounded had just arrived. Asshe entered the hospital she gave an exclamation of pleasure, for at thedoor were two gentlemen in conversation, one of whom was the doctor whohad long attended the family at the Orangery. 

"I am glad you are here, Dr. Mapleston; for I want your opinion before Imove Vincent. Have you seen him?"

"No, Mrs. Wingfield; I did not know he was here. I have charge of one ofthe wards, and have not had time to see who are in the others. Isincerely hope Vincent is not seriously hurt. "

"That's what I want to find out, doctor. His boy brought us news latelast night that he was here. He said the doctors considered that he wasnot in any danger; but as he had three ribs broken, and a deep fleshwound from the explosion of a shell, it seems to me that it must beserious. "

"I will go up and see him at once, Mrs. Wingfield, and find out from thesurgeon in charge of his ward exactly what is the matter with him. " Danled the way to the bed upon which Vincent was lying. He was only dozing, and opened his eyes as they came up. 

"My poor boy!" Mrs. Wingfield said, struggling with her tears at thesight of his pale face, "this is sad indeed. "

"It is nothing very bad, mother, " Vincent replied cheerfully; "nothingat all to fret about. The wound is nothing to the injuries of most ofthose here. I suppose, doctor, I can be moved at once?"

Dr. Mapleston felt his pulse. 

"You are feverish, Vincent; but perhaps the best thing for you would beto get you home while you can be moved. You will do far better therethan here. But I must speak to the surgeon in charge of you first, andhear what he says. "

"Yes, I think you can move him, " the surgeon of the ward said. "He hasgot a nasty wound, and the ticket with him said that three ribs werebadly fractured; but I made no examination, as he said he would befetched the first thing this morning. I only put on a fresh dressing andbandaged it. The sooner you get him off the better, if he is to bemoved. Fever is setting in, and he will probably be wandering by thisevening. He will have a much better chance at home, with cool rooms andquiet and careful nursing, than he can have here; though there would beno lack of either comforts or nurses, for half the ladies in the townhave volunteered for the work, and we have offers of all the medicalcomforts that could be required were the list of wounded ten times aslarge as it is. "

A stretcher was brought in, and Vincent was lifted as gently as possibleupon it. Then he was carried down stairs and the stretcher placed in thecarriage; which was a large open one, and afforded just sufficientlength for it. Mrs. Wingfield took her seat beside him, Dan mounted thebox beside the coachman. 

"I will be out in an hour, Mrs. Wingfield, " Dr. Mapleston said. "I havegot to go round the ward again, and will then drive out at once. Givehim lemonade and cooling drinks; don't let him talk. Cut his clothes offhim, and keep the room somewhat dark, but with a free current of air. Iwill bring out some medicine with me. "

The carriage drove slowly to avoid shaking, and when they approached thehouse Mrs. Wingfield told Dan to jump down and come to the side of thecarriage. Then she told him to run on as fast as he could ahead, and totell her daughters not to meet them upon their arrival, and that all theservants were to be kept out of the way, except three men to carryVincent upstairs. The lad was consequently got up to his room withoutany excitement, and was soon lying on his bed with a sheet thrownlightly over him. 

"That is comfortable, " he said, as his mother bathed his face and handsand smoothed his hair. "Where are the girls, mother?"

"They will come in to see you now, Vincent; but you are to keep quitequiet, you know, and not to talk. " The girls stole in and said a fewwords, and left him alone again with Mrs. Wingfield. He did not look tothem so ill as they had expected, for there was a flush of fever on hischeeks. Dr. Mapleston arrived a little later, examined and redressed thewound, and comforted Mrs. Wingfield with the assurance that there wasnothing in it likely to prove dangerous to life. 

"Our trouble will be rather with the effect of the shock than with thewound itself. He is very feverish now, and you must not be alarmed if bythis evening he is delirious. You will give him this cooling draughtevery three hours; he can have anything in the way of cooling drinks helikes. If he begins to wander, put cloths dipped in cold water and wrungout on his head, and sponge his hands with water with a little Eau deCologne in it. If he seems very hot set one of the women to fan him, butdon't let her go on if it seems to worry him. I will come round again athalf-past nine this evening and will make arrangements to pass the nighthere. We have telegrams saying that surgeons are coming from Charlestonand many other places, so I can very well be spared. "

When the doctor returned in the evening, he found, as he hadanticipated, that Vincent was in a high state of fever. This continuedfour or five days, and then gradually passed off; and he woke up onemorning perfectly conscious. His mother was sitting on a chair at thebedside. 

"What is the time, mother?" he asked. "Have I been asleep long?"

"Some time, dear, " she answered gently; "but you must not talk. You areto take this draught and go off to sleep again; when you wake you mayask any questions you like. " She lifted the lad's head, gave him thedraught and some cold tea, then darkened the room, and in a few minuteshe was asleep again. 

CHAPTER VII. 

THE "MERRIMAC" AND THE "MONITOR. "

It was some weeks before Vincent was able to walk unaided. Hisconvalescence was somewhat slow, for the shock to the system had been asevere one. The long railway journey had been injurious to him, for thebandage had become somewhat loose and the broken pieces of bone hadgrated upon each other, and were much longer in knitting together thanthey would have been had he been treated on the spot. 

As soon as he could walk he became anxious to rejoin his troop, but thedoctor said that many weeks must elapse before he would be able toundergo the hardships of a campaign. He was reconciled to some extent tothe delay by letters from his friends with the troop and by the perusalof the papers. There was nothing whatever doing in Virginia. The twoarmies still faced each other, the Northerners protected by the strongfortifications they had thrown up round Washington--fortifications muchtoo formidable to be attacked by the Confederates, held as they were bya force immensely superior to their own, both in numbers and arms. 

The Northerners were indeed hard at work, collecting and organizing anarmy which was to crush out the rebellion. General Scott had beensucceeded by McClellan in the supreme command, and the new general wasindefatigable in organizing the vast masses of men raised in the North. So great were the efforts that, in a few months after the defeat of BullRun, the North had 650, 000 men in arms. 

But while no move had at present been made against Virginia there wassharp fighting in some of the border States, especially in Missouri andKentucky, in both of which public opinion was much divided, andregiments were raised on both sides. 

Various operations were now undertaken by the Federal fleet at pointsalong the coast, and several important positions were taken andoccupied, it being impossible for the Confederates to defend so long aline of seacoast. The South had lost rather than gained ground inconsequence of their victory at Bull Run. For a time they had beenunduly elated, and were altogether disposed to underrate their enemiesand to believe that the struggle was as good as over. Thus, then, theymade no effort at all corresponding to the North; but as time went on, and they saw the vastness of the preparations made for their conquest, the people of the Southern States again bestirred themselves. 

Owing to the North having the command of the sea, and shutting up allthe principal ports, they had to rely upon themselves for everything, while the North could draw arms and ammunition and all the requisites ofwar from the markets of Europe. Foundries were accordingly establishedfor the manufacture of artillery, and factories for muskets, ammunition, and percussion caps. The South had, in fact, to manufacture everythingdown to the cloth for her soldiers' uniforms and the leather for theirshoes; and, as in the past she had relied wholly upon the North for suchgoods, it was for a time impossible to supply the troops with even themost necessary articles. 

The women throughout the States were set to work spinning and weavingrough cloth and making uniforms from it. Leather, however, cannot beproduced all at once, and indeed, with all their efforts, theConfederate authorities were never, throughout the war, able to providea sufficient supply of boots for the troops, and many a battle was wonby soldiers who fought almost barefooted, and who reshod themselves forthe most part by stripping the boots from their dead foes. Many otherarticles could not be produced in the Southern States, and theConfederates suffered much from the want of proper medicines andsurgical appliances. 

For these and many other necessaries they had to depend solely upon theships which succeeded in making their way through the enemy's cruisersand running the blockade of the ports. Wine, tea, coffee, and otherimported articles soon became luxuries beyond the means of all, even thevery wealthy. All sorts of substitutes were used; grain, roasted andground, being chiefly used as a substitute for coffee. Hitherto theSouth had been principally occupied in raising cotton and tobacco, depending chiefly upon the North for food; and it was necessary now toabandon the cultivation of products for which they had no sale, and todevote the land to the growth of maize and other crops for food. 

By the time that the long period of inaction came to a close, Vincenthad completely recovered his strength, and was ready to rejoin the ranksas soon as the order came from Colonel Stuart, who had promised to sendfor him directly there was a prospect of active service. 

One of Vincent's first questions, as soon as he became convalescent, waswhether a letter had been received from Tony. It had come, he was told, among the last batch of letters that crossed the frontier before theoutbreak of hostilities, and Mrs. Wingfield had, as he had requested, opened it. As had been arranged, it had merely contained Tony's addressat a village near Montreal; for Vincent had warned him to say nothing inthe letter, for there was no saying, in the troubled times which wereapproaching when Tony left, into whose hands it might fall. 

Vincent had, before starting, told his mother of the share he had takenin getting the negro safely away, and Mrs. Wingfield, brought up, as shehad been, to regard those who assisted runaway slaves to escape in thesame light as those who assisted to steal any other kind of property, was at first greatly shocked when she heard that her son had taken partin such an enterprise, however worthy of compassion the slave might be, and however brutal the master from whose hands he had fled. However, asVincent was on the point of starting for the war to meet danger, andpossibly death, in the defense of Virginia, she had said little, andthat little was in reference rather to the imprudence of the course hehad taken than to what she regarded in her own mind as its folly, andindeed its criminality. 

She had, however, promised that as soon as Tony's letter arrived shewould, if still possible, forward Dinah and the child to him, supplyingher with money for the journey, and giving her the papers freeing herfrom slavery which Vincent had duly signed in the presence of a justice. When the letter came, however, it was already too late. Fighting was onthe point of commencing, all intercourse across the border was stopped, the trains were all taken up for the conveyance of troops, and even aman would have had great difficulty in passing northward, while for anunprotected negress with a baby such a journey would have beenimpossible. 

Mrs. Wingfield had therefore written four times at fortnightly intervalsto Tony, saying that it was impossible to send Dinah off at present, butthat she should be dispatched as soon as the troubles were over, uponreceipt of another letter from him saying that his address wasunchanged, or giving a new one. These letters were duly posted, and itwas probable that one or other of them would in time reach Tony, asmails were sent off to Europe, whenever an opportunity offered for themto be taken by a steamer running the blockade from a Southern port. Dinah, therefore, still remained at the Orangery. She was well andhappy, for her life there was a delightful one indeed after her toil andhardship at the Jacksons'; and although she was anxious to join herhusband, the knowledge that he was well and safe from all pursuit, andthat sooner or later she would join him with her child, was sufficientto make her perfectly contented. 

During Vincent's illness she had been his most constant attendant; forher child now no longer required her care, and passed much of its timedown at the nursery, where the young children of the slaves were lookedafter by two or three aged negresses past active work. She had thereforebegged Mrs. Wingfield to be allowed to take her place by the bedside ofher young master, and, after giving her a trial, Mrs. Wingfield found herso quiet, gentle, and patient that she installed her there, and was ableto obtain the rest she needed, with a feeling of confidence that Vincentwould be well attended to in her absence. 

When Vincent was well enough to be about again, his sisters weresurprised at the change that had taken place in him since he had starteda few months before for the war. It was not so much that he had grown, though he had done so considerably, but that he was much older in mannerand appearance. He had been doing man's work, --work requiring vigilance, activity, and courage, --and they could no longer treat him as a boy. Ashe became stronger he took to riding about the plantation; but not uponWildfire, for his horse was still with the troop, Colonel Stuart havingpromised to see that the animal was well cared for, and that no oneshould ride upon it but himself. 

"I hope you like Jonas Pearson better than you used to do, Vincent, "Mrs. Wingfield said a day or two before he started to rejoin his troop. 

"I can't say I do, mother, " he replied shortly. "The man is very civilto me now--too civil, in fact; but I don't like him, and I don't believehe is honest. I don't mean that he would cheat you, though he may do sofor anything I know; but he pretends to be a violent Secessionist, which, as he comes from Vermont, is not natural, and I imagine he wouldsing a different tune if the bluecoats ever get to Richmond. Still Ihave nothing particular to say against him, except that I don't likehim, and I don't trust him. So long as everything goes on well for theConfederacy I don't suppose it matters, but if we should ever get theworst of it you will see that fellow will be mischievous. 

[Illustration: Map--THE COUNTRY BETWEEN RICHMOND AND FORT MONROE. ]

"However, I hear that he has obeyed your orders, and that there has beenno flogging on the estate since I went away. In fact, as far as I cansee, he does not keep anything like such a sharp hand over the slaves ashe used to do; and in some of the fields the work seems to be done in avery slovenly way. What his game is I don't know; but I have no doubtwhatever that he has some game in his mind. "

"You are a most prejudiced boy, " Mrs. Wingfield said, laughing. "Firstof all the man is too strict, and you were furious about it; now youthink he is too lenient, and at once you suspect he has what you call agame of some sort or other on. You are hard to please, indeed. "

Vincent smiled. "Well, as I told you once before, we shall see. I hope Iam wrong, and that Pearson is all that you believe him to be. I own thatI may be prejudiced against him, but nothing will persuade me that itwas not from him that Jackson learned that Dinah was here, and it was tothat we owe the visit of the sheriff and the searching the plantationfor Tony. However, whatever the man is at heart, he can, as far as Isee, do you no injury as long as things go on as they are, and Isincerely trust he will never have an opportunity of doing so. "

During the winter Vincent had made the acquaintance of many of theSouthern leaders. The town was the center of the movement, the heart ofthe Confederacy. It was against it, as the capital of the SouthernStates, that the efforts of the Northerners were principally directed, and to it flocked the leading men from all parts of the country. Although every Virginian family had some of its members at the front, and a feeling of anxiety reigned everywhere, a semblance of gayety waskept up. The theater was opened, and parties and balls given in order tokeep up the spirits of the people by the example of those of higherrank. 

These balls differed widely in appearance from those of eighteen monthsbefore. The gentlemen were almost all in uniform, and already calicoesand other cheap fabrics were worn by many of the ladies, as foreigndress materials could no longer be purchased. Mrs. Wingfield made apoint of always attending these entertainments with her daughters, whichto the young people afforded a cheerful break in the dullness andmonotony of their usual life; for owing to the absence of almost all theyoung men with the army, there had been a long cessation of the pleasantinterchange of visits, impromptu parties, and social gatherings that hadformed a feature in the life of Virginia. 

The balls would have been but dull affairs had only the residents ofRichmond been present; but leave was granted as much as possible toofficers stationed with regiments within a railway run of the town, andas these eagerly availed themselves of the change from the monotony ofcamp life, the girls had no reason to complain of want of partners. Here, and at the receptions given by President Davis, Vincent met allthe leaders of the Confederacy, civil and military. Many of them hadbeen personal friends of the Wingfields before the Secession movementbegan, and among them was General Magruder, who commanded the troopsround Richmond. 

Early in the winter the general had called at the Orangery. "We aregoing to make a call upon the patriotism of the planters of thisneighborhood, Mrs. Wingfield, " he said, during lunch time. "You see ourarmies are facing those of the Federals opposite Washington, and canoffer a firm front to any foe marching down from the North; butunfortunately they have command of the sea, and there is nothing toprevent their embarking an army on board ship and landing it in eitherthe James or the York rivers, and in that case they might make a rushupon Richmond before there would be time to bring down troops to ouraid. I am therefore proposing to erect a chain of works between the tworivers, so as to be able to keep even a large army at bay untilre-enforcements arrive; but to do this a large number of hands will berequired, and we are going to ask the proprietors of plantations toplace as many negroes as they can spare at our disposal. "

"There can be no doubt as to the response your quest will meet with, general. At present we have scarcely enough work for our slaves to do. Iintend to grow no tobacco next year, for it will only rot in thewarehouse, and a comparatively small number of hands are required toraise corn crops. I have about a hundred and seventy working hands onthe Orangery, and shall be happy to place a hundred at your disposal foras long a time as you may require them. If you want fifty more, you canof course have them. Everything else must at present give way to thegood of the cause. "

"I thank you much, Mrs. Wingfield, for your offers, and will put yourname down the first on the list of contributors. "

"You seem quite to have recovered now, " he said to Vincent a few minutesafterward. 

"Yes; I am ashamed of staying here so long, general. But I feel somepain at times; and as there is nothing doing at the front, and my doctorsays that it is of importance I should have rest as long as possible, Ihave stayed on. Major Ashley has promised to recall me as soon as thereis a prospect of active work. "

"I think it is quite likely that there will be active work here as soonas anywhere else, " the general said. "We know pretty well what is doingat Washington, and though nothing has been decided upon, there is aparty in favor of a landing in force here; and if so, we shall have hotwork. What do you say? If you like, I will get you a commission andappoint you one of my aids-de-camp. Your knowledge of the country willmake you useful, and as Ashley has specially mentioned your name in oneof his dispatches, you can have the commission by asking for it. 

"If there is to be fighting round here, it will be of more interest toyou defending your own home than in taking part in general engagementsfor the safety of the State. It will, too, enable you to be a good dealat home; and although, so far, the slaves have behaved extremely well, there is no saying exactly what may happen if the Northerners come amongus. You can rejoin your own corps afterward, you know, if nothing comesof this. "

Vincent was at first inclined to decline the offer, but his mother andsisters were so pleased at having him near them that he finally acceptedwith thanks, being principally influenced by the general's lastargument, that possibly there might be trouble with the slaves in theevent of a landing in the James Peninsula by the Northerners. A few dayslater there came an official intimation that he had received acommission in the cavalry, and had at General Magruder's request beenappointed to his staff, and he at once entered upon his new duties. 

Fortress Monroe, at the entrance of Hampton Roads, was still in thehands of the Federals, and a large Federal fleet was assembled here, andwas only prevented from sailing up the James River by the _Merrimac_, asteamer which the Confederates had plated with railway iron. They hadalso constructed batteries upon some high bluffs on each side of theriver. In a short time 5000 negroes were set to work erecting batteriesupon the York River at Yorktown and Gloucester Point, and upon a line ofworks extending from Warwick upon the James River to Ship Point on theYork, through a line of wooded and swampy country intersected by streamsemptying themselves into one or other of the rivers. 

This line was some thirty miles in length, and would require 25, 000 mento guard it; but Magruder hoped that there would be sufficient warningof an attack to enable re-enforcements to arrive in time to raise hisown command of about 10, 000 men to that strength. The negroes workedcheerfully, for they received a certain amount of pay from the State;but the work was heavy and difficult, and different altogether to thatwhich they were accustomed to perform. The batteries by the sides of therivers made fair progress, but the advance of the long line of worksacross the peninsula was but slow. Vincent had, upon receiving hisappointment, written at once to Major Ashley, sending his letter by Dan, who was ordered to bring back Wildfire. Vincent stated that, had heconsulted his personal feeling, he should have preferred remaining inthe ranks of his old corps; but that, as the fighting might be close tohis home, and there was no saying what might be the behavior of theslave population in the event of a Northern invasion, he had, for thesake of his mother and sisters, accepted the appointment, but as soon asthe danger was over he hoped to rejoin the corps and serve under hisformer commander. 

Dan, on his return with Wildfire, brought a letter from the major sayingthat, although he should have been glad to have had him with him, hequite agreed with the decision at which he had, under the circumstances, arrived. Vincent now took up his quarters at the camp formed a shortdistance from the city, and much of his time was spent in riding to andfrom the peninsula, seeing that the works were being carried outaccording to the plan of the general, and reporting upon the manner inwhich the contractors for the supply off food to the negroes at workthere performed their duties. Sometimes he was away for two or threedays upon this work; but he generally managed once or twice a week toget home for a few hours. 

The inhabitants of Richmond and its neighborhood were naturally greatlyinterested in the progress of the works for their defense, and partieswere often organized to ride or drive to Yorktown, or to the batterieson the James River, to watch the progress made. Upon one occasionVincent accompanied his mother and sisters, and a party of ladies andgentlemen from the neighboring plantations, to Drury's Bluff, where anintrenched position named Fort Darling had been erected, andpreparations made to sink vessels across the river, and close it againstthe advance of the enemy's fleet, should any misfortune happen to the_Merrimac_. 

Several other parties had been made up, and each brought provisions withthem, General Magruder and some of his officers received them upon theirarrival, and conducted them over the works. After this the whole partysat down to a picnic meal on the ground, and no stranger could haveguessed that the merry party formed part of a population threatened withinvasion by a powerful foe. There were speeches and toasts, all of apatriotic character, and General Magruder raised the enthusiasm to thehighest point by informing them that in a few days--the exact day was asecret, but it would be very shortly--the _Merrimac_, or, as she hadbeen rechristened, the _Virginia_, would put out of Norfolk Harbor, andsee what she could do to clear Hampton Roads of the fleet that nowthreatened them. As they were riding back to Richmond the general saidto Vincent:

"I will tell you a little more than I told the others, Wingfield. Ibelieve the _Merrimac_ will go out the day after to-morrow. I wish Icould get away myself to see the affair; but, unfortunately, I cannot doso. However, if you like to be present, I will give you three days'leave, as you have been working very hard lately. You can start earlyto-morrow, and can get down by train to Norfolk in the evening. I shouldadvise you to take your horse with you, and then you can ride in themorning to some spot from which you will get a fair view of the Roads, and be able to see what is going on. "

"Thank you very much, sir, " Vincent said. "I should like it immensely. "

The next morning Vincent went down to Norfolk. Arriving there, he foundthat, although there was a general expectation that the _Merrimac_would shortly go out to try her strength with the enemy, nothing wasknown of the fact that the next morning had been fixed for theencounter; the secret being kept to the last, lest some spy or adherentof the North might take the news to the fleet. After putting up hishorse Vincent went down to the navy yard, off which the _Merrimac_ waslying. 

This ship had been sunk by the Federals when, at the commencement ofhostilities, they had evacuated Norfolk. Having been raised by theConfederates, the ship was cut down, and a sort of roof covered withiron was built over it, so that the vessel presented the appearance of ahuge sunken house. A ram was fixed to her bow, and she was armed withten guns. Her steam-power was very insufficient for her size, and shecould only move through the water at the rate of five knots an hour. 

"She is an ugly-looking thing, " a man observed to Vincent, as he gazedat the ship. 

"Frightfully ugly, " Vincent agreed. "She may be a formidable machine inthe way of fighting, but one can scarcely call her a ship. "

"She is a floating battery, and if they tried their best to turn out theugliest thing that ever floated they could not have succeeded better. She is just like a Noah's ark sunk down to the eaves of her roof. "

"Yes, she is a good deal like that, " Vincent agreed. "The very look ofher ought to be enough to frighten the Federals, even if she did nothingelse. "

"I expect it will not be long before she gives them a taste of herquality, " the man said. "She has got her coal and ammunition on board, and there's nothing to prevent her going out this evening if she wantsto. "

"It will be worth seeing when she does go out to fight the Northerners, "Vincent said. "It will be a new experiment in warfare, and, if she turnsout a success, I suppose all the navies in the world will be taking tocover themselves up with iron. "

The next morning, which was the 8th of March, --a date forever memorablein naval annals, --smoke was seen pouring out from the funnels of the_Merrimac_, and there were signs of activity on board the _PatrickHenry_, of six guns, and the _Jamestown_, _Raleigh_, _Beaufort_, and_Teazer_, little craft carrying one gun each, and at eleven o'clock theyall moved down the inlet on which Norfolk is situated. The news that the_Merrimac_ was going out to attack the enemy had now spread, and thewhole population of Norfolk turned out and hastened down toward themouth of the inlet on horseback, in vehicles, or on foot, while Vincentrode to the batteries on Sewell's Point, nearly facing Fortress Monroe. 

He left his horse at a farmhouse a quarter of a mile from the battery;for Wildfire was always restless under fire, and it was probable thatthe batteries would take a share in the affair. At one o'clock some ofthe small Federal lookout launches were seen to be at work signaling, abustle could be observed prevailing among the large ships over by thefortress, and it was evident that the _Merrimac_ was now visible to themas she came down the inlet. The _Cumberland_ and _Congress_ men-of-warmoved out in that direction, and the _Minnesota_ and the _St. Lawrence_, which were at anchor, got under way, assisted by steam tugs. 

The _Merrimac_ and the fleet of little gunboats were now visible fromthe battery, advancing against the _Cumberland_ and _Congress_. Theformer opened fire upon her at a distance of a mile with the heavy pivotguns, but the _Merrimac_, without replying, continued her slow andsteady course toward them. She first approached the _Congress_, and asshe did so a puff of smoke burst, from the forward end of herpent-house, and the water round the _Congress_ was churned up by a hailof grape-shot. As they passed each other both vessels fired a broadside. The officers in the fort, provided with glasses, could see the effect ofthe _Merrimac's_ fire in the light patches that showed on the side ofthe _Congress_, but the _Merrimac_ appeared entirely uninjured. She nowapproached the _Cumberland_, which poured several broadsides into her, but altogether without effect. 

The _Merrimac_, without replying, steamed straight on and struck the_Cumberland_ with great force, knocking a large hole in her side, nearthe water line. Then backing off, she opened fire upon her. 

For half an hour the crew of the _Cumberland_ fought with great bravery. The ships lay about three hundred yards apart, and every shot from the_Merrimac_ told on the wooden vessel. The water was pouring in throughthe breach. The shells of the _Merrimac_ crushed in through her side, and at one time set her on fire; but the crew worked their guns untilthe vessel sank beneath their feet. Some men succeeded in swimming toland, which was not far distant, others were saved by small boats fromthe shore, but nearly half of the crew of 400 men were either killed inaction or drowned. 

The _Merrimac_ now turned her attention to the _Congress_, which wasleft to fight the battle alone, as the _Minnesota_ had got aground, andthe _Roanoke_ and _St. Lawrence_ could not approach near enough torender them assistance from their draught of water. The _Merrimac_poured broadside after broadside into her, until the officer in commandand many of the crew were killed. The lieutenant who succeeded to thecommand, seeing there was no prospect of help, and that resistance washopeless, hauled down the flag. A gunboat was sent alongside, withorders that the crew should leave the _Congress_ and come on board, asthe ship was to be burned. But the troops and artillery lining the shorenow opened fire on the little gunboat, which consequently hauled off. The _Merrimac_, after firing several more shells into the _Congress_, moved away to attack the _Minnesota_, and the survivors of the 200 menwho composed the crew of the _Congress_ were conveyed to shore in smallboats. The vessel was set on fire either by her own crew or the shellsof the _Merrimac_, and by midnight blew up. 

Owing to the shallowness of the water the _Merrimac_ could not get nearenough to the _Minnesota_ to use her own small guns to advantage, andthe gunboat was driven off by the heavy ten-inch gun of the Federalfrigate, and, therefore, at seven o'clock the _Merrimac_ and herconsorts returned to Norfolk. The greatest delight was felt on shore atthe success of the engagement, and on riding back to Norfolk Vincentlearned that the ram would go out again next morning to engage the restof the Federal fleet. 

She herself had suffered somewhat in the fight. Her loss in men was onlytwo killed and eight wounded; but two of her guns had the muzzles shotoff, the armor was damaged in some places, and, most serious of all, shehad badly twisted her ram in running into the _Cumberland_. Still itappeared that she was more than a match for the rest of the Federalfleet, and that these must either fly or be destroyed. 

As the general had given him three days' leave, Vincent was able to stayto see the close of the affair, and early next morning again rode downto Sewell's Point, as the _Merrimac_ was to start at daybreak. At sixo'clock the ironclad came out from the river and made for the_Minnesota_, which was still aground. The latter was seen to run up asignal, and the spectators saw an object which they had not beforeperceived coming out as if to meet the ram. The glasses were directedtoward it, and a general exclamation of surprise was heard. 

"What is the thing? It looks like a raft with two round turrets upon it, and a funnel. " A moment's consideration, and the truth burst upon them. It was the ship they had heard of as building at New York, and which hadbeen launched six weeks before. It was indeed the _Monitor_, which hadarrived during the night, just in time to save the rest of the Federalfleet. She was the first regular ironclad ever built. She was a turretship, carrying two very heavy guns, and showing only between two andthree feet above the water. 

The excitement upon both shores as these adversaries approached eachother was intense. They moved slowly, and not until they were within ahundred yards distance did the _Monitor_ open fire, the _Merrimac_replying at once. The fire for a short time was heavy and rapid, thedistance between the combatants varying from fifty to two hundred yards. The _Monitor_ had by far the greatest speed, and was much more easilyturned than the Confederate ram, and her guns were very much heavier, and the _Merrimac_, while still keeping up the fight, made toward themouth of the river. 

Suddenly she turned and steamed directly at the _Monitor_, and beforethe latter could get out of her way struck her on the side; but the ramwas bent, and her weak engines were insufficient to propel her with thenecessary force. Consequently she inflicted no damage on the _Monitor_, and the action continued, the turret ship directing her fire at the ironroof of the ram, while the latter pointed her guns especially at theturret and pilot-house of the _Monitor_. At length, after a battle whichhad lasted six hours, the _Monitor_ withdrew, one of the plates of herpilot house being seriously damaged and her commander injured in theeyes. 

When her foe drew off the _Merrimac_ steamed back to Norfolk. There wereno men killed in either battle, and each side claimed a victory; theFederals upon the ground that they had driven off the _Merrimac_, theConfederates because the _Monitor_ had retreated from the fight. Eachvessel, however, held the strength of the other in respect; the_Monitor_ remaining as sentinel over the ships and transports atFortress Monroe, while the _Merrimac_ at Norfolk continued to guard theentrance into the James River. 

As soon as the fight was over Vincent Wingfield, greatly pleased that hehad witnessed so strange and interesting a combat, rode back to Norfolk, and the same evening reached Richmond, where his description of thefight was received with the greatest interest and excitement. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

McCLELLAN'S ADVANCE. 

It was not until three weeks after the fight between the ironclads thatthe great army under General McClellan arrived off Fortress Monroe, thegreater portion of the troops coming down the Potomac in steamtransports. Vast quantities of stores had been accumulated in and aroundthe fortress. Guns of a size never before used in war were lying on thewharfs in readiness to be placed in batteries, while Hampton Roads werecrowded with transports and store vessels watched over by the _Monitor_and the other warships. McClellan's army was a large one, but not sostrong a force as he had intended to have taken with him, and as soon ashe arrived at Fortress Monroe he learned that he would not be able toexpect much assistance from the fleet. The _Merrimac_ completely closedthe James River; and were the more powerful vessels of the fleet to moveup York River, she would be able to sally out and destroy the rest ofthe fleet and the transports. 

As it was most important to clear the peninsula between the two riversbefore Magruder should receive strong re-enforcements, a portion of thetroops were at once landed, and on the 4th of April 56, 000 men and onehundred guns disembarked and started on their march against Yorktown. Assoon as the news of the arrival of the Northern army at Fortress Monroereached Richmond fresh steps were taken for the defense of the city. Magruder soon found that it would be impossible with the force at hiscommand to hold the line he had proposed, and a large body of negroesand troops were set to work to throw up defenses between Yorktown and apoint on the Warwick River thirteen and a half miles away. 

A portion of this line was covered by the Warwick Creek which he dammedup to make it unfordable, and erected batteries to guard the dams. Across the intervening ground a weak earthwork with trenches wasconstructed, there being no time to raise stronger works; but Magruderrelied chiefly upon the swampy and difficult nature of the country, andthe concealment afforded by the forest, which rendered it difficult forthe enemy to discover the weakness of the defenders. 

He posted 6000 men at Yorktown and Gloucester Point, and the remaining5000 troops under his command were scattered along the line of works tothe Warwick River. He knew that if McClellan pushed forward with all hisforce he must be successful; but he knew also that, if the enemy couldbe held in check for a few days, assistance would reach him from GeneralJohnston's army. 

Fortunately for the Confederates the weather, which had been fine andclear during the previous week, changed on the very day that McClellanstarted. The rain came down in torrents, and the roads became almostimpassable. The columns struggled on along the deep and muddy tracks allday, and bivouacked for the night in the forests. The next morning theyresumed their march, and on reaching the first line of intrenchmentsformed by the Confederates found them deserted, and it was not untilthey approached the Warwick Creek that they encountered seriousopposition. Had they pushed forward at once they would haveunquestionably captured Richmond. But McClellan's fault wasover-caution, and he believed himself opposed by a very much largerforce than that under the command of Magruder; consequently, instead ofmaking an attack at once, he began regular siege operations against theworks on Warwick Creek and those at Yorktown. 

The delay saved Richmond. Every day re-enforcements arrived, and by thetime that McClellan's army, over 100, 000 strong, had erected theirbatteries and got their heavy guns into position, Magruder had beenre-enforced by some 10, 000 men under General Johnston, who now assumedthe command, while other divisions were hurrying up from Northern andWestern Virginia. Upon the very night before the batteries were ready toopen, the Confederates evacuated their positions and fell back, carryingwith them all their guns and stores to the Chickahominy River, which ranalmost across the peninsula at a distance of six miles only fromRichmond. 

The Confederates crossed and broke down the bridges, and prepared tomake another stand. The disappointment of the Federals was great. Afterten days of incessant labor and hardship they had only gained possessionof the village of Yorktown, and a tract of low, swampy country. Thedivisions in front pressed forward rapidly after the Confederates; butthese had managed their plan so well that all were safely across thestream before they were overtaken. 

The dismay in Richmond had for a few days been great. Many people leftthe town for the interior, taking their valuables with them, and all wasprepared for the removal of the State papers and documents. But as theFederals went on with their fortifications, and the re-enforcementsbegan to arrive, confidence was restored, and all went on as before. 

The great Federal army was so scattered through the forests, and thediscipline of some of the divisions was so lax, that it was some daysbefore McClellan had them ranged in order on the Chickahominy. Anotherweek elapsed before he was in a position to undertake fresh operations;but General Johnston had now four divisions on the spot, and he was tooenterprising a general to await the attack. Consequently he crossed theChickahominy, fell upon one of the Federal divisions and almostdestroyed it, and drove back the whole of their left wing. The nextmorning the battle was renewed, and lasted for five hours. 

It was fortunate indeed for the Confederates that the right wing of theNorthern army did not, while the action was going on, cross the riverand march straight upon Richmond; but communication was difficult fromone part of the army to another, owing to the thick forests and theswampy state of the ground, and being without orders they remainedinactive all day. The loss on their side had been 7000 men, while theConfederates had lost 4500; and General Johnston being seriouslywounded, the chief command was given to General Lee, by far the ablestsoldier the war produced. Satisfied with the success they had gained, the Confederates fell back across the river again. 

On the 4th of June, General Stuart--for he had now beenpromoted--started with 1200 cavalry and two guns and in forty-eighthours made one of the most adventurous reconnoissances ever undertaken. First the force rode out to Hanover Courthouse, where they encounteredand defeated, first, a small body of cavalry, and afterward a wholeregiment. Then, after destroying the stores there, they rode round tothe Pamunky, burned two vessels and a large quantity of stores, captureda train of forty wagons, and burned a railway bridge. 

Then they passed right round the Federal rear, crossed the river, andre-entered the city with 165 prisoners and 200 horses, having effectedthe destruction of vast quantities of stores, besides breaking up therailways and burning bridges. 

Toward the end of June McClellan learned that Stonewall Jackson, havingstruck heavy blows at the two greatly superior armies which wereoperating against him in the valley of the Shenandoah, had succeeded inevading them, and was marching toward Richmond. 

He had just completed several bridges across the river, and was about tomove forward to fight a great battle when the news reached him. Believing that he should be opposed by an army of 200, 000 men, although, in fact, the Confederate army, after Jackson and all the availablere-enforcements came up, was still somewhat inferior in strength to hisown, he determined to abandon for the present the attempt upon Richmond, and to fall back upon the James River. 

Here his ships had already landed stores for his supply, for the riverwas now open as far as the Confederate defenses at Fort Darling. Norfolk Navy Yard had been captured by the 10, 000 men who formed thegarrison of Fortress Monroe. No resistance had been offered, as all theConfederate troops had been concentrated for the defense of Richmond. When Norfolk was captured the _Merrimac_ steamed out to make her way outof the river; but the water was low, and the pilot declared that shecould not be taken up. Consequently she was set on fire and burned tothe water's edge, and thus the main obstacle to the advance of theFederal fleet was removed. 

They had advanced as far as Fort Darling, and the ironclad gunboats hadengaged the batteries there. Their shot, however, did little damage tothe defenders upon the lofty bluffs, while the shot from the batteriesso injured the gunboats that the attempt to force the passage wasabandoned. While falling back to a place called Harrison's Landing onthe James River, the Federals were attacked by the Confederates, butafter desperate fighting on both sides, lasting for five days, theysucceeded in drawing off from the Chickahominy with a loss of fiftyguns, thousands of small-arms, and the loss of the greater part of theirstores. 

All idea of a further advance against Richmond was for the presentabandoned. President Lincoln had always been opposed to the plan, and aconsiderable portion of the army was moved round to join the force underGeneral Pope, which was now to march upon Richmond from the north. 

From the commencement of the Federal advance to the time when, beatenand dispirited, they regained the James River, Vincent Wingfield hadseen little of his family. The Federal lines had at one time been withina mile of the Orangery. The slaves had some days before been all sentinto the interior, and Mrs. Wingfield and her daughters had moved intoRichmond, where they joined in the work, to which the whole of theladies of the town and neighborhood devoted themselves, of attending tothe wounded, of whom, while the fighting was going on, long trainsarrived every day at the city. 

Vincent himself had taken no active part in the fighting. Magruder'sdivision had not been engaged in the first attack upon McClellan'sforce; and although it had taken a share in the subsequent severefighting, Vincent had been occupied in carrying messages from thegeneral to the leaders of the other divisions, and had only once ortwice come under the storm of fire to which the Confederates wereexposed as they plunged through the morasses to attack the enemy. Assoon as it was certain that the attack was finally abandoned, and thatMcClellan's troops were being withdrawn to strengthen Pope's army, Vincent resigned his appointment as aid-de-camp, and was appointed tothe 7th Virginia Cavalry, stationed at Orange, where it was facing theFederal cavalry. Major Ashley had fallen while protecting the passage ofJackson's division, when hard pressed by one of the Federal armies inWest Virginia. 

No action in the war had been more brilliant than the manner in whichStonewall Jackson had baffled the two armies--each greatly superior inforce to his own--that had been specially appointed to destroy him ifpossible, or at any rate to prevent his withdrawing from the ShenandoahValley and marching to aid in the defense of the Confederate capital. His troops had marched almost day and night, without food, and dependingentirely upon such supplies as they could obtain from the scatteredfarmhouses they passed. 

Although Richmond was for the present safe, the prospect of theConfederates was by no means bright. New Orleans had been captured; theblockade of the other ports was now so strict that it was difficult inthe extreme for a vessel to make her way in or out; and the Northernershad placed flotillas of gunboats on the rivers, and by the aid of thesewere gradually making their way into the heart of several of the States. 

"Are you thinking of going out to the Orangery again soon, mother?"Vincent asked on the evening before setting out on the march north. 

"I think not, Vincent. There is so much to do in the hospitals herethat I cannot leave. I should be ashamed to be living in luxury at theOrangery with the girls while other women are giving up their whole timenursing the wounded. Besides, although I do not anticipate that afterthe way they have been hurled back the Northerners will try again forsome time, now they are in possession of Harrison's Landing they can atany moment advance. Besides, it is not pleasant being obliged to turnout of one's house and leave everything to their mercy. I wroteyesterday to Pearson to bring the slaves back at once and take up thework, and I shall go over occasionally to see that everything is inorder; but at any rate for a time we will stop here. "

"I think that is best, mother. Certainly I should feel more comfortableknowing that you are all at Richmond than alone out there. "

"We should be no worse off than thousands of ladies all over the State, Vincent. There are whole districts where every white capable of using agun has gone to the war, leaving nothing but women and slaves behind, and we have not heard of a single case in which there has been trouble. "

"Certainly there is no chance of trouble with your slaves, mother; butin some of the other plantations it may not be so. At any rate the quietconduct of the slaves everywhere is the very best answer that could begiven to the accusations that have been made as to their crueltreatment. At present the whole of the property of the slave-ownersthroughout the Southern States is at their mercy, and they might burn, kill, and destroy; and yet in no single instance have they risen againstwhat are called their oppressors, even when the Federals have been closeat hand. 

"Please keep your eye on Dinah, mother. I distrust that fellow Jacksonso thoroughly that I believe him capable of having her carried off andsmuggled away somewhere down south, and sold there if he saw a chance. Iwish, instead of sending her to the Orangery, you would keep her as oneof your servants here. "

"I will if you wish it, Vincent; but I cannot believe for a moment thatJackson or anyone else would venture to meddle with any of my slaves. "

"Perhaps not, mother; but it is best to be on the safe side. Anyhow, Ishall be glad to know that she is with you. Young Jackson will be away, for I know he is in one of Stuart's troops of horse, though I have neverhappened to run against him since the war began. "

The firing had hardly ceased before Harrison's Landing, when GeneralJackson, with a force of about 15, 000 men, composed of his own division, now commanded by General Winder, General Ewell's division, and a portionof that of General Hill, started for the Rapidan to check General Pope, who, plundering and wasting the country as he advanced, was marchingsouth, his object being to reach Gordonsville, where he would cut theline of railway connecting Richmond with West Virginia. Vincent was gladthat the regiment to which he had been appointed would be underJackson's command, and that he would be campaigning again with his olddivision, which consisted largely of Virginian troops and contained somany of his old friends. 

With Jackson, too, he was certain to be engaged in stirring service, forthat general ever kept his troops upon the march; striking blows whereleast expected, and traversing such an extent of country by rapidmarches that he and his division seemed to the enemy to almostubiquitous. 

It was but a few hours after he received his appointment that Vincenttook train from Richmond to Gordonsville, Dan being in the horse-boxwith Wildfire in the rear of the train. His regiment was encamped a mileor two away, and he at once rode on and reported himself to ColonelJones, who commanded it. 

"I am glad to have you with me, sir, " the colonel said. "I had thepleasure of knowing your father, and am an old friend of your mother'sfamily. As you were in Ashley's horse and have been serving onMagruder's staff, you are well up in your duties; and it is a comfortto me that the vacancy has been filled up by one who knows his workinstead of a raw hand. We have had a brush or two already with theenemy; but at present we are watching each other, waiting on both sidestill the generals have got their infantry to the front in readiness foran advance. Jackson is waiting for Hill's division to come up, and Ibelieve Pope is expecting great re-enforcements from McClellan. "

A few days later Colonel Jones was ordered to take charge of the picketsposted on the Rapidan, but before reaching Orange a gentleman rode up atfull speed and informed them that the enemy were in possession of thattown. Colonel Jones divided his regiment into two parts, and with onecharged the Federal cavalry in the main street of Orange, while theother portion of the regiment, under Major Marshall, attacked them onthe flank. After a sharp fight the enemy were driven from the place; butthey brought up large re-enforcements, and pouring in a heavy fire, attacked the town on both sides, and the Confederates had to fall back. But they made another stand a little way out of the town, and drove backthe Federal cavalry who were pressing them. 

Although the fight had been but a short one, the losses in the cavalryranks had been serious. Colonel Jones, while charging at the head of hismen, had received a saber-wound, and Major Marshall was taken prisoner. 

Five days later, on the 7th of August, Jackson received intelligencethat General Burnside, with a considerable portion of McClellan's force, had embarked, and was on the way to join Pope. He determined to strike ablow at once, and marched with his entire force from Gordonsville forBarnett Ford on the Rapidan. 

At daybreak next morning the cavalry crossed the river and attacked androuted a body of Federal cavalry on the road to Culpeper Courthouse. Onthe following day Jackson came up with his infantry to a point abouteight miles from Culpeper, where Pope's army, 32, 000 strong, werestationed upon the crest of a hill. General Ewell's division, which wasthe only one then up, at once advanced, and after a severe artilleryfight, gained a point on a hill where his guns could command the enemy'sposition. 

Jackson's division now came up, and as it was moving into positionGeneral Winder was killed by a shell. For some hours Jackson did notattempt to advance, as Hill's division had not come up. Encouraged bythis delay, the enemy at five o'clock in the afternoon took theoffensive and advanced through some cornfields lying between the twoarmies and attacked Ewell's division on the Confederate right; whileshortly afterward they fell with overwhelming strength on Jackson'sleft, and, attacking it in front, flank, and rear, drove it back, andpressed upon it with such force that the day appeared lost. 

At this moment Jackson himself rode down among the confused and waveringtroops, and by his voice and example rallied them. At the same momentthe old Stonewall Brigade came up at a run and poured their fire intothe advancing enemy. Jackson led the troops he had rallied forward. TheStonewall Brigade fell upon the enemy's flank and drove them back withterrible slaughter. Other brigades came up, and there was a generalcharge along the whole Confederate line, and the Federals were drivenback a mile beyond the position they had occupied at the commencement ofthe fight to the shelter of some thick woods; 400 prisoners were takenand over 5000 small-arms. 

The battle was known as Cedar Run, and it completely checked Pope'sadvance upon Richmond. The troops were too much exhausted to follow uptheir victory, but Jackson urged them to press forward. They moved amile and a half in advance, and then found themselves so stronglyopposed that Jackson, believing that the enemy must have receivedre-enforcements, halted his men. Colonel Jones was sent forward toreconnoiter, and discovered that a large force had joined the enemy. 

For two days Jackson remained on the field he had won; his troops hadbeen busy in burying the dead, in collecting the wounded and sendingthem to the rear, and in gathering the arms thrown away by the enemy intheir flight. Being assured that the enemy were now too strong to beattacked by the force under his command, Jackson fell back to OrangeCourthouse. There was now a few days' delay, while masses of troops wereon both sides moving toward the new field of action. McClellan marchedhis troops across the James Peninsula from Harrison's Landing toYorktown, and there the greater portion were embarked in transports andtaken up the Rappahannock to Aquia Creek, landed there, and marched toFredericksburg. 

Lee, instead of attacking McClellan on his march across the peninsula, determined to take his army north at once to join Jackson and attackPope before he was joined by McClellan's army. But Pope, althoughalready largely re-enforced, retired hastily and took up a new positionso strongly fortified that he could not be attacked. General Stuart hadcome up with Lee, and was in command of all the cavalry. 

"We shall see some work now, " was the remark round the fires of the 7thVirginia Cavalry. Hitherto, although they had been several times engagedwith the Federals, they had been forced to remain for the most partinactive owing to the vast superiority in force of the enemy's cavalry;but now that Stuart had come up they felt certain that, whatever thedisparity of numbers, there would soon be some dashing work to be done. 

Except when upon actual duty the strict lines of military disciplinewere much relaxed among the cavalry, the troopers being almost all thesons of farmers and planters and of equal social rank with theirofficers, many of whom were their personal friends or relatives. Severalof Vincent's schoolfellows were in the ranks, two or three of them werefellow-officers, and these often gathered together round a camp fire andchatted over old schooldays and mutual friends. 

Many of these had already fallen, for the Virginia regiments ofStonewall Jackson's brigade had been terribly thinned; but the loss ofso many friends and the knowledge that their own turn might come nextdid not suffice to lessen the high spirits of these brave young men. Thehard work, the rough life, the exposure and hardship, had braced andinvigorated them all, and they were attaining a far more vigorousmanhood than they would ever have possessed had they grown up in thesomewhat sluggish and enervating life led by young planters. 

Many of these young men had, until the campaign began, never done halfan hour's hard work in their lives. They had been waited upon by slaves, and their only exercise had been riding. For months now they had almostlived in the saddle, had slept in the open air, and had thoughtthemselves lucky if they could obtain a sufficient meal of the roughestfood to satisfy their hunger once a day. In this respect, however, thecavalry were better off than their comrades of the infantry, forscouting as they did in small parties over a wide extent of country, they were sure of a meal and a hearty welcome whenever they could sparetime to stop for half an hour at the house of a farmer. 

"It's a glorious life, Wingfield! When we chatted over the future atschool we never dreamed of such a life as this, though some of us didtalk of entering the army; but even then an occasional skirmish withIndians was the limit of our ideas. "

"Yes, it is a glorious life!" Vincent agreed. "I cannot imagine anythingmore exciting. Of course, there is the risk of being shot, but somehowone never seems to think of that. There is always something to do and tothink about; from the time one starts on a scout at daybreak to thatwhen one lies down at night one's senses are on the stretch. Besides weare fighting in defense of our country and not merely as a profession, though I don't suppose, after all, that makes much difference when oneis once in for it. As far as I have read, all soldiers enjoycampaigning, and it does not seem to make any difference to them who arethe foe or what they are fighting about. But I should like to feel alittle more sure that we shall win in the long run. "

There was a chorus of indignant protests against there being anypossible doubts as to the issue. 

"Why, we have thrashed them every time we have met them, Wingfield. "

"That is all very well, " Vincent said. "Here in Virginia we have heldour own, and more than held it. We have beat back Scott and McClellan, and now we have thrashed Pope; and Stonewall Jackson has won a dozenbattles in West Virginia. But you must remember that in other parts theyare gradually closing in; all the ports not already taken are closelyblockaded. They are pushing all along the lines of the great rivers; andworst of all, they can fill up their vacancies with hired emigrants, andas fast as one army disappears another takes its place. I believe weshall beat them again and again, and shall prove, as we have provedbefore, that one Southerner fighting for home and liberty is more than amatch for two hired soldiers, even with a good large sprinkling ofYankees among them. But in the long run I am not sure that we shall win, for they can go on putting big armies into the field, while some day wemust get used up. 

"Of course it is possible that we may some day capture Washington, andthat the North may get weary of the tremendous drain of money and mencaused by their attempt to conquer us. I hope it may be so, for I shouldlike to think that we should win in the long run. I never feel any doubtabout our winning a battle when we begin. My only fear is that we mayget used up before the North are tired of it. "

"I did not expect to hear you talk so, Wingfield, for you always seem tobe in capital spirits. "

"I am in capital spirits, " Vincent replied, "and ready to fight againand again, and always confident we shall lick the Yankees; the fact thatI have a doubt whether in the long run we shall outlast them does notinterfere in the slightest degree with my comfort at present. I am verysorry though that this fellow Pope is carrying on the war so brutally, instead of in the manner in which General McClellan and the othercommanders have waged it. His proclamation that the army must subsistupon the country it passes through gives a direct invitation to thesoldiers to pillage, and his order that all farmers who refuse to takethe oath to the Union are to be driven from their homes and sent downSouth means ruin to all the peaceful inhabitants, for there is scarcelya man in this part of Virginia who is not heartily with us. "

"I hear, " one of the other officers said, "that a prisoner who wascaptured this morning says that Pope already sees that he has made amistake, and that he yesterday issued a fresh order saying that theproclamation was not meant to authorize pillage. He finds that theinhabitants who before, whatever their private sentiments were, maintained a sort of neutrality, are now hostile, that they drive offtheir cattle into the woods, and even set fire to their stacks, toprevent anything from being carried off by the Yanks; and his troopsfind the roads broken up and bridges destroyed and all sorts ofdifficulties thrown in their way. "

"It does not always pay--even in war--to be brutal. I am glad to see hehas found out his mistake so soon, " another officer said. "McClellanwaged war like a gentleman; and if blackguards are to be allowed tocarry fire and sword through the land they will soon find it is a gamethat two can play at, and matters will become horribly embittered. "

"We shall never do that, " Vincent said. "Our generals are all gentlemen, and Lee and Jackson and many others are true Christians as well as truesoldiers, and I am sure they will never countenance that on our side, whatever the Northerners may do. We are ready to fight the hordes ofYankees and their hired soldiers as often as they advance against us, but I am sure that none of us would fire a homestead or ill-treatdefenseless men and women. It is a scandal that such brutalities arecommitted by the ruffians who call themselves Southerners. Theguerrillas in Missouri and Tennessee are equally bad, whether on ourside or the other, and if I were the President I would send down acouple of regiments, and hunt down the fellows who bring dishonor on ourcause. If the South cannot free herself without the aid of ruffians ofthis kind, she had better lay down her arms at once. "

"Bravo, Wingfield! Spoken like a knight of chivalry!" one of the otherslaughed. "But many of these bands have done good, nevertheless. Theyhave kept the enemy busy there, and occupied the attention of a verylarge force who might otherwise have been in the woods yonder with Pope. I agree with you, it would be better if the whole thing were fought outwith large armies, but there is a good deal to be said for these bandsyou are so severe upon. They are composed of men who have been madedesperate by seeing their farms harried and their buildings burned bythe enemy. They have been denounced as traitors by their neighbors onthe other side, and if they retaliate I don't know that they are to bealtogether blamed. I know that if my place at home were burned down, andmy people insulted and ill-treated, I should be inclined to set off toavenge it. "

"So would I, " Vincent agreed, "but it should be upon those who did thewrong, not upon innocent people. "

"That is all very well, but if the other side destroy your people'sfarms, it is only by showing them that two can play at the game that youcan make them observe the laws of war. I grant it would be very muchbetter that no such thing should take place; but if the Northernersbegin this sort of work they may be sure that there will be retaliation. Anyhow, I am glad that I am an officer in the 7th Virginia and not aguerrilla leader in Missouri. Well, all this talking is dry work. Has noone got a full canteen?"

"I have, " Vincent said. "Dan managed to buy a gallon of rum at afarmhouse yesterday. I think the farmer was afraid that the enemy mightbe paying him a visit before many days, and thought it best to get ridof his spirits. Anyhow, Dan got the keg at ordinary city prices, as wellas that pair of fine turkeys he is just bringing along for our supper. So you had better each get your ration bread and fall to. "

There was a cheer as Dan placed the turkeys down in the center of thegroup, and soon the whole party, using their bread as plates, fell toupon them, and afterward joined in many a merry song, while Dan handedround the jar of spirits. 

CHAPTER IX. 

A PRISONER. 

The party round the fire were just about to disperse when the captain ofVincent's troop approached. He took the horn of spirits and water thatVincent held up to him and tossed it off. 

"That is a stirrup-cup, Wingfield. "

"What! are we for duty, captain?" Vincent asked as he rose to his feet. 

"Yes; our troop and Harper's are to muster. Get the men togetherquietly. I think it is a serious business; each of the regimentsfurnishes troops, and I believe Stuart himself takes the command. "

"That sounds like work, indeed, " Vincent said. "I will get the trooptogether, sir. "

"There are to be no trumpet calls, Wingfield; we are to get off asquietly as possible. "

Most of the men were already fast asleep, but as soon as they learnedthat there was a prospect of active work all were full of life andanimation. The girths of the saddles were tightened, swords buckled on, and revolvers carefully examined before being placed in the holsters. Many of the men carried repeating rifles, and the magazines were filledbefore these were slung across the riders' shoulders. 

In a few minutes the three troops were mounted and in readiness for astart, and almost directly afterward Colonel Jones himself rode up andtook the command. A thrill of satisfaction ran through the men as he didso, for it was certain that he would not himself be going in command ofthe detachment unless the occasion was an important one. For a fewminutes no move was made. 

"I suppose the others are going to join us here, " Vincent said to theofficer next him. 

"I suppose so, " he replied. "We lie in the middle of the cavalry brigadewith two regiments each side of us, so it is likely enough this is thegathering place. Yes, I can hear the tramping of horses. "

"I felt a spot of rain, " Vincent said. "We have been having lightningfor some time, and I fear we are in for a wet ride. "

The contingent from the other regiments soon arrived, and just as thelast came up General Stuart himself appeared and took his place at thehead of the party, now some 500 strong. Short as the time had been sinceVincent felt the first drop, the rain was now coming down in torrents. One by one the bright flames of the fires died down, and the darknessbecame so intense that Vincent could scarcely see the officer on hisright hand. 

"I hope the man who rode up with the general, and is no doubt to be ourguide, knows the country well. It is no joke finding our way through aforest on such a night as this. "

"I believe Stuart's got eyes like a cat, " the officer said. "Sometimeson a dark night he has come galloping up to a post where I was incommand, when one could scarcely see one's hand before one. It neverseems to make any difference to him; day or night he rides about at agallop. "

"He trusts his horse, " Vincent said. "That's the only way in the dark. They can see much better than we can, and if men would but let them gotheir own way instead of trying to guide them, they would seldom runagainst anything. The only thing is to lie well down on the horse'sneck, otherwise one might get swept out of the saddle by a bough. It's aquestion of nerve. I think not many of us would do as Stuart does, andtrust himself entirely to his horse's instinct. "

The word was now passed down the line that perfect silence was to beobserved, and that they were to move forward in column, the ranksclosing up as much as possible, so as not to lose touch of each other. With heads bent down, and blankets wrapped around them as cloaks, thecavalry rode off through the pouring rain. The thunder was crashingoverhead, and the flashes of lightning enabled them to keep their placesin close column. They went at a rapid trot, and even those who wereready to charge a body of the enemy, however numerous, without amoment's hesitation, experienced a feeling of nervousness as they rodeon in the darkness through the thick forest on their unknown errand. That they were going northward they knew, and knew also, after a shorttime, that they must be entering the lines of the enemy. They saw nosigns of watch-fires, for these would long since have been quenched bythe downpour. After half an hour's brisk riding all knew, by the sharpsound of the beat of the horses' hoofs, that they had left the softtrack through the forest and were now upon a regular road. 

"Thank goodness for that!" Vincent said in a low tone to his nextneighbor. "I don't mind a brush with the enemy, but I own I don't likethe idea that at any moment my brains may be knocked out by the branchof a tree. "

"I agree with you, " the other replied; "and I fancy every man felt thesame. "

There was no doubt as to this. Hitherto no sound had been heard save thejingling of accouterments and the dull heavy sound of the horses' tread;but now there could be heard mingled with these the buzz of voices, andoccasionally a low laugh. They were so accustomed to wet that thesoaking scarcely inconvenienced them. They were out of the forest now, and felt sure of their guide; and as to the enemy, they only longed todiscover them. 

For another hour the rapid advance continued, and all felt sure thatthey must now have penetrated through the enemy's lines and be well inhis rear. At last they heard a challenge of sentry. Then Stuart's voiceshouted, "Charge!" and at full gallop they rode into the village atCatlet's Station on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, where GeneralPope had his headquarters. Another minute and they were in the midst ofthe enemy's camp, where the wildest confusion reigned. The Federalofficers rushed from their tents and made off in the darkness; but thesoldiers, who were lying on the line of railroad, leaped to their feetand opened a heavy fire on their invisible foes. Against this thecavalry, broken up in the camp with its tents, its animals, and itspiles of baggage, could do little, for it was impossible to form them upin the broken and unknown ground. 

The quarters of Pope were soon discovered; he himself had escaped, leaving his coat and hat behind. Many of his officers were captured, andin his quarters was found a box of official papers, which wereinvaluable, as among them were copies of his letters asking forre-enforcements, lists giving the strength and position of his troops, and other particulars of the greatest value to the Confederates. No timewas lost, as the firing would set the whole Federal army on the alert, and they might find their retreat cut off. Therefore, placing theprisoners in the center, and taking the box of papers with them, thecavalry were called off from the camp, and without delay started ontheir return ride. 

They did not take the road by which they had come, but made a longdetour, and just as daylight was breaking re-entered the Confederatelines, without having encountered a foe from the time of their leavingCatlet's Station. Short as their stay in camp had been, few of the menhad returned empty-handed. The Northern army was supplied with anabundance of excellent food of all descriptions, forming the strongestpossible contrast to the insufficient rations upon which the Confederatetroops existed, and the troopers had helped themselves to whatever theycould lay hands upon in the darkness and confusion. 

Some rode in with a ham slung on each side of their saddle, others hadsecured a bottle or two of wine or spirits. Some had been fortunateenough to lay hand on some tins of coffee or a canister of tea, luxurieswhich for months had been unknown to them save when they were capturedfrom the enemy. The only article captured of no possible utility wasGeneral Pope's coat, which was sent to Richmond, where it was hung upfor public inspection; a wag sticking up a paper beside it, "This is thecoat in which General Pope was going to ride in triumph into Richmond. The coat is here, but the general has not yet arrived. "

The Confederates had lost but two or three men from the fire of theFederal infantry, and they were in high spirits at the success of theirraid. No sooner had General Lee informed himself of the contents of thepapers and the position of the enemy's forces than he determined tostrike a heavy blow at him; and General Jackson, who had been sharplyengaged with the enemy near Warrenton, was ordered to make a longdetour, to cross the Blue Ridge Mountains through Thoroughfare Gap, tofall upon Pope's rear and cut his communications with Washington, and, if possible, to destroy the vast depot of stores collected at Manassas. 

The cavalry, under Stuart, were to accompany him. The march would be atremendous one, the danger of thus venturing into the heart of theenemy's country immense, but the results of such an expedition would, ifsuccessful, be great; for Lee himself was to advance with his army onPope's flank, and there was therefore a possibility of the utter defeatof that general before he could be joined by the army marching tore-enforce him from Fredericksburg. 

It was on Monday, the 25th of August, that Jackson started on his march, ascending the banks of the Rapahannock, and crossed the river at theford, dragging his artillery with difficulty up the narrow and rockyroad beyond. There was not a moment to be lost, for if the news reachedthe enemy the gorge known as Thoroughfare Gap would be occupied, and thewhole object of the movement would be defeated. Onward the force pushed, pressing on through fields and lanes without a single halt, until atnight, hungry and weary but full of spirit, they marched into the littletown of Salem, twenty miles from their starting place. They had neitherwagons nor provisions with them, and had nothing to eat but some ears ofcorn and green apples plucked on the road. 

It was midnight when they reached Salem, and the inhabitants turned outin blank amazement at the sight of Confederate troops in that region, and welcomed the weary soldiers with the warmest manifestations. Atdaylight they were again upon the march, with Stuart's cavalry, asbefore, out upon each flank. Thoroughfare Gap was reached, and foundundefended, and after thirty miles' marching the exhausted troopsreached the neighborhood of Manassas. The men were faint from want offood, and many limped along barefooted; but they were full ofenthusiasm. 

Just at sunset, Stuart, riding on ahead, captured Bristoe, a station onthe Orange and Alexandria Railroad, four miles from Manassas. As theyreached it a train came along at full speed. It was fired at, but didnot stop, and got safely through to Manassas. Two trains that followedwere captured; but by this time the alarm had spread, and no more trainsarrived. Jackson had gained his point. He had placed himself on the lineof communication of the enemy, but his position was a dangerous oneindeed. Lee, who was following him, was still far away. An army wasmarching from Fredericksburg against him, another would be dispatchedfrom Washington as soon as the news of his presence was known, and Popemight turn and crush him before Lee could arrive to his assistance. 

Worn out as the troops were, it was necessary at once to gain possessionof Manassas, and the 21st North Carolina and 21st Georgia volunteeredfor the service, and joined by Stuart with a portion of his cavalry, marched against it. After a brief contest the place was taken, the enemystationed there being all taken prisoners. The amount of arms and storescaptured was prodigious. Eight pieces of artillery, 250 horses, 3locomotives, and tens of thousands of barrels of beef, pork, and flour, with an enormous quantity of public stores and the contents ofinnumerable sutlers' shops. 

The sight of this vast abundance to starving men was tantalizing in theextreme. It was impossible to carry any of it away, and all that couldbe done was to have at least one good meal. The troops therefore weremarched in, and each helped himself to as much as he could consume, andthe ragged and barefooted men feasted upon canned salmon and lobsters, champagne, and dainties of every description forwarded for the use ofofficers. Then they set to work to pile the enormous mass of storestogether and to set it on fire. While they were engaged at this abrigade of New Jersey troops, which had come out from Washington to saveManassas, was attacked and utterly routed. Ewell's division had remainedat Bristoe, while those of Hill and Jackson moved to Manassas, and inthe course of the afternoon Ewell saw the whole of Pope's army marchingagainst him. 

He held them in check for some hours, and thus gave the troops atManassas time to destroy completely the vast accumulation of stores, andwhen Stuart's cavalry, covering the retreat, fell back at nightfallthrough Manassas, nothing but blackened cinders remained where theFederal depots had been situated. The blow to the Northerners was asheavy as it was unexpected. Pope had no longer either provisions for hismen or forage for his cattle, and there was nothing left for him but toforce his way past Jackson and retire upon Washington. 

[Illustration: Map--THE SECOND BATTLE OF BULL RUN. ]

Jackson had now the option of falling back and allowing the enemy topass, or of withstanding the whole Federal army with his own littleforce until Lee came up to the rescue. He chose the latter course, andtook up a strong position. The sound of firing at Thoroughfare Gap wasaudible, and he knew that Longstreet's division of Lee's army was hotlyengaged with a force which, now that it was too late, had been sent tohold the gorge. It was nearly sunset before Pope brought up his men tothe attack. Jackson did not stand on the defensive, but rushed down andattacked the enemy--whose object had been to pass the position and presson--with such vigor that at nine o'clock they fell back. 

An hour later a horseman rode up with the news that Longstreet hadpassed the Gap and was pressing on at full speed, and in the morninghis forces were seen approaching, the line they were taking bringingthem up at an angle to Jackson's position. Thus their formation as theyarrived was that of an open V, and it was through the angle of this Vthat Pope had to force his way. Before Longstreet could arrive, however, the enemy hurled themselves upon Jackson, and for hours the Confederatesheld their own against the vast Federal army, Longstreet's force beingtoo far away to lend them a hand. Ammunition failed, and the soldiersfought with piles of stones, but night fell without any impression beingmade upon these veterans. General Lee now came up with General Hood'sdivision, and hurled this against the Federals and drove them back. Inthe evening Longstreet's force took up the position General Lee hadassigned to it, and in the morning all the Confederate army had arrived, and the battle recommenced. 

The struggle was long and terrible; but by nightfall every attack hadbeen repulsed, and the Confederates, advancing on all sides, drove theNortherners, a broken and confused crowd, before them, the darknessalone saving them from utter destruction. Had there been but one hourmore of daylight the defeat would have been as complete as was that inthe battle of Bull Run, which had been fought on precisely the sameground. However, under cover of the darkness, the Federals retreated toCentreville, whence they were driven on the following day. 

In the tremendous fighting in which Jackson's command had for three longdays been engaged, the cavalry bore a comparatively small part. TheFederal artillery was too powerful to permit the employment of largebodies of cavalry, and although from time to time charges were made whenan opportunity seemed to offer itself, the battle was fought out by theinfantry and artillery. When the end came Jackson's command was for atime _hors de combat_. During the long two-days' march they had at leastgathered corn and apples to sustain life; but during these three-days'fighting they had had no food whatever, and many were so weak that theycould no longer march. 

They had done all that was possible for men to do; had for two dayswithstood the attack of an enemy of five times their numbers, and had, on the final day, borne their full share in the great struggle, but nowthe greater part could do no more, thousands of men were unable to dragthemselves a step further, and Lee's army was reduced in strength forthe time by nearly 20, 000 men. All these afterward rejoined it; some, assoon as they recovered, limped away to take their places in the ranksagain, others made their way to the depot at Warrenton, where Lee hadordered that all unable to accompany his force should rendezvous untilhe returned and they were able to rejoin their regiments. 

Jackson marched away and laid siege to Harper's Ferry, an importantdepot garrisoned by 11, 000 men, who were forced to surrender just asMcClellan with a fresh army, 100, 000 strong, which was pressing forwardto its succor, arrived within a day's march. As soon as Jackson hadtaken the place he hurried away with his troops to join Lee, who wasfacing the enemy at the Antietam River. Here, upon the following day, another terrible battle was fought; the Confederates, though but 39, 000strong, repulsing every attack by the Federals and driving them withterrible slaughter back across the river. 

Their own loss, however, had been very heavy, and Lee, knowing that hecould expect no assistance, while the enemy was constantly receivingre-enforcements, waited for a day to collect his wounded, bury his dead, and send his stores and artillery to the rear, and then retired, unpursued, across the Rappahannock. Thus the hard-fought campaign cameto an end. 

Vincent Wingfield was not with the army that retired across theRappahannock. A portion of the cavalry had followed the broken Federalsto the very edge of the stream, and just as they reined in their horsesa round shot from one of the Federal batteries carried away his cap, and he fell as if dead from his horse. During the night some of theNortherners crossed the stream to collect and bring back their ownwounded who had fallen near it, and coming across Vincent, and findingthat he still breathed, and was apparently without a wound, they carriedhim back with them across the river as a prisoner. 

Vincent had indeed escaped without a wound, having been only stunned bythe passage of the shot that had carried away his cap, and missed him bythe fraction of an inch. He had begun to recover consciousness just ashis captors came up, and the action of carrying him completely restoredhim. That he had fallen into the hands of the Northerners he was wellaware; but he was unable to imagine how this had happened. He rememberedthat the Confederates had been, up to the moment he fell, completelysuccessful, and he could only imagine that in a subsequent attack theFederals had turned the tables upon them. 

How he himself had fallen, or what had happened to him, he had no idea. Beyond a strange feeling of numbness in the head he was conscious of noinjury, and he could only imagine that his horse had been shot underhim, and that he must have fallen upon his head. The thought that hisfavorite horse was killed afflicted him almost as much as his owncapture. As soon as his captors perceived that their prisoner'sconsciousness had returned they at once reported that an officer ofStuart's cavalry had been taken, and at daybreak next morning GeneralMcClellan, on rising, was acquainted with the fact, and Vincent wasconducted to his tent. 

"You are unwounded, sir, " the general said in some surprise. 

"I am, general, " Vincent replied. "I do not know how it happened, but Ibelieve that my horse must have been shot under me, and that I must havebeen thrown and stunned; however, I remember nothing from the momentwhen I heard the word halt, just as we reached the side of the stream, to that when I found myself being carried here. "

"You belong to the cavalry?"

"Yes, sir. "

"Was Lee's force all engaged yesterday?"

"I do not know, " Vincent said. "I only came up with Jackson's divisionfrom Harper's Ferry the evening before. "

"I need not have questioned you, " McClellan said. "I know that Lee'swhole army, 100, 000 strong, opposed me yesterday. "

Vincent was silent. He was glad to see that the Federal general, asusual, enormously overrated the strength of the force opposed to him. 

"I hear that the whole of the garrison of Harper's Ferry were releasedon parole not to serve again during the war. If you are ready to give meyour promise to the same effect I will allow you to return to yourfriends; if not you must remain a prisoner until you are regularlyexchanged. "

"I must do so, then, general, " Vincent said quietly. "I could not remainhome and remain inactive while every man in the South is fighting forthe defense of his country, so I will take my chance of beingexchanged. "

"I am sorry you choose that alternative, " McClellan said. "I hate to seebrave men imprisoned if only for a day; and braver men than those acrossyonder stream are not to be found. My officers and men are astonished. They seem so thin and worn as to be scarce able to lift a musket, theirclothes are fit only for a scarecrow, they are indeed pitiful objects tolook at; but the way in which they fight is wonderful. I could not havebelieved, had I not seen it, that men could have charged as they didagain and again across ground swept by a tremendous artillery andmusketry fire; it was wonderful! I can tell you, young man, that eventhough you beat us we are proud of you as our countrymen; and I believethat if your General Jackson were to ride through our camp, he would becheered as lustily and heartily by our men as he is by his own. "

Some fifty or sixty other prisoners had been taken; they had beencaptured in the hand-to-hand struggle that had taken place on some partsof the field, having got separated from their corps and mixed up withthe enemy, and carried off the field with them as they retired. These, for the most part, accepted the offered parole; but some fifteen, likeVincent, preferred a Northern prison to promising to abstain fromfighting in defense of their country, and in the middle of the day theywere placed together in a tent under a guard at the rear of the camp. 

The next morning came the news that Lee had fallen back. There wasexultation among the Federals, not unmingled with a strong sense ofrelief; for the heavy losses inflicted in the previous fighting hadtaken all the ardor of attack out of McClellan's army, and they wereglad indeed that they were not to be called upon to make another attemptto drive the Confederates from their position. Vincent was no lesspleased at the news. He knew how thin were the ranks of the Confederatefighting men, and how greatly they were worn and exhausted by fatigueand want of food, and that, although they had the day before repulsedthe attacks of the masses of well-fed Northerners, such tremendousexertions could not often be repeated, and a defeat, with the river intheir rear, approachable only by one rough and narrow road, would havemeant a total destruction of the army. 

The next morning Vincent and his companions were put into the train andsent to Alexandria. They had no reason to complain of their treatmentupon the way. They were well fed, and after their starvation diet forthe last six weeks their rations seemed to them actually luxurious. TheFederal troops in Alexandria, who were for the most part young recruitswho had just arrived from the North and West, looked with astonishmentupon these thin and ragged men, several of whom were barefooted. Was itpossible that such scarecrows as these could in every battle have drivenback the well-fed and cared-for Northern soldiers!

"Are they all like this?" one burly young soldier from a Western Stateasked their guard. 

"That's them, sir, " the sergeant in charge of the party replied. "Notmuch to look at, are they? But, by gosh, you should see them fight! Youwouldn't think of their looks then. "

"If that's soldiering, " the young farmer said solemnly, "the sooner I amback home again the better. But it don't seem to me altogether strangeas they should fight so hard, because I should say they must look uponit as a comfort to be killed rather than to live like that. "

A shout of laughter from the prisoners showed the young rustic that theobjects of his pity did not consider life to be altogether intolerableeven under such circumstances, and he moved away meditating on thediscomforts of war, and upon the remarks that would be made were he toreturn home in so sorrowful a plight as that of these Confederateprisoners. 

"I bargained to fight, " he said, "and though I don't expect I shall likeit, I shan't draw back when the time comes; but as to being starved tillyou are nigh a skeleton, and going about barefooted and in such rags asa tramp wouldn't look at, it aint reasonable. " And yet, had he known it, among those fifteen prisoners more than half were possessors of wideestates, and had been brought up from their childhood in the midst ofluxuries such as the young farmer never dreamed of. 

Among many of the soldiers sympathy took a more active form, and menpressed forward and gave packets of tobacco, cigars, and other littlepresents to them, while two or three pressed rolls of dollar notes intotheir hands, with words of rough kindness. 

"There aint no ill feeling in us, Rebs. You have done your work likemen, and no doubt you thinks your cause is right, just as we does; butit's all over now, and maybe our turn will come next to see the insideof one of your prisons down south. So we are just soldiers together, andcan feel for each other. "

Discipline in small matters was never strictly enforced in the Americanarmies, and the sergeant in charge offered no opposition to the soldiersmingling with the prisoners as they walked along. 

Two days later they were sent by railway to the great prison at Elmira, in the State of New York. When they reached the jail the prisoners wereseparated; Vincent, who was the only officer, being assigned quarterswith some twenty others of the same rank. The prisoners crowded roundhim as he entered, eager to hear the last news from the front, for theyhad heard from their guards only news of constant victories won by theNortherners; for every defeat was transformed by the Northern papersinto a brilliant victory, and it was only when the shattered remains ofthe various armies returned to Alexandria to be re-formed that the truthgradually leaked out. Thus Antietam had been claimed as a great Northernvictory, for, although McClellan's troops had in the battle been hurledback, shattered and broken, across the river, two days afterward Lee hadretired. 

One of the prisoners, who was also dressed in cavalry uniform, hung backfrom the rest, and going to the window looked out while Vincent waschatting with the others. Presently he turned round, and Vincentrecognized with surprise his old opponent Jackson. After a moment'shesitation he walked across the room to him. 

"Jackson, " he said, "we have not been friends lately, but I don't seewhy we should keep up our quarrel any longer; we got on all right atschool together; and now we are prisoners together here it would befoolish to continue our quarrel. Perhaps we were both somewhat to blamein that affair. I am quite willing to allow I was, for one, but I thinkwe might well put it aside now. "

Jackson hesitated, and then took the hand Vincent held out to him. 

"That's right, young fellows, " one of the other officers said. "Now thatevery Southern gentleman is fighting and giving his life, if need be, for his country, no one has a right to have private quarrels of his own. Life is short enough as it is, certainly too short to indulge inprivate animosities. A few weeks ago we were fighting side by side, andfacing death together; to-day we are prisoners; a week hence we may beexchanged, and soon take our places in the ranks again. It's the duty ofall Southerners to stand shoulder to shoulder, and there ought to be nosuch thing as ill-feeling among ourselves. "

Vincent was not previously aware that Jackson had obtained a commission. He now learned that he had been chosen by his comrades to fill a vacancycaused by the death of an officer in a skirmish just before Pope fellback from the Rappahannock, and that he had been made prisoner a fewdays afterward in a charge against a greatly superior body of Federalcavalry. 

The great majority of the officers on both sides were at thecommencement of the war chosen by their comrades, the elections at firsttaking place once a year. This, however, was found to act very badly. Insome cases the best men in the regiment were chosen; but too often themen who had the command of money, and could afford to stand treat andget in supplies of food and spirits, were elected. The evils of thesystem were found so great, indeed, that it was gradually abandoned; butin cases of vacancies occurring in the field, and there being anecessity for at once filling them up, the colonels of the regiments hadpower to make appointments, and if the choice of the men was consideredto be satisfactory, their nominee would be generally chosen. 

In the case of Jackson, the colonel had hesitated in confirming thechoice of the men. He did not for a moment suspect him to be wanting incourage; but he regarded him as one who shirked his work, and who wonthe votes of the men rather by a fluent tongue and by the violence ofhis expressions of hatred against the North than by any soldierlyqualities. 

Some of the officers had been months in prison, and they were highlyindignant at the delays that had occurred in effecting their exchange. The South, indeed, would have been only too glad to get rid of some oftheir numerous prisoners, who were simply an expense and trouble tothem, and to get their own men back into their ranks. They could illspare the soldiers required to guard so large a number of prisoners, anda supply of food was in itself a serious matter. 

Thus it was at Harper's Ferry, and upon a good many other occasions, they released vast numbers of prisoners on their simple paroles not toserve again. The North, however, were in no hurry to make exchange; andmoreover, their hands were so full with their enormous preparations thatthey put aside all matters which had not the claim of urgency. 

CHAPTER X. 

THE ESCAPE. 

The discipline in the prison at Elmira was not rigorous. The prisonershad to clean up the cells, halls, and yard, but the rest of their timethey could spend as they liked. Some of those whose friends had moneywere able to live in comparative luxury and to assist those who had nosuch resources; for throughout the War there was never any greatdifficulty in passing letters to and from the South. The line offrontier was enormous and it was only at certain points that hostilitieswere actively carried on, consequently letters and newspapers werefreely passed, and money could be sent in the same way from one part ofthe country to another. 

At certain hours of the day hawkers and venders of such articles as werein most demand by the prisoners were allowed to enter the yard and tosell their wares to the Confederates. Spirits were not allowed to becarried in, but tobacco and all kinds of food were permitted to pass. Vincent had at Alexandria written a letter to his mother, and had givenit to a man who represented that he made it his business to forwardletters to an agent at Richmond, being paid for each letter the sum of adollar on its delivery. Vincent, therefore, felt confident that theanxiety that would be felt at home, when they learned that he was amongthe missing at the battle of Antietam, would be relieved. 

He was fairly supplied with money. He had, indeed, had several hundreddollars with him at the time he was captured; but these were entirely inConfederate notes, for which he got but half their value in Northernpaper at Alexandria. He himself found the rations supplied in the prisonample, and was able to aid any of his fellow-prisoners in purchasingclothes to replace the rags they wore when captured. 

One day Vincent strolled down as usual toward the gate, where, under theeye of the guard, a row of men and women, principally negroes andnegresses, were sitting on the ground with their baskets in front ofthem containing tobacco, pipes, fruit, cakes, needles and thread, buttons, and a variety of other articles in demand, while a number ofprisoners were bargaining and joking with them. Presently his eye fellupon a negro before whom was a great pile of watermelons. He started ashe did so, for he at once recognized the well-known face of Dan. As soonas the negro saw that his master's eye had fallen upon him he beganloudly praising the quality of his fruit. 

"Here, massa officer, here bery fine melyons, ripe and sweet; no greentrash; dis un good right through. Five cents each, sah. Bery cheap, dese. "

"I expect they cost you nothing, Sambo, " one of the Confederate soldierssaid as he bought a melon. "Got a neighbor's patch handy, eh?"

Dan grinned at the joke, and then selecting another from the bottom ofhis pile in the basket, offered it to Vincent. 

"Dis fine fruit, sah. Me sure you please with him!"

Vincent took the melon and handed Dan five cents. A momentary glance wasexchanged, and then he walked away and sat down in a quiet corner of theyard and cut open the melon. As he expected, he found a note rolled upin the center. A small piece of the rind had been cut out and the pulpremoved for its reception. The bit of rind had then been carefullyreplaced so that the cut would not be noticed without close inspection. It was from one of his fellow-officers, and was dated the day after hiscapture. He read as follows:

"My Dear Wingfield:

"We are all delighted this afternoon to hear that instead, as we hadbelieved, of your being knocked on the head you are a prisoner among theYanks. Several of us noticed you fall just as we halted at the river, and we all thought that, from the way in which you fell, you had beenshot through the head or heart. However, there was no time to inquire inthat terrific storm of shot and shell. In the morning, when the buryingparties went down, we could find no signs of you, although we knewalmost to a foot where you had fallen. 

"We could only conclude at last that you had been carried off in thenight by the Yanks, and as they would hardly take the trouble ofcarrying off a dead body, it occurred to us that you might, after all, be alive. So the colonel went to Lee, who at once sent a trumpeter witha flag down to the river to inquire, and we were all mightily pleased, as you may imagine, when he came back with the news that you were notonly a prisoner, but unwounded, having been only stunned in some way. From the way you fell we suppose a round shot must have grazed yourhead; at least that is the only way we can account for it. 

"Your horse came back unhurt to the troop, and will be well cared foruntil you rejoin us, which we hope will not be long. Your boy kept thecamp awake last night with his howlings, and is at present almost out ofhis mind with delight. He tells me he has made up his mind to slipacross the lines and make his way as a runaway to Alexandria, where youwill, of course, be taken in the first place. He says he's got somemoney of yours; but I have insisted on his taking another fifty dollars, which you can repay me when we next meet. As he will not have to askfor work, he may escape the usual lot of runaways, who are generallypounced upon and set to work on the fortifications of Alexandria andWashington. 

"He intends to find out what prison you are taken to, and to follow you, with some vague idea of being able to aid you to escape. As he cannotwrite, he has asked me to write this letter to you, telling you what hisidea is. He will give it to you when he finds an opportunity, and hewishes you to give him an answer, making any suggestion that may occurto you as to the best way of his setting about it. He says that he shallmake acquaintances among the negroes North, and will find someone whowill read your note to him and write you an answer. I have told him thatif he is caught at the game he is likely to be inside a prison a bitlonger than you are, even if worse doesn't befall him. However, he makeslight of this, and is bent upon carrying out his plans, and I can onlyhope he will succeed. 

"I have just heard that we shall fall back across the Rappahannockto-morrow, and I imagine there will not be much hard fighting againuntil spring, long before which I hope you will be in your place amongus again. We lost twenty-three men and two officers (Ketler and Sumner)yesterday. Good-by, old fellow! I need not say keep up your spirits, forthat you are pretty sure to do. 

"Yours truly, "James Sinclair. "

After the first start at seeing Dan, Vincent was scarcely surprised, forhe had often thought over what the boy would do, and had fancied thatwhile, if he supposed him dead, he would go straight back to theOrangery, it was quite possible that, should he hear that he was aprisoner, Dan might take it into his head to endeavor to join him. As tohis making his escape, that did not appear to be a very difficultundertaking now that he had a friend outside. The watch kept up was nota very vigilant one, for such numbers of prisoners were taken on bothsides that they were not regarded as of very great importance, andindeed the difficulty lay rather in making across the country to theSouthern border than in escaping from prison; for with a friend outside, with a disguise in readiness, that matter was comparatively easy. Allthat was required for the adventure was a long rope, a sharp file, and adark night. 

The chief difficulty that occurred to Vincent arose from the fact thatthere were some twenty other prisoners in the same ward. He could hardlyfile through the bars of the window unnoticed by them, and they wouldnaturally wish to share in his flight; but where one person mightsucceed in evading the vigilance of the guard, it was unlikely in theextreme that twenty would do so, and the alarm once given all would berecaptured. He was spared the trouble of making up his mind as to hisplans, for by the time he had finished his letter the hour that thehucksters were allowed to sell their goods was passed, and the gateswere shut and all was quiet. 

After some thought he came to the conclusion that the only plan would beto conceal himself somewhere in the prison just before the hour at whichthey were locked up in their wards. The alarm would be given, for thelist of names was called over before lock-up, and a search would ofcourse be made. Still, if he could find a good place for concealment, itmight succeed, since the search after dark would not be so close andminute as that which would be made next morning. The only disadvantagewould be that the sentries would be specially on the alert, as, unlessthe fugitive had succeeded in some way in passing out of the gates indisguise, he must still be within the walls, and might attempt to scalethem through the night. This certainty largely increased the danger, andVincent went to bed that night without finally determining what hadbetter be done. 

The next morning, while walking in the grounds, he determined the placehe would choose for his concealment if he adopted the plan he hadthought of the evening before. The lower rooms upon one side of thebuilding were inhabited by the governor and officers of the prison, andif he were to spring through an open window unnoticed just as it becamedusk, and hide himself in a cupboard or under a bed there, he would besafe for a time, as, however close the search might be in other parts ofthe building, it would be scarcely suspected, at any rate on the firstalarm, that he had concealed himself in the officers' quarters. Therewould, of course, be the chance of his being detected as he got out ofthe window again at night, but this would not be a great risk. It wasthe vigilance of the sentries that he most feared, and the possibilitythat, as soon as the fact of his being missing was known, a cordon ofguards might be stationed outside the wall in addition to those in theyard. The danger appeared to him to be so great that he was halfinclined to abandon the enterprise. It would certainly be weary work tobe shut up there for perhaps a year while his friends were fighting thebattles of his country; but it would be better after all to put up withthat than to run any extreme risk of being shot. 

When he arrived at this conclusion he went upstairs to his room to writea line to Dan. The day was a fine one, and he found that the whole ofthe occupants of the room had gone below. This was an unexpected bit ofgood fortune, and he at once went to the window and examined the bars. They were thick and of new iron, but had been hastily put up. Thebuilding had originally been a large warehouse, and when it had beenconverted into a prison for the Confederate prisoners the bars had beenadded to the windows. Instead, therefore, of being built into solidstone and fastened in by lead, they were merely screwed on to the woodenframework of the windows, and by a strong screw-driver a bar could beremoved in five minutes. This altogether altered the position. He hadonly to wait until the rest of the occupants of the room were asleep andthen to remove the bar and let himself down. 

He at once wrote:

"I want twenty yards of strong string, and the same length of rope thatwill bear my weight; also a strong screw-driver. When I have got this Iwill let you know night and hour. Shall want disguise ready to put on. "

He folded the note up into a small compass, and at the hour at which Danwould be about to enter he sauntered down to the gate. In a short timethe venders entered, and were soon busy selling their wares. Dan had, asbefore, a basket of melons. Vincent made his way up to him. 

"I want another melon, " he said, "as good as that you sold me lastnight. "

"Dey all de same, sah. First-rate melyons, dese; just melt away in yourmouf like honey. "

He held up one of the melons, and Vincent placed in his hands thecoppers in payment. Between two of them he had placed the little note. Dan's hands closed quickly on the coins, and dropping them into hispocket he addressed the next customer, while Vincent sauntered awayagain. This time the melon was a whole one, and Vincent divided it witha couple of other prisoners, for the fruit was too large for one personto consume, being quite as large as a man's head. 

The next day another melon was bought, but this time Vincent did notopen it in public. Examining it closely, he perceived that it had beencut through the middle, and no doubt contained a portion of the rope. Hehesitated as to his next step. If he took the melon up to his room hewould be sure to find some men there, and would be naturally called uponto divide the fruit; and yet there was nowhere else he could hide it. For a long time he sat with his back to the wall and the melon besidehim, abusing himself for his folly in not having told Dan to send therope in small lengths that he could hide about him. The place where hehad sat down was one of the quietest in the yard, but men wereconstantly strolling up and down. He determined at last that the onlypossible plan was in the first place to throw his coat over his melon, to tuck it up underneath it, then to get hold of one end of the ball ofrope that it doubtless contained and to endeavor to wind it round hisbody without being observed. It was a risky business, and he wouldgladly have tossed the melon over the wall had he dared to do so; for ifhe were detected, not only would he be punished with much more severeimprisonment, but Dan might be arrested and punished most severely. 

Unfortunately the weather was by no means hot, and it would look strangeto take off his coat; besides, if he did so, how could he coil the roperound him without being observed? So that idea was abandoned. He got upand walked to an angle in the wall, and there sat down again, concealingthe melon as well as he could between him and the wall when anyonehappened to come near him. He pulled the halves apart and found, as hehad suspected, it was but a shell, the whole of the fruit having beenscooped out. But he gave an exclamation of pleasure on seeing thatinstead, as he feared, of a large ball of rope being inside, theinterior was filled with neatly made hanks, each containing severalyards of thin but strong rope, together with a hank of strong string. 

Unbuttoning his coat, he thrust them in; then he took the melon rind andbroke it into very small pieces and threw them about. He then went up tohis room and thrust the hanks, unobserved, one by one among the strawwhich, covered by an army blanket, constituted his bed. To-morrow, nodoubt, Dan would supply him somehow with a screw-driver. On going downto the gate next day he found that the negro had changed his commodity, and that this time his basket contained very large and fine cucumbers. These were selling briskly, and Vincent saw that Dan was looking roundanxiously, and that an expression of relief came over his face as heperceived him. He had, indeed, but eight or ten cucumbers left. 

"Cucumbers to-day, sah? Bery fine cucumbers--first-rate cucumbers dese. "

"They look rather over-ripe, " Vincent said. 

"Not a bit, sah; dey just ripe. Dis bery fine one--ten cents, dis. "

"You are putting up your prices, darky, and are making a fortune out ofus, " Vincent said as he took the cucumber, which was a very large andstraight one. He had no difficulty with this, as with the melon; a sharptwist broke it in two as he reached the corner he had used the daypreviously. It had been cut in half, one end had been scooped out forthe reception of the handle of the screw-driver and the metal beendriven in to the head in the other half. Hiding it under his jacket, hefelt that he was now prepared for escape. 

He now asked himself whether he should go alone or take one or more ofhis comrades into his confidence, and finally determined to give a youngVirginian officer named Geary, with whom he had been specially friendlyduring his imprisonment, and Jackson, a chance of escape. He did notlike the latter, but he thought that, after the reconciliation that hadtaken place between them, it was only right to take him rather than astranger. Drawing them aside, then, he told them that he had arranged amode of escape; it was impossible that all could avail themselves of it, but that they were welcome to accompany him. They thanked him heartilyfor the offer, and, when he explained the manner in which he intended tomake off, agreed to try their fortunes with him. 

"I propose, " he said, "as soon as we are fairly beyond the prison, weseparate, and each try to gain the frontier as best he can. The factthat three prisoners have escaped will soon be known all over thecountry, and there would be no chance whatever for us if we kepttogether. I will tell my boy to have three disguises ready; and when weonce put aside our uniforms I see no reason why, traveling separately, suspicion should fall upon us; we ought to have no difficulty until atany rate we arrive near the border, and there must be plenty of pointswhere we can cross without going anywhere near the Federal camps. "

The others at once agreed that the chances of making their wayseparately were much greater than if together. This being arranged, Vincent passed a note next day to Dan, telling him to have threedisguises in readiness, and to be at the foot of the western wall, halfway along, at twelve o'clock on the first wet night. A string wouldbe thrown over, with a knife fastened to it. He was to pull on thestring till the rope came into his hand, and to hold that tight untilthey were over. Vincent chose this spot because it was equally removedfrom the sentry-boxes at the corners of the yard, and because there wasa stone seat in the yard to which one end of the rope could be attached. 

That night was fine, but the next was thick and misty. At nine o'clockall were in bed, and he lay listening to the clocks in the distance. Tenstruck, and eleven, and when he thought it was approaching twelve he gotup and crept to the window. He was joined immediately by the others; thescrew-driver was set to work; and, as he expected, Vincent found notrouble whatever with the screws, which were not yet rusted in the wood, and turned immediately when the powerful screw-driver was applied tothem. When all were out the bar was carefully lifted from its place andlaid upon the floor. 

The rope was then put round one of the other bars and drawn through ituntil the two ends came together. These were then dropped to the groundbelow. Geary went first, Jackson followed, and Vincent was soon standingbeside them. Taking one end of the rope, he pulled it until the otherpassed round the bar and fell at their feet. All three were barefooted, and they stole noiselessly across the yard to the seat, which was nearlyopposite their window. Vincent had already fastened his clasp-knife tothe end of the string, and he now threw it over the wall, which wasabout twenty feet high. 

He had tied a knot at forty feet from the end, and, standing close tothe wall, he drew in the string until the knot was in his hand. Anothertwo yards, and he knew that the knife was hanging a yard from the groundagainst the wall. He now drew it up and down, hoping that the slightnoise the knife made against the wall might aid Dan in finding it. Intwo or three minutes he felt a jerk, and knew that Dan had got it. Hefastened the end of the string to the rope and waited. The rope wasgradually drawn up; when it neared the end he fastened it to the stoneseat. 

"Now, " he said, "up you go, Geary. "

The order in which they were to ascend had been settled by lot, as Gearyinsisted that Vincent, who had contrived the whole affair, should be thefirst to escape; but Vincent declined to accept the advantage, and thethree had accordingly tossed up for precedence. 

Geary was quickly over, and lowered himself on the opposite side. Theothers followed safely, but not without a good deal of scraping againstthe wall, for the smallness of the rope added to the difficulty ofclimbing it. However, the noise was so slight that they had little fearof attracting attention, especially as the sentries would be standing intheir boxes, for the rain was now coming down pretty briskly. As soon asthey were down Vincent seized Dan by the hand. 

"My brave boy, " he said, "I owe you my freedom, and I shan't forget it. Now, where are the clothes?"

"Here dey are, sah. One is a rough suit, like a working man's, anotheris a black-and-white sort of suit--a check suit; de oder one is foryou--a clargy's suit, sir. You make very nice young minister, for sure. "

"All right, Dan!" Vincent said, laughing; "give me the minister's suit. "

"Then I will be the countryman, " Geary said. 

There was a little suppressed laughter as they changed their clothes inthe dark; and then, leaving their uniforms by the wall, they shook handsand started at once in different directions, lest they might come acrosssomeone who would, when the escape was known, remember four men havingpassed him in the dark. 

"Now, Dan, what is the next move?" Vincent asked, as they walked off. "Have you fixed upon any plan?"

"No special plan, sah, but I have brought a bag; you see I have him inmy hand. "

"I suppose that's what you carried the clothes in?"

"No, sir; I carried dem in a bundle. Dis bag has got linen, and boots, and oder tings for you, sah. What I tink am de best way dis. Dar am atrain pass trou here at two o'clock and stop at dis station. Some peoplealways get out. Dar is an hotel just opposite the station, and some ofde passengers most always go there. I thought de best way for you wouldbe to go outside the station. Just when the train come in we walk acrossde road wid the oders and go to hotel. You say you want bedroom foryo'self, and that your sarvant can sleep in de hall. Den in de morningyou get up and breakfast and go off by de fust train. "

"But then they may send down to look at the passengers starting, and Ishould be taken at once. "

"De train go out at seven o'clock, sah. I don't expect they find thatyou have got away before dat. "

"No, Dan. We all turn out at seven, and I shall be missed then; but itwill be some little time before the alarm is given, and they find outhow we got away, and send out search-parties. If the train is anythinglike punctual we shall be off long before they get to the station. "

"Besides, sah, dar are not many people knows your face, and it notlikely de bery man dat know you come to the station. Lots of oder placesto search, and dey most sure to tink you go right away--not tink youventure to stop in town 'til the morning. "

"That is so, Dan, and I think your plan is a capital one. "

Dan's suggestion was carried out, and at seven o'clock next morning theywere standing on the platform among a number of other persons waitingfor the train. Just as the locomotive's whistle was heard the sound of acannon boomed out from the direction of the prison. 

"That means some of the prisoners have escaped, " one of the porters onthe platform said. "There have been five or six of them got away in thelast two months, but most of them have been caught again before theyhave gone far. You see, to have a chance at all, they have got to getrid of their uniforms, and as we are all Unionists about here that aintan easy job for 'em to manage. "

Everyone on the platform joined in the conversation, asking which waythe fugitive would be likely to go, whether there were any cavalry tosend after him, what would be done to him if he were captured, and otherquestions of the same kind, Vincent joining in the talk. It was a reliefto him when the train drew up, and he and Dan took their place in it, traveling, however, in different cars. Once fairly away, Vincent had nofear whatever of being detected, and could travel where he liked, foroutside the prison there were not ten people who knew his facethroughout the Northern States. It would be difficult for him to makehis way down into Virginia from the North, as the whole line of frontierthere was occupied by troops, and patrols were on the watch night andday to prevent persons from going through the lines. He thereforedetermined to go west to St. Louis, and from there work his way downthrough Missouri. After two days' railway traveling they reached St. Louis, a city having a large trade with the South, and containing manysympathizers with the Confederate cause. Vincent, having now no fear ofdetection, went at once to an hotel, and taking up a newspaper, one ofthe first paragraphs that met his eye was headed:

"ESCAPE OF THREE CONFEDERATE OFFICERS FROM ELMIRA. 

"Great excitement was caused on Wednesday at Elmira by the discoverythat three Confederate officers had, during the night, effected theirescape from prison. One of the bars of the window of the ward on thefirst floor in which they were, with fifteen other Confederate officers, confined, had been removed; the screws having been taken out by a largescrew-driver which they left behind them. They had lowered themselvesto the yard, and climbed over the wall by means of a rope which wasfound in position in the morning. The rest of the prisoners professed anentire ignorance of the affair, and declared that, until they found thebeds unoccupied in the morning, they knew nothing of the occurrence. 

"This is as it may be, but it is certain they must have been aided bytraitors outside the prison, for the rope hung loose on the outside ofthe wall, and must have been held by someone there as they climbed it. The inside end was fastened to a stone seat, and they were thus enabledto slide down it on the other side. Their uniforms were found lying atthe foot of the wall, and their accomplice had doubtless had disguisesready for them. The authorities of the prison are unable to account forthe manner in which the screw-driver and rope were passed in to them, orhow they communicated with their friends outside. "

 * * * * *

Then followed the personal description of each of the fugitives, and arequest that all loyal citizens would be on the lookout for them, andwould at once arrest any suspicious character unable to give asatisfactory account of himself. As Vincent sat smoking in the hall ofthe hotel he heard several present discussing the escape of theprisoners. 

"It does not matter about them one way or the other, " one of thespeakers said. "They seem to be mere boys, and whether they escape ornot will not make any difference to anyone. The serious thing is thatthere must be some traitors among the prison officials, and that nexttime perhaps two or three generals may escape, and that would be areally serious misfortune. "

"We need not reckon that out at present, " another smoker said. "Wehaven't got three of the rebel generals yet, and as far as things seemto be going on, we may have to wait some time before we have. They arepretty well able to take care of themselves, I reckon. "

"They are good men, some of them, I don't deny, " the first speakersaid; "but they might as well give up the game. In the spring we shallhave an army big enough to eat them up. "

"So I have heard two or three times before. Scott was going to eat themup, McClellan was going to eat them up, then Pope was going to make anend of 'em altogether. Now McClellan is having a try again, but somehowor other the eating up hasn't come off yet. It looks to me rather theother way. "

There was an angry growl from two or three of those sitting round, whileothers uttered a cordial "That's so. "

"It seems to me, by the way you put it, that you don't wish to see thisbusiness come to an end. "

"That's where you are wrong now. I do wish to see it come to an end. Idon't want to see tens of thousands of men losing their lives becauseone portion of these States wants to ride rough-shod over the other. Thesooner the North looks this affair squarely in the face and sees that ithas taken up a bigger job than it can carry through, and agrees to letthose who wish to leave it go if they like, the better for all parties. That's what I think about it. "

"I don't call that Union talk, " the other said angrily. 

"Union or not Union, I mean to talk it, and I want to know who is goingto prevent me?"

The two men rose simultaneously from their chairs, and in a second thecracks of two revolvers sounded. As if they had only been waiting forthe signal, a score of other men leaped up and sprang at each other. They had, as the altercation grew hotter, joined in with exclamations ofanger or approval, and Vincent saw that although the Unionists were themajority, the party of sympathizers with the South was a strong one. Having neither arms nor inclination to join in a broil of this kind hemade his escape into the street the instant hostilities began, andhurried away from the sound of shouts, oaths, the sharp cracks ofpistols, and the breaking of glass. Ten minutes later he returned. Thehotel was shut up, but an angry mob were assembled round the doorshouting, "Down with the rebels! down with the Secessionists!" and werekeeping up a loud knocking at the door. Presently a window upstairsopened, and the proprietor put out his head. 

"Gentlemen, " he said, "I can assure you that the persons who were thecause of this disturbance all left the hotel by the back way as soon asthe affair was over. I have sent for the police commissioner, and uponhis arrival he will be free to search the house, and to arrest anyoneconcerned in this affair. "

The crowd were not satisfied, and renewed their knocking at the door;but two or three minutes later an officer, with a strong body of police, arrived on the spot. In a few words he told the crowd to disperse, promising that the parties concerned in the affair would be arrested andduly dealt with. He then entered the house with four of his men, leavingthe rest to wait. Vincent entered with the constables, saying that hewas staying at the house. The fumes of gunpowder were still floatingabout the hall, three bodies were lying on the floor, and several menwere binding up their wounds. The police officer inquired into theorigin of the broil, and all present concurred in saying that it arosefrom some Secessionists speaking insultingly of the army of the Union. 

Search was then made in the hotel, and it was found that eight personswere missing. One of the killed was a well-known citizen of the town; hewas the speaker on the Union side of the argument. The other two werestrangers, and no one could say which side they espoused. All thosepresent declared that they themselves were Union men, and it wassupposed that the eight who were missing were the party who had takenthe other side of the question. The evidence of each was taken down bythe police officer. Vincent was not questioned, as, having entered withthe constables, it was supposed he was not present at the affair. 

In the morning Vincent read in the local paper a highly colored accountof the fray. After giving a large number of wholly fictitious details, it went on to say: "The victims were Cyrus D. Jenkins, a much-esteemedcitizen and a prominent Unionist; the other two were guests at thehotel; one had registered as P. J. Moore of Vermont, the other as JamesHarvey of Tennessee. Nothing is as yet known as to the persons whoserooms were unoccupied, and who had doubtless made their escape as soonas the affray was over; but the examination of their effects, which willbe made by the police in the morning, will doubtless furnish a clew bywhich they will be brought to justice. "

Having read this, Vincent looked for the news as to the escape fromElmira, being anxious to know whether his companions had been asfortunate as himself in getting clear away. He was startled by readingthe following paragraph: "We are enabled to state that the police havereceived a letter stating that one of the officers who escaped fromElmira prison has adopted the disguise of a minister, and is travelingthrough the country with a black servant. At present the authorities arenot disposed to attach much credit to this letter, and are inclined tobelieve that it has been sent in order to put them on a wrong scent. However, a watch will doubtless be kept by the police throughout thecountry for a person answering to this description. " Accustomed to riseearly, Vincent was taking his breakfast almost alone, only two or threeof the other guests having made their appearance. He finished his mealhastily, and went out to Dan, who was lounging in front of the hotel. 

"Dan, go upstairs at once, pack the bag, bring it down and go out withit immediately. I will pay the bill. Don't stop to ask questions now. "

Vincent then walked up to the desk at the end of the hall, at which aclerk was sitting reading the paper. Sincerely hoping that the man's eyehad not fallen on this paragraph, he asked if his account was made out. As he had fortunately mentioned on the preceding evening that he shouldbe leaving in the morning, the bill was ready; and the clerk, scarcelooking up from the paper, handed it to him. Vincent paid him theamount, saying carelessly, "I think I have plenty of time to catch thetrain for the East?"

The clerk glanced at the clock. 

"Yes, it goes at eight, and you have twenty minutes. It's only fiveminutes' walk to the station. "

CHAPTER XI. 

FUGITIVES. 

On leaving the hotel Vincent walked a short distance and then stoppeduntil Dan came up to him. 

"Anything de matter, sah?"

"Yes, Dan. There is a notice in the paper that the police have obtainedinformation that I am traveling disguised as a minister, and have anegro servant with me. "

"Who told dem dat?" Dan asked in surprise. 

"We can talk about that presently, Dan; the great thing at present is toget away from here. The train for the South starts at ten. Give me thebag, and follow me at a distance. I will get you a ticket for Nashville, and as you pass me in the station I will hand it to you. It must not benoticed that we are traveling together. That is the only clew they havegot. "

Dan obeyed his instructions. The journey was a long one. The train wasslow and stopped frequently; passengers got in and out at every station. The morning's news from the various points at which the respectiveforces were facing each other was the general topic of conversation, andVincent was interested in seeing how the tone gradually changed as thepassengers from St. Louis one by one left the train and their placeswere taken by those of the more southern districts. At first thesentiment expressed had been violently Northern, and there was nodissent from the general chorus of hope and expectation that the Southwere on their last legs and that the rebellion would shortly be stampedout; but gradually, as the train approached the State of Tennessee, theUnionist opinion, although expressed with even greater force andviolence, was by no means universal. Many men read their papers insilence and took no part whatever in the conversation, but Vincent couldsee from the angry glances which they shot at the speakers that thesentiments uttered were distasteful to them. He himself had scarcelyspoken during the whole journey. He had for some time devoted himself tothe newspaper, and had then purchased a book from the newsboy whoperambulated the cars. Presently a rough-looking man, who had been amongthe wildest and most violent in his denunciation of the South, said, looking at Vincent:

"I see by the papers to-day that one of the cursed rebel officers whogave them the slip at Elmira is traveling in the disguise of a minister. I guess it's mighty unpleasant to know that even if you meet a parson ina train, like as not he is a rebel in disguise. Now, mister, may I askwhere you have come from and where you are going to?"

"You may ask what you like, " Vincent said quietly; "but I am certainlynot going to answer impertinent questions. "

A hum of approval was heard from several of the passengers. 

"If you hadn't got that black coat on, " the man said angrily, "I wouldput you off the car in no time. "

"Black coat or no black coat, " Vincent said, "you may find it moredifficult than you think. My profession is a peaceful one; but even apeaceful man, if assaulted, may defend himself. You say it's unpleasantto know that if you travel with a man in a black coat he may be atraitor. It's quite as unpleasant to me to know that if I travel with aman in a brown one he may be a notorious ruffian, and may as likely asnot have just served his time in a penitentiary. "

Two or three of the passengers laughed loudly. The man, starting up, crossed the car to where Vincent was sitting and laid his hand roughlyon his shoulder. 

"You have got to get out!" he said. "No man insults Jim Mullens twice. "

"Take your hand off my shoulder, " Vincent said quietly, "or you will besorry for it. "

The man shifted his hold to the collar of Vincent's coat amid cries ofshame from some of the passengers, while the others were silent, eventhose of his own party objecting to an assault upon a minister. It wasonly the fact that the fellow was a notorious local ruffian thatprevented their expressing open disapproval of the act. As the mangrasped Vincent's collar with his right hand Vincent saw his left gounder his coat toward the pocket in the back of the trousers whererevolvers were always carried. In an instant he sprang to his feet, andbefore the man, who was taken by surprise at the suddenness of themovement, could steady himself, he struck him a tremendous blow and atthe same moment springing at his throat, threw him backward on to thefloor of the carriage. As he fell the man drew out his revolver, butVincent grasped his arm and with a sharp twist wrenched the revolverfrom his grasp, and, leaping up, threw it out of the open window. Theruffian rose to his feet for a moment half-dazed by the violence withwhich he had fallen, and poured out a string of imprecations uponVincent. The latter stood calmly awaiting a fresh attack. For a momentthe ruffian hesitated, and then, goaded to fury by the taunting laughterof the lookers-on, was about to spring upon him when he was seized bytwo or three of the passengers. 

"I reckon you have made a fool enough of yourself already, " one of themsaid; "and we are not going to see a minister ill-treated, not if weknow it. "

"You need not hold him, " Vincent said. "It is not because one wears ablack coat and is adverse to fighting that one is not able to defendone's self. We all learn the same things at college, whether we aregoing into the Church or any other profession. You can let him alone ifhe really wants any more, which I do not believe. I should be ashamed ofmyself if I could not punish a ruffian of his kind. "

"Let me get at him!" yelled Mullens; and the men who held him, takingVincent at his word, released him. He rushed forward, but was receivedwith another tremendous blow on the mouth. He paused a moment in hisrush, and Vincent, springing forward, administered another blow upon thesame spot, knocking him off his legs on to the floor. On getting up hegave no sign of a desire to renew the conflict. His lips were badly cutand the blood was streaming from his mouth, and he looked at Vincentwith an air of absolute bewilderment. The latter, seeing that theconflict was over, quietly resumed his seat; while several of thepassengers came up to him, and, shaking him warmly by the hand, congratulated him upon having punished his assailant. 

"I wish we had a few more ministers of your sort down this way, " onesaid. "That's the sort of preaching fellows like this understand. It waswell you got his six-shooter out of his hand, for he would have used itas sure as fate. He ought to have been lynched long ago, but since thetroubles began, these fellows have had all their own way. But look toyourself when he gets out; he belongs to a gang who call themselvesUnionists, but who are nothing but plunderers and robbers. If you takemy advice, when you get to the end of your journey you will not leavethe station, but take a ticket straight back North. I tell you your lifewon't be safe five minutes when you once get outside of the town. Theydaren't do anything there, for, though folks have had to put up with agreat deal, they wouldn't stand the shooting of a minister; still, outside the town I would not answer for your life for an hour. "

"I have my duties to perform, " Vincent said, "and I shall certainlycarry them through; but I am obliged to you for your advice. I can quiteunderstand that ruffian, " and he looked at Mullens, who, with hishandkerchief to his mouth, was sitting alone in a corner--for the resthad all drawn away from him in disgust--and glaring ferociously at him, "will revenge himself, if he has the opportunity. However, as far aspossible, I shall be on my guard. "

"At any rate, " the man said, "I should advise you, when you get toNashville, to charge him with assault. We can all testify that he laidhands on you first. That way he will get locked up for some days anyhow, and you can go away about your business, and he won't know where to findyou when he gets out. "

"Thank you--that would be a very good plan; but I might lose a day ortwo in having to appear against him. I am pressed for time and have someimportant business on hand, and I have no doubt I shall be able to throwhim off my track, finish my business, and be off again before he cancome across me. "

"Well, I hope no harm will come of it, " the other said. "I like you, andI never saw anyone hit so quickly and so hard. It's a downright pity youare a preacher. My name's John Morrison, and my farm is ten miles fromNashville, on the Cumberland River. If you should be going in thatdirection, I should be right glad if you would drop in on me. "

The real reason that decided Vincent against following the advice togive his assailant in charge was that he feared he himself might bequestioned as to the object of his journey and his destination. Thefellow would not improbably say that he believed he was the Confederateofficer who was trying to escape in the disguise of a clergyman and thathe had therefore tried to arrest him. He could, of course, give nogrounds for the accusation, still questions might be asked which wouldbe impossible for him to answer; and, however plausible a story he mightinvent, the lawyer whom the fellow would doubtless employ to defend himmight suggest that the truth of his statements might be easily tested bythe dispatch of a telegram, in which case he would be placed in a mostawkward situation. It was better to run the risk of trouble with thefellow and his gang than to do anything which might lead to inquiriesas to his identity. 

When the train reached Nashville, Vincent proceeded to an hotel. It wasalready late in the afternoon, for the journey had occupied more thanthirty hours. As soon as it was dark he went out again and joined Dan, whom he had ordered to follow him at a distance and to be at the cornerof the first turning to the right of the hotel as soon as it becamedark. Dan was at the point agreed upon, and he followed Vincent untilthe latter stopped in a quiet and badly lighted street. 

"Things are going badly, Dan. I had a row with a ruffian in the train, and he has got friends here, and this will add greatly to our danger ingetting to our lines. I must get another disguise. What money have youleft?"

"Not a cent, sah. I had only a five-cent piece left when we left St. Louis, and I spent him on bread on de journey. "

"That is bad, Dan. I did not think your stock was so nearly expended. "

"I had to keep myself, sah, and to pay for de railroad, and to buy demt'ree suits of clothes, and to make de nigger I lodged with a present tokeep him mouth shut. "

"Oh, I know you have had lots of expenses, Dan, and I am sure that youhave not wasted your money; but I had not thought about it. I have onlygot ten dollars left, and we may have a hundred and fifty miles totravel before we are safe. Anyhow, you must get another disguise, andtrust to luck for the rest. We have tramped a hundred and fifty milesbefore now without having anything beyond what we could pick up on theroad. Here's the money. Get a rough suit of workingman's clothes, andjoin me here in an hour's time. Let us find out the name of the streetbefore we separate, for we may miss our way and not be able to meetagain. "

Passing up into the busy streets, Vincent presently stopped andpurchased a paper of a newsboy who was running along shouting, "Newsfrom the war! Defeat of the rebels! Fight in a railway car nearNashville! A minister punishes a border ruffian!"

"Confound those newspaper fellows!" Vincent muttered to himself as hewalked away. "They pick up every scrap of news. I suppose a reporter gothold of someone who was in the car. " Turning down a quiet street, heopened the paper and, by the light of the lamp, read a graphic andminute account of the struggle in the train. 

"I won't go back to the hotel, " he said to himself. "I shall be havingreporters to interview me. I shall be expected to give them a history ofmy whole life: where I was born, and where I went to school, and whetherI prefer beef to mutton, and whether I drink beer, and a thousand otherthings. No, the sooner I am away the better. As to the hotel, I haveonly had one meal, and they have got the bag with what clothes thereare; that will pay them well. " Accordingly, when he rejoined Dan, hetold him that they would start at once. 

"It is the best way, anyhow, " he said. "To-morrow, no doubt, the fellowI had the row with will be watching the hotel to see which way I go off, but after once seeing me go to the hotel he will not guess that I shallbe starting this evening. What have you got left, Dan?"

"I got two dollars, sah. "

"That makes us quite rich men. We will stop at the first shop we come toand lay in a stock of bread and a pound or two of ham. "

"And a bottle of rum, sah. Bery wet and cold, sleeping out of doors now, sah. Want a little comfort, anyhow. "

"Very well, Dan; I think we can afford that. "

"Get one for half a dollar, massa. Could not lay out half a dollarbetter. "

Half an hour later they had left Nashville behind them, and weretramping along the road toward the east, Dan carrying a bundle in whichthe provisions were wrapped, and the neck of the bottle of rum stickingout of his pocket. As soon as they were well in the country Vincentchanged his clothes for those Dan had just brought him, and making theothers up into a bundle, continued his way. 

"Why you not leave dem black clothes behind, sah? What good take dem widyou?"

"I am not going to carry them far, Dan. The first wood or thick clump ofbushes we come to I shall hide them away; but if you were to leave themhere they would be found the first thing in the morning, and perhaps becarried into the town and handed over to the police, and they might putthat and the fact of my not having returned to the hotel--which is sureto be talked about--together, and come to the conclusion that eitherMullens was right and that I was an escaped Confederate, or that I hadbeen murdered by Mullens. In either case they might get up a search, andperhaps send telegrams to the troops in the towns beyond us. Anyhow, it's best the clothes should not be found. "

All night they tramped along, pausing only for half an hour aboutmidnight, when Dan suggested that as he had only had some bread toeat--and not too much of that--during the last forty-eight hours, hethought that he could do with some supper. Accordingly the bundle wasopened, and they sat down and partook of a hearty meal. Dan had wiselytaken the precaution of having the cork drawn from the bottle when hebought it, replacing it so that it could be easily extracted whenrequired, and Vincent acknowledged that the spirit was a not unwelcomeaddition to the meal. When morning broke they had reached Duck's River, a broad stream crossing the road. 

Here they drew aside into a thick grove, and determined to get a fewhours' sleep before proceeding. It was nearly midday before they wokeand proceeded to the edge of the trees. Vincent reconnoitered theposition. 

"It is just as well we did not try to cross, Dan. I see the tents of atleast a regiment on the other bank. No doubt they are stationed thereto guard the road and railway bridge. This part of the country is prettyequally divided in opinion, though more of the people are for the Souththan for the North; but I know there are guerrilla parties on both sidesmoving about, and if a Confederate band was to pounce down on thesebridges and destroy them it would cut the communication with their armyin front, and put them in a very ugly position if they were defeated. Nodoubt that's why they have stationed that regiment there. Anyhow, itmakes it awkward for us. We should be sure to be questioned where we aregoing, and as I know nothing whatever of the geography of the place, weshould find it very difficult to satisfy them. We must cross the riversomewhere else. There are sure to be some boats somewhere along thebanks; at any rate, the first thing to do is to move further away fromthe road. "

They walked for two or three miles across the country. The fields forthe most part were deserted, and although here and there they sawcultivated patches, it was evident that most of the inhabitants hadquitted that part of the country, which had been the scene of almostcontinued fighting from the commencement of the war; the sufferings ofthe inhabitants being greatly heightened by the bands of marauders whomoved about plundering and destroying under the pretense of punishingthose whom they considered hostile to the cause in whosefavor--nominally, at least--they had enrolled themselves. The sight ofruined farms and burned houses roused Vincent's indignation; for inVirginia private property had, up to the time of Pope's assuming commandof the army, been respected, and this phase of civil war was new andvery painful to him. 

"It would be a good thing, " he said to Dan, "if the generals on bothsides in this district would agree to a month's truce, and join eachother in hunting down and hanging these marauding scoundrels. On ourside Mosby and a few other leaders of bands composed almost entirely ofgentlemen have never been accused of practices of this kind; but, withthese exceptions, there is little to choose between them. "

After walking for four or five miles they again sat down till evening, and then, going down to the river, endeavored to find a boat by whichthey could cross, but to their disappointment no craft of any kind wasvisible, although in many places there were stages by the riverside, evidently used by farmers for unloading their produce into boats. Vincent concluded at last that at some period of the struggle all theboats must have been collected and either sunk or carried away by one ofthe parties to prevent the other crossing the river. 

Hitherto they had carefully avoided all the farmhouses that appeared tobe inhabited; but Vincent now determined to approach one of them andendeavor to gain some information as to the distance from the nextbridge, and whether it was guarded by troops, and to find out, ifpossible, the position in which the Northern forces in Tennessee were atpresent posted--all of which points he was at present ignorant of. Hepassed two or three large farmhouses without entering, for although thegreater part of the male population were away with one or other of thearmies, he might still find two or three hands in such buildings. Besides, it was now late, and whatever the politics of the inmates theywould be suspicious of such late arrivals, and would probably altogetherrefuse them admittance. Accordingly another night was spent in the wood. 

The next morning, after walking a mile or two, they saw a house at whichVincent determined to try their fortune. It was small, but seemed tohave belonged to people above the class of farmer. It stood in a littleplantation, and was surrounded by a veranda. Most of the blinds weredown, and Vincent judged that the inmates could not be numerous. 

"You remain here, Dan, and I will go and knock at the door. It is betterthat we should not be seen together. " Vincent accordingly went forwardand knocked at the door. An old negress opened it. 

"We have nothing for tramps, " she said. "De house am pretty well clearedout ob eberything. " She was about to shut the door when Vincent put hisfoot forward and prevented its closing. "Massa Charles, " the negresscalled out, "bring yo' shot-gun quick; here am tief want to break intothe house. "

"I am neither a thief nor a tramp, " Vincent said; "and I do not wantanything, except that I should be glad to buy a loaf of bread if youhave one that you could spare. I have lost my way, and I want to askdirections. "

"Dat am pretty likely story, " the old woman said. "Bring up datshot-gun, quick, Massa Charles. "

"What is it, Chloe?" another female voice asked. 

"Here am a man pretend he hab lost his way and wants to buy a loaf. Youstand back, Miss Lucy, and let your brudder shoot de villain dead. "

"I can assure you I am not a robber, madam, " Vincent said through thepartly opened door. "I am alone, and only beg some information, which Idoubt not you can give me. "

"Open the door, Chloe, " the second voice said inside; "that is not thevoice of a robber. "

The old woman reluctantly obeyed the order and opened the door, andVincent saw in the passage a young girl of some sixteen years old. Hetook off his hat. 

"I am very sorry to disturb you, " he said, "but I am an entire strangerhere, and am most desirous of crossing the river, but can find no boatwith which to do so. "

"Why did you not cross by the bridge?" the girl asked. "How did you missthe straight road?"

"Frankly, because there were Northern troops there, " Vincent said, "andI wish to avoid them, if possible. "

"You are a Confederate?" the girl asked, when the old negressinterrupted her:

"Hush, Miss Lucy! don't you talk about dem tings; der plenty of mischiefdone already. What hab you to do wid one side or de oder?"

The girl paid no attention to her words, but stood awaiting Vincent'sanswer. He did not hesitate. There was something in her face that toldhim that, friend or foe, she was not likely to betray a fugitive, and heanswered:

"I am a Confederate officer, madam. I have made my escape from Elmiraprison, and I am trying to find my way back into our lines. "

"Come in, sir, " the girl said, holding out her hand. "We areSecessionists, heart and soul. My father and my brother are with ourtroops--that is, if they are both alive. I have little to offer you, forthe Yankee bands have been here several times, have driven off ourcattle, emptied our barns, and even robbed our hen nests, and takeneverything in the house they thought worth carrying away. But whateverthere is, sir, you are heartily welcome to. I had a paper yesterday--itis not often I get one--and I saw there that three of our officers hadescaped from Elmira. Are you one of them?"

"Yes, madam. I am Lieutenant Wingfield. "

"Ah! then you are in the cavalry. You have fought under Stuart, " thegirl said. "The paper said so. Oh, how I wish we had Stuart andStonewall Jackson on this side! We should soon drive the Yankees out ofTennessee. "

"They would try to, anyhow, " Vincent said, smiling, "and if it werepossible they would assuredly do it. I was in Ashley's horse with theStonewall division through the first campaign in the Shenandoah Valleyand up to Bull Run, and after that under Stuart. But is not your brotherhere? Your servant called to him. "

"There is no one here but ourselves, " the girl replied. "That was afiction of Chloe's, and it has succeeded sometimes when we have hadrough visitors. And now, what can I do for you, sir? You said you wantedto buy a loaf of bread, and therefore, I suppose, you are hungry. Chloe, put the bacon and bread on the table, and make some coffee. I am afraidthat is all we can do, sir, but such as it is you are heartily welcometo it. "

"I thank you greatly, " Vincent replied, "and will, if you will allow me, take half my breakfast out to my boy, who is waiting over there. "

"Why did you not bring him in?" the girl asked. "Of course he will bewelcome, too. "

"I did not bring him in before because two men in these days are likelyto alarm a lonely household; and I would rather not bring him in now, because, if by any possibility the searchers, who are no doubt after me, should call and ask you whether two men, one a white and the other anegro, had been here, you could answer no. "

"But they cannot be troubling much about prisoners, " the girl said. "Why, in the fighting here and in Missouri they have taken manythousands of prisoners, and you have taken still more of them inVirginia; surely they cannot trouble themselves much about one gettingaway. "

"I am not afraid of a search of that kind, " Vincent said; "but, unfortunately, on my way down I had a row in the train with a ruffiannamed Mullens, who is, I understand, connected with one of these bandsof brigands, and I feel sure that he will hunt me down, if he can. "

The girl turned pale. 

"Oh!" she said, "I saw that in the paper too, but it said that it was aminister. And it was you who beat that man and threw his revolver out ofthe window? Oh, then, you are in danger indeed, sir. He is one of theworst ruffians in the State, and is the leader of the party who strippedthis house and threatened to burn it to the ground. Luckily I was not athome, having gone away to spend the night with a neighbor. His band havecommitted murders all over the country, hanging up defenseless people onpretense that they were Secessionists. They will show you no mercy, ifthey catch you. "

"No. I should not expect any great mercy, if I fell into their hands, Miss Lucy. I don't know your other name. "

"My name is Kingston. I ought to have introduced myself to you at once. "

"Now you understand, Miss Kingston, how anxious I am to get across theriver, and that brings me to the question of the information I want youto give me. How far is it from the next bridge on the south, and arethere any Federal troops there?"

"It is about seven miles to the bridge at Williamsport; we are justhalfway between that and the railway bridge at Columbus. Yes, there arecertainly troops there. "

"Then I see no way for it but to make a small raft to carry us across, Miss Kingston. I am a good swimmer, but the river is full and ofconsiderable width; still, I think I can get across. But my boy cannotswim a stroke. "

"I know where there is a boat hid in the wood near the river, " the girlsaid. "It belongs to a neighbor of ours, and when the Yankees seized theboats he had his hauled up and hidden in the woods. He was a Southerner, heart and soul, and thought that he might be able sometimes to takeuseful information across the river to our people; but a few weeksafterward his house was attacked by one of these bands--it was alwayssaid it was that of Mullens--and he was killed, defending it to thelast. He killed several of the band before he fell, and they were soenraged that, after plundering it, they set it on fire and fastened thedoor, and his wife and two maidservants were burned to death. "

"I wish instead of throwing his pistol out of the window, I had blownhis brains out with it, " Vincent said; "and I would have done so, if Ihad known what sort of fellow he was. However, as to the boat, can yougive me instructions where to find it, and is it light enough for twomen to carry?"

"Not to carry, perhaps, but to push along. It is a light boat he had forpleasure. He had a large one, but that was carried away with theothers. I cannot give you directions, but I can lead you to the place. "

"I should not like you to do that, " Vincent said. "We might be caught, and your share in the affair might be suspected. "

"Oh there is no fear of that, " the girl said; "besides, I am not afraidof danger. "

"I don't think it is right, Miss Kingston, for a young lady like you tobe living here alone with an old servant in such times as these. Youought to go into a town until it's all over. "

"I have no one to go to, " the girl said simply. "My father bought thisplace and moved here from Georgia only six years ago, and all my friendsare in that State. Except our neighbors round here I do not know a soulin Tennessee. Besides, what can I do in a town? We can manage here, because we have a few fowls, and some of our neighbors last springplowed an acre or two of ground and planted corn for us, and I have alittle money left for buying other things; but it would not last us amonth if we went into a town. No, I have nothing to do but to stay hereuntil you drive the Yankees back. I will willingly take you down to theboat to-night. Chloe can come with us and keep me company on the wayback. Of course it would not be safe to cross in the daytime. "

"I thank you greatly, Miss Kingston, and shall always remember yourkindness. Now, when I finish my meal, I will go out and join my boy, andwill come to you at eight o'clock; it will be quite dark then. "

"Why should you not stay here till then, Mr. Wingfield? It is veryunlikely that anyone will come along. "

"It is unlikely, but it is quite possible, " Vincent replied; "and were Icaught here by Mullens, the consequence would be very serious to you aswell as to myself. No, I could not think of doing that. I will go out, and come back at eight o'clock. I shall not be far away; but if anyoneshould come and inquire, you can honestly say that you do not know whereI am. "

"I have two revolvers here, sir; in fact I have three. I always keep oneloaded, for there is never any saying whether it may not be wanted; andthe other two I picked up last spring. There was a fight about a quarterof a mile from here, and it was after it was over and they had movedaway, for the Confederates won that time and chased them back towardNashville, I went with Chloe with some water and bandages to see if wecould do anything for the wounded. We were at work there till evening, and I think we did some good. As we were coming back I saw something ina low bush, and going there found a Yankee officer and his horse bothlying dead; they had been killed by a shell, I should think. Stoopingover to see if he was quite dead I saw a revolver in his belt andanother in the holster of his saddle, so I took them out and broughtthem home, thinking I might give them to some of our men, for we werethen, as we have always been, very short of arms; but I have never hadan opportunity of giving them away, and I am very glad now that I havenot. Here they are, sir, and two packets of cartridges, for they are ofthe same size as those of the pistol my father gave me when he wentaway. You are heartily welcome to them. "

"Thank you extremely, " Vincent said as he took the pistols and placedthe packets of ammunition in his pocket. "We cut two heavy sticks thenight we left Nashville so as to be able to make something of a fight;but with these weapons we shall feel a match for any small parties wemay meet. Then at eight o'clock I will come back again. "

"I shall be ready, " the girl said; "but I wish you would have stopped, there are so many things I want to ask you about, and these Yankeepapers, which are all we see now, are full of lies. "

"They exaggerate their successes and to some extent conceal theirdefeats, " Vincent said; "but I do not think it is the fault of thenewspapers, whose correspondents do seem to me to try and tell the truthto their readers, but of the official dispatches of the generals. Thenewspapers tone matters down, no doubt, because they consider itnecessary to keep up the public spirit; but at times they speak outpretty strongly, too. I am quite as sorry to leave as you can be that Ishould go, Miss Kingston, but I am quite sure that it is very much thewisest thing for me to do. By the way, if I should not be here byhalf-past eight I shall not come at all, and you will know thatsomething has occurred to alter our plans. I trust there is no chance ofanything doing so, but it is as well to arrange so that you should notsit up expecting me. Should I not come back you will know that I shallbe always grateful to you for your kindness, and that when this war isover, if I am alive, I will come back and thank you personally. "

"Good-by till this evening!" the girl said. "I will not even let myselfthink that anything can occur to prevent your return. "

"Golly, Massa Vincent, what a time you hab been!" Dan said when Vincentrejoined him. "Dis chile began to tink dat somefing had gone wrong, andwas going in anoder five minutes to knock at the door to ask what deyhad done to you. "

"It is all right, Dan. I have had breakfast, and have brought some foryou; here is some bread and bacon and a bottle of coffee. "

"Dat good, massa; my teeth go chatter, chatter wid sleeping in thesedamp woods; dat coffee do me good, sah. After dat I shall feel fit foranyting. "

CHAPTER XII. 

THE BUSHWHACKERS. 

"By the way, Dan, " Vincent said when the negro had finished his meal, "we have not talked over that matter of my clothes. I can't imagine howthat letter saying that one of us was disguised as a minister and wouldhave a negro servant came to be written. Did you ever tell the peopleyou lodged with anything about the disguise?"

"No, sah, neber said one word to dem about it; dey know nothingwhatsoeber. De way me do wid your letter was dis. Me go outside town andwait for long time. At last saw black fellow coming along. Me say tohim, 'Can you read?' and he said as he could. I said 'I got a letter, Iwant to read him. I gib you a quarter to read him to me;' so he saidyes, and he read the letter. He a long time of making it out, because heread print, but not read writing well. He spell it out word by word, butI don't tink he understand dat it come from prison, only dat it comefrom someone who wanted some rope and a turn-screw. Me do just the sameway wid de second letter. As for de clothes, me buy dem dat day, makedem up in bundle, and not go back to lodging at all. Me not know howanyone could know dat I buy dat minister clothes for you, sah. Me toldde storekeeper dat dey was for cousin of mine, who preach to de coloredfolk, and dat I send him suit as present. Onless dat man follow me andwatch me all de time till we go off together, sah, me no see how dedebbil he guess about it. "

"That's quite impossible, Dan; it never could have been that way. It isvery strange, for it would really seem that no one but you and I and theother two officers could possibly know about it. "

"Perhaps one ob dem want to do you bad turn, massa, and write so as toget you caught and shut up again. "

Vincent started at this suggestion. Was it possible that Jackson couldhave done him this bad turn after his having aided him to make hisescape! It would be a villainous trick; but then he had always thoughthim capable of villainous tricks, and it was only the fact that theywere thrown together in prison that had induced him to make up hisquarrel with him; but though Jackson had accepted his advances, it wasprobable enough that he had retained his bad feeling against him, andhad determined, if possible, to have his revenge on the firstopportunity. 

"The scoundrel, " he said to himself, "after my getting him free, toinform against me! Of course I have no proof of it, but I have not theleast doubt that it was he. If we ever meet again, Mr. Jackson, I willhave it out with you. "

"You got two pistols, sah, " Dan said presently. "How you get dem?"

"The lady of the house gave them to me, Dan; they are one for you andone for me. "

"Dis chile no want him, sah; not know what to do wid him. Go off andshoot myself, for sure. "

"Well, I don't suppose you would do much good with it, Dan. As I am agood shot, perhaps I had better keep them both. You might load them forme as I fire them. "

"Bery well, sah: you show me how to load, me load. "

Vincent showed Dan how to extricate the discharged cartridge cases andto put in fresh ones, and after a quarter of an hour's practice Dan wasable to do this with some speed. 

"When we going on, sah?" he said as, having learned the lesson, hehanded the pistol back to Vincent. 

"We are not going on until the evening, Dan. When it gets dark the ladyis going to take us to a place where there is a boat hidden, and weshall then be able to cross the river. "

"Den I will hab a sleep, sah. Noting like sleeping when there is achance. "

"I believe you could sleep three-quarters of your time, Dan. However, you may as well sleep now if you can, for there will be nothing to dotill night. "

Vincent went back to the edge of the wood, and sat down where he couldcommand a view of the cottage. The country was for the most part coveredwith wood, for it was but thinly inhabited except in the neighborhood ofthe main roads. Few of the farmers had cleared more than half theirground; many only a few acres. The patch, in which the house with itslittle clump of trees stood nearly in the center, was of some forty orfifty acres in extent, and though now rank with weeds, had evidentlybeen carefully cultivated, for all the stumps had been removed, and thefence round it was of a stronger and neater character than that whichmost of the cultivators deemed sufficient. 

Presently he heard the sound of horses' feet in the forest behind him, and he made his way back to a road which ran along a hundred yards fromthe edge of the wood. He reached it before the horseman came up, and laydown in the underwood a few yards back. In a short time two horsemencame along at a walking pace. 

"I call this a fool's errand altogether, " one of them said in agrumbling tone. "We don't know that they have headed this way; and ifthey have, we might search these woods for a month without findingthem. "

"That's so, " the other said; "but Mullens has set his heart on it, andwe must try for another day or two. My idea is that when the fellowheard what sort of a chap Mullens was, he took the train back that nightand went up North again. "

Vincent heard no more, but it was enough to show him that a sharp huntwas being kept up for him; and although he had no fear of being caughtin the woods, he was well pleased at the thought that he would soon beacross the water and beyond the reach of his enemy. He went back againto the edge of the clearing and resumed his watch. It was just gettingdusk, and he was about to join Dan when he saw a party of twelve menride out from the other side of the wood and make toward the house. Filled with a vague alarm that possibly someone might have caught sightof him and his follower on the previous day, and might, on beingquestioned by the searchers, have given them a clew as to the directionin which they were going, Vincent hurried to the spot where he left Dan. The negro jumped up as he approached. 

"Me awake long time, sah. Began to wonder where you had got to. "

"Take your stick and come along, Dan, as fast as you can. "

Without another word Vincent led the way along the edge of the wood tothe point where the clump of trees at the back of the house hid it fromhis view. 

"Now, Dan, stoop low and get across to those trees. "

Greatly astonished at what was happening, but having implicit faith inhis master, Dan followed without a question. 

It was but ten minutes since Vincent had seen the horsemen, but thedarkness had closed in rapidly, and he had little fear of his approachbeing seen. He made his way through the trees, and crept up to thehouse, and then kept close along it until he reached the front. Therestood the horses with the bridles thrown over their necks. The riderswere all inside the house. 

"Look here, Dan, " he whispered, "you keep here perfectly quiet until Ijoin you again or you hear a pistol shot. If you do hear a shot, rush atthe horses with your stick and drive them off at full gallop. Drive themright into the woods if you can, and then lie quiet till you hear mewhistle for you. If you don't hear my whistle you will know somethinghas happened to me, and then you must make your way home as well ascan. "

"Oh, Master Vincent!" Dan began; but Vincent stopped him. 

"It's no use talking, Dan; you must do as I order you. I hope all willbe well; but it must be done, anyhow. "

"Let me come and load your pistol and fight with you, sah. "

"You can do more good stampeding the horses, Dan. Perhaps, after all, there will be no trouble. "

So saying, leaving Dan with the tears running down his cheeks, Vincentwent to the back of the house and tried the door there. It was fastened. Then he went to the other side; and here the light streaming through thewindow, which was open, and the sound of loud voices, showed him theroom where the party were. He crept cautiously up and looked in. Mullenswas standing facing Lucy Kingston; the rest of the men were standingbehind him. The girl was as pale as death, but was quiet and composed. 

"Now, " Mullens said, "I ask you for the last time. You have admittedthat a man has been here to-day and that you gave him food. You say heis not in the house; and as we have searched it pretty thoroughly, weknow that's right enough. You say you don't know where he is, and thatmay be true enough in a sense; but I have asked you whether he is comingback again, and you won't answer me. I just give you three seconds;" andhe held out his arm with a pistol in it. "One!" As the word "Two" lefthis lips, a pistol cracked and Mullens fell back with a bullet in hisforehead. 

At the same time Vincent shouted at the top of his voice, "Come on, boys; wipe 'em out altogether! Don't let one of them escape!" As hespoke he discharged his pistol rapidly into the midst of the men, whowere for the moment too taken by surprise to move, and every shot tookeffect upon them. At the same moment there was a great shouting outside, and the trampling of horses' feet. One or two of the men hastilyreturned Vincent's fire, but the rest made a violent rush to the door. Several fell over the bodies of their comrades, and Vincent had emptiedone of his revolvers and fired three shots with the second before thelast of those able to escape did so. Five bodies remained on the floor. As they were still seven to one against him, Vincent ran to the cornerof the house, prepared to shoot them as they came round; but theruffians were too scared to think of anything but escape, and they couldbe heard running and shouting across the fields. 

Vincent ran into the house. He had seen Lucy Kingston fall prostrate atthe same instant as the ruffian facing her. Strung up to the highesttension, and expecting in another second to be shot, the crack ofVincent's pistol had brought her down as surely as the bullet of Mullenswould have done. Even in the excitement of firing, Vincent felt thankfulwhen he saw her fall, and knew that she was safe from the bulletsflying about. When he entered the room he found the old negress lyingbeside her, and thought at first that she had fallen in the fray. Hefound that she was not only alive, but unhurt, having, the instant shesaw her young mistress fall, thrown herself upon her to protect her fromharm. 

"Am dey all gone, sah?" she asked, as Vincent somewhat roughly pulledher off the girl's body. 

"They have all gone, Chloe; but I do not know how soon they may be backagain. Get your mistress round as soon as you can. I am sure that shehas only fainted, for she fell the instant I fired, before anotherpistol had gone off. "

Leaving the old woman to bring Miss Kingston round, he reloaded hispistols and went to the door. In a few minutes the sound of horsesgalloping was heard. 

"Halt, or I fire!" he shouted. 

"Don't shoot, sah! don't shoot! it am me!" and Dan rode up, holding asecond horse by the bridle. "I thought I might as well get two ob dem, so I jump on de back ob one and get hold ob anoder bridle while I waswaiting to hear your pistol fire. Den de moment I heard dat, I set deoders off, and chased dem to de corner where de gate was where dey camein at, and along de road for half a mile; dey so frightened dey not stopfor a long time to come. Den I turn into de wood and went through detrees, so as not to meet dem fellows, and lifted two of de bars of thefence, and here am I. You are not hurt, massa?"

"My left arm is broken, I think, Dan; but that is of no consequence. Ihave shot five of these fellows--their leader among them--and I expectthree of the others have got a bullet somewhere or other in them. Therewas such a crowd round the door that I don't think one shot missed. Itwas well I thought of stampeding the horses; that gave them a greaterfright than my pistols. No doubt they thought that there was a party ofour bushwhackers upon them. Now, Dan, you keep watch, and let me knowif you see any signs of their returning. I think they are too shaken upto want any more fighting; but as there are seven of them, and they mayguess there are only two or three of us, it is possible they may tryagain. "

"Me don't tink dey try any more, sah. Anyhow, I look out sharp. " Sosaying, Dan, fastening up one of the horses, rode the other in a circleround and round the house and little plantation, so that it would not bepossible for anyone to cross the clearing without being seen. Vincentreturned to the house, and found Miss Kingston just recoveringconsciousness. She sat upon the ground in a confused way. 

"What has happened, nurse?"

"Never mind at present, deary. Juss you keep yourself quiet, and drink alittle water. "

The girl mechanically obeyed. The minute she put down the glass her eyefell upon Vincent, who was standing near the door. 

"Oh, I remember now!" she said, starting up. "Those men were here, andthey were going to shoot me. One--two--and then he fired, and it seemedthat I fell dead. Am I not wounded?"

"He never fired at all, Miss Kingston; he will never fire again. I shothim as he said 'two, ' and no doubt the shock of the sudden shot causedyou to faint dead away. You fell the same instant that he did. "

"But where are the others?" the girl said with a shudder. "How imprudentof you to come here! I hoped you had seen them coming toward the house. "

"I did see them, Miss Kingston, and that was the reason I came. I wasafraid they might try rough measures to learn from you where I washidden. I arrived at the window just as the scoundrel was pointing hispistol toward you, and then there was no time to give myself up, and Ihad nothing to do for it but to put a bullet through his head in orderto save you. Then I opened fire upon the rest, and my boy drove offtheir horses. They were seized with a panic and bolted, thinking theywere surrounded. Of course I kept up my fire, and there are four of themin the next room besides their captain. And now, if you please, I willget you, in the first place, to bind my arm tightly across my chest, forone of their bullets hit me in the left shoulder, and has, I fancy, broken it. "

The girl gave an exclamation of dismay. 

"Do not be alarmed, Miss Kingston; a broken shoulder is not a seriousmatter, only I would rather it had not happened just at the presentmoment; there are more important affairs in hand. The question is, Whatis to become of you? It is quite impossible that you should stay hereafter what has happened. Those scoundrels are sure to come back again. "

"What am I to do, Chloe?" the girl asked in perplexity. "I am sure wecannot stay here. We must find our way through the woods to Nashville, and I must try and get something to do there. "

"There is another way, Miss Kingston, if you like to try it, " Vincentsaid. "Of course it would be toilsome and unpleasant, but I do not thinkit would be dangerous, for even if we got caught there would be no fearof your receiving any injury from the Federal troops. My proposal isthat you and Chloe should go with us. If we get safely through theFederal lines I will escort you to Georgia and place you with yourfriends there. "

The girl looked doubtful for a moment, and then she shook her head. 

"I could not think of that, sir. It would be difficult enough for you toget through the enemy by yourselves. It would add terribly to yourdanger to have us with you. "

"I do not think so, " Vincent replied. "Two men would be sure to bequestioned and suspected, but a party like ours would be far less likelyto excite suspicion. Every foot we get south we shall find ourselvesmore and more among people who are friendly to us, and although theymight be afraid to give shelter to men, they would not refuse to takewomen in. I really think, Miss Kingston, that this plan is the best. Inthe first place, it would be a dangerous journey for you through thewoods to Nashville, and if you fall into the hands of any of thoseruffians who have been here you may expect no mercy. At Nashville youwill have great difficulty in obtaining employment of any kind, and evensuppose you went further north your position as a friendless girl wouldbe a most painful one. As to your staying here, that is plainly out ofthe question. I think that there is no time to lose in making adecision. Those fellows may go to the camp at the bridge, give theiraccount of the affair, declare that they have been attacked by a partyof Confederate sympathizers, and return here with a troop of horse. "

"What do you say, Chloe?" Lucy asked. 

"I'se ready to go wid you whereber you like, Miss Lucy; but I do tinkdat, in times like dis, dat a young gal is best wid her own folk. It maybe hard work getting across, but as to danger dar can't be much moredanger than dar has been in stopping along here, so it seems to me bestto do as dis young officer says. "

"Very well, then, I will, sir. We will go under your protection, andwill give you as little trouble as we can. We will be ready in fiveminutes. Now, Chloe, let us put a few things together. The fewer thebetter. Just a small bundle which we can carry in our hands. "

In a few minutes they returned to the room, Chloe carrying a largebasket, and looking somewhat ruffled. 

"Chloe is a little upset, " the girl said, smiling, "because I won't putmy best clothes on; and the leaving her Sunday gown behind is a soretrouble to her. "

"No wonder, sah, " Chloe said. "Why, dey say dat thar am no prettydresses in de 'Federacy, and dat blue gown wid red spots is just as goodas new, and it am downright awful to tink dat dose fellows will comeback and take it. "

"Never mind, Chloe, " Vincent said, smiling. "No doubt we are short ofpretty dresses in the South, but I dare say we shall be able to find yousomething that will be almost as good. But we must not stand talking. You are sure you have got everything of value, Miss Kingston?"

"I have got my purse, " she said, "and Chloe has got some food. I don'tthink there is anything else worth taking in the house. "

"Very well, we will be off, " Vincent said, leading the way to the door. 

A minute later Dan rode past, and Vincent called him and told him theywere going to start. 

"Shall we take de horses, sah?"

"No, Dan. We are going to carry out our original plan of crossing theriver in a boat, and I think the horses would be rather in our way thannot. But you had better not leave them here. Take them to the fartherside of the clearing, and get them through the fence into the forest, then strike across as quickly as you can and join us where we werestopping to-day. Miss Kingston and her servant are going with us. Theycannot stay here after what has taken place. "

Dan at once rode off with the two horses, and the others walked acrossto the edge of the clearing and waited until he rejoined them. 

"Now, Miss Kingston, you must be our guide at present. "

"We must cross the road, first, " the girl said. "Nearly opposite towhere we are there is a little path through the wood, leading straightdown to the river. The boat lies only a short distance from it. "

The path was a narrow one, and it was very dark under the trees. 

"Mind how you go, " Vincent said, as the girl stepped lightly on ahead. "You might get a heavy fall if you caught your foot in a root. "

She instantly moderated her pace. "I know the path well, but it wasthoughtless of me to walk so fast. I forgot you did not know it, and ifyou were to stumble you might hurt your arm terribly. How does it feelnow?"

"It certainly hurts a bit, " Vincent replied in a cheerful tone; "but nowit is strapped tightly to me it cannot move much. Please do not worryabout me. "

"Ah!" she said, "I cannot forget how you got it--how you attacked twelvemen to save me!"

"Still less can I forget, Miss Kingston, how you, a young girl, confronted death rather than say a word that would place me in theirpower. "

"That was quite different, Mr. Wingfield. My own honor was pledged notto betray you, who had trusted me. "

"Well, we will cry quits for the present, Miss Kingston; or, rather, wewill be content to remain for the present in each other's debt. "

A quarter of an hour's walking brought them to the river. 

"Now, " Lucy said, "we must make our way about ten yards through thesebushes to the right. "

With some difficulty they passed through the thick screen of bushes, thegirl still leading the way. 

"Here it is, " she said; "I have my hand upon it. " Vincent was soonbeside her, and the negress quickly joined them. 

"There are no oars in the boat, " Vincent said, feeling along the seat. 

"Oh, I forgot! They are stowed away behind the bushes on the right; theywere taken out, so that if the Yankees found the boat it would be of nouse to them. "

Dan made his way through the bushes, and soon found the oars. Then, uniting their strength, they pushed the boat through the high rushesthat screened it from the river. 

"It is afloat, " Vincent said. "Now, Dan, take your place in the bow. "

"I will row, Mr. Wingfield. I am a very good hand at it. So please takeyour seat with Chloe in the stern. "

"Dan can take one oar, anyhow, " Vincent replied; "but I will let you rowinstead of me. I am afraid I should make a poor hand of it with only onearm. "

The boat pushed quietly out. The river was about a hundred yards wide atthis point. They had taken but a few strokes when Vincent said:

"You must row hard, Miss Kingston, or we shall have to swim for it. Thewater is coming through the seams fast. "

The girl and Dan exerted themselves to the utmost; but, short as was thepassage, the boat was full almost to the gunwale before they reached theopposite bank, the heat of the sun having caused the planks to openduring the months it had been lying ashore. 

"This is a wet beginning, " Lucy Kingston said, laughing, as she tried towring the water out of the lower part of her dress. "Here, Chloe; youwring me and I will wring you. "

"Now, Dan, get hold of that head-rope, " Vincent said; "haul her uplittle by little as the water runs out over the stern. "

"I should not trouble about the boat, Mr. Wingfield; it is not likely weshall ever want it again. "

"I was not thinking of the boat; I was thinking of ourselves. If itshould happen to be noticed at the next bridge as it drifted down, itwould at once suggest to anyone on the lookout for us that we hadcrossed the river; whereas, if we get it among the bushes here, theywill believe that we are hidden in the woods or have headed back to theNorth; and we shall be a long way across the line, I hope, before theygive up searching for us in the woods on the other side. "

"Yes; I didn't think of that. We will help you with the rope. "

The boat was very heavy, now that it was full of water. Inch by inch itwas pulled up, until the water was all out except near the stern. Danand Vincent then turned it bottom upward, and it was soon hauled upamong the bushes. 

"Now, Miss Kingston, which do you think is our best course? I knownothing whatever of the geography here. "

"The next town is Mount Pleasant; that is where the Williamsport roadpasses the railway. If we keep south we shall strike the railway, andthat will take us to Mount Pleasant. After that the road goes on toFlorence on the Tennessee River. The only place that I know of on theroad is Lawrenceburg. That is about forty miles from here, and I haveheard that the Yankees are on the line from there right and left. Ibelieve our troops are at Florence; but I am not sure about that, because both parties are constantly shifting their position, and I hearvery little, as you may suppose, of what is being done. Anyhow, I thinkwe cannot do better than go on until we strike the railway, keep alongby that till we get within a short distance of Mount Pleasant, and thencross it. After that we can decide whether we will travel by the road orkeep on through the woods. But we cannot find our way through the woodsat night; we should lose ourselves before we had gone twenty yards. "

"I am afraid we should, Miss Kingston. "

"Please call me Lucy, " the girl interrupted. "I am never called anythingelse, and I am sure this is not a time for ceremony. "

"I think that it will be better; and will you please call me Vincent? Itis much shorter and pleasanter using our first names; and as we mustpass for brother and sister, if we get among the Yankees, it is betterto get accustomed to it. I quite agree with you that it will be too darkto find our way through the woods unless we can discover a path. Dan andI will see if we can find one. If we can, I think it will be better togo on a little way at any rate, so as to get our feet warm and let ourclothes dry a little. "

"They will not dry to-night, " Lucy said. "It is so damp in the woodsthat even if our clothes were dry now they would be wet before morning. "

"I did not think of that. Yes, in that case I do not see that we shouldgain anything by going farther; we will push on for two or three hundredyards, if we can, and then we can light a fire without there being anychance of its being seen from the other side. "

"That would be comfortable, Mr. --I mean Vincent, " the girl agreed. "Thatis, if you are quite sure that it would be safe. I would rather be wetall night than that we should run any risks. "

"I am sure if we can get a couple of hundred yards into this thick woodthe fire would not be seen through it, " Vincent said; "of course I donot mean to make a great bonfire which would light up the forest. "

For half an hour they forced their way through the bushes, and thenVincent said he was sure that they had come far enough. Finding a smallopen space, Dan and Lucy, and the negress set to work collecting leavesand dry sticks. Vincent had still in his pocket the newspaper he hadbought in the streets of Nashville, and he always carried lights. Apiece of the paper was crumpled up and lighted, a few of the driestleaves that they could find dropped upon it, then a few twigs, until atlast a good fire was burning. 

"I think that is enough for the present, " Vincent said. "Now we willkeep on adding wood as fast as it burns down, so as to get a great pileof embers, and keep two or three good big logs burning all night. "

He then gave directions to Dan, who cut a long stick and fastened it totwo saplings, one of which grew just in front of the fire. Then he setto work and cut off branches, and laid them sloping against it, and soonhad an arbor constructed of sufficient thickness to keep off the nightdews. 

"I think you will be snug in there, " Vincent said when he had finished, "The heat of the fire will keep you dry and warm, and if you lie withyour heads the other way I think your things will be dry by the morning. Dan and I will lie down by the other side of the fire. We are bothaccustomed to sleep in the open air and have done so for months. "

"Thank you very much, " she said. "Our things are drying already, and Iam as warm as toast; but, indeed you need not trouble about us. Webrought these warm shawls with us on purpose for night work in theforest. Now, I think we will try the contents of the basket Dan has beencarrying. "

The basket, which was a good-sized one, was opened. Chloe had, beforestarting, put all the provisions in the house into it, and it containedthree loaves, five or six pounds of bacon, a canister of tea, loaf-sugar, a small kettle, and two pint mugs, besides a number of oddsand ends. The kettle Dan had, by Chloe's direction, filled with waterbefore leaving the river, and this was soon placed among the glowingembers. 

"But you have brought no teapot, Chloe!"

"Dar was not no room for it, Miss Lucy. We can make tea bery well in dekettle. "

"So we can. I forgot that. We shall do capitally. "

The kettle was not long in boiling. Chloe produced some spoons andknives and forks from the basket. 

"Spoons and forks are luxuries, Chloe, " Vincent said, laughing. "Wecould have managed without them. "

"Yes, sah; but me not going to leave massa's silver for dose villains tofind. "

Lucy laughed. "At any rate, Chloe, we can turn the silver into money ifwe run short. Now the kettle is boiling. "

It was taken off the fire, and Lucy poured some tea into it from thecanister, and then proceeded to cut up the bread. A number of slices ofbacon had already been cut-off, and a stick thrust through them, andDan, who was squatted at the other side of the fire holding it over theflames, now pronounced them to be ready. The bread served as plates, andthe party were soon engaged upon their meal, laughing and talking overit as if it had been an ordinary picnic in the woods, though at timesVincent's face contracted from the sharp twitching of pain in hisshoulder. Vincent and Lucy first drank their tea, and the mugs were thenhanded to Dan and Chloe. 

"This is great fun, " Lucy said, "If it goes on like it all through ourjourney, we shall have no need to grumble. Shall we, Chloe?"

"If you don't grumble, Miss Lucy, you may be quite sure dat Chloe willnot. But we hab not begun our journey at present; and I spec dat weshall find it pretty hard work before we get to de end. But neber minddat; anyting is better dan being all by ourselves in dat house. Terriblesponsibility dat!"

"It was lonely, " the girl said, "and I am glad we are away from it, whatever happens. What a day this has been! Who could have dreamed, whenI got up in the morning, that all this would take place before night? Itseems almost like a dream, and I can hardly believe"--and here shestopped with a little shiver as she thought of the scene she had passedthrough with the band of bushwhackers. 

"I would not think anything at all about it, " Vincent said. "And now Ishould recommend your getting to sleep as soon as you can. We will beoff at daybreak and it is just twelve o'clock now. "

Five minutes later Lucy and her old nurse were snugly ensconced in theirlittle bower, while Vincent and Dan stretched themselves at full lengthon the other side of the fire. In spite of the pain in his shoulderVincent dozed off occasionally, but he was heartily glad when he saw thefirst gleam of light in the sky. He woke Dan. 

"Dan, take the kettle down to the river and fill it. We had better havesome breakfast before we make our start. If you can't find your wayback, whistle, and I will answer you. "

Dan, however, had no occasion to give the signal. It took him littlemore than five minutes to traverse the distance that had occupied themhalf an hour in the thick darkness, and Vincent was surprised when heappeared again with the kettle. Not until it was boiling, and the baconwas ready, did Vincent raise his voice and call Lucy and the nurse. 

"This is reversing the order of things altogether, " the girl said asshe came out and saw breakfast already prepared. "I shall not allow itanother time, I can tell you. "

"We are old campaigners, you see, " Vincent said, "and accustomed toearly movements. Now please let us waste no time, as the sooner we areoff the better. "

In a quarter of an hour breakfast was eaten and the basket packed, andthey were on their way. Now the bright, glowing light in the east wassufficient guide to them as to the direction they should take, andsetting their face to the south they started through the forest. Soonthey came upon a little stream running through the wood, and hereVincent suggested that Lucy might like to bathe her face, a suggestionwhich was gratefully accepted. He and Dan went a short distance down thestreamlet, and Vincent bathed his face and head. 

"Dan, I will get you to undo this bandage and get off my coat; then Iwill make a pad of my handkerchief and dip it in the water and you canlay it on my shoulder, and then help me on again with my coat. My arm isgetting horribly painful. "

Vincent's right arm was accordingly drawn through the sleeve and thecoat turned down so as to enable Dan to lay the wet pad on the shoulder. 

"It has not bled much, " Vincent said, looking down at it. 

"No, sah; not much blood on de shirt. "

"Pull the coat down as far as the elbow, Dan, and bathe it for a bit. "

Using his cap as a baler, Dan bathed the arm for ten minutes, then thewet pad was placed in position, and with some difficulty the coat got onagain. The arm was then bandaged across the chest, and they returned tothe women, who were beginning to wonder at the delay. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

LAID UP. 

"You must see a surgeon, whatever the risk, " Lucy said when the othersjoined them, for now that it was light she could see by the paleness ofVincent's face, and the drawn expression of the mouth, how much he hadsuffered. 

"You have made so light of your wound that we have not thought of ithalf as much as we ought to do, and you must have thought me terriblyheartless to be laughing and talking when you were in such pain. But itwill never do to go on like this; it is quite impossible for you to betraveling so far without having your shoulder properly attended to. "

"I should certainly be glad to have it looked to, " Vincent replied. "Idon't know whether the bullet's there or if it has made its way out, andif that could be seen to, and some splints or something of that sort puton to keep things in their right place, no doubt I should be easier; butI don't see how it is to be managed. At any rate, for the present wemust go on, and I would much rather that you said nothing about it. There it is, and fretting over it won't do it any good, while if youtalk of other things I may forget it sometimes. "

In two hours they came upon the railway, whose course lay diagonallyacross that they were taking. They followed it until they caught sightof the houses of Mount Pleasant, some two miles away, and then crossedit. After walking some distance farther they came upon a small clearingwith a log-hut, containing apparently three or four rooms, in thecenter. 

"We had better skirt round this, " Vincent suggested. 

"No, " Lucy said in a determined voice, "I have made up my mind I wouldgo to the first place we came to and see whether anything can be donefor you. I can see you are in such pain you can hardly walk, and itwill be quite impossible for you to go much further. They are sure to beConfederates at heart here, and even if they will not take us in, thereis no fear of their betraying us; at any rate we must risk it. "

Vincent began to remonstrate, but without paying any attention to himthe girl left the shelter of the trees and walked straight toward thehouse. The others followed her. Vincent had opposed her suggestion, buthe had for some time acknowledged to himself that he could not go muchfurther. He had been trying to think what had best be done, and hadconcluded that it would be safest to arrange with some farmer to boardLucy and her nurse for a time, while he himself with Dan went a bitfarther; and then, if they could get no one to take them in, would campup in the woods and rest. He decided that in a day or two, if noimprovement took place in his wound, he would give himself up to theFederals at Mount Pleasant, as he would there be able to get his woundattended to. 

"I don't think there is anyone in the house, " Lucy said, looking backover her shoulder; "there is no smoke coming from the chimney, and theshutters are closed, and besides the whole place looks neglected. "

Upon reaching the door of the house it was evident that it had beendeserted. Lucy had now assumed the command. 

"Dan, " she said, "there is no shutter to the window of that upper room. You must manage to climb up there and get in at that window, and thenopen the door to us. "

"All right, missie, me manage dat, " Dan said cheerfully. Looking abouthe soon found a long pole which would answer his purpose, placed the endof this against the window and climbed up. It was not more than twelvefeet above the ground. He broke one of the windows, and inserting hishand undid the fastening and climbed in at the window. A minute laterthey heard a grating sound, and then the lock shut back under theapplication of his knife, and the door swung open. 

"That will do nicely, " Lucy said, entering. "We will take possession. If the owners happen to come back we can pay them for the use of theplace. "

The furniture had been removed with the exception of a few of the heavyarticles, and Chloe and Lucy at once set to work, and with bunches oflong grass swept out one of the rooms. Dan cut a quantity of grass andpiled it upon an old bedstead that stood in the corner, and Lucysmoothed it down. 

"Now, sir, " she said peremptorily to Vincent, "you will lie down andkeep yourself quiet, but first of all I will cut your coat off. "

One of the table-knives soon effected the work, and the coat was rolledup as a pillow. Dan removed his boots, and Vincent, who was now beyondeven remonstrating, laid himself down on his cool bed. 

"Now, Chloe, " Miss Kingston said when they had left Vincent's room, "Iwill leave him to your care. I am sure that you must be thoroughlytired, for I don't suppose you have walked so many miles since you werea girl. "

"I is tired, missie: but I am ready to do anything you want. "

"I only want you to attend to him, Chloe. First of all you had bettermake some tea. You know what is a good thing to give for a fever, and ifyou can find anything in the garden to make a drink of that sort, do;but I hope he will doze off for some time. When you have done, you hadbetter get this place tidy a little; it is in a terrible litter. Evidently no one has been in since they moved out. "

The room, indeed, was strewed with litter of all sorts, rubbish notworth taking away, old newspapers, and odds and ends of everydescription. Lucy looked about among these for some time, and with anexclamation of satisfaction at last picked up two crumpled envelopes. They were both addressed "William Jenkins, Woodford, near MountPleasant. "

"That is just what I wanted, " she said. 

"What am you going to do, Miss Lucy?"

"I am going to Mount Pleasant, " she said. 

"Lor a marcy, dearie, you are not going to walk that distance! You musthave walked twelve miles already. "

"I should, if it were twice as far, Chloe. There are some things we mustget. Don't look alarmed, I shall take Dan with me. Now, let me see. Inthe first place there are lemons for making drink and linseed forpoultices, some meat for making broth, and some flour, and other thingsfor ourselves; we may have to stay here for some time. Tell me just whatyou want and I will get it. "

Chloe made out a list of necessaries. 

"I shan't be gone long, " the girl said. "If he asks after me or Dan, tell him we are looking about the place to see what is useful. Don't lethim know I have gone to Mount Pleasant, it might worry him. "

Dan at once agreed to accompany the girl to Mount Pleasant when he heardthat she was going to get things for his master. Looking about he foundan old basket and they started without delay by the one road from theclearing which led, they had no doubt, to the town. It was about twomiles distant, and was really but a large village. A few Federalsoldiers from the camp hard by were lounging about the streets, butthese paid no attention to them. Lucy soon made her purchases, and thenwent to the house that had been pointed out to her as being inhabited bythe doctor who attended to the needs of the people of Mount Pleasant andthe surrounding district. Fortunately he was at home. Lucy looked at himclosely as he entered the room and took his seat. He was a middle-agedman with a shrewd face, and she at once felt that she might haveconfidence in it. 

"Doctor, " she said, "I want you to come out to see someone who is veryill. "

"What is the matter with him? or is it him or her?"

"It is--it's----" and Lucy hesitated, "a hurt he has got. "

"A wound, I suppose?" the doctor said quietly. "You may as well tell meat once, as for me to find out when I get there; then I can takewhatever is required with me. "

"Yes, sir. It is a wound, " Lucy said. "His shoulder is broken, Ibelieve, by a pistol bullet. "

"Umph!" the doctor said. "It might have been worse. Do not hesitate totell me all about it, young lady. I have had a vast number of cases onhand since these troubles began. By the way, I do not know your face, and I thought I knew everyone within fifteen miles around. "

"I come from the other side of the Duck River. But at present he islying at a place called Woodford, but two miles from here. "

"Oh, yes! I know it. But I thought it was empty. Let me see, a man namedJenkins lived there. He was killed at the beginning of the troubles in afight near Murfreesboro. His widow moved in here; and she has marriedagain and gone five miles on the other side. I know she was trying tosell the old place. "

"We have not purchased it, sir; we have just squatted there. My friendwas taken so bad that we could go no further. We were trying, doctor, tomake our way further south. "

"Your friend, whoever he is, did a very foolish thing to bring a younglady like yourself on such a long journey. You are not a pair of runawaylovers, are you?"

"No, indeed, " Lucy said, flushing scarlet; "we have no idea of such athing. I was living alone, and the house was attacked by bushwhackers, the band of a villain named Mullens. "

"Oh! I saw all about that in the Nashville paper this morning. They wereattacked by a band of Confederate plunderers, it said. "

"They were attacked by one man, " the girl replied. "They were on thepoint of murdering me when he arrived. He shot Mullens and four of hisband and the rest made off, but he got this wound. And as I knew thevillains would return again and burn the house and kill me, I and my oldnurse determined to go southward to join my friends in Georgia. "

"Well, you can tell me more about it as we go, " the doctor said. "I willorder my buggy round to the door, and drive you back. I will take myinstruments with me. It is no business of mine whether a sick man is aConfederate or a Federal; all my business is to heal him. "

"Thank you very much, doctor. While the horse is being put in I will godown and tell the negro boy with me to go straight on with a basket ofthings I have been buying. "

"Where is he now?" the doctor asked. 

"I think he is sitting down outside the door, sir. "

"Then you needn't go down, " the doctor said. "He can jump up behind andgo with us. He will get there all the quicker. "

In five minutes they were driving down the village, with Dan in the backseat. On the way the doctor obtained from Lucy a more detailed accountof their adventures. 

"So he is one of those Confederate officers who broke prison at Elmira, "he said. "I saw yesterday that one of his companions was captured. "

"Was he, sir? How was that?"

"It seems that he had made his way down to Washington, and was stayingat one of the hotels there as a Mr. James of Baltimore. As he was goingthrough the streets he was suddenly attacked by a negro, who assaultedhim with such fury that he would have killed him had he not been draggedoff by passers-by. The black would have been very roughly treated, buthe denounced the man he had attacked as one of the Confederate officerswho had escaped from the prison. It seems that the negro had been aslave of his who had been barbarously treated, and finally succeeded inmaking his escape and reaching England, after which he went to Canada;and now that it is safe for an escaped slave to live in the NorthernStates without fear of arrest or ill-treatment, he had come down toWashington with the intention of engaging as a teamster with one of theNorthern armies, in the hope, when he made his way to Richmond, of beingable to gain some news of his wife, whom his master had sold before heran away from him. "

"It served the man right!" Lucy said indignantly. "It's a good thingthat the slaves should turn the table sometimes upon masters whoill-treat them. "

"You don't think my patient would ill-treat his slaves?" the doctorasked with a little smile. 

"I am sure he wouldn't, " the girl said indignantly. "Why, the boy behindyou is one of his slaves, and I am sure he would give his life for hismaster. "

Dan had overheard the doctor's story and now exclaimed:

"No, sah. Massa Vincent de kindest ob masters. If all like him, deslaves eberywhere contented and happy. What was de name of dat man, sah, you was speaking of?"

"His name was Jackson, " the doctor answered. 

"I tought so, " Dan exclaimed in excitement. "Massa never mentioned denames ob de two officers who got out wid him, and it war too dark for meto see their faces, but dat story made me tink it must be him. Bery badman dat; he libs close to us, and Massa Vincent one day pretty nigh killhim because he beat dat bery man who has catched him now on de street obWashington. When dat man sell him wife Massa Vincent buy her so as toprevent her falling into bad hands. She safe now wid his mother at deOrangery--dat's the name of her plantation. "

"My patient must be quite an interesting fellow, young lady, " the doctorsaid, with a rather slight twinkle of his eye. "A very knight-errant!But there is the house now; we shall soon see all about him. "

Taking with him the case of instruments and medicines he had brought, the doctor entered Vincent's room. Lucy entered first; and althoughsurprised to see a stranger with her, Vincent saw by her face that therewas no cause for alarm. 

"I have brought you a doctor, " she said. "You could not go on as youwere, you know. So Dan and I have been to fetch one. "

The doctor now advanced and took Vincent's hand. 

"Feverish, " he said, looking at his cheeks, which were now flushed. "Youhave been doing too much, I fancy. Now let us look at this wound ofyours. Has your servant got any warm water?" he asked Lucy. 

Lucy left the room, and returned in a minute with a kettleful of warmwater and a basin, which was among the purchases she had made at MountPleasant. 

"That is right, " the doctor said, taking it from her. "Now we will cutopen the shirt-sleeve. I think, young lady, you had better leave us, unless you are accustomed to the sight of wounds. "

"I am not accustomed to them, sir; but as thousands of women have beennursing the wounded in the hospitals, I suppose I can do so now. "

Taking a knife from the case, the doctor cut open the shirt from theneck to the elbow. The shoulder was terribly swollen and inflamed, and alittle exclamation of pain broke from Lucy. 

"That is the effect of walking and inattention, " the doctor said. "If Icould have taken him in hand within an hour of his being hit, the matterwould have been simple enough; but I cannot search for the ball, or infact do anything, till we have reduced the swelling. You must put warmpoultices on every half hour, and by to-morrow I hope the inflammationwill have subsided, and I can then see about the ball. It evidently issomewhere there still, for there is no sign of its having made its exitanywhere. In the meantime you must give him two tablespoonfuls of thiscooling draught every two hours, and to-night give him this sleepingdraught. I will be over to-morrow morning to see him. Do not be uneasyabout him; the wound itself is not serious, and when we have got rid ofthe fever and inflammation I have no doubt we shall pull him roundbefore long. "

"I know the wound is nothing, " Vincent said; "I have told Miss Kingstonso all along. It is nothing at all to one I got at the first battle ofBull Run, where I had three ribs badly broken by a shell. I was laid upa long time over that business. Now I hope in a week I shall be fit totravel. "

The doctor shook his head. "Not as soon as that. Still we will hope itwill not be long. Now all you have to do is to lie quiet and not worry, and to get to sleep as quick as you can. You must not let your patienttalk, Miss Kingston. It will be satisfactory to you, no doubt, " he wenton, turning to Vincent, "to know that there is no fear whatever of yourbeing disturbed here. The road leads nowhere, and is entirely out of theway of traffic. I should say you might be here six months without even achance of a visitor. Everyone knows the house is shut up, and as youhave no neighbor within half a mile no one is likely to call in. Even ifanyone did by accident come here you would be in no danger; we are allone way of thinking about here. "

"Shall we make some broth for him?" Lucy asked after they had left theroom. 

"No; he had better take nothing whatever during the next twenty-fourhours except his medicine and cooling drinks. The great thing is to getdown the fever. We can soon build him up afterward. "

By nightfall the exertions of Dan, Lucy, and Chloe had made the housetidy. Beds of rushes and grass had been made in the room upstairs forthe women, and Dan had no occasion for one for himself, as he was goingto stop up with his master. He, however, brought a bundle of rushes intothe kitchen, and when it became dark threw himself down upon them for afew hours' sleep, Lucy and her old nurse taking their place in Vincent'sroom and promising to rouse Dan at twelve o'clock. 

During the early part of the night Vincent was restless and uneasy, buttoward morning he became more quiet and dozed off, and had but justawoke when the doctor drove up at ten o'clock. He found the inflammationand swelling so much abated that he was able at once to probe for theball. Chloe was his assistant. Lucy felt that her nerves would not beequal to it, and Dan's hand shook so that he could not hold the basin. In a quarter of an hour, which seemed to Lucy to be an age, the doctorcame out of the room. 

"There is the bullet, Miss Kingston. "

"And is he much hurt, sir?"

"It is a nasty wound, " the doctor replied. "The collar-bone is badlybroken, and I fancy the head of the bone of the upper arm, to put it inlanguage you will understand, is fractured; but of that I cannot bequite sure. I will examine it again to-morrow, and will then bandage itin its proper position. At present I have only put a bandage round thearm and body to prevent movement. I should bathe it occasionally withwarm water, and you can give him a little weak broth to-day. I think, onthe whole, he is doing very well. The feeling that you are all for thepresent safe from detection has had as much to do with the abatement ofthe fever as my medicine. "

The next morning the report was still satisfactory. The fever had almostdisappeared, and Vincent was in good spirits. The doctor applied thesplints to keep the shoulder up in its proper position, and then tightlybandaged it. 

"It depends upon yourself now, " he said, "whether your shoulders areboth of the same width as before or not. If you will lie quiet, and givethe broken bones time to reunite, I think I can promise you that youwill be as straight as before; but if not--putting aside the chances ofinflammation--that shoulder will be lower than the other, and you willnever get your full strength in it again. Quiet and patience are theonly medicines you require, and as there can be no particular hurry foryou to get south, and as your company here is pleasant and you have twogood nurses, there is no excuse for your not being quiet and contented. "

"Very well, doctor. I promise that, unless there is a risk of our beingdiscovered, I will be as patient as you can wish. As you say, I haveeverything to make me contented and comfortable. "

The doctor had a chat with Lucy, and agreed with her that perhaps itwould be better to inform the mistress of the house that there werestrangers there. Some of the people living along the road might noticehim going or coming, or see Dan on his way to market, and might learnthat the house was inhabited, and communicate the fact to their oldneighbor. 

"I will see her myself, Miss Kingston, and tell her that I have sent apatient of mine to take up his quarters here. I will say he is ready topay some small sum weekly as long as he occupies the house. I have nodoubt she would be willing enough to let you have it without that; for, although I shall say nothing actually, I shall let her guess from mymanner that it is a wounded Confederate, and that will be enough forher. Still I have no doubt that the idea of getting a few dollars forthe rent of an empty house will add to her patriotism. People of herclass are generally pretty close-fisted, and she will look upon this asa little pocket-money. Good-by! I shall not call to-morrow, but will beround next day again. "

On his next visit the doctor told Lucy that he had arranged the matterwith her landlady, and that she was to pay a dollar a week as rent. "Ishould not tell your patient about this, " he said. "It will look to himas if I considered his stay was likely to be a long one, and it mightfidget him. "

"How long will it be, doctor, do you think?"

"That I cannot say. If all goes well, he ought in a month to be fairlycured; but before starting upon a journey which will tax his strength, Ishould say at least six weeks. "

Ten days later Vincent was up, and able to get about. A pile of grasshad been heaped up by the door, so that he could sit down in the sun andenjoy the air. Lucy was in high spirits, and flitted in and out of thehouse, sometimes helping Chloe, at others talking to Vincent. 

"What are you laughing at?" she asked as she came out suddenly on one ofthese occasions. 

"I was just thinking, " he said, "that no stranger who dropped in upon uswould dream that we were not at home here. There is Dan tidying up thegarden; Chloe is quite at her ease in the kitchen, and you and I mightpass very well for brother and sister. "

"I don't see any likeness between us--not a bit. "

"No, there is no personal likeness; but I meant in age and that sort ofthing. I think, altogether, we have a very homelike look. "

"The illusion would be very quickly dispelled if your stranger put hishead inside the door. Did anyone ever see such a bare place?"

"Anyhow, it's very comfortable, " Vincent said, "though I grant that itwould be improved by a little furniture. "

"By a great deal of furniture, you mean. Why, there isn't a chair in thehouse, nor a carpet, nor a curtain, nor a cupboard, nor a bed; in factall there is is the rough dresser in the kitchen and that plank table, and your bedstead. I really think that's all. Chloe has the kettle andtwo cooking-pots, and there is the dish and six plates we bought. "

"You bought, you mean, " Vincent interrupted. 

"We bought, sir; this is a joint expedition. Then there is the basin anda pail. I think that is the total of our belongings. "

"Well, you see, it shows how little one can be quite comfortable upon, "Vincent said. "I wonder how long it will be before the doctor gives meleave to move. It is all very well for me who am accustomed tocampaigning, but it is awfully rough for you. "

"Don't you put your impatience down to my account, at any rate until youbegin to hear me grumble. It is just your own restlessness, when youare pretending you are comfortable. "

"I can assure you that I am not restless, and that I am in no hurry atall to be off on my own account. I am perfectly contented witheverything. I never thought I was lazy before, but I feel as if I coulddo with a great deal of this sort of thing. You will see that you willbecome impatient for a move before I do. "

"We shall see, sir. Anyhow, I am glad you have said that, because now, whatever you may feel, you will keep your impatience to yourself. "

Another four weeks passed by smoothly and pleasantly. Dan went into thevillage once a week to do the shopping, and the doctor had reduced hisvisits to the same number. He would have come oftener, for his visits tothe lonely cottage amused him; but he feared that his frequent passagein his buggy might attract notice. So far, no one else had broken thesolitude of their lives. If the doctor's calls had been noticed, theneighbors had not taken the trouble to see who had settled in Jenkins'old place. His visits were very welcome, for he brought newspapers andbooks, the former being also purchased by Dan whenever he went into thevillage, and thus they learnt the course of events outside. 

Since Antietam nothing had been done in Northern Virginia; but Burnside, who had succeeded McClellan, was preparing another great army, which wasto march to Richmond and crush out the rebellion. Lee was standing onthe defensive. Along the whole line of the frontier, from New Orleans toTennessee, desultory fighting was going on, and in these conflicts theConfederates had generally the worse of things, having there no generalssuch as Lee, Jackson, and Longstreet, who had made the army of Virginiaalmost invincible. 

At the last of these visits the doctor told Vincent that he consideredhe was nearly sufficiently restored in health to be able to start ontheir journey. 

"At one time I was almost afraid that your shoulder would never be quitesquare again. However, as you can see for yourself, it has come outquite right; and although I should not advise you to put any greatstrain on your left arm, I believe that in a very short time it will beas strong as the other. "

"And now, doctor, how much am I in debt to you? Your kindness cannot berepaid, but your medical bill I will discharge as soon as I get home. Wehave not more than twenty dollars left, which is little enough for thejourney there is before us. You can rely that the instant I get toRichmond I will send you the money. There is no great difficulty insmuggling letters across the frontier. "

"I am very pleased to have been able to be of service to you, " thedoctor said. "I should not think of accepting payment for aid renderedto an officer of our army; but it will give me real pleasure to receivea letter saying you have reached home in safety. It is a duty to do allwe can for the brave men fighting for our cause. As I have told you, Iam not a very hot partisan, for I see faults on both sides. Still Ibelieve in the principle of our forefathers that each State has its owngovernment and is master of its own army, joining with the others forsuch purposes as it may think fit. If I had been a fighting man, Ishould certainly have joined the army of my State; but as it is, I hopeI can do more good by staying and giving such aid and comfort as I canto my countrymen. You will, I am sure, excuse my saying that I think youmust let me aid you a little farther. I understand you to say that MissKingston will go to friends in Georgia, and I suppose you will see hersafely there. Then you have a considerable journey to make to Richmond, and the sum that you possess is utterly inadequate for all this. It willgive me real pleasure if you will accept the loan of a hundred dollars, which you can repay when you write to me from Richmond. You will needmoney for the sake of your companions rather than your own. When youhave once crossed the line you will then be able to appear in yourproper character. "

Vincent grasped the doctor's hand, and with suffused eyes replied:"Thank you greatly, doctor. I will accept your offer as frankly as itwas made. I had intended telegraphing for money as soon as I was amongour own people, but there would be delay in receiving it, and it will bemuch more pleasant to push on at once. "

"By the way, you cannot cross at Florence, for I hear that Hood hasfallen back across the river, the forces advancing against him from thisside being too strong to be resisted. But I think that this is nodisadvantage to you, for it would have been far more difficult to passthe Federals and get to Florence than to make for some point on theriver as far as possible from the contending armies. "

"We talked that over the last time you were here, doctor, and you knowwe agreed it was better to run the risk of falling into the hands of theYankee troops than into those of one of those partisan bands whoseexploits are always performed at a distance from the army. However, ifHood has retreated across the Tennessee, there is an end of that plan, and we must take some other route. Which do you advise?"

"The Yankees will be strong all around the great bend of the river tothe west of Florence and along the line to the east, which would, ofcourse, be your direct way. The passage, however, is your realdifficulty, and I should say that, instead of going in that direction, you had better bear nearly due south. There is a road from MountPleasant that strikes into the main road from Columbia up to Camden. Youcan cross the river at that point without any question or suspicion, asyou would be merely traveling to the west of the State. Once across youcould work directly south, crossing into the State of Mississippi, andfrom there take the cars through Alabama to Georgia. 

"It seems a roundabout way, but I think you would find it far thesafest, for there are no armies operating upon that line. Thepopulation, at any rate as you get south, are for us, and there are, sofar as I have heard, very few of these bushwhacking bands about, eitheron one side or the other. The difficult part of the journey is that upto Camden, but as you will be going away from the seat of war instead oftoward it, there will be little risk of being questioned. "

"I had thought of buying a horse and cart, " Vincent said. "Jogging alonga road like that, we should attract no attention. I gave up the ideabecause our funds were not sufficient, but, thanks to your kindness, wemight manage now to pick up something of the sort. "

The doctor was silent for a minute. 

"If you will send Dan over to me to-morrow afternoon, I will see whatcan be done, " he said. "It would certainly be the safest plan by far;but I must think it over. You will not leave before that, will you?"

"Certainly not, doctor. In any case we should have stayed another day toget a few more things for our journey. "

The next afternoon Dan went over to Mount Pleasant. He was away twohours longer than they had expected, and they began to feel quite uneasyabout him, when the sound of wheels was heard, and Dan appeared, drivinga cart. Vincent gave a shout of satisfaction in which Lucy and Chloejoined. 

"Here am de cart. Me had to go five miles from de town to get him. Datwhat took me so long. Here am a letter, sah, from the doctor. First-rateman dat. Good man all ober. "

The letter was as follows:

"My Dear Mr. Wingfield:

"I did not see how you would be able to buy a cart, and I was sure thatyou could not obtain one with the funds in your possession. As, fromwhat you have said, I knew that you would not in the least mind theexpense, I have taken the matter upon myself, and have bought from yourlandlady a cart and horse, which will, I think, suit you well. I havepaid for them a hundred and fifty dollars, which you can remit me, withthe hundred I handed you yesterday. Sincerely trusting that you maysucceed in carrying out your plans in safety, and with kind regards toyourself and Miss Kingston, "I remain, yours truly, "James Spencer. "

"That is a noble fellow, " Vincent said, "and I trust, for his sake aswell as our own, that we shall get safely through. Now, Lucy, I thinkyou had better go into town the first thing, and buy some clothes ofgood homely fashion. Dan can go with you and buy a suit for me--thosefitted for a young farmer. Then we shall look like a young farmer andhis sister jogging comfortably along to market; we can stop and buy astock of goods at some farm on the way. "

"That will be capital, " the girl said. 

Lucy started early the next morning for the town, and the shopping wassatisfactorily accomplished. They returned by eleven o'clock. The newpurchases were at once donned, and half an hour later they set off inthe cart: Vincent sitting on the side driving; Lucy in the corner facinghim, on a basket turned upside down; Dan and Chloe on a thick bag ofrushes in the bottom of the cart. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

ACROSS THE BORDER. 

Dan, on his return with the cart, had brought back a message from itslate owner to say that if she could in any way be of use to them, sheshould be glad to aid them. Her farm lay on the road they were nowfollowing, and they determined therefore to stop there. As the cart drewup at the door the woman came out. 

"Glad to see you, " she said; "come right in. It's strange now you shouldhave been lodging in my house for more than six weeks and I should neverhave set eyes on you before. The doctor talked to me a heap about you, but I didn't look to see quite such a young couple. "

Lucy colored hotly, and was about to explain that they did not stand inthe supposed relationship to each other, but Vincent slightly shook hishead. It was not worth while to undeceive the woman, and although theyhad agreed to pass as brother and sister, Vincent was determined not totell an untruth about it unless deceit was absolutely necessary fortheir safety. 

"And you want to get out of the way without questions being asked, Iunderstand?" the woman went on. "There are many such about at present. Idon't want to ask no questions; the war has brought trouble enough onme. Now is there anything I can do? If so, say it right out. "

"Yes, there is something you can do for us. We want to fill up our cartwith the sort of stuff you take to market--apples and pumpkins, andthings of that sort. If we had gone to buy them anywhere else, theremight have been questions asked. From what the doctor said you can letus have some. "

"I can do that. The storeroom's chuck-full; and it was only a few daysago I said to David it was time we set about getting them off. I willfill your cart, sir, and not overcharge you neither. It will save us thetrouble of taking it over to Columbia or Camden, for there's plenty ofgarden truck round Mount Pleasant, and one cannot get enough to pay forthe trouble of taking them there. "

The cart was soon filled with apples, pumpkins, and other vegetables, and the price put upon them was very moderate. 

"What ought we to ask for these?" Vincent soon inquired. "One does notwant to be extra cheap or dear. "

The woman informed them of the prices they might expect to get for theproduce; and they at once started, amid many warm good wishes from her. 

Before leaving the farm the woman had given them a letter to her sister, who lived a mile from Camden. 

"It's always awkward stopping at a strange place, " she said, "andfarmers don't often put up at hotels when they drive in with gardentruck to a town, though they may do sometimes; besides it's always nicebeing with friends. I will just write a line to Jane and tell her youhave been my tenants at Woodford, and where you are going, and ask herto take you in for the night and give you a note in the morning toanyone she or her husband may know, a good bit along that road. "

When they reached the house it was dark, but, directly Vincent showedthe note, the farmer and his wife heartily bade them come in. 

"Your boy can put up the horse at the stable, and you are heartilywelcome. But the house is pretty full, and we can't make you ascomfortable as we should wish at night; but still we will do our best. "

Vincent and Lucy were soon seated by the fire. Their hostess bustledabout preparing supper for them, and the children, of whom the houseseemed full, stared shyly at the newcomers. As soon as the meal was overChloe's wants were attended to, and a lunch of bread and bacon taken outby the farmer to Dan in the stables. The children were then packed offto bed, and the farmer and his wife joined Vincent and Lucy by the fire. 

"As to sleeping, " the woman said, "John and I have been talking it over, and the best way we can see is that you should sleep with me, ma'am, andwe will make up a bed on the floor here for my husband and yours. "

"Thank you, that will do very nicely; though I don't like interferingwith your arrangements. "

"Not at all, ma'am--not at all; it makes a nice change having someonecome in, especially of late, when there is no more pleasure in goingabout in this country, and people don't go out after dark more than theycan help. Ah, it's a bad time! My sister says you are going west, but Isee you have got your cart full of garden truck. How you have raised itso soon, I don't know; for Liza wrote to me two months since as shehadn't been able to sell her place, and it was just a wilderness. Areyou going to get rid of it at Camden to-morrow?"

Vincent had already been assured as to the politics of his present hostand hostess, and he therefore did not hesitate to say:

"The fact is, madam, we are anxious to get along without beingquestioned by any Yankee troops we may fall in with; and we have boughtthe things you see in the cart from your sister, as, going along with acart full, anyone we met would take us for farmers living close by, ontheir road to the next market town. "

"Oh, oh! that's it!" the farmer said significantly. "Want to get throughthe lines, eh?"

Vincent nodded. 

"Didn't I think so!" the farmer said, rubbing his hands. "I thoughtdirectly my eyes hit upon you that you did not look the cut of agranger. Been fighting--eh? and they are after you?"

"I don't think they are after me here, " Vincent said. "But I have seen agood deal of fighting with Jackson and Stuart; and I am just gettingover a collar bone, which was smashed by a Yankee bullet. "

"You don't say!" the farmer exclaimed. "Well, I should have gone outmyself, if it hadn't been for Jane and the children. But there are sucha lot of them that I could not bring myself to run the chances ofleaving them all on her hands. Still, I am with our army, heart andsoul. "

"Your wife's sister told me that you were on the right side, " Vincentsaid, "and that I could trust you altogether. "

"Now, if you tell me which road you want to go, I don't mind if I get onmy horse to-morrow and ride with you a stage, and see you put up for thenight. I know lots of people, and I am sure to be acquainted withsomeone, whichever road we may go. We are pretty near all the right sideabout here, though, as you get further on, there are lots of Northernmen. Now, what are your ideas as to the roads?"

Vincent told him the route he intended to take. 

"You ought to get through there right enough, " the farmer said. "Thereare some Yankee troops moving about to the west of the river, but notmany of them; and even if you fell in with them, with your cargo ofstuff they would not suspect you. Anyhow, I expect we can get you passeddown so as to be among friends. So you fought under Jackson and Stuart, did you? Ah, they have done well in Virginia! I only wish we had suchmen here. What made you take those two darkies along with you? I shouldhave thought you would have got along better by yourself. "

"We couldn't very well leave them, " Vincent said; "the boy has been withme all through the wars, and is as true as steel. Old Chloe was Lucy'snurse, and would have broken her heart had she been left behind. "

"They are faithful creatures when they are well treated. Mighty few ofthem have run away all this time from their masters, though in the partsthe Yankees hold there is nothing to prevent their bolting if they havea mind to it. I haven't got no niggers myself. I tried them, but theywant more looking after than they are worth; and I can make a shift withmy boys to help me, and hiring a hand in busy times to work the farm. Now, sir, what do you think of the lookout?"

The subject of the war fairly started, his host talked until midnight, long before which Lucy and the farmer's wife had gone off to bed. 

"We will start as soon as it is light, " the farmer said, as he andVincent stretched themselves upon a heap of straw covered with blanketsthat was to serve as their bed, Chloe having hours before gone up toshare the bed of the negro girl who assisted the farmer's wife in hermanagement of the house and children. 

"It's best to get through Camden before people are about. There areYankee soldiers at the bridge, but it will be all right you driving in, however early, to sell your stuff. Going out you aint likely to meetwith Yankees; but as it would look queer, you taking your garden truckout of the town, it's just as well to be on the road before people areabout. Once you get five or six miles the other side you might be goingto the next place to sell your stuff. "

"That is just what I have been thinking, " Vincent said, "and I agreewith you the earlier we get through Camden the better. "

Accordingly, as soon as daylight appeared, the horse was put in thecart, the farmer mounting his own animal, and with a hearty good-by fromhis wife the party started away. The Yankee sentinels at each end of thebridge were passed without questions, for, early as it was, the cartswere coming in with farm produce. As yet the streets of the town werealmost deserted, and the farmer, who, before starting, had tossed atarpaulin into the back of the cart, said:

"Now, pull that over all that stuff, and then anyone that meets us willthink that you are taking out bacon and groceries, and such like, forsome store way off. "

This suggestion was carried out, and Camden was soon left behind. A fewcarts were met as they drove along. The farmer knew some of the driversand pulled up to say a few words to them. After a twenty-mile drive theystopped at another farm, where their friend's introduction insured themas cordial a welcome as that upon the preceding evening. So, step bystep, they journeyed on, escorted in almost every case by their host ofthe night before, and meeting with no interruption. Once they passed astrong body of Federal cavalry, but these, supposing that the partybelonged to the neighborhood, asked no questions; and at last, aftereight days' traveling, they passed two posts which marked the boundarybetween Tennessee and Alabama. 

For the last two days they had been beyond the point to which theFederal troops had penetrated. They now felt that all risk was at anend. Another day's journey brought them to a railway station, and theylearned that the trains were running as usual, although somewhatirregular as to the hours at which they came along or as to the timethey took upon their journey. The contents of the cart had been left atthe farm at which they stopped the night before, and Vincent had now nodifficulty in disposing of the horse and cart, as he did not stand outfor price, but took the first offer made. Two hours later a train camealong, and the party were soon on their way to Rome in Georgia; aftertheir arrival there they went to Macon, at which place they alighted andhired a conveyance to take them to Antioch, near which place Lucy'srelatives resided. 

The latter part of the journey by rail had been a silent one. Lucy feltnone of the pleasure that she had expected at finding herself safelythrough her dangers and upon the point of joining relations who would bedelighted to see her, and she sat looking blankly out of the window atthe surrounding country. At last Vincent, who had been half an hourwithout speaking said:

"Are you sorry our journey is just over, Lucy?"

The girl's lip quivered, but she did not speak for a moment. "Of courseit is unpleasant saying good-by when people have been together for sometime, " she said with an effort. 

"I hope it will not be good-by for long, " he said. "I shall be back hereas soon as this horrible war is over. "

"What for?" the girl asked, looking round in surprise. "You live a longway from here, and you told me you knew nobody in these parts. "

"I know you, " Vincent said, "and that is quite enough. Do you not knowthat I love you?"

The girl gave a start of surprise, her cheek flushed but her eyes didnot drop as she looked frankly at him. 

"No, Vincent, " she said after a pause, "I never once thought you lovedme--never once. You have not been a bit like what I thought people werewhen they felt like that. "

"I hope not, Lucy. I was your protector then, I have tried my best tobe what people thought me--your brother; but now that you are just homeand among your own people, I think I may speak and tell you how I feeltoward you, and how I loved you since the moment I first saw you. Andyou, Lucy, do you think you could care for me?"

"Not more than I do now, Vincent. I love you with all my heart. I havebeen trying so hard to believe that I didn't because I thought you didnot care for me that way. "

For some minutes no further word was spoken. Vincent was the first tospeak:

"It is horrid to have to sit here in this stiff, unnatural way, Lucy, when one is inclined to do something outrageous from sheer happiness. These long, open cars, where people can see from end to end whateveryone is doing, are hateful inventions. It is perfectly absurd, whenone finds one's self the happiest fellow living, that one is obliged tolook as demure and solemn as if one was in church. "

"Then you should have waited, sir, " the girl said. 

"I meant to have waited, Lucy, until I got to your home; but as soon asI felt that there was no longer any harm in speaking, out it came; butit's very hard to have to wait for hours, perhaps. "

"To wait for what?" Lucy asked demurely. 

"You must wait for explanations until we are alone, Lucy. And now Ithink the train begins to slacken, and it is the next station at whichwe get out. "

"I think, Lucy, " Vincent said, when they had approached the house of herrelatives, "you and Chloe had better get out and go in by yourselves andtell your story. Dan and I will go to the inn, and I will come round inan hour. If we were to walk in together like this, it would be next toimpossible for you to explain how it all came about. "

"I think that would be the best plan. My two aunts are the kindestcreatures possible, but no doubt they will be bewildered at seeing me sosuddenly. I do think it would be best to let me have a talk with them, and tell them all about it, before you appear upon the scene. "

"Very well, then, in an hour I will come in. "

When they arrived at the gate, therefore, Vincent helped Lucy and Chloeto alight, and then, jumping into the buggy again, told the driver totake him to the hotel. 

After engaging a room and enjoying a bath, Vincent sallied out into thelittle town, and was fortunate enough to succeed in purchasing a suit oftweed clothes, which, although they scarcely fitted as if they had beenmade for him, were still an immense improvement upon the rough clothesin which he had traveled. Returning to the hotel, he put on his newpurchases, and then walked to the house of Lucy's aunts, which was aquarter of a mile outside the town. 

Lucy had walked up the little path through the garden in front of thehouse, and turning the handle of the door, had entered unannounced andwalked straight into the parlor. The two elderly ladies rose with somesurprise at the entry of a strange visitor. It was three years since shehad paid her last visit there, and for a moment they did not recognizeher. 

"Don't you know me, aunts?"

"Why, goodness me!" the eldest exclaimed, "if it isn't our little Lucygrown into womanhood! My dear child, where have you sprung from?" Andthe two ladies warmly embraced their niece, who, as soon as theyreleased her from their arms, burst into a fit of crying, and it wassome time before she could answer the questions showered upon her. 

"It is nothing, aunts, " she said at last, wiping her eyes; "but I am soglad to be with you again, and I have gone through so much, and I am sohappy, and it's so nice being with you again! Here is Chloe waiting tospeak to you, aunts. She has come with me all the way. "

The old negress, who had been waiting in the passage, was now called in. 

"Why, Chloe, you look no older than when you went away from here sixyears ago, " Miss Kingston said. "But how did you get through the lines?We have been terribly anxious about you. Your brother was here only afortnight ago, and he and your father were in a great way about you, andreproached themselves bitterly that they did not send you to us beforethe troubles began, which certainly would have been a wiser step, as Itold them. Of course your brother said that, when they left you to jointhe army, they had no idea that matters were going so far, or that theYankees would drive us out of Tennessee, or they would never havedreamed of leaving you alone. However, here you are, so now tell me allabout it. "

Lucy told the story of the various visits of the Federal bushwhackers tothe house, and how she had narrowly escaped death for refusing to betraythe Confederate officer who had come to the house for food. Her recitalwas frequently interrupted by exclamations of indignation and pity fromher aunts. 

"Well, aunts, after that, " she went on, "you see it was impossible forme to stop there any longer. No doubt they came back again a few hoursafterward and burned the house, and had I been found there, I shouldhave been sure to be burned in it, so Chloe agreed with me that therewas nothing to do but to try and get through the lines and come to you. "

"Quite right, my dear. It was clearly the best thing for you to come tous--indeed, the only thing. But how in the world did you two manage totravel alone all that distance and get through the Federal lines?"

"You see, we were not alone, aunts, " Lucy said; "the Confederate officerand his servant were coming through and, of course, they took care ofus. We could never have got through alone, and as Chloe was with me, wegot on very nicely; but we have been a long time getting through, for inthe fight, where he saved my life and killed five of the band, he hadhis shoulder broken by a pistol bullet, and we had to stop in afarmhouse near Mount Pleasant, and he was very ill for some time, butthe doctor who attended him was a true Southerner, and so we were quitesafe till he was able to move again. "

"And who is this officer, Lucy?" Miss Kingston asked rather anxiously. 

"He is a Virginia gentleman, auntie. His mother has large estates nearRichmond. He was in the cavalry with Stuart, and was made prisoner whilehe was lying wounded and insensible at Antietam; and I think, auntie, that--that--" and she hesitated--"some day we are going to be married. "

"Oh, that's it, is it?" the old lady said kindly. "Well, I can't sayanything about that until I see him, Lucy. Now tell us the whole story, and then we shall be better able to judge about it. I don't think, mydear, that, while you were traveling under his protection, he ought tohave talked to you about such things. "

"He didn't, auntie; not until we were half a mile from the station here. I never thought he cared for me the least bit; he was just like abrother to me--just like what Jack would have been, if he had beenbringing me here. "

"That's right, my dear; I am glad to hear it. Now, let us hear all aboutit. "

Lucy told the whole story of her escape and her adventures, and when shehad finished, her aunts nodded to each other. 

"That's all very satisfactory, Lucy. It was a difficult position to beplaced in, though I don't see how it was to be avoided, and the youngman really seems to have behaved very well. Don't you think so, Ada?"The younger Miss Kingston agreed, and both were prepared to receiveVincent with cordiality when he appeared. 

The hour had been considerably exceeded when Vincent came to the door. He felt it rather an awkward moment when he was ushered into thepresence of Lucy's aunts, who could scarcely restrain an exclamation ofsurprise at his youth, for, although Lucy had said nothing about hisage, they expected to meet an older man--the impression being gainedfrom the recital of his bravery in attacking, single-handed, twelvemen, and by the manner in which he had piloted the party through theirdangers. 

"We are very glad to see you--my sister Ada and myself, " Miss Kingstonsaid, shaking hands cordially with their visitor. "Lucy has been tellingus all about you; but we certainly expected, from what you had gonethrough, that you were older. "

"I am two or three years older than she is, Miss Kingston, and I havegone through so much in the last three years that I feel older than Iam. She has told you, I hope, that she has been good enough to promiseto be my wife some day?"

"Yes, she has told us that, Mr. Wingfield; and although we don't knowyou personally, we feel sure--my sister Ada and I--from what she hastold us of your behavior while you have been together, that you are anhonorable gentleman, and we hope and believe that you will make herhappy. "

"I will do my best to do so, " Vincent said earnestly. "As to mycircumstances, I shall, in another year, come into possession of estatessufficient to keep her in every comfort. "

"I have no doubt that that is all satisfactory, Mr. Wingfield, and thather father will give his hearty approval when he hears all thecircumstances of the case. Now, if you will go into the next room, Mr. Wingfield, I will call her down"--for Lucy had run upstairs when sheheard Vincent knock. "I dare say you will like a quiet talk together, "she added, smiling, "for she tells me you have never been alone togethersince you started. "

Lucy required several calls before she came down. A new shyness, such asshe had never before felt, had seized her, and it was with flushedcheeks and timid steps that she at last came downstairs, and it neededan encouraging--"Go in, you silly child, your lover will not eat you, "before she turned the handle and went into the room where Vincent wasexpecting her. 

Vincent had telegraphed from the first station at which he arrivedwithin the limits of the Confederacy to his mother, announcing his safearrival there, and asking her to send money to him at Antioch. Herletter in reply reached him three days after his arrival. It containednotes for the amount he wrote for; and while expressing her own and hissisters' delight at hearing he had safely reached the limits of theConfederacy, she expressed not a little surprise at the out-of-the-wayplace to which he had requested the money to be sent. 

"We have been examining the maps, my dear boy, " she said, "and find thatit is seventy or eighty miles out of your direct course, and we havepuzzled ourselves in vain as to why you should have made your way there. The girls guess that you have gone there to deliver in person somemessage from one of your late fellow-prisoners to his family. I am notgood at guessing, and am content to wait until you return home. We hopethat you will leave as soon as you get the remittance. We shall countthe hours until we see you. Of course we learned from a Yankee papersmuggled through the lines that you had escaped from prison, and havebeen terribly anxious about you ever since. We are longing to hear youradventures. "

A few hours after the receipt of this letter, Vincent was on his wayhome. It was a long journey. The distance was considerable, and thetrain service greatly disordered and unpunctual. When within a few hoursof Richmond he telegraphed, giving the approximate time at which hemight be expected to arrive. The train, however, did not reach Richmonduntil some hours later. The carriage was waiting at the station, and thenegro coachman shouted with pleasure at the sight of his young master. 

"Missis and the young ladies come, sah; but de station master he say detrain no arrive for a long time, so dey wait for you at de town house, sah. "

Dan jumped up beside the coachman and Vincent leaped into the carriage, and in a few minutes later he was locked in the arms of his mother andsisters. 

"You grow bigger and bigger, Vincent, " his mother said after the firstgreeting was over. "I thought you must have done when you went awaylast, but you are two or three inches taller and ever so much wider. "

"I think I have nearly done now, mother--anyhow as to height. I am sixfeet one. "

"You are a dreadful trouble to us, Vincent, " Annie said. "We have awfulanxiety whenever we hear of a battle being fought, and it was almost arelief to us when we heard that you were in a Yankee prison. We thoughtat least you were out of danger for some time; but since the news cameof your escape it has been worse than ever, and as week passed afterweek without hearing anything of you we began to fear that somethingterrible had happened to you. "

"Nothing terrible has happened at all, Annie. The only mishap I had wasgetting a pistol bullet in my shoulder which laid me up for about sixweeks. There was nothing very dreadful about it, " he continued, asexclamations of alarm and pity broke from mother and sister. "I was welllooked after and nursed. And now I will tell you my most important pieceof news, and then I will give you a full account of my adventures fromthe time when Dan got me out of prison, for it is entirely to him that Iowe my liberty. "

"Well, what is the piece of news?" Annie asked. 

"Guess!" Vincent replied, smiling. 

"You have got promoted?" his mother said. 

He shook his head. 

"Is it about a lady?" Annie asked. 

Vincent smiled. 

"Oh, Vincent, you are not engaged to be married! That would be tooridiculous!"

Vincent laughed and nodded. 

"Annie is right, mother; I am engaged to be married. "

Mrs. Wingfield looked grave, Rosie laughed, and Annie threw her armsround his neck and kissed him. 

"You dear, silly old boy!" she said. "I am glad, though it seems soridiculous. Who is she, and what is she like?"

"We needn't ask where she lives, " Rosie said. "Of course it is inAntioch, though how in the world you managed it all in the two or threedays you were there I can't make out. "

Mrs. Wingfield's brow cleared. "At any rate, in that case, Vincent, sheis a Southerner. I was afraid at first it was some Yankee woman who hadperhaps sheltered you on your way. "

"Is she older than you, Vincent?" Annie asked suddenly. "I shouldn'tlike her to be older than you are. "

"She is between sixteen and seventeen, " Vincent replied, "and she is aSouthern girl, mother, and I am sure you will love her, for she saved mylife at the risk of her own, besides nursing me all the time I was ill. "

"I have no doubt I shall love her, Vincent, for I think, my boy, thatyou would not make a rash choice. I think you are young, much too young, to be engaged; still, that is a secondary matter. Now tell us all aboutit. We expected your story to be exciting, but did not dream thatlove-making had any share in it. "

Vincent accordingly told them the whole story of his adventures from thetime of his first meeting Dan in prison. When he related the episode ofLucy's refusal to say whether he would return, although threatened withinstant death unless she did so, his narrative was broken by theexclamations of his hearers. 

"You need not say another word in praise of her, " his mother said. "Sheis indeed a noble girl, and I shall be proud of such a daughter. "

"She must be a darling!" Annie exclaimed. "Oh, Vincent, how brave shemust be! I don't think I ever could have done that, with a pistolpointing straight at you, and all those dreadful men round, and no hopeof a rescue; it's awful even to think of. "

"It was an awful moment, as you may imagine, " Vincent replied. "I shallnever forget the scene, or Lucy's steadfast face as she faced that man;and you see at that time I was a perfect stranger to her--only afugitive Confederate officer whom she shielded from his pursuers. "

"Go on, Vincent; please go on, " Annie said. "Tell us what happenednext. "

Vincent continued his narrative to the end, with, however, manyinterruptions and questions on the part of the girls. His mother saidlittle, but sat holding his hand in hers. 

"It has been a wonderful escape, Vincent, " she said when he hadfinished. "Bring your Lucy here when you like and I shall be ready toreceive her as my daughter, and to love her for her own sake as well asyours. She must be not only a brave girl but a noble girl, and you didperfectly right to lose not a single day after you had taken her safelyhome in asking her to be your wife. I am glad to think that some day theOrangery will have so worthy a mistress. I will write to her at once. You have not yet told us what she is like, Vincent. "

"I am not good at descriptions, but you shall see her photograph, when Iget it. "

"What, haven't you got one now?"

"She had not one to give me. You see, when the troubles began she waslittle more than a child, and since that time she has scarcely lefthome, but she promised to have one taken at once and send it to me, andthen, if it is a good likeness, you will know all about it. "

"Mother, when you write to-night, " Rosie said, "please send her yourphotograph and ours, and say we all want one of our new relative that isto be. "

"I think, my dear, you can leave that until we have exchanged a letteror two. You will see Vincent's copy, and can then wait patiently foryour own. "

"And now, mother, I have told you all of my news; let us hear abouteveryone here. How are all the old house hands, and how is Dinah? Tonyis at Washington, I know, because I saw in the paper that he had made asudden attack upon Jackson. "

Mrs. Wingfield's face fell. 

"That is my one piece of bad news, Vincent. I wish you hadn't asked thequestion until to-morrow, for I am sorry that anything should disturbthe pleasure of this first meeting; still, as you have asked thequestion, I must answer it. About ten days ago a negro came, as Iafterward heard from Chloe, to the back entrance and asked for Dinah. Hesaid he had a message for her. She went and spoke to him, and then ranback and caught up her child. She said to Chloe, 'I have news of myhusband. I think he is here. I will soon be back again. ' Then she ranout, and she has never returned. We have made every inquiry we could, but we have not liked to advertise for her, for it may be that she hasmet her husband, and that he has persuaded her to make off at once withhim to Yorktown or Fortress Monroe. "

"This is bad news indeed, mother, " Vincent said. "No, I do not think fora moment that she has gone off with Tony. There could be no reason whyshe should have left so suddenly without telling anyone, for she knewwell enough that you would let her go if she wished it; and I feel surethat neither she nor Tony would act so ungratefully as to leave us inthis manner. No, mother, I feel sure that this has been done by Jackson. You know I told you I felt uneasy about her before I went. No doubt theold rascal has seen in some Northern paper an account of his son havingbeen attacked in the streets of Washington, and recaptured by Tony, andhe has had Dinah carried off from a pure spirit of revenge. Well, mother, " he went on in answer to an appealing look from her, "I will notput myself out this first evening of my return, and will say no moreabout it. There will be plenty of time to take the matter up to-morrow. And now about all our friends and acquaintances. How are they gettingon? Have you heard of any more of my old chums being killed since I wastaken prisoner at Antietam?"

It was late in the evening before Vincent heard all the news. Fortunately, the list of casualties in the Army of Virginia had beenslight since Antietam; but that battle had made many gaps among thecircle of their friends, and of these Vincent now heard for the firsttime, and he learned, too, that although no battle had been fought sinceAntietam, on the 17th of September, there had been a sharp skirmish nearFredericksburg, and that the Federal army, now under General Burnside, who had succeeded McClellan, was facing that of Lee, near that town, andthat it was believed that they would attempt to cross the Rappahannockin a few days. 

It was not until he had retired for the night that Vincent allowed histhoughts to turn again to the missing woman. Her loss annoyed and vexedhim much more than he permitted his mother to see. In the first place, the poor girl's eagerness to show her gratitude to him upon alloccasions, and her untiring watchfulness and care during his illnessfrom his wound, had touched him, and the thought that she was nowprobably in the hands of brutal taskmasters was a real pain to him. Inthe next place, he had, as it were, given his pledge to Tony that sheshould be well cared for until she could be sent to join him. And whatshould he say now when the negro wrote to claim her? Then, too, he felta personal injury that the woman should be carried off when under hismother's protection, and he was full of indignation and fury at thedastardly revenge taken by Jackson. Upon hearing the news he had at oncementally determined to devote himself for some time to a search forDinah; but the news that a great battle was expected at the frontinterfered with his plan. Now that he was back, capable of returning toduty, his place was clearly with his regiment; but he determined thatwhile he would rejoin at once, he would, as soon the battle was over, ifhe were unhurt, take up the search. His mother and sisters were greatlydistressed when, at breakfast, he told them that he must at once reporthimself as fit for duty, and ready to join his regiment. 

"I was afraid you would think so, " Mrs. Wingfield said, while the girlswept silently; "and much as I grieve at losing you again so soon, I cansay nothing against it. You have gone through many dangers, Vincent, and have been preserved to us through them all. We will pray that youmay be so to the end. Still, whether or not, I, as a Virginia woman, cannot grudge my son to the service of my country, when all mothers aremaking the same sacrifice; but it is hard to give you up when butyesterday you returned to us. "

CHAPTER XV. 

FREDERICKSBURG. 

As soon as breakfast was over Vincent mounted Wildfire, which had beensent back after he had been taken prisoner, and rode into Richmond. There he reported himself at headquarters as having returned afterescaping from a Federal prison and making his way through the lines ofthe enemy. 

"I had my shoulder-bone smashed in a fight with some Yankees, " he said, "and was laid up in hiding for six weeks; but have now fairly recovered. My shoulder, at times, gives me considerable pain, and although I amdesirous of returning to duty and rejoining my regiment until the battleat Fredericksburg has taken place, I must request that three months'leave be granted to me after that to return home and complete my cure, promising, of course, to rejoin my regiment at once should hostilitiesbreak out before the spring. "

"We saw the news that you had escaped, " the general said, "but feared, as so long a time elapsed without hearing from you, that you had beenshot in attempting to cross the lines. Your request for leave isgranted, and a note will be made of your zeal in thus rejoining on thevery day after your return. The vacancy in the regiment has been filledup, but I will appoint you temporarily to General Stuart's staff, and Ishall have great pleasure in to-day filling up your commission ascaptain. Now let me hear how you made your escape. By the accountspublished in the Northern papers it seemed that you must have had aconfederate outside the walls. "

Vincent gave a full account of his escape from prison and a brief sketchof his subsequent proceedings, saying only that he was in the house ofsome loyal people in Tennessee when it was attacked by a party of Yankeebushwhackers; that these were beaten off in the fight, but that hehimself had a pistol bullet in his shoulder. He then made his way onuntil compelled by his wound to lay up for six weeks in a lonelyfarmhouse near Mount Pleasant; that afterward, in the disguise of ayoung farmer, he had made a long detour across the Tennessee River andreached Georgia. 

"When do you leave for the front, Captain Wingfield?"

"I shall be ready to start to-night, sir. "

"In that case I will trouble you to come here again this evening. Therewill be a fast train going through with ammunition for Lee at teno'clock, and I shall have a bag of dispatches for him, which I willtrouble you to deliver. You will find me here up to the last moment. Iwill give orders that a horse-box be attached to the train. "

After expressing his thanks Vincent took his leave. As he left thegeneral's quarters, a young man, just alighting from his horse, gave ashout of greeting. 

"Why, Wingfield, it is good to see you! I thought you were pining againin a Yankee dungeon, or had got knocked on the head crossing the lines. Where have you sprung from, and when did you arrive?"

"I only got in yesterday after sundry adventures which I will tell youabout presently. When did you arrive from the front?"

"I came down a few days ago on a week's leave on urgent familybusiness, " the young man laughed, "and I am going back again thisafternoon by the four o'clock train. "

"Stay till ten, " Vincent said, "and we will go back together. There is aspecial train going through with ammunition, and as everything willmake way for that it will not be long behind the four o'clock, andlikely enough may pass it on the way. There is a horse-box attached toit, and as I only take one horse there will be room for yours. "

"I haven't brought my horse down, " Harry Furniss said; "but I willcertainly go with you by the ten o'clock. Then we can have a long talk. I don't think I have seen you since the day you asked me to lend you myboat, two years ago. "

"Can you spare me two hours now?" Vincent asked. "You will do me a verygreat favor if you will. "

Harry Furniss looked at his watch. "It is eleven o'clock now; we have alot of people to lunch at half-past one, and I must be back by then. "

"You can manage that easy enough, " Vincent replied; "in two hours fromthe time we leave here you can be at home. "

"I am your man, then, Vincent. Just wait five minutes--I have to seesomeone in here. "

A few minutes later Harry Furniss came out again and mounted. 

"Now which way, Vincent? and what is it you want me for?"

"The way is to Jackson's place at the Cedars; the why I will tell youabout as we ride. "

Vincent then recounted his feud with the Jacksons, of which, up to thedate of the purchase of Dinah Moore, his friend was aware, having beenpresent at the sale. He now heard of the attack upon young Jackson byTony, and of the disappearance of Dinah Moore. 

"I should not be at all surprised, Wingfield, if your surmises arecorrect, and that the old scoundrel has carried off the girl to avengehimself upon Tony. Of course, if you could prove it, it would be a veryserious offense; for the stealing of a slave, and by force too, is acrime with a very heavy penalty, and has cost men their lives beforenow. But I don't see that you have anything like a positive proof, however strong a case of suspicion it may be. 

"I don't see what you are going to say when you get there. "

"I am going to tell him that, if he does not say what he has done withthe girl, I will have his son arrested for treachery as soon as he setsfoot in the Confederacy again. "

"Treachery?" Furniss said in surprise. "What treachery has he beenguilty of? I saw that he was one of those who escaped with you, and Irather wondered at the time at you two being mixed up together inanything. I heard that he had been recaptured through some black fellowthat had been his slave, but I did not read the account. Have you gotproof of what you say?"

"Perhaps no proof that would hold in a court of law, " Vincent replied, "but proof enough to make it an absolute certainty to my mind. "

Vincent then gave an account of their escape, and of the anonymousdenunciation of himself and Dan. 

"Now, " he said, "no one but Dan knew of the intended escape, no one knewwhat clothes he had purchased, no one could possibly have known that Iwas to be disguised as a preacher and Dan as my servant. Therefore theinformation must have been given by Jackson. "

"I have not the least doubt but that the blackguard did give it, Wingfield; but there is no proof. "

"I consider that there is a proof--an absolute and positive proof, "Vincent asserted, "because no one else could have known it. "

"Well, you see that, as a matter of fact, the other officer did know it, and might possibly have given the information. "

"But why should he? The idea is absurd. He had never had a quarrel withme, and he owed his liberty to me. "

"Just so, Wingfield. I am as certain that it was Jackson as you are, because I know the circumstances; but you see there is no more absoluteproof against one man than against the other. It is true that you hadhad a quarrel with Jackson some two years before, but you see you hadmade it up and had become friends in prison--so much so that youselected him from among a score of others in the same room to be thecompanion of your flight. You and I, who know Jackson, can well believehim guilty of an act of gross ingratitude--of ingratitude and treachery;but people who do not know would hardly credit it as possible that a mancould be such a villain. The defense he would set up would be that inthe first place there is no shadow of evidence that he more than theother turned traitor. In the second place he would be sure to say thatsuch an accusation against a Confederate officer is too monstrous andpreposterous to be entertained for a moment; and that doubtless yournegro, although he denies the fact, really chattered about his doings tothe negroes he was lodging with, and that it was through them thatsomeone got to know of the disguise you would wear. We know that itwasn't so, Wingfield; but ninety-nine out of every hundred white men inthe South would rather believe that a negro had chattered than that aConfederate officer had been guilty of a gross act of treachery andingratitude. "

Vincent was silent. He felt that what his companion said was the truth;and that a weapon by which he had hoped to force the elder Jackson intosaying what he had done with Dinah would probably fail in its purpose. The old man was too astute not to perceive that there was no real proofagainst his son, and would therefore be unlikely at once to admit thathe had committed a serious crime and to forego his revenge. 

"I will try, at any rate, " he said at last; "and if he refuses I willpublish the story in the papers. When the fellow gets back fromYankee-land he may either call me out or demand a court of inquiry. Imay not succeed in getting a verdict from twelve white men, but I thinkI can convince everyone of our own class that the fellow did it; andwhen this battle that is expected is over I have got three months'leave, and I will move heaven and earth to find the woman; and if I do, Jackson will either have to bolt or to stand a trial, with the prospectof ten years' imprisonment if he is convicted. In either case we are notlikely to have his son about here again; and if he did venture back andbrought an action against me, his chance of getting damages would be asmall one. "

Another half-hour's ride brought them to the Cedars. They dismounted atthe house, and fastening their horses to the portico knocked at thedoor. It was opened by a negro. 

"Tell your master, " Vincent said, "that Mr. Wingfield wishes to speak tohim. "

Andrew Jackson himself came to the door. 

"To what do I owe the very great pleasure of this visit, Mr. Wingfield?"he said grimly. 

"I have come to ask you what you have done with Dinah Moore, whom, Ihave every ground for believing, you have caused to be kidnaped from mymother's house. "

"This is a serious charge, young gentleman, " Andrew Jackson said, "andone that I shall call upon you to justify in the law courts. Men are notto be charged with criminal actions even by young gentlemen of goodVirginian families. "

"I shall be quite ready to meet you there, Mr. Jackson, whenever youchoose; but my visit here is rather to give you an opportunity ofescaping the consequences that will follow your detection as the authorof the crime; for I warn you that I will bring the crime home to you, whatever it costs me in time and money. My offer is this: produce thewoman and her child, and not only shall no prosecution take place, but Iwill remain silent concerning a fact which affects the honor of yourson. "

Andrew Jackson's face had been perfectly unmoved during thisconversation until he heard the allusion to his son. Then his facechanged visibly. 

"I know nothing concerning which you can attack the honor of my son, Mr. Wingfield, " he said with an effort to speak as unconcernedly as before. 

"My charge is as follows, " Vincent said quietly: "I was imprisoned atElmira with a number of other officers, among them your son. Thinkingthat it was time for the unpleasantness that had been existing betweenus to come to an end, I offered him my hand. This he accepted and webecame friends. A short time afterward a mode of escape offered itselfto me, and I proved the sincerity of my feelings toward him by offeringto him and another officer the means of sharing my escape. This theyaccepted. Once outside the walls, I furnished them with disguises thathad been prepared for them, assuming myself that of a minister. We thenseparated, going in different directions, I myself being accompanied bymy negro servant, to whose fidelity I owed our escape. Two daysafterward an anonymous writer communicated to the police the fact that Ihad escaped in the disguise of a minister, and was accompanied by myblack servant. This fact was only known to the negro, myself, and thetwo officers. My negro, who had released me, was certainly not mybetrayer; the other officer could certainly have had no possible motivefor betraying me. There remains, therefore, only your son, whosehostility to me was notorious, and who had expressed himself withbitterness against me on many occasions, and among others in the hearingof my friend Mr. Furniss here. Such being the case, it is my intentionto charge him before the military authorities with this act oftreachery. But, as I have said, I am willing to forego this and to keepsilence as to your conduct with reference to my slave Dinah Moore, ifyou will restore her and her child uninjured to the house from which youcaused her to be taken. "

The sallow cheeks of the old planter had grown a shade paler as helistened to Vincent's narrative, but he now burst out in angry tones:

"How dare you, sir, bring such an infamous accusation against my son--anaccusation, like that against myself, wholly unsupported by a shred ofevidence? Doubtless your negro had confided to some of his associateshis plans for assisting you to escape from prison, and it is from one ofthese that the denunciation has come. Go, sir, report where you willwhat lies and fables you have invented; but be assured that I and my sonwill seek our compensation for such gross libels in the courts. "

"Very well, sir, " Vincent said, as he prepared to mount his horse; "ifyou will take the trouble to look in the papers to-morrow, you will seethat your threats of action for libel have no effect whatever upon me. "

"The man is as hard as a rock, Wingfield, " Furniss said, as they rodeoff together. "He wilted a little when you were telling your story, butthe moment he saw you had no definite proofs he was, as I expected hewould be, ready to defy you. What shall you do now?"

"I shall ride back into Richmond again and give a full account of myescape from the jail, and state that I firmly believe that theinformation as to my disguise was given by Jackson, and that it was theresult of a personal hostility which, as many young men in Richmond arewell aware, has existed for some time between us. "

"Well, you must do as you like, Wingfield, but I think it will be arisky business. "

"It may be so, " Vincent said; "but I have little doubt that long beforeJackson is exchanged I shall have discovered Dinah, and shall prosecuteJackson for theft and kidnaping, in which case the young man will hardlyventure to prosecute me or indeed to show his face in this part of thecountry. "

That evening the two young officers started for the front, and the nextmorning the Richmond papers came out with a sensational heading, "Alleged Gross Act of Treachery and Ingratitude by a ConfederateOfficer. "

It was the 10th of December when Vincent joined the army atFredericksburg. He reported himself to General Stuart, who received himwith great cordiality. 

"You are just in time, Wingfield, " he said. "I believe that in anothertwenty-four hours the battle will be fought. They have for the last twodays been moving about in front, and apparently want us to believe thatthey intend to cross somewhere below the town; but all the news we getfrom our spies is to the effect that these are only feints and that theyintend to throw a bridge across here. We know, anyhow, they have got twotrains concealed opposite, near the river. Burnside is likely to find ita hard nut to crack. Of course they are superior in number to us, asthey always are; but as we have always beat them well on level ground Ido not think their chances of getting up these heights are by any meanshopeful. Then, too, their change of commanders is against them. McClellan fought a drawn battle against us at Antietam and showedhimself a really able general in the operations in front of Richmond. The army have confidence in him, and he is by far the best man they havegot so far, but the fools at Washington have now for the second timedisplaced him because they are jealous of him. Burnside has shownhimself a good man in minor commands, but I don't think he is equal tocommand such a vast army as this; and besides, we know from our friendsat Washington that he has protested against this advance across theriver, but has been overruled. You will see Fredericksburg will addanother to the long list of our victories. "

Vincent shared a tent with another officer of the same rank in GeneralStuart's staff. They sat chatting till late, and it was still dark whenthey were suddenly aroused by an outbreak of musketry down at the river. 

"The general was right, " Captain Longmore, Vincent's companionexclaimed. "They are evidently throwing a bridge across the river, andthe fire we hear comes from two regiments of Mississippians who areposted down in the town under Barksdale. "

It was but the work of a minute to throw on their clothes and hurry out. The night was dark and a heavy fog hung over the river. A roar ofmusketry came up from the valley. Drums and bugles were sounding allalong the crest. At the same moment they issued out General Stuart cameout from his tent, which was close by. 

"Is that you, Longmore? Jump on your horse and ride down to the town. Bring back news of what is going on. "

A few minutes later an officer rode up. Some wood had been thrown on thefire, and by its light Vincent recognized Stonewall Jackson. 

"Have you any news for us?" he asked. 

"Not yet; I have sent an officer down to inquire. The enemy have beentrying to bridge the river. "

"I suppose so, " Jackson replied. "I have ordered one of my brigades tocome to the head of the bank as soon as they can be formed up, to helpBarksdale if need be, but I don't want to take them down into the town. It is commanded by all the hills on the opposite side, and we know theyhave brought up also all their artillery there. "

In a few minutes Captain Longmore returned. 

"The enemy have thrown two pontoon bridges across, one above and onebelow the old railway bridge. The Mississippians have driven them backonce, but they are pushing on the work and will soon get it finished;but General Barksdale bids me report that with the force at his commandhe can repulse any attempt to cross. "

The light was now breaking in the east, but the roar of musketrycontinued under the canopy of fog. Generals Lee, Longstreet, and othershad now arrived upon the spot, and Vincent was surprised that no orderswere issued for troops to re-enforce those under General Barksdale. Presently the sun rose, and as it gained in power the fog slowly lifted, and it was seen that the two pontoon bridges were complete; but the fireof the Mississippians was so heavy that although the enemy several timesattempted to cross they recoiled before it. Suddenly a gun was firedfrom the opposite height, and at the signal more than a hundred piecesof artillery opened fire upon the town. Many of the inhabitants had leftas soon as the musketry fire began, but the slopes behind it soonpresented a sad spectacle. Men, women, and children poured out from thetown, bewildered with the din and terrified by the storm of shot andshell that crashed into it. Higher and higher the crowd of fugitivesmade their way until they reached the crest; among them were weepingwomen and crying children, many of them in the scantiest attire andcarrying such articles of dress and valuables as they had caught up whenstartled by the terrible rain of missiles. In a very few minutes smokebegan to rise over the town, followed by tongues of flame, and in halfan hour the place was on fire in a score of places. 

All day the bombardment went on without cessation and Fredericksburgcrumbled into ruins. Still, in spite of this terrible fire, theMississippians clung to the burning town amid crashing walls, fallingchimneys, and shells exploding in every direction. As night fell theenemy poured across the bridges, and Barksdale, contesting every foot ofground, fell back through the burning city and took up a position behinda stone wall in its rear. 

Throughout the day not a single shot had been fired by the Confederateartillery, which was very inferior in power to that of the enemy, asGeneral Lee had no wish finally to hinder the passage of the Federals;the stubborn resistance of Barksdale's force being only intended to givehim time to concentrate all his army as soon as he knew for certain thepoint at which the enemy was going to cross; and he did not wish, therefore, to risk the destruction of any of his batteries by callingdown the Federal fire upon them. 

During the day the troops were all brought up into position. Longstreetwas on the left and Jackson on the right, while the guns, forty-seven innumber, were in readiness to take up their post in the morning on theslopes in front of them. On the extreme right General Stuart was postedwith his cavalry and horse artillery. The night passed quietly and bydaybreak the troops were all drawn up in their positions. 

As soon as the sun rose it was seen that during the night the enemy hadthrown more bridges across and that the greater portion of the army wasalready over. They were, indeed, already in movement against theConfederate position, their attack being directed toward the portion ofthe line held by Jackson's division. General Stuart gave orders to MajorPelham, who commanded his horse artillery, and who immediately broughtup the guns and began the battle by opening fire on the flank of theenemy. The guns of the Northern batteries at once replied, and for somehours the artillery duel continued, the Federal guns doing heavyexecution. For a time attacks were threatened from various points, butabout ten o'clock, when the fog lifted, a mass of some 55, 000 troopsadvanced against Jackson. They were suffered to come within eighthundred yards before a gun was fired, and then fourteen guns opened uponthem with such effect that they fell back in confusion. 

At one o'clock another attempt was made, covered by a tremendous fire ofartillery. For a time the columns of attack were kept at bay by the fireof the Confederate batteries, but they advanced with great resolution, pushed their way through Jackson's first line, and forced them to fallback. Jackson brought up his second line and drove the enemy back withgreat slaughter until his advance was checked by the fire of theNorthern artillery. 

All day the fight went on, the Federals attempting to crush theConfederate artillery by the weight of their fire in order that theirinfantry columns might again advance. But although outnumbered by morethan two to one, the Confederate guns were worked with great resolution, and the day passed and darkness began to fall without their retiringfrom the positions they had taken up. Just at sunset General Stuartordered all the batteries on the right to advance. This they did, andopened their fire on the Northern infantry with such effect that thesefell back to the position near the town that they had occupied in themorning. 

On the left an equally terrible battle had raged all day, but here theNorthern troops were compelled to cross open ground between the townand the base of the hill and suffered so terribly from the fire thatthey never succeeded in reaching the Confederate front. Throughout theday the Confederates held their position with such ease that General Leeconsidered the affair as nothing more than a demonstration in force tofeel his position and expected an even sterner battle on the followingday. Jackson's first and second lines, composed of less than 15, 000 men, had repulsed without difficulty the divisions of Franklin and Hooker, 55, 000 strong; while Longstreet, with about the same force, had neverbeen really pressed by the enemy, although on that side they had a forceof over 50, 000 men. 

In the morning the Northern army was seen drawn up in battle array as ifto advance for fresh assault, but no movement was made. General Burnsidewas in favor of a fresh attack, but the generals commanding the variousdivisions felt that their troops, after the repulse the day before, werenot equal to the work, and were unanimously of opinion that a secondassault should not be attempted. After remaining for some hours in orderof battle they fell back into the town and two days later the whole armyrecrossed the Rappahannock River. The loss of the Confederates was 1800men, who were for the most part killed or wounded by the enemy'sartillery, while the Federal loss was no less than 13, 771. GeneralBurnside soon afterward resigned his command, and General Hooker, anofficer of the same politics as the President and his advisers, wasappointed to succeed him. 

The cavalry had not been called upon to act during the day, andVincent's duties were confined to carrying orders to the commanders ofthe various batteries of artillery posted in that part of the field, asthese had all been placed under General Stuart's orders. He had manynarrow escapes by shot and fragments of shells, but passed through theday uninjured. 

General Lee has been blamed for not taking advantage of his victory andfalling upon the Federals on the morning after the battle; but althoughsuch an assault might possibly have been successful he was conscious ofhis immense inferiority in force, and his troops would have beencompelled to have advanced to the attack across ground completely sweptby the fire of the magnificently served Northern artillery posted upontheir commanding heights. He was, moreover, ignorant of the full extentof the loss he had inflicted upon the enemy, and expected renewed attackby them. He was therefore, doubtless, unwilling to risk the results ofthe victory he had gained and of the victory he expected to gain shouldthe enemy renew their attack, by a movement which might not besuccessful, and which would at any rate have cost him a tremendous lossof men, and men were already becoming scarce in the Confederacy. 

As soon as the enemy had fallen back across the river and it was certainthat there was little chance of another forward movement on their partfor a considerable time, Vincent showed to General Stuart the permit hehad received to return home until the spring on leave, and at oncereceived the general's permission to retire from the staff for a time. 

He had not been accompanied by Dan on his railway journey to the front, having left him behind with instructions to endeavor by every means tofind some clew as to the direction in which Dinah had been carried off. He telegraphed on his way home the news of his coming, and found Dan atthe station waiting for him. 

"Well, Dan, have you obtained any news?" he asked as soon as his horsehad been moved from its box, and he had mounted and at a foot-pace leftthe station, with Dan walking beside him. 

"No, sah; I hab done my best, but I cannot find out anything. Theniggers at Jackson's all say dat no strangers hab been dere wid de oldman for a long time before de day dat Dinah was carried off. I have beenover dar, massa, and hab talked wid the hands at de house. Dey all saydat no one been dere for a month. Me sure dat dey no tell a lie aboutit, because dey all hate Massa Jackson like pison. Den de lawyer, he amput de advertisement you told him in the papers: Five hundred dollarsto whoever would give information about de carrying off of a femaleslave from Missy Wingfield, or dat would lead to de discovery of herhiding-place. But no answer come. Me heard Missy Wingfield say so lastnight. "

"That's bad, Dan; but I hardly expected anything better. I felt sure theold fox would have taken every precaution, knowing what a seriousbusiness it would be for him if it were found out. Now I am back I willtake the matter up myself, and we will see what we can do. I wish Icould have set about it the day after she was carried away. It is morethan a fortnight ago now, and that will make it much more difficult thanit would have been had it been begun at once. "

"Well, Vincent, so you have come back to us undamaged this time, " hismother said after the first greeting. "We were very anxious when thenews came that a great battle had been fought last Friday; but when weheard the next morning the enemy had been repulsed so easily we were notso anxious, although it was not until this morning that the list ofkilled and wounded was published, and our minds set at rest. "

"No, mother; it was a tremendous artillery battle, but it was littlemore than that--at least on our side. But I have never heard anything atall like it from sunrise to sunset. But, after all, an artillery fire ismore frightening than dangerous, except at comparatively close quarters. The enemy must have fired at least fifty shots for every man that washit. I counted several times, and there were fully a hundred shots aminute, and I don't think it lessened much the whole day. I should thinkthey must have fired two or three hundred rounds at least from each gun. The roar was incessant, and what with the din they made, and the repliesof our own artillery, and the bursting of shells, and the rattle ofmusketry, the din at times was almost bewildering. Wildfire was hit witha piece of shell, but fortunately it was not a very large one, and he isnot much the worse for it, but the shock knocked him off his legs; ofcourse I went down with him, and thought for a moment I had been hitmyself. No; it was by far the most hollow affair we have had. The enemyfought obstinately enough, but without the slightest spirit or dash, andonly once did they get up anywhere near our line, and then they wentback a good deal quicker than they came. "

"And now you are going to be with us for three months, Vincent?"

"I hope so, mother; at least if they do not advance again. I shall behere off and on. I mean to find Dinah Moore if it is possible, and if Ican obtain the slightest clew I shall follow it up and go wherever itmay lead me. "

"Well, we will spare you for that, Vincent. As you know, I did not likeyour mixing yourself up in that business two years ago, but it isaltogether different now. The woman was very willing and well conducted, and I had got to be really fond of her. But putting that aside, it isintolerable that such a piece of insolence as the stealing of one of ourslaves should go unpunished. Therefore, if you do find any clew to theaffair, we will not grumble at your following it up, even if it doestake you away from home for a short time. By the bye, we had lettersthis morning from a certain young lady in Georgia, inclosing herphotograph, and I rather fancy there is one for you somewhere. "

"Where is it, mother?" Vincent asked, jumping from his seat. 

"Let me think, " Mrs. Wingfield replied. "Did either of you girls put itaway, or where can it have been stowed?"

The girls both laughed. 

"Now, Vincent, what offer do you make for the letter? Well, we won'ttease you, " Annie went on as Vincent gave an impatient exclamation. "Another time we might do so, but as you have just come safely back tous I don't think it would be fair, especially as this is the very firstletter. Here it is!" and she took out of the workbox before her themissive Vincent was so eager to receive. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

THE SEARCH FOR DINAH. 

"By the bye, Vincent, " Mrs. Wingfield remarked next morning atbreakfast, "I have parted with Pearson. "

"I am glad to hear it, mother. What! did you discover at last that hewas a scamp?"

"Several things that occurred shook my confidence in him, Vincent. Theaccounts were not at all satisfactory, and it happened quiteaccidentally that when I was talking one day with Mr. Robertson, who, asyou know, is a great speculator in tobacco, I said that I should grow nomore tobacco, as it really fetched nothing. He replied that it would bea pity to give it up, for so little was now cultivated that the pricewas rising, and the Orangery tobacco always fetched top prices. 'I thinkthe price I paid for your crop this year must at any rate have paid forthe labor--that is to say, paid for the keep of the slaves and somethingover. ' He then mentioned the price he had given, which was certainly agood deal higher than I had imagined. I looked at my accounts nextmorning, and found that Pearson had only credited me with one-third ofthe amount he must have received, so I at once dismissed him. Indeed, Ihad been thinking of doing so some little time before, for money is soscarce and the price of produce so low that I felt I could not afford topay as much as I had been giving him. "

"I am afraid I have been drawing rather heavily, mother, " Vincent putin. 

"I have plenty of money, Vincent. Since your father's death we have hadmuch less company than before, and I have not spent my income. Besides, I have a considerable sum invested in house property and othersecurities. But I have, of course, since the war began been subscribingtoward the expenses of the war--for the support of hospitals and so on. I thought at a time like this I ought to keep my expenses down to thelowest point, and to give the balance of my income to the State. "

"How did Jonas take his dismissal, mother?"

"Not very pleasantly, " Mrs. Wingfield replied, "especially when I toldhim that I had discovered he was robbing me. However, he knew betterthan to say much, for he has not been in good odor about here for sometime. After the fighting near here there were reports that he had beenin communication with the Yankees. He spoke to me about it at the time;but as it was a mere matter of rumor, originating, no doubt, from thefact that he was a Northern man by birth, I paid no attention to them. "

"It is likely enough to be true, " Vincent said. "I always distrusted thevehemence with which he took the Confederate side. How long ago did thishappen?"

"It is about a month since I dismissed him. "

"So lately as that! Then I should not be at all surprised if he had somehand in carrying off Dinah. I know he was in communication with Jackson, for I once saw them together in the street, and I fancied at the timethat it was through him that Jackson learned that Dinah was here. It isan additional clew to inquire into, anyhow. Do you know what has becomeof him since he left you?"

"No; I have heard nothing at all about him, Vincent, from the day I gavehim a check for his pay in this room. Farrell, who was under him, is nowin charge of the Orangery. He may possibly know something of hismovements. "

"I think Farrell is an honest fellow, " Vincent said. "He was alwaysabout, doing his work quietly; never bullying or shouting at the hands, and yet seeing that they did their work properly. I will ride out andsee him at once. "

As soon as breakfast was over Vincent started, and found Farrell in thefields with the hands. 

"I am glad to see you back, sir, " the man said heartily. 

"Thank you, Farrell. I am glad to be back, and I am glad to find you inPearson's place. I never liked the fellow, and never trusted him. "

"I did not like him myself, sir, though we always got on well enoughtogether. He knew his work and got as much out of the hands as anyonecould do; but I did not like his way with them. They hated him. "

"Have you any idea where he went when he left here?"

"No, sir; he did not come back after he got his dismissal. He sent a manin a buggy with a note to me, asking me to send all his things over toRichmond. I expect he was afraid the news might get here as soon as hedid, and that the hands would give him an unpleasant reception, asindeed I expect they would have done. "

"You don't know whether he has any friends anywhere in the Confederacyto whom he would be likely to go?"

"I don't know about friends, sir; but I know he has told me he wasoverseer, or partner, or something of that sort, in a small station downin the swamps of South Carolina. I should think, from things he has letdrop, that the slaves must have had a bad time of it. I rather fancy hemade the place too hot for him, and had to leave; but that was only myimpression. "

"In that case he may possibly have made his way back there, " Vincentsaid. "I have particular reasons for wishing to find out. You don't knowanything about the name of the place?" The man shook his head. 

"He never mentioned the name in my hearing. "

"Well, I must try to find out; but I don't quite see how to set aboutit, " Vincent said. "By the way, do you know where his clothes were sentto?"

"Yes; the man said that he was to take them to Harker's Hotel. It's asecond-rate hotel not far from the railway station. "

"Thank you; that will help me. I know the house. It was formerly used byNorthern drummers and people of that sort. "

After riding back to Richmond and putting up his horse, Vincent went tothe hotel there. Although but a second-rate hotel it was well filled, for people from all parts of the Confederacy resorted to Richmond, andhowever much trade suffered, the hotels of the town did a good business. He first went up to the clerk in a little office at the entrance. 

"You had a man named Pearson, " he said, "staying here a month ago. Willyou please tell me on what day he left?"

The clerk turned to the register, and said, after a minute'sexamination:

"He came on the 14th of November, and he left on the 20th. "

This was two days after the date on which Dinah had been carried off. 

In American hotels the halls are large and provided with seats, and areusually used as smoking and reading rooms by the male visitors to thehotel. At Harker's Hotel there was a small bar at the end of the hall, and a black waiter supplied the wants of the guests seated at thevarious little tables. Vincent seated himself at one of these andordered something to drink. As the negro placed it on the table he said:

"I will give you a dollar if you will answer a few questions. "

"Very good, sah. Dat am a mighty easy to earn dollar. "

"Do you remember, about a month ago, a man named Pearson being here?"

The negro shook his head. 

"Me not know de names ob de gentlemen, sah. What was de man like?"

"He was tall and thin, with short hair and a gray goatee--a regularYankee. "

"Me remember him, sah. Dar used to be plenty ob dat sort here. Don't seedem much now. Me remember de man, sah, quite well. Used to pass most ofde day here. Didn't seem to have nuffin to do. "

"Was he always alone, or did he have many people here to see him?"

"Once dar war two men wid him, sah, sitting at dat table ober in decorner. Rough-looking fellows dey war. In old times people like datwouldn't come to a 'spectable hotel, but now eberyone got rough clothes, can't get no others, so one don't tink nuffin about it; but dose fellowswas rough-looking besides dar clothes. Didn't like dar looks nohow. Deyonly came here once. Dey was de only strangers that came to see him. Butonce Massa Jackson--me know him by sight--he came here and talk wid himfor a long time. Dey talk in low voice, and I noticed dey stoppedtalking when anyone sat down near dem. "

"You don't know where he went to from here, I suppose?"

"No, sah; dat not my compartment. Perhaps de outside porter will know. Like enough he takes his tings in hand-truck to station. You like to seehim, sah?"

"Yes, I should like to have a minute's talk with him. Here is yourdollar. "

The waiter rang a bell, and a minute later the outdoor porter presentedhimself. 

"You recommember taking some tings to station for a tall man with graygoatee, Pomp?" the waiter asked. "It was more dan three weeks ago. Itink he went before it was light in de morning. Me seem to rememberdat. "

The negro nodded. 

"Me remember him bery well, sah. Tree heavy boxes and one bag, and heonly gave me a quarter dollar for taking dem to de station. Mighty meanman dat. "

"Do you know what train he went by?"

"Yes, sah, it was de six o'clock train for de Souf. "

"You can't find out where his luggage was checked for?"

"I can go down to station, sah, and see if I can find out. Some of demen thar may remember. "

"Here is a dollar for yourself, " Vincent said, "and another to give toany of the men who can give you the news. When you have found out comeand tell me. Here is my card and address. "

"Bery well, sah. Next time me go up to station me find about it, forsure, if anyone remember dat fellow. "

In the evening the negro called at the house and told Vincent that hehad ascertained that a man answering to his description, and havingluggage similar to that of Pearson, had had it checked to Florence inSouth Carolina. 

Vincent now called Dan into his counsel and told him what he haddiscovered. The young negro had already given proof of such intelligencethat he felt sure his opinion would be of value. 

"Dat all bery plain, sah, " Dan said when Vincent finished his story. "Meno doubt dat old rascal Jackson give money to Pearson to carry off degal. Ob course he did it just to take revenge upon Tony. Pearson he gointo de plot, because, in de fust place, it vex Missy Wingfield and youbery much; in de second place, because Jackson gib him money; in dethird place, he get hold of negro slave worf a thousand dollar. Dat allquite clear. He not do it himself, but arrange wid oder fellows, and hestop quiet at de hotel for two days after she gone so dat no one can'spect his having hand in de affair. "

"That is just how I make it out, Dan; and now he has gone off to jointhem. "

Dan thought for some time. 

"Perhaps dey join him thar, sah, perhaps not; perhaps him send himbaggage on there and get out somewhere on de road and meet dem. "

"That is likely enough, Dan. No doubt Dinah was taken away in a cart orbuggy. As she left two days before he did, they may have gone from fortyto sixty miles along the road, or to some place where he may have joinedthem. The men who carried her off may either have come back or gone onwith him. If they wanted to go South they would go on; if they did not, he would probably have only hired them to carry her off and hand herover to him when he overtook them. I will look at the time-table and seewhere the train stops. It is a fast train I see, " after consulting it. "It stops at Petersburg, fifteen miles on, and at Hicks Ford, which isabout fifty miles. I should think the second place was most likely, asthe cart could easily have gone there in two days. Now, Dan, you hadbetter start to-morrow morning, and spend two days there, if necessary;find out, if you can, if on the 20th of last month anyone noticed avehicle of any kind, with two rough-looking men in it, and with, perhaps, a negro woman. She might not have been noticed, for she mayhave been lying tied up in the bottom of the cart, although it is morelikely they frightened her by threats into sitting up quiet with them. They are sure not to have stopped at any decent hotel, but will havegone to some small place, probably just outside the town. 

"I will go with you to Mr. Renfrew the first thing in the morning andget him to draw up a paper testifying that you are engaged in lawfulbusiness, and are making inquiries with a view to discovering a crimewhich has been committed, and recommending you to the assistance of thepolice in any town you may go to. Then, if you go with that to the headconstable at Hicks Ford, he will tell you which are the places at whichsuch fellows as these would have been likely to put up for the night, and perhaps send a policeman with you to make inquiries. If you get anynews, telegraph to me at once. I will start by the six o'clock train onthe following morning. Do you be on the platform to meet me, and we canthen either go straight on to Florence, or, should there be anyoccasion, I will get out there; but I don't think that is likely. Pearson himself will to a certainty, sooner or later, go to Florence toget his luggage, and the only real advantage we shall get, if yourinquiries are successful, will be to find out for certain whether he isconcerned in the affair. We shall then only have to follow his tracesfrom Florence. "

Two days later Mr. Renfrew received a telegram from the head constableat Hicks Ford:

 "The two men with cart spent day here, 20th ult. Were joined that morning by another man--negro says Pearson. One man returned afternoon, Richmond. Pearson and the other drove off in buggy. A young negress and child were with them. Is there anything I can do?"

Mr. Renfrew telegraphed back to request that the men, who were kidnapingthe female slave, should if possible be traced, and the direction theytook ascertained. He then sent the message across to Vincent, who atonce went to his office. 

"Now, " the lawyer said, "you must do nothing rashly in this business, Vincent. They are at the best of times a pretty rough lot at the edge ofthese Carolina swamps, and at present things are likely to be worse thanusual. If you were to go alone on such an errand you would almostcertainly be shot. In the first place these fellows would not give up avaluable slave without a struggle; and, in the next place, they havecommitted a very serious crime. Therefore it is absolutely necessarythat you should go armed with legal powers and backed by the force ofthe law. In the first place, I will draw up an affidavit and sign itmyself, to the effect that a female slave, the property of VincentWingfield, has, with her male child, been kidnaped and stolen by JonasPearson and others, acting in association with him, and that we havereason to know that she has been conveyed into South Carolina. This Iwill get witnessed by a justice of the peace, and will then take it upto the State House. There I will get the usual official request to theGovernor of South Carolina to issue orders that the aid of the law shallbe given to you in recovering the said Dinah Moore and her child, andarresting her abductors. You will obtain an order to this effect fromthe Governor, and armed with it you will, as soon as you havediscovered where the woman is, call upon the sheriff of the county toaid you in recovering her and in arresting Pearson and his associates. "

"Thank you, sir. That will certainly be the best way. I run plenty ofrisks in doing my duty as an officer of the State, and I have no desirewhatever to throw my life away at the hands of ruffians such as Pearsonand his allies. "

Two hours later Vincent received from Mr. Renfrew the official letter tothe Governor of South Carolina, and at six o'clock next morning startedfor Florence. On the platform of the station at Hicks Ford Dan waswaiting for him. 

"Jump into the car at the end, Dan; I will come to you there, and youcan tell me all the news. We are going straight on to Columbia. Now, Dan, " Vincent went on when he joined him--for in no part of the UnitedStates were negroes allowed to travel in any but the cars set apart forthem--"what is your news? The chief constable telegraphed that they had, as we expected, been joined by Pearson here. "

"Yes, sah, dey war here for sure. When I got here I go straight to deconstable and tell him dat I was in search of two men who had kidnapedCaptain Wingfield's slave. De head constable he Richmond man, and obcourse knew all about de family; so he take de matter up at once andsend constable wid me to seberal places whar it likely dat the fellowshad put up, but we couldn't find nuffin about dem. Den next morning wego out again to village four mile out of de town on de north road, anddare we found sure 'nough dat two men, wid negro wench and chile, hadstopped dere. She seem bery unhappy and cry all de time. De men say deybought her at Richmond, and show de constable of de village de paper datdey had bought female slabe Sally Moore and her chile. De constablespeak to woman, but she seem frightened out of her life and no sayanyting. Dey drive off wid her early in de morning. Den make inquiriesagain at de town and at de station. We find dat a man like Pearson getout. He had only little hand-bag with him. He ask one of de men at destation which was de way to de norf road. Den we find dat one of deconstables hab seen a horse and cart wid two men in it, with negro womanand child. One of de men look like Yankee--dat what make him take noticeof it. We 'spose dat oder man went back to Richmond again. "

"That is all right, Dan, and you have done capitally. Now at Florence wewill take up the hunt. It is a long way down there; and if they driveall the way, as I hope they will, it will take them a fortnight, so thatwe shall have gained a good deal of time on them. The people at thestation are sure to remember the three boxes that lay there for so longwithout being claimed. Of course they may have driven only till they gotfairly out of reach. Then they may either have sold the horse and cart, or the fellow Pearson has with him may have driven it back. But I shouldthink they would most likely sell it. In that case they would not bemore than a week from the time they left Richmond to the time they tooktrain again for the South. However, whether they have got a fortnight orthree weeks' start of us will not make much difference. With thedescription we can give of Pearson, and the fact that there was anegress and child, and those three boxes, we ought to be able to tracehim. "

It was twelve at night when the train arrived at Florence. As nothingcould be done until next morning, Vincent went to an hotel. As soon asthe railway officials were likely to be at their offices he was at thestation again. The tip of a dollar secured the attention of the man inthe baggage room. 

"Three boxes and a black bag came on here a month ago, you say, and layhere certainly four or five days--perhaps a good deal longer. Of courseI remember them. Stood up in that corner there. They had been checkedright through. I will look at the books and see what day they went. Idon't remember what sort of men fetched them away. Maybe I was busy atthe time, and my mate gave them out. However, I will look first and seewhen they went. What day do you say they got here?"

"They came by the train that left Richmond at six o'clock on the morningof the 20th. "

"Then they got in late that night or early next morning. Ah, the trainwas on time that day, and got in at half-past nine at night. Here theyare--three boxes and a bag, numbered 15, 020, went out on the 28th. Yes, that's right enough. Now I will just ask my mate if he remembers abouttheir going out. "

The other man was called. Oh, yes! he remembered quite well the threeboxes standing in the corner. They went out some time in the afternoon. It was just after the train came in from Richmond. He noticed the manthat asked for them. He got him to help carry out the boxes and put theminto a cart. Yes, he remembered there was another man with him, and anegress with a child. He wondered at the time what they were up to, butsupposed it was all right. Yes, he didn't mind trying to find out whohad hired out a cart for the job. Dare say he could find out byto-morrow--at any rate he would try. Five dollars was worth earning, anyway. 

Having put the matter in train, Vincent, leaving Dan at Florence, wentdown at once to Charleston. Here, after twenty-four hours' delay, heobtained a warrant for the arrest of Jonas Pearson and others on thecharge of kidnaping, and then returned to Florence. He found that therailway man had failed in obtaining any information as to the cart, andconcluded it must have come in from the country on purpose to meet thetrain. 

"At any rate, " Vincent said, "it must be within a pretty limited rangeof country. The railway makes a bend from Wilmington to this place andthen down to Charleston, so this is really the nearest station to only asmall extent of country. "

"That's so, " the railway man said. He had heard from Dan a good dealabout the case, and had got thoroughly interested in it. "Either Marionor Kingstree would be nearer, one way or the other, to most of theswamp country. So it can't be as far as Conwayborough on the north, orGeorgetown on the south, and it must lie somewhere between Jeffries'Creek and Lynch's Creek; anyhow it would be in Marion County--that'spretty nigh sure. So, if I were you, I would take rail back to MarionCourthouse, and see the sheriff there and have a talk over the matterwith him. You haven't got much to go upon, because this man you areafter has been away from here a good many years and won't be known;besides, likely enough he went by some other name down here. Anyhow, thesheriff can put you up to the roads and the best way of going about thejob. "

"I think that would be the best way, " Vincent said. "We shall be able tosee the county map, too, and to learn all the geography of the place. "

"You have got your six-shooters with you, I suppose, because you arelikely as not to have to use them?"

"Yes, we have each got a Colt; and as I have had a good deal ofpractice, it would be awkward for Pearson if he gives me occasion to useit. "

"After what I hear of the matter, " the man said, "I should say your bestplan is just to shoot him at sight. It's what would serve him right. Youbet there will be no fuss over it. It will save you a lot of troubleanyway. "

Vincent laughed. 

"My advice is good, " the man went on earnestly. "They are a rough lotdown there, and hang together. You will have to do it sudden, whateveryou do, or you will get the hull neighborhood up agin you. "

On reaching Marion Courthouse they sought out the sheriff, produced thewarrant signed by the State authority, and explained the wholecircumstances. 

"I am ready to aid you in any way I can, " the sheriff said when heconcluded; "but the question is, where has the fellow got to? You see hemay be anywhere in this tract, " and he pointed out a circle on the mapof the county that hung against the wall. "That is about fifty mileacross, and a pretty nasty spot, I can tell you. There are wide swampson both sides of the creek, and rice grounds and all sorts. There aintabove three or four villages altogether, but there may be two or threehundred little plantations scattered about, some big and some little. Wehaven't got anything to guide us in the slightest; not a thing, as I cansee. "

"The man who was working under Pearson, when he was with us, told me hehad got the notion that he had had to leave on account of some troublehere. Possibly that might afford a clew. "

"It might do so, " the sheriff said. "When did he come to you?"

"I think it was when I was six or seven years old. That would be abouttwelve or thirteen years ago; but, of course, he may not have comedirect to us after leaving here. "

"We can look, anyway, " the sheriff said, and, opening a chest, he tookout a number of volumes containing the records of his predecessors. "Twelve years ago! Well, this is the volume. Now, Captain Wingfield, Ihave got some other business in hand that will take me a couple ofhours. I will leave you out this volume and the one before it and theone after it, and if you like to go through them you may come across thedescription of some man that agrees with that of the man you are insearch of. "

It took Vincent two hours and a half to go through the volume, but hemet with no description answering to that of Pearson. 

"I will go through the first six months of the next year, " he said tohimself, taking up that volume, "and the last six months of the yearbefore. "

The second volume yielded no better result, and he then turned back tothe first of the three books. Beginning in July, he read steadily onuntil he came to December. Scarcely had he begun the record of thatmonth when he uttered an exclamation of satisfaction. 

"December the 2d. --Information laid against a gang at Porter's station, near Lynch's Creek. Charged with several robberies and murders indifferent parts of the country. Long been suspected of having stills inthe swamps. Gang consists of four besides Porter himself. Names of gang, Jack Haverley, Jim Corben, and John and James Porter. Ordered out posseto start to-morrow. "

"December 5th. --Returned from Porter's Station. Surprised the gang. Theyresisted. Haverley, Corben, and Jas. Porter shot. John Porter escaped, and took to the swamp. Four of posse wounded; one, William Hannay, killed. Circulated description of John Porter through the country. Talland lean; when fifteen years old shot a man in a brawl, and went North. Has been absent thirteen years. Assumed the appearance of a Northern manand speaks with the Yankee twang. Father was absent at the time ofattack. Captured three hours after. Declares he knows nothing aboutdoings of the gang. Haverley and Corben were friends of his sons. Cameand went when they liked. Will be tried on the 15th. "

On the 16th there was another entry:

"William Porter sentenced to three years' imprisonment for givingshelter to a gang of robbers. Evidence wanting to show he took anyactual part in their crimes. "

The sheriff had been in and out several times during the five hours thatVincent's search had taken up. When he returned again Vincent pointedout the entry he had found. 

"I should not be at all surprised if that's our man, " the sheriff said. "I know old Porter well, for he is still alive and bears a pretty badreputation still, though we have never been able to bring him to book. Iremember all the circumstances of that affair, for I served upon theposse. While Porter was in prison his house was kept for him by amarried daughter and her husband. There was a strong suspicion that theman was one of the gang too, but we couldn't prove it. They have livedthere ever since. They have got five or six field hands, and are said tobe well off. We have no doubt they have got a still somewhere in theswamps, but we have never been able to find it. I will send a man offto-morrow to make inquiries whether any stranger has arrived therelately. Of course, Pearson will not have kept that name, and he will nothave appeared as John Porter, for he would be arrested on a freshwarrant at once for his share in that former business. I think, CaptainWingfield, you had better register at the hotel here under some othername. I don't suppose that he has any fear of being tracked here; stillit is just possible his father may have got somebody here and atFlorence to keep their eyes open and let him know if there are anyinquiries being made by strangers about a missing negress. One cannot betoo careful. If he got the least hint, his son and the woman would behidden away in the swamps before we could get there, and there would beno saying when we could find him. "

Vincent took the sheriff's advice, and entered his name in the hotelbooks as Mr. Vincent. Late in the evening the sheriff came round to him. 

"I have just sent summonses to six men. I would rather have had two orthree more, but young men are very scarce around here now; and as withyou and myself that brings it up to eight that ought to be sufficient, as these fellows will have no time to summon any of their friends totheir assistance. Have you a rifle, Captain Wingfield?"

"No; I have a brace of revolvers. "

"They are useful enough for close work, " the sheriff said, "but if theysee us coming, and barricade their house and open fire upon us, you willwant something that carries further than a revolver. I can lend you arifle as well as a horse, if you will accept them. "

Vincent accepted the offer with thanks. The next morning at daylight hewent round to the sheriff's house, where six determined-looking men, belonging to the town or neighboring farms, were assembled. Slinging therifle that the sheriff handed him across his back, Vincent at oncemounted, and the party set off at a brisk trot. 

"My man came back half an hour ago, " the sheriff said to Vincent as theyrode along. "He found out that a man answering to your descriptionarrived with another at Porter's about a fortnight ago, and is stayingthere still. Whether they brought a negress with them or not no oneseems to have noticed. However, there is not a shadow of doubt that itis our man, and I shall be heartily glad to lay hold of him; for abrother of mine was badly wounded in that last affair, and though helived some years afterward he was never the same man again. So I have apersonal interest in it, you see. "

"How far is it to Porter's?"

"About thirty-five miles. We shall get there about two o'clock, Ireckon. We are all pretty well mounted and can keep at this pace, with abreak or two, till we get there. I propose that we dismount when we getwithin half a mile of the place. We will try and get hold of someone whoknows the country well, and get him to lead three of us round throughthe edge of the swamp to the back of the house. It stands within fiftyyards of the swamp. I have no doubt they put it there so that they mightescape if pressed, and also to prevent their being observed goingbackward and forward to that still of theirs. "

This plan was followed out. A negro lad was found who, on the promise ofa couple of dollars, agreed to act as guide. Three of the party werethen told off to follow him, and the rest, after waiting for half anhour to allow them to make the detour, mounted their horses and rodedown at a gallop to the house. When they were within a short distance ofit they heard a shout, and a man who was lounging near the door raninside. Almost instantly they saw the shutters swing back across thewindows, and when they drew up, fifty yards from the door, the barrelsof four rifles were pushed out through slits in the shutters. 

The sheriff held up his hand. "William Porter, I want a word with you. "

A shutter in an upper room opened, and an elderly man appeared with arifle in his hand. 

"William Porter, " the sheriff said, "I have a warrant for the arrest oftwo men now in your house on the charge of kidnaping a female slave, theproperty of Captain Wingfield here. I have no proof that you had anyshare in the matter, or that you were aware that the slave was nothonestly obtained. In the second place, I have a warrant for the arrestof your son John Porter, now in your house and passing, recently, underthe name of Jonas Pearson, on the charge of resisting and killing theofficers of the law on the 5th of December, 1851. I counsel you to handover these men to me without resistance. You know what happened whenyour sons defied the law before, and what will happen now if you refusecompliance. "

"Yah!" the old man shouted. "Do you suppose we are going to give in tofive men? Not if we know it. Now, I warn you, move yourself off while Ilet you; else you will get a bullet in you before I count three. "

"Very well, then. You must take the consequences, " the sheriff replied, and at once called the party to fall back. 

"We must dismount, " he said in answer to Vincent's look of surprise. "They would riddle us here on horseback in the open. Besides, we mustdismount to break in the door. "

They rode back a quarter of a mile, and then dismounted. The sherifftook two heavy axes that hung from his saddle, and handed them to two ofthe men. 

"I reckon we shall have trouble, " he said. "However, I hope we shan'thave to use these. My idea is to crawl up through the cornfield until weare within shooting distance, and then to open fire at the loopholes. They have never taken the trouble to grub up the stumps, and each manmust look out for shelter. I want to make it so hot for them that theywill try to bolt to the swamp, and in that case they will be covered bythe men there. I told them not to fire until they got quite close; sothey ought to dispose of three of them, and as they have got pistolsthey will be able to master the others; besides, when we hear firingbehind, we shall jump up and make a rush round. Do you, sir, and JamesWilkins here, stop in front. Two of them might make a rush out behind, and the others, when they have drawn us off, bolt in front. "

Several shots were fired at the party as they made their way across tothe end of the field, where the tall stalks of maize were stillstanding, though the corn had been gathered weeks before. As soon asthey reached the shelter they separated, each crawling through the maizeuntil they arrived within fifty yards of the house. There were, as thesheriff had said, many stumps still standing, and each ensconced himselfbehind one of these, and began to reply to the fire that the defenderskept up whenever they saw a movement among the cornstalks. 

At such a distance the shutters were but of slight advantage to thedefenders of the house; for the assailants were all good shots, and theloopholes afforded excellent targets at such a distance. After a fewshots had been fired from the house the fire of the defenders ceased, the men within not daring to protrude the rifles through the loopholes, as every such appearance was instantly followed by a couple of shotsfrom the corn patch. 

"Give me one of those axes, " the sheriff said. "Now, Withers, do youmake a rush with me to the door. Get your rifle loaded before you start, and have your revolver handy in your belt. Now, Captain Wingfield, doyou and the other two keep a sharp lookout at the loopholes, and seethat they don't get a shot at us as we run. Now, Withers!" and thesheriff ran forward. Two rifles were protruded through the loopholes. Vincent and his companions fired at once. One of the rifles gave asharp jerk and disappeared, the other was fired, and Withers dropped hisax, but still ran forward. The sheriff began an onslaught at the door, his companion's right arm being useless. A minute later the sharp crackof rifles was heard in the rear, and the sheriff and two men rushed inthat direction, while Vincent and the other lay watching the door. Scarcely had the sheriff's party disappeared round the house when thedoor was thrown open, and Pearson ran out at full speed. Vincent leapedto his feet. 

"Surrender, " he said, "or you are a dead man!"

Jonas paused for a moment with a loud imprecation, and then, leveling arevolver, fired. Vincent felt a moment's pain in the cheek, but beforehe could level his rifle his companion fired, and Pearson fell forwarddead. A minute later the sheriff and his party ran round. 

"Have you got him?" he asked. 

"He will give no more trouble, sheriff, " the young man who fired said. "I fancy I had him plum between the eyes. How about the others?"

"Dick Matheson is killed; he got two bullets in his body. The other manis badly wounded. There are no signs of old Porter. "

They now advanced to the door, which stood open. As the sheriff enteredthere was a sharp report, and he fell back, shot through the heart. Therest made a rush forward. Another shot was fired, but this missed them, and before it could be repeated they had wrested the pistol from thehand of Matheson's wife. She was firmly secured, and they then enteredthe kitchen, where, crouched upon the floor, lay seven or eight negromen and women in an agony of terror. Vincent's question, "Dinah, whereare you?" was answered by a scream of delight; and Dinah, who had beencovering her child with her body, leaped to her feet. 

"It's all right, Dinah, " Vincent said; "but stay here, we haven'tfinished this business yet. "

"I fancy the old man's upstairs, " one of the men said. "It was hisrifle, I reckon, that disappeared when we fired. "

It was as he expected. Porter was found dead behind the loophole, abullet having passed through his brain. The deputy sheriff, who was withthe party, now took the command. A cart and horse were found in anout-building; in these the wounded man, who was one of those who hadtaken part in the abduction of Dinah, was placed, together with thefemale prisoner and the dead body of the sheriff. The negroes were toldto follow; and the horses having been fetched, the party mounted androde off to the next village, five miles on their way back. Here theyhalted for the night, and the next day they went on to MarionCourthouse, Vincent hiring a cart for the conveyance of Dinah and theother women. It was settled that Vincent's attendance at the trial ofthe two prisoners would not be necessary, as the man would be tried forarmed resistance to the law, and the woman for murdering the sheriff. The facts could be proved by other witnesses, and as there could be nodoubt about obtaining convictions, it would be unnecessary to try thecharge against the man for kidnaping. Next day, accordingly, Vincentstarted with Dinah and Dan for Richmond. Two months afterward he saw inthe paper that Jane Matheson had been sentenced to imprisonment forlife, the man to fourteen years. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

CHANCELLORSVILLE. 

The news of the fight between the sheriff's posse and the band atLynch's Creek was telegraphed to the Richmond papers by their localagent upon the day after it occurred. The report said that CaptainWingfield, a young officer who had frequently distinguished himself, hadfollowed the traces of a gang one of whom was a notorious criminal whohad evaded the pursuit of the law and escaped from that section fifteenyears ago, and had, under an assumed name, been acting as overseer atMrs. Wingfield's estate of the Orangery. These men had carried off anegress belonging to Mrs. Wingfield, and had taken her South. CaptainWingfield, having obtained the assistance of the sheriff with a posse ofdetermined men, rode to the place which served as headquarters of thegang. Upon being summoned to surrender, the men opened fire upon thesheriff and his posse. A sharp fight ensued, in which the sheriff waskilled and one of his men wounded; while the four members of the gangwere either killed or taken prisoners. It was reported that a personoccupying a position as a planter in the neighborhood of Richmond isconnected with this gang. 

The reporter had obtained his news from Vincent, who had purposelyrefrained from mentioning the names of those who had fallen. He hadalready had a conversation with the wounded prisoner. The latter haddeclared that he had simply acted in the affair as he had been paid todo by the man he knew in Richmond as Pearson, who told him that hewanted him to aid in carrying off a slave woman, who was really hisproperty, but had been fraudulently taken from him. He had heard him saythat there was another interested in the affair, who had his own reasonsfor getting the woman out of the way, and had paid handsomely for thejob. Who that other was Pearson had never mentioned. 

Vincent saw that he had no absolute evidence against Jackson, andtherefore purposely suppressed the fact that Pearson was among thekilled in hopes that the paragraph would so alarm Jackson that he wouldat once decamp. His anticipations were entirely justified; for upon theday of his return to Richmond he saw a notice in the paper that theCedars, with its field hands, houses, and all belonging to it, was forsale. He proceeded at once to the estate agent, and learned from himthat Jackson had come in two days before and had informed him thatsudden and important business had called him away, and that he wasstarting at once for New York, where his presence was urgently required, and that he should attempt to get through the lines immediately. He hadasked him what he thought the property and slaves would fetch. Beingacquainted with the estate, he had given him a rough estimate, and had, upon Jackson's giving him full powers to sell, advanced him two-thirdsof the sum. Jackson had apparently started at once; indeed, he had toldhim that he should take the next train as far North as he could get. 

Vincent received the news with great satisfaction. He had little doubtthat Jackson had really made down to the South, and that he would try tocross the lines there, his statement that he intended to go direct Northbeing merely intended to throw his pursuers off his track should awarrant be issued against him. However, it mattered little which wayJackson had gone, so that he had left the State. There was little chanceof his ever returning; for even when he learned that his confederate inthe business had been killed in the fight, he could not be certain thatthe prisoner who had been taken was not aware of the share he had in thebusiness. 

A fortnight later Vincent went down into Georgia and brought back LucyKingston for a visit to his mother. She had already received a letterfrom her father in reply to one she had written after reaching heraunts' protection, saying how delighted he was to hear that she hadcrossed the lines, for that he had suffered the greatest anxietyconcerning her and had continually reproached himself for not sendingher away sooner. He said he was much pleased with her engagement toCaptain Wingfield, whom he did not know personally, but of whom he heardthe most favorable reports from various Virginia gentlemen to whom hehad spoken since the receipt of her letter. 

Lucy remained at Richmond until the beginning of March, when Vincenttook her home to Georgia again, and a week after his return rejoined thearmy on the Rappahannock. Every effort had been made by the Confederateauthorities to raise the army of General Lee to a point that wouldenable him to cope with the tremendous force the enemy were collectingfor the ensuing campaign. The drain of men was now telling terribly, andLee had at the utmost 40, 000 to oppose the 160, 000 collected underGeneral Hooker. 

The first fight of the campaign had already taken place when Vincentrejoined the army. A body of 3000 Federal cavalry had crossed the riveron the 17th of March, at Kelly's Ford, but had been met by General FitzLee with about 800 cavalry, and after a long and stubborn conflict hadbeen driven back with heavy loss across the river. It was not until themiddle of April that the enemy began to move in earnest. Every ford waswatched by Stuart's cavalry, and the frequent attempts made by theFederal horse to push across to obtain information were always defeated. 

On the 27th of April General Hooker's preparations were complete. Hisplan of action was that 20, 000 men should cross the river near the oldbattlefield of Fredericksburg, and thus lead the Confederates to believethat this was the point of attack. The main body were, however, to crossat Kelly's Ford, many miles higher up the river, and to march downtoward Fredericksburg. The other force was then to recross, march up theriver, cross at Kelly's Ford, and follow and join the main army. At thesame time the Federal cavalry, which was very numerous andwell-organized, was, under General Stoneman, to strike down through thecountry toward Richmond, and thus cut the Confederate communication withtheir capital, and so prevent Longstreet's division, which was lyingnear Richmond, from rejoining Lee. 

The passage of the river was effected at the two fords withoutresistance on the 29th of April, and upon the same day the cavalrycolumn marched South. General Lee directed a portion of his cavalryunder General Fitz Lee to harass and delay this column as much aspossible. Although he had with him but a few hundred men he succeeded indoing good service in cutting off detached bodies of the enemy, capturing many officers and men, and so demoralizing the invaders that, after pushing on as far as the James River, Stoneman had to retreat ingreat haste across the Rapidan River. 

Hooker, having crossed the river, marched on to Chancellorsville, wherehe set to to intrench himself, having sent word to General Sedgwick, whocommanded the force that had crossed near Fredericksburg, to recross, push round, and join him as soon as possible. Chancellorsville was alarge brick mansion standing in the midst of fields surrounded byextensive forests. The country was known as the Wilderness. Within arange of many miles there were only a few scattered houses, and densethickets and pine-woods covered the whole country. Two narrow roadspassed through the woods, crossing each other at Chancellorsville; twoother roads led to the fords known as Ely's Ford and the United StatesFord. As soon as he reached Chancellorsville Hooker set his troops towork cutting down trees and throwing up earthworks for infantry andredoubts for artillery, erecting a double line of defenses. On these hemounted upward of a hundred pieces of artillery, commanding the narrowroads by which an enemy must approach, for the thickets were in manyplaces so dense as to render it impossible for troops to force their waythrough them. 

When Sedgwick crossed the river, Lee drew up his army to oppose him; butfinding that no more troops crossed, and that Sedgwick did not advance, he soon came to the conclusion this was not the point at which the enemyintended to attack, and in twenty-four hours one of Stuart's horsemenbrought the news that Hooker had crossed the Rappahannock at Kelly'sFord and the Rapidan at Ely's Ford. Lee at once left one division toface General Sedgwick, and ordered the three others to join GeneralAnderson, who with 8000 men had fallen back before Hooker's advance, andtaken his post at Tabernacle Church, about halfway betweenFredericksburg and Tabernacle. Lee himself rode forward at once andjoined Anderson. 

Jackson led the force from Fredericksburg, and pressed the enemy backtoward Chancellorsville until he approached the tremendous lines offortifications, and then fell back to communicate with Lee. That night acouncil of war was held, and it was agreed that an attack upon the frontof the enemy's position was absolutely impossible. Hooker himself was sopositive that his position was impregnable that he issued a generalorder of congratulation to his troops, saying that "the enemy must nowingloriously fly or give us battle on our own ground, where certaindestruction awaits him. "

Jackson then suggested that he should work right round the Wilderness infront of the enemy's position, march down until well on its flank, andattack it there, where they would be unprepared for an assault. Themovement was one of extraordinary peril. Lee would be left with but onedivision in face of an immensely superior force; Jackson would have toperform an arduous march, exposed to an attack by the whole force of theenemy; and both might be destroyed separately without being able torender the slightest assistance to each other. At daybreak on the 2d ofMay Jackson mustered his troops for the advance. He had in the course ofthe night caught a severe cold. In the hasty march he had left hisblankets behind him. One of his staff threw a heavy cape over him as helay on the wet ground. During the night Jackson woke, and thinking thatthe young officer might himself be suffering from the want of his cape, rose quietly, spread the cape over him, and lay down without it. Theconsequence was a severe cold, which terminated in an attack ofpneumonia that, occurring at a time when he was enfeebled by his wounds, resulted in his death. If he had not thrown that cape over the officerit is probable that he would have survived his wounds. 

At daybreak the column commenced its march. It had to traverse a narrowand unfrequented road through dense thickets, occasionally crossingground in sight of the enemy, and at the end to attack a tremendousposition held by immensely superior forces. Stuart with his cavalrymoved on the flank of the column whenever the ground was open, so as toconceal the march of the infantry from the enemy. As the rear of thecolumn passed a spot called the Furnace, the enemy suddenly advanced andcut off the 23d Georgia, who were in the rear of the column, andcaptured the whole regiment with the exception of a score of men. Atthis point the road turned almost directly away from Chancellorsville, and the enemy believed that the column was in full retreat, and had notthe least idea of its real object. 

So hour after hour the troops pressed on until they reached the turnpikeroad passing east and went through Chancellorsville, which now layexactly between them and the point that they had left in the morning. Jackson's design was to advance upon this line of road, to extend histroops to the left and then to swing round, cut the enemy's retreat tothe fords, and capture them all. Hooker had already been joined by twoof Sedgwick's army corps, and had now six army corps atChancellorsville, while Jackson's force consisted of 22, 000 men. Leeremained with 13, 000 at Tabernacle. The latter general had not beenattacked, but had continued to make demonstrations against the Federalleft, occupying their attention and preventing them from discovering howlarge a portion of his force had left him. 

It was at five o'clock in the evening that Jackson's troops, havinggained their position, advanced to the attack. In front of them layHoward's division of the Federals, intrenched in strong earthworkscovered by felled trees; but the enemy were altogether unsuspicious ofdanger, and it was not until with tumultuous cheers the Confederatesdashed through the trees and attacked the intrenchment that they had anysuspicion of their presence. They ran to their arms, but it was toolate. The Confederates rushed through the obstacles, climbed theearthworks, and carried those in front of them, capturing 700 prisonersand five guns. The rest of the Federal troops here, throwing awaymuskets and guns, fled in wild confusion. Steadily the Confederatespressed on, driving the enemy before them, and capturing position afterposition, until the whole right wing of the Federal army was routed anddisorganized. For three hours the Confederates continued their marchwithout a check; but owing to the denseness of the wood, and thenecessity of keeping the troops in line, the advance was slow, and nightfell before the movement could be completed. One more hour of daylightand the whole Federal army would have been cut off and captured, but byeight o'clock the darkness in the forest was so complete that allmovement had to be stopped. 

Half an hour later one of the saddest incidents of the war took place. General Jackson with a few of his staff went forward to reconnoiter. Ashe returned toward his lines, his troops in the dark mistook them for areconnoitering party of the enemy and fired, killing or wounding thewhole of them, General Jackson receiving three balls. The enemy, whowere but a hundred yards distant, at once opened a tremendous fire withgrape toward the spot, and it was some time before Jackson could becarried off the field. The news that their beloved general was woundedwas for some time kept from the troops; but a whisper gradually spread, and the grief of his soldiers was unbounded, for rather would they havesuffered a disastrous defeat than that Stonewall Jackson should havefallen. 

General Stuart assumed the command; General Hill, who was second incommand, having, with many other officers, been wounded by thetremendous storm of grape and canister that the Federals poured throughthe wood when they anticipated an attack. At daybreak the troops againmoved forward in three lines, Stuart placing his thirty guns on a slightridge, where they could sweep the lines of the Federal defenses. Threetimes the position was won and lost; but the Confederates fought withsuch fury and resolution, shouting each time they charged the Federalranks, "Remember Jackson, " that the enemy gradually gave way, and by teno'clock Chancellorsville itself was taken, the Federals being drivenback into the forest between the house and the river. 

[Illustration: Map--THE BATTLE OF CHANCELLORSVILLE May 2nd. & 3rd. 1863. ]

Lee had early in the morning begun to advance from his side to theattack, but just as he was moving forward the news came that Sedgwickhad recrossed at Fredericksburg, captured a portion of the Confederateforce there, and was advancing to join Hooker. Lee at once sent two ofhis three little divisions to join the Confederates who were opposingSedgwick's advance, while, with the three or four thousand men remainingto him, he all day made feigned attacks upon the enemy's position, occupying their attention there, and preventing them from sendingre-enforcements to the troops engaged with Stuart. At night he himselfhurried away, took the command of the troops opposed to Sedgwick, attacked him vigorously at daybreak, and drove him with heavy loss backacross the river. The next day he marched back with his force to join inthe final attack upon the Federals; but when the troops of Stuart andLee moved forward they encountered no opposition. Hooker had begun tocarry his troops across the river on the night he was hurled back out ofChancellorsville, and the rest of his troops had crossed on the twofollowing nights. 

General Hooker issued a pompous order to his troops, after gettingacross the river, to the effect that the movement had met with thecomplete success he had anticipated from it; but the truth soon leakedout. General Sedgwick's force had lost 6000 men, Hooker's own commandfully 20, 000 more; but splendid as the success was, it was dearlypurchased by the Confederates at the price of the life of StonewallJackson. His arm was amputated the day after the battle; he lived for aweek, and died not so much from the effect of his wound as from thepneumonia, the result of his exposure to the heavy dew on the nightpreceding his march through the Wilderness. 

During the two days' fighting Vincent Wingfield had discharged hisduties upon General Stuart's staff. On the first day the work had beenslight, for General Stuart, with the cannon, remained in the rear, whileJackson's infantry attacked and carried the Federal intrenchments. Uponthe second day, however, when Stuart assumed the command, Vincent'sduties had been onerous and dangerous in the extreme. He was constantlycarrying orders from one part of the field to the other, amid such ashower of shot and shell that it seemed marvelous that anyone couldexist within it. To his great grief Wildfire was killed under him, buthe himself escaped without a scratch. When he came afterward to try todescribe the battle to those at home, he could give no account of it. 

"To me, " he said, "it was simply a chaos of noise and confusion. Of whatwas going on I knew nothing. The din was appalling. The roar of theshells, the hum of grape and canister, the whistle of bullets, theshouts of men, formed a mighty roar that seemed to render thinkingimpossible. Showers of leaves fell incessantly, great boughs of treeswere shorn away, and trees themselves sometimes came crashing down as atrunk was struck full by a shell. The undergrowth had caught fire, andthe thick smoke, mingled with that of the battle, rendered it difficultto see or to breathe. I had but one thought, that of making my waythrough the trees, of finding the corps to which I was sent, ofdelivering my message, and finding the general again. No, I don't thinkI had much thought of danger, the whole thing was somehow so tremendousthat one had no thought whatever for one's self. It was a sort ofterrible dream, in which one was possessed of the single idea to get toa certain place. It was not till at last we swept across the open grounddown to the house, that I seemed to take any distinct notice of what wasgoing on around me. Then, for the first time, the exulting shouts of themen, and the long lines advancing at the double, woke me up to the factthat we had gained one of the most wonderful victories in history, andhad driven an army of four or five times our own strength from aposition that they believed they had made impregnable. "

The defeat of Hooker for a time put a stop to any further advanceagainst Richmond from the North. The Federal troops whose term ofservice was up returned home, and it was months before all the effortsof the authorities of Washington could place the army in a condition tomake a renewed advance. But the Confederates had also suffered heavily. A third of the force with which Jackson had attacked had fallen, andtheir loss could not be replaced, as the Confederates were forced tosend everyone they could raise to the assistance of the armies in theWest, where Generals Banks and Grant were carrying on operations withgreat success against them. The important town of Vicksburg, whichcommanded the navigation of the Mississippi, was besieged, and after aresistance lasting for some months, surrendered, with its garrison of25, 000 men, on the 3d of July, and the Federal gunboats were thus ableto penetrate the Mississippi and its confluents into the heart of theConfederacy. 

Shortly after the battle of Chancellorsville Vincent was appointed tothe command of a squadron of cavalry that was detached from Stuart'sforce and sent down to Richmond to guard the capital from any raids bybodies of Federal cavalry. It had been two or three times menaced byflying bodies of horsemen, and during the cavalry advance before thebattle of Chancellorsville small parties had penetrated to within threemiles of the city, cutting all the telegraph wires, pulling up therails, and causing the greatest terror. Vincent was not sorry for thechange. It took him away from the great theater of the war, but afterChancellorsville he felt no eager desire to take part in future battles. His duties would keep him near his home, and would give ample scope forthe display of watchfulness, dash, and energy. Consequently he took nopart in the campaign that commenced in the first week in June. 

Tired of standing always on the defensive, the Confederate authoritiesdetermined to carry out the step that had been so warmly advocated byJackson earlier in the war, and which might at that time have brought itto a successful termination. They decided to carry the war into theenemy's country. By the most strenuous efforts Lee's army was raised to75, 000 men, divided into three great army corps, commanded byLongstreet, Ewell, and Hill. Striking first into Virginia, they drovethe Federals from Winchester, and chased them from the State with theloss of nearly 4000 prisoners and thirty guns. Then they enteredMaryland and Pennsylvania, and concentrating at Gettysburg they met theNorthern army under Meade, who had succeeded Hooker. Although greatnumbers of the Confederates had seen their homes wasted and theirproperty wantonly destroyed, they preserved the most perfect order intheir march through the North, and the Federals themselves testify tothe admirable behavior of the troops, and to the manner in which theyabstained from plundering or inflicting annoyance upon the inhabitants. 

At Gettysburg there was three days' fighting. In the first a portiononly of the forces were engaged, the Federals being defeated and 5000 oftheir men taken prisoners. Upon the second the Confederates attacked theNortherners, who were posted in an extremely strong position, but wererepulsed with heavy loss. The following day they renewed the attack, butafter tremendous fighting again failed to carry the height. Both partieswere utterly exhausted. Lee drew up his troops the next day, and invitedan attack from the Federals; but contented with the success they hadgained they maintained their position, and the Confederates then fellback, Stuart's cavalry protecting the immense trains of wagons loadedwith the stores and ammunition captured in Pennsylvania. 

But little attempt was made by the Northerners to interfere with theirretreat. On reaching the Potomac, they found that a sudden rise hadrendered the fords impassable. Intrenchments and batteries were thrownup, and for a week the Confederate army held the lines, expecting anattack from the enemy, who had approached within two miles; but theFederal generals were too well satisfied with having gained a success, when acting on the defensive in a strong position, to risk a defeat inattacking the position of the Confederates, and their forces remainedimpassive until pontoon bridges were thrown across the river, and theConfederate army, with their vast baggage train, had again crossed intoVirginia. The campaign had cost the Northern army 23, 000 men in killed, wounded, and prisoners, besides a considerable number of guns. TheConfederates lost only two guns, left behind in the mud, and 1500prisoners, but their loss in killed and wounded at Gettysburg exceeded10, 000 men. Even the most sanguine among the ranks of the Confederacywere now conscious that the position was a desperate one. The Federalarmies seemed to spring from the ground. Strict discipline had takenthe place of the disorder and insubordination that had first prevailedin their ranks. The armies were splendidly equipped. They were able toobtain any amount of the finest guns, rifles, and ammunition of war fromthe workshops of Europe; while the Confederates, cut off from the world, had to rely solely upon the make-shift factories they had set up, andupon the guns and stores they captured from the enemy. 

The Northerners had now, as a blow to the power of the South, abolishedslavery, and were raising regiments of negroes from among the freeblacks of the North, and from the slaves they took from their ownerswherever their armies penetrated the Southern States. Most of theConfederate ports had been either captured or were so strictly blockadedthat it was next to impossible for the blockade-runners to get in orout, while the capture of the forts on the Mississippi enabled them touse the Federal flotillas of gunboats to the greatest advantage, and tocarry their armies into the center of the Confederacy. 

Still, there was no talk whatever of surrender on the part of the South, and, indeed, the decree abolishing slavery, and still more the action ofthe North in raising black regiments, excited the bitterest feeling ofanimosity and hatred. The determination to fight to the last, whatevercame of it, animated every white man in the Southern States, and, although deeply disappointed with the failure of Lee's invasion of theNorth, the only result was to incite them to greater exertions andsacrifices. In the North an act authorizing conscription was passed in1863, but the attempt to carry it into force caused a serious riot inNew York, which was only suppressed after many lives had been lost andthe city placed under martial law. 

While the guns of Gettysburg were still thundering, a Federal army of18, 000 men under General Gillmore, assisted by the fleet, had laid siegeto Charleston. It was obstinately attacked and defended. The siegecontinued until the 5th of September, when Fort Wagner was captured; butall attempts to take Fort Sumter and the town of Charleston itselffailed, although the city suffered greatly from the bombardment. InTennessee there was severe fighting in the autumn, and two desperatebattles were fought at Chickamauga on the 19th and 20th of September, General Bragg, who commanded the Confederate army there, beingreinforced by Longstreet's veterans from the army of Virginia. Afterdesperate fighting the Federals were defeated, and thirty-six guns andvast quantities of arms captured by the Confederates. The fruits of thevictory, however, were very slight, as General Bragg refused to allowLongstreet to pursue, and so to convert the Federal retreat into a rout, and the consequence was that this victory was more than balanced by aheavy defeat inflicted upon them in November at Chattanooga by Shermanand Grant. At this battle General Longstreet's division was not present. 

The army of Virginia had a long rest after their return from Gettysburg, and it was not until November that the campaign was renewed. Meadeadvanced, a few minor skirmishes took place, and then, when he reachedthe Wilderness, the scene of Hooker's defeat, where Lee was prepared togive battle, he fell back again across the Rappahannock. 

The year had been an unfortunate one for the Confederates. They had lostVicksburg, and the defeat at Chattanooga had led to the whole State ofTennessee falling into the hands of the Federals, while against theselosses there was no counterbalancing success to be reckoned. 

In the spring of 1864 both parties prepared to the utmost for thestruggle. General Grant, an officer who had shown in the campaign in theWest that he possessed considerable military ability, united withimmense firmness and determination of purpose, was chosen as the newcommander-in-chief of the whole military force of the North. It was amighty army, vast in numbers, lavishly provided with all materials ofwar. The official documents show that on the 1st of May the totalmilitary forces of the North amounted to 662, 000 men. Of these the forceavailable for the advance against Richmond numbered 284, 630 men. Thisincluded the Army of the Potomac, that of the James River, and the armyin the Shenandoah Valley--the whole of whom were in readiness to moveforward against Richmond at the orders of Grant. 

To oppose these General Lee had less than 53, 000 men, including thegarrison of Richmond and the troops in North Carolina. Those stationedin the seaport towns numbered in all another 20, 000; so that, if everyavailable soldier had been brought up, Lee could have opposed a total ofbut 83, 000 men against the 284, 000 invaders. 

In the West the numbers were more equally balanced. General Sherman, whocommanded the army of invasion there, had under his orders 230, 000 men, but as more than half this force was required to protect the long linesof communication and to keep down the conquered States, he was able tobring into the field for offensive operations 99, 000 men, who were facedby the Confederate army under Johnston of 58, 000 men. Grant's scheme wasthat, while the armies of the North were, under his own command, tomarch against Richmond, the Army of the West was to invade Georgia andmarch upon Atlanta. 

His plan of action was simple, and was afterward stated by himself to beas follows: "I determined first to use the greatest number of troopspracticable against the main force of the enemy, preventing him fromusing the same force at different seasons against first one and thenanother of our armies, and the possibility of repose for refitting andproducing necessary supplies for carrying on resistance. Second, tohammer continuously against the armed force of the enemy and hisresources, until, by mere attrition if in no other way, there should benothing left to him but submission. "

This was a terrible programme, and involved an expenditure of life farbeyond anything that had taken place. Grant's plan, in fact, was tofight and to keep on fighting, regardless of his own losses, until atlast the Confederate army, whose losses could not be replaced, meltedaway. It was a strategy that few generals have dared to practice, fewerstill to acknowledge. 

On the 4th of May the great Army of the Potomac crossed the Rapidan andadvanced toward Chancellorsville. Lee moved two divisions of his army tooppose them. Next morning the battle began at daybreak on the old groundwhere Lee had defeated Hooker the year before. All day long the divisionof Ewell supported the attack of the army corps of Sedgwick and Hancock. Along a front of six miles, in the midst of the thick forest, the battleraged the whole of the day. The Confederates, in spite of the utmostefforts of the Northerners, although re-enforced in the afternoon by thearmy corps of General Burnside, held their position, and when night putan end to the conflict the invaders had not gained a foot of ground. 

As soon as the first gleam of light appeared in the morning the battlerecommenced. The Federal generals, Sedgwick, Warren, and Hancock, withBurnside in reserve, fell upon Hill and Ewell. Both sides had thrown upearthworks and felled trees as a protection during the night. At firstthe Confederates gained the advantage; but a portion of Burnside's corpswas brought up and restored the battle, while on the left flank of theFederals Hancock had attacked with such vigor that the Confederatesopposed to him were driven back. 

At the crisis of the battle Longstreet, who had marched all night, appeared upon the ground, drove back Hancock's men, and was on the pointof aiding the Confederates in a decisive attack upon the enemy, when, riding rapidly forward into the wood to reconnoiter, he was, likeJackson, struck down by the fire of his own men. He was carried to therear desperately, and it was feared for a time mortally, wounded; andhis loss paralyzed the movement which he had prepared. Nevertheless, during the whole day the fight went on with varying success; sometimesone side obtaining a slight advantage, the other then regaining theground they had lost. 

[Illustration: Map--THE BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS May 5th. To 9th. 1864. ]

Just as evening was closing in a Georgia brigade, with two otherregiments, made a detour, and fell furiously upon two brigades of theenemy, and drove them back in headlong rout for a mile and a half, capturing their two generals and many prisoners. The artillery, as onthe previous day, had been little used on either side, the work beingdone at short range with the rifle, the loss being much heavier amongthe thick masses of the Northerners than in the thinner lines of theConfederates. Grant had failed in his efforts to turn Lee's right and toaccomplish his direct advance; he therefore changed his base and movedhis army round toward Spottsylvania. 

Lee soon perceived his object, and succeeded in carrying his army toSpottsylvania before the Federals reached it. 

On the afternoon of Monday the 9th, there was heavy fighting, and on the10th another pitched battle took place. This time the ground was moreopen, and the artillery was employed with terrible effect on both sides. It ended, however, as the previous battles had done, by the Confederatesholding their ground. 

Upon the next day there was but little fighting. In the night theFederals moved quietly through the wood and at daybreak four divisionsfell upon Johnston's division of Ewell's corps, took them completely bysurprise, and captured the greater part of them. 

But Lee's veterans soon recovered from their surprise and maintainedtheir position until noon. Then the whole Federal army advanced, and thebattle raged till nightfall terminated the struggle, leaving Lee inpossession of the whole line he had held, with the exception of theground lost in the morning. 

For the next six days the armies faced each other, worn out by incessantfighting, and prevented from moving by the heavy rain which fellincessantly. They were now able to reckon up the losses. The Federalsfound that they had lost, in killed, wounded, or missing, nearly 30, 000men; while Lee's army was diminished by about 12, 000. 

While these mighty battles had been raging the Federal cavalry underSheridan had advanced rapidly forward, and, after several skirmisheswith Stuart's cavalry, penetrated within the outer intrenchments roundRichmond. Here Stuart, with two regiments of cavalry, charged them anddrove them back, but the gallant Confederate officer received a woundthat before night proved fatal. His loss was a terrible blow to theConfederacy, although his successor in the command of the cavalry, General Wade Hampton, was also an officer of the highest merit. 

In the meantime General Butler, who had at Fortress Monroe under hiscommand two corps of infantry, 4000 cavalry, and a fleet of gunboats andtransports, was threatening Richmond from the east. Shipping his men onboard the transports he steamed up the James River, under convoy of thefleet, and landed on a neck of land known as Bermuda Hundred. To opposehim all the troops from North Carolina had been brought up, the wholeforce amounting to 19, 000 men, under the command of General Beauregard. Butler, after various futile movements, was driven back again to hisintrenched camp at Bermuda Hundred, where he was virtually besieged byBeauregard with 10, 000 men, the rest of that general's force being sentup to re-enforce Lee. 

In West Virginia, Breckenridge, with 3500 men, was called upon to holdin check Sigel, with 15, 000 men. Advancing to Staunton, Breckenridge wasjoined by the pupils of the military college at Lexington, 250 innumber, lads of from fourteen to seventeen years of age. He came uponSigel on the line of march and attacked him at once. The Federal generalplaced a battery in a wood and opened fire with grape. The commander ofthe Lexington boys ordered them to charge, and, gallantly rushing inthrough the heavy fire, they charged in among the guns, killed theartillerymen, drove back the infantry supports, and bayoneted theircolonel. The Federals now retired down the valley to Strasburg, andBreckenridge was able to send a portion of his force to aid Lee in hisgreat struggle. 

After his six days' pause in front of Lee's position at Spottsylvania, Grant abandoned his plan of forcing his way through Lee's army toRichmond, and endeavored to outflank it; but Lee again divined hispurpose, and moved round and still faced him. After various movementsthe armies again stood face to face upon the old battle-grounds on theChickahominy. On the 3d of June the battle commenced at half-past fourin the morning. Hancock at first gained an advantage, but Hill'sdivision dashed down upon him and drove him back with great slaughter;while no advantage was gained by him in other parts of the field. TheFederal loss on this day was 13, 000, and the troops were so dispiritedthat they refused to renew the battle in the afternoon. 

[Illustration: Map--BATTLE of COLD HARBOR May 31st. To June 12th. 1864. ]

Grant then determined to alter his plan altogether, and sendingimperative orders to Butler to obtain possession of Petersburg, embarkedSmith's corps in transports, and moved with the rest of his army to jointhat general there. Smith's corps entered the James River, landed, andmarched against Petersburg. Beauregard had at Petersburg only twoinfantry and two cavalry regiments under General Wise, while a singlebrigade fronted Butler at Bermuda Hundred. With this handful of men hewas called upon to defend Petersburg and to keep Butler bottled up inBermuda Hundred until help could reach him from Lee. He telegraphed toRichmond for all the assistance that could be sent to him, and wasre-enforced by a brigade, which arrived just in time, for Smith hadalready captured a portion of the intrenchments, but was now driven out. 

The next day Beauregard was attacked both by Smith's and Hancock'scorps, which had now arrived. With 8000 men he kept at bay the assaultsof two whole army corps, having in the meantime sent orders to Gracie, the officer in command of the brigade before Butler, to leave a fewsentries there to deceive that general, and to march with the rest ofhis force to his aid. It arrived at a critical moment. Overwhelmed byvastly superior numbers, many of the Confederates had left their posts, and Breckenridge was in vain trying to rally them when Gracie's brigadecame up. The position was reoccupied and the battle continued. 

At noon Burnside with his corps arrived and joined the assailants; whileButler, discovering at last that the troops in front of him werewithdrawn, moved out and barred the road against re-enforcements fromRichmond. Nevertheless, the Confederates held their ground all theafternoon and until eleven o'clock at night, when the assault ceased. 

At midnight Beauregard withdrew his troops from the defenses that theywere too few to hold, and set them to work to throw up freshintrenchments on a shorter line behind. All night the men worked withtheir bayonets, canteens, and any tools that came to hand. 

It was well for them that the enemy were so exhausted that it was noonbefore they were ready to advance again, for by this time help was athand. Anderson, who had succeeded to the command of Longstreet's corps, and was leading the van of Lee's army, forced his way through Butler'stroops and drove him back into Bermuda Hundred, and leaving one brigadeto watch him marched with another into Petersburg just as the attack wasrecommenced. Thus re-enforced, Beauregard successfully defeated all theassaults of the enemy until night fell. Another Federal army corps cameup before morning, and the assault was again renewed, but thedefenders, who had strengthened their defenses during the night, drovetheir assailants back with terrible loss. The whole of Lee's army nowarrived, and the rest of Grant's army also came up, and that generalfound that, after all his movements, his way to Richmond was barred asbefore. He was indeed in a far worse position than when he had crossedthe Rapidan, for the morale of his army was much injured by the repeatedrepulses and terrible losses it had sustained. The new recruits that hadbeen sent to fill up the gaps were far inferior troops to those withwhich he had commenced the campaign. To send forward such men againstthe fortifications of Petersburg, manned by Lee's veteran troops, was tocourt defeat, and he therefore began to throw up works for a regularsiege. 

Fighting went on incessantly between the outposts, but only one greatattempt was made during the early months of the siege to capture theConfederate position. The miners drove a gallery under the works, andthen drove other galleries right and left under them. These were chargedwith eight thousand pounds of powder. When all was ready, masses oftroops were brought up to take advantage of the confusion which would becaused by the explosion, and a division of black troops were to lead theassault. At a quarter to five in the morning of the 30th of July thegreat mine was exploded, blowing two guns, a battery, and its defendersinto the air, and forming a huge pit two hundred feet long and sixtyfeet wide. Lee and Beauregard hurried to the scene, checked the panicthat prevailed, brought up troops, and before the great Federal columnsapproached the breech the Confederates were ready to receive them. Theassault was made with little vigor, the approaches to the breech wereobstructed by abattis, and instead of rushing forward in a solid massthey occupied the great pit, and contented themselves with firing overthe edge of the crater, where regiments and divisions were huddledtogether. But the Confederate batteries were now manned, and from theworks on either side of the breech, and from behind, they swept theapproaches, and threw shell among the crowded mass. The black divisionwas now brought up and entered the crater, but only added to theconfusion. There was no officer of sufficient authority among thecrowded mass there to assume the supreme command. No assistance could besent to them, for the arrival of fresh troops would but have added tothe confusion. All day the conflict went on, the Federals lining theedge of the crater, and exchanging a heavy musketry fire with theConfederate infantry, while the mass below suffered terribly from theartillery fire. When night closed, the survivors of the great columnthat had marched forward in the morning, confident that victory wasassured to them, and that the explosion would lay Petersburg open tocapture, made their retreat, the Confederates, however, taking aconsiderable number of prisoners. The Federal loss in killed, wounded, and captured was admitted by them to be 4000; the Confederate accountsput it down at 6000. 

After this terrible repulse it was a long time before Grant againrenewed active operations, but during the months that ensued his troopssuffered very heavily from the effects of fever, heightened by thediscouragement they felt at their want of success, and at the tremendouslosses they had suffered since they entered Virginia on their forwardmarch to Richmond. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

A PERILOUS UNDERTAKING. 

Vincent Wingfield had had an arduous time of it with his squadron ofcavalry. He had taken part in the desperate charge that checked theadvance of Sheridan's great column of cavalry, which approached withinthree miles of Richmond--the charge that had cost the gallant Stuart hislife; and the death of his beloved general had been a heavy blow forhim. Jackson and Stuart, two of the bravest and noblest spirits of theConfederate army, were gone. Both had been personally dear to Vincent, and he felt how grievous was their loss to the cause for which he wasfighting; but he had little time for grief. The enemy, after thetremendous battles of the Wilderness, swung their army round to ColdHarbor, and Vincent's squadron was called up to aid Lee in his strugglethere. Then they were engaged night and day in harassing the enemy asthey marched down to take up their new base at Petersburg, and finallyreceived orders to ride round at full speed to aid in the defense ofthat place. 

They had arrived in the middle of the second day's fighting, anddismounting his men, Vincent had aided the hard-pressed Confederates inholding their lines till Longstreet's division arrived to theirassistance. A short time before the terrible disaster that befell theFederals in the mine they exploded under the Confederate works, he waswith General Wade Hampton, who had succeeded General Stuart in thecommand of the cavalry, when General Lee rode up. 

"They are erecting siege works in earnest, " General Lee said. "I do notthink that we shall have any more attacks for the present. I wish I knewexactly where they are intending to place their heavy batteries. If Idid, we should know where to strengthen our defenses and plant ourcounter-batteries. It is very important to find this out; and now thattheir whole army has settled down in front of us, and Sheridan's cavalryare scouring the woods, we shall get no news, for the farmers will nolonger be able to get through to tell us what is going on. "

"I will try and ride round if you like, general, " Vincent said. "Bymaking a long detour one could get into the rear of their lines and passas a farmer going into camp to sell his goods. "

"It would be a very dangerous service, sir, " General Lee said. "You knowwhat the consequence would be if you were caught?"

"I know the consequence, " Vincent said; "but I do not think, sir, thatthe risk is greater than one runs every time one goes into battle. "

"Perhaps not, " General Lee replied; "but in one case one dies fightingfor one's country, by an honorable death; in the other----" and hestopped. 

"In the other one is shot in cold blood, " Vincent said quietly. "Onedies for one's country in either case, sir; and it does not much matter, so far as I can see, whether one is killed in battle or shot in coldblood. As long as one is doing one's duty, one death is surely ashonorable as the other. "

"That is true enough, " General Lee said, "although it is not the way mengenerally view the matter. Still, sir, if you volunteer for the work, Ishall not feel justified in refusing the opportunity of acquiringinformation that may be of vital consequence to us. When will youstart?"

"In half an hour, sir. I shall ride back to Richmond, obtain a disguisethere, and then go round by train to Burksville Junction, and then rideagain until I get round behind their lines. Will you give me an orderfor my horse and myself to be taken?"

"Very well, sir, " General Lee said. "So be it! May God be with you onyour way and bring you safely back!"

Vincent rode off to his quarters. 

"Dan, " he said, "I am going away on special duty for at least threedays. I have got a couple of letters to write, and shall be ready tostart in half an hour. Give the horse a good feed and have him at thedoor again by that time. "

"Am I to go with you, sah?"

"No, Dan; I must go by myself this time. "

Dan felt anxious as he went out, for it was seldom that his master everwent away without telling him where he was going, and he felt sure thatthe service was one of unusual danger; nor was his anxiety lessenedwhen, at the appointed time, Vincent came out and handed him twoletters. 

"You are to keep these letters, Dan, until I return, or till you hearthat something has happened to me. If you hear that, you are to take oneof these letters to my mother, and take the other yourself to MissKingston. Tell her before you give it her what has happened, as gentlyas you can. As for yourself, Dan, you had your letters of freedom longago, and I have left you five hundred dollars; so that you can get acabin and patch of your own, and settle down when these troubles areover. "

"Let me go with you, master, " Dan said, with the tears streaming downhis cheeks. "I would rather be killed with you a hundred times than geton without you. "

"I would take you if I could, Dan; but this is a service that I must doalone. Good-by, my boy; let us hope that, in three or four days at theoutside, I shall be back here again, safe and sound. "

He wrung Dan's hand, and then started at a canter and kept on at thatpace until he reached Richmond. A train with stores was starting for thesouth in a few minutes; General Lee's order enabled Vincent to have ahorse-box attached at once, and he was soon speeding on his way. Healighted at Burksville Junction, and there purchased some rough clothesfor himself and some country-fashioned saddlery for his horse. Then, after changing his clothes at an inn and putting the fresh saddlery onhis horse, he started. 

It was getting late in the afternoon, but he rode on by unfrequentedroads, stopping occasionally to inquire if any of the Federal cavalryhad been seen in the neighborhood, and at last stopped for the night ata little village inn. As soon as it was daybreak he resumed his journey. He had purchased at Burksville some colored calico and articles offemale clothing, and fastened the parcel to the back of his saddle. Ashe rode forward now he heard constant tales of the passing of parties ofthe enemy's cavalry, but he was fortunate enough to get well round tothe rear of the Federal lines before he encountered any of them. Then hecame suddenly upon a troop. 

"Where are you going to, and where have you come from?"

"Our farm is a mile away from Union Grove, " he said, "and I have beenover to Sussex Courthouse to buy some things for my mother. "

"Let me see what you have got there, " the officer said. "You are rebelsto a man here, and there's no trusting any of you. "

Vincent unfastened the parcel and opened it. The officer laughed. 

"Well, we won't confiscate them as contraband of war. "

So saying, he set spurs to his horse and galloped on with his troop. Vincent rode on to Union Grove, and then, taking a road at random, kepton till he reached a small farmhouse. He knocked at the door, and awoman came out. 

"Mother, " he said, "can you put me up for a couple of days? I am astranger here, and all the villages are full of soldiers. "

The woman looked at him doubtfully. 

"What are you doing here?" she asked at last. "This aint a time forstrangers; besides, a young fellow like you ought to be ashamed to showyourself when you ought to be over there with Lee. My boys are boththere and my husband. You ought to be ashamed of yourself, astrong-looking young fellow like you, to be riding about instead offighting the Yankees. Go along! you will get no shelter here. I wouldscorn to have such as you inside the door. "

"Perhaps I have been fighting there, " Vincent said significantly. "Butone can't be always fighting, and there are other things to dosometimes. For instance, to find out what the Yankees are doing and whatare their plans. "

"Is that so?" the woman asked doubtfully. 

"That is so, " he answered earnestly. "I am an officer in Wade Hampton'scavalry, and now Sheridan's troopers have cut off all communication, Ihave come out to find for General Lee where the Yankees are buildingtheir batteries before Petersburg. "

"In that case you are welcome, " the woman said. "Come straight in! Iwill lead your horse out and fasten him up in the bush, and give him afeed there. It will never do to put him in the stable; the Yankees comein and out, and they'd take him off sharp enough if their eyes fell onhim. I think you will be safe enough, even if they do come. They willtake you for a son of mine, and if they ask any questions I will answerthem sharp enough. "

"I wonder they have left you a feed of corn, " Vincent said, when thewoman returned after taking away his horse. 

"It's no thanks to them, " she answered; "they have cleared outeverything that they could lay their hands on. But I have been expectingit for months, and, as I have had nothing to do since my man and boyswent away, I have been digging a great pit in the wood over there, andhave buried most all my corn, and have salted my pigs down and buriedthem in barrels; so they didn't find much. They took the old horse andtwo cows; but I hope the old horse will fall down the first time theyuses him, and the cow meat will choke them as eats it. Now, is thereanything as I can do to help you?"

"I want a basket with some eggs and chickens or vegetables to take intotheir camp to sell, but I am afraid I have not much chance of gettingthem. "

"I can help you there, too, " the woman said, "I turned all my chickensinto the wood the day I heard the Yankees had landed. They have gotrather wild like; but I go out and give them some corn every evening. Iexpect, if we look about, we shall find some nests; indeed I know thereare one or two of them sitting. So, if you will come out with me, we cansoon knock down five or six of the creatures, and maybe get a score ortwo of eggs. As for vegetables, a horde of locusts couldn't havestripped the country cleaner than they have done. "

They went out into the wood. Six hens were soon killed, and huntingabout they discovered several nests and gathered about three dozen eggs. Vincent aided in plucking the chickens, and they then returned to thehouse. 

"You had best take a bite before you go, " she said. "It's noon now, andyou said you started at daybreak. Always get a meal when you can, sayI. "

She produced a loaf and some bacon from a little cupboard hidden by herbed, and Vincent, who, now he thought of it, was feeling hungry, made ahearty meal. 

"I will pay you for these chickens and eggs at once, " he said. "There'sno saying whether I shall come back again. "

"I will not say no to your paying for the chickens and eggs, " she said, "because money is scarce enough, and I may have long to wait before myman and the boys come back; but as to lodging and food I would not toucha cent. You are welcome to all I have when it's for the good cause. "

Vincent started with the basket on his arm, and after walking threemiles came upon the Federal camps. 

Some of the regiments were already under canvas, others were stillbivouacked in the open air, as the storeships carrying the heavy baggagehad not yet arrived. The generals and their staffs had taken up theirquarters in the villages. Vincent had received accurate instructionsfrom his hostess as to the position of the various villages, and avoidedthem carefully, for he did not want to sell out his stock immediately. He had indeed stowed two of the fowls away in his pocket, so that, incase anyone insisted upon buying up all his stock, he could place thesein his basket and still push on. 

He avoided the camps as much as he could. He could see the smoke risingin front of him, and the roar of guns was now close at hand. He saw onhis right an elevated piece of ground, from which a good view could beobtained of the fortifications upon which the Federals were working. Acamp had been pitched there, and a large tent near the summit showedthat some officer of superior rank had his quarters here. He made adetour so as to come up at the back of the hill, and when he reached thetop he stood looking down upon the line of works. 

They were nearly half a mile distant. The intervening ground had alreadybeen stripped of its hedges, and the trees cut down to form gabions, fascines, and platforms for the cannon. Thousands of men were at work;but in some parts they were clustered much more thickly than in others, and Vincent had no difficulty in determining where the principalbatteries were in course of construction along this portion of theposition. He was still gazing intently when two horsemen rode up frombehind. 

"Hallo, you, sir! What are you looking at?" one of them asked sharply. "What are you spying about here?"

Vincent turned slowly round with a silly smile on his lips. 

"I am spying all them chaps at work, " he said. "It reminds me for allthe world of an ant-hill. Never did see so many chaps before. What bethey a-doing? Digging a big drain or making a roadway, I guess. "

"Who are you, sir?" the officer asked angrily. 

"Seth Jones I be, and mother's sent me to sell some fowls and eggs. Doyou want to buy any? Fine birds they be. "

"Why, Sheridan, " laughed the other officer, "this is a feather out ofyour cap. I thought your fellows had cleared out every hen-roost withintwenty miles of Petersburg already. "

"I fancy they have emptied most of them, " the general said grimly. "Where do you come from, lad?"

"I comes from over there, " Vincent said, jerking his thumb back. "Ilives there with mother. Father and the other boys they have gonefighting Yanks; but they wouldn't take me with them 'cause I aint sharpin my wits, though I tells them I could shoot a Yank as well as theycould if they showed me. "

"And who do you suppose all those men are?" General Sheridan asked, pointing toward the trenches. 

"I dunno, " Vincent replied. "I guess they be niggers. There be too manyof them for whites; besides, whites aint such fools to work like that. Doesn't ye want any fowl?" and he drew back the cloth and showed thecontents of the basket. 

"Take them as a matter of curiosity, general, " the other officerlaughed. "It will be a downright novelty to you to buy chickens. "

"What do you want for them, boy?"

"Mother said as I wasn't to take less nor a dollar apiece. "

"Greenbacks, I suppose?" the officer asked. 

"I suppose so. She didn't say nothing about it; but I have not seenaught but greenbacks for a long time since. "

"Come along, then, " the officer said; "we will take them. "

They rode up to the large tent, and the officers alighted, and gavetheir horses to two of the soldiers. 

"Give your basket to this soldier. "

"I want the basket back again. Mother would whop me if I came backwithout the basket again. "

"All right, " the officer said; "you shall have it back in a minute. "

Vincent stood looking anxiously after the orderly. 

"Do you think that boy is as foolish as he seems?" General Sheridanasked his companion. "He admits that he comes of a rebel family. "

"I don't think he would have admitted that if he hadn't been a fool. Ifancy he is a half-witted chap. They never would have left a fellow ofhis age behind. "

"No, I think it's safe, " Sheridan said; "but one can't be too particularjust at present. See, the trees in front hide our work altogether fromthe rebels, and it would be a serious thing if they were to find outwhat we are doing. "

"That boy could not tell them much, even if he got there, " the othersaid; "and from this distance it would need a sharp eye and somemilitary knowledge to make out anything of what is going on. Where doesyour mother live, boy?"

"I aint going to tell you, " Vincent said doggedly. "Mother said I wasn'tto tell no one where I lived, else the Yankee thieves would be a-comingdown and stealing the rest of our chickens. "

The officers laughed. 

"Well, go along, boy; and I should advise you not to say anything aboutYankee thieves another time, for likely enough, you will get a brokenhead for your pains. "

Vincent went off grumbling, and with a slow and stumbling step made hisway over the brow of the hill and down through the camps behind. Here hesold his last two fowls and his eggs, and then walked briskly on untilhe reached the cottage from which he had started. 

"I am glad to see you back, " the woman said as he entered. "How have yougot on?"

"Capitally, " he said. "I pretended to be half an idiot, and so gotsafely out, though I fell into Sheridan's hands. He suspected me atfirst, but at last he thought I was what I looked--a fool. He wanted toknow where you lived, but I wouldn't tell him. I told him you told menot to tell anyone, 'cause, if I did, the Yankee thieves would beclearing out the rest of the chickens. "

"Did you tell him that, now?" the woman said in delight; "he must havethought you was a fool. Well, it's a good thing the Yanks should hearthe truth sometimes. Well, have you done now?"

"No, I have only seen one side of their works yet. I must try round theother flank to-morrow. I wish I could get something to sell thatwouldn't get bought up by the first people I came to--something I couldpeddle among the soldiers. "

"What sort of thing?"

"Something in the way of drinks, I should say, " Vincent said. "I saw awoman going among the camps. She had two tin cans and a little mug. Ithink she had lemonade or something of that sort. "

"It wouldn't be lemonade, " the woman said. "I haven't seen a lemon forthe last two years; but they do get some oranges from Florida. Maybe itwas that, or perhaps it was spirits and water. "

"Perhaps it was, " Vincent agreed; "though I don't think they would letanyone sell spirits in the camp. "

"I can't get you any lemons or oranges neither, " the woman said; "but Imight make you a drink out of molasses and herbs, with some spirits init. I have got a keg of old rye buried away ever since my man went off, six months ago; I am out of molasses, but I dare say I can borrow somefrom a neighbor, and as for herbs they are about the only thing theYankees haven't stole. I think I could fix you up something that woulddo. As long as it has got spirits in it, it don't much matter what youput in besides, only it wouldn't do to take spirits alone. You can callit plantation drink, and I don't suppose anyone will ask too closelywhat it's made of. "

"Thank you, that will do capitally. "

The next morning Vincent again set out, turning his steps this timetoward the right flank of the Federal position. He had, in the course ofthe evening, made a sketch of the ground he had seen, marking in all theprincipal batteries, with notes as to the number of guns for which theyseemed to be intended. 

"Look here, " he said to the woman before leaving; "I may not be as luckyto-day as I was yesterday. If I do not come back to-night, can you findanyone you can trust to take this piece of paper round to Richmond? Ofcourse he would have to make his way first up to Burksville Junction, and then take train to Richmond. When he gets there he must go down toPetersburg and ask for General Lee. I have written a line to go with it, saying what I have done this for, and asking the general to give thebearer a hundred dollars. "

"I will take it myself, " the woman said; "not for the sake of thehundred dollars, though I aint saying as it wouldn't please the oldman, when he comes back, to find I had a hundred dollars stored away;but for the cause. My men are all doing their duty, and I will do mine. So you trust me, and if you don't come back by daybreak to-morrowmorning, I will start right away with these letters. I will go out atonce and hide them somewhere, in case the Yanks should come and make asearch. If you are caught they might, like enough, trace you here, andthen they would search the place all over and maybe set it alight. Ifyou aint here by nightfall I shall sleep out in the wood, so if theycome they won't find me here. If anything detains you, and you aint backtill after dark, you will find me somewhere near the tree where yourhorse is tied up. "

Provided with a large can full of a liquor that the woman compounded, and which Vincent, on tasting, found to be by no means bad, he startedfrom the cottage. Again he made his way safely through the camps, andwithout hindrance lounged up to a spot where a large number of menbelonging to one of the negro regiments were at work. 

"Plantation liquor?" he said, again assuming a stupid air, to a blacksergeant who was with them. "First-rate stuff, and only fifteen cents aglass. "

"What plantation liquor like?" the negro asked. "Me not know him. "

"First-rate stuff!" Vincent repeated. "Mother makes it of spirit andmolasses and all sorts. Fifteen cents a glass. "

"Well, I will take a glass, " the sergeant said. "Mighty hot work dis inde sun; but don't you say nuffin about the spirit. Ef dey ask you, justyou say molasses and all sorts, dat's quite enough. De white officerwon't let spirits be sold in de camp. 

"Dat berry good stuff, " he said, smacking his lips as he handed back thelittle tin measure. "You sell him all in no time. " Several of thenegroes now came round, and Vincent disposed of a considerable quantityof his plantation liquor. Then he turned to go away, for he did notwant to empty his can at one place. He had not gone many paces when aparty of three or four officers came along. 

"Hallo, you, sir, what the deuce are you doing here?" one asked angrily. "Don't you know nobody is allowed to pass through the lines?"

"I didn't see no lines. What sort of lines are they? No one told menothing about lines. My mother sent me out to sell plantation liquor, fifteen cents a glass. "

"What's it like?" one of the officers said, laughing. "Spirits, I willbet a dollar, in some shape or other. Pour me out a glass. I will try itanyhow. "

Vincent filled the little tin mug and handed it to the officer. As helifted his face to do so there was a sudden exclamation:

"Vincent Wingfield!" and another officer, drawing his sword, attackedhim furiously, shouting, "A spy! Seize him! A Confederate spy!"

Vincent recognized with astonishment, in the Federal officer rushing athim with uplifted sword, his old antagonist, Jackson. Almostinstinctively he whirled the can, which was still half full of liquor, round his head and dashed it full in the face of his antagonist, who wasknocked off his feet by the blow. With a yell of rage he started upagain and rushed at Vincent. The latter snatched up a shovel that waslying close by and stood his ground. The officers were so surprised atthe suddenness of the incident and the overthrow of their companion, andfor a moment so amused at the latter's appearance, covered as he wasfrom head to foot with the sticky liquor and bleeding from a cutinflicted by the edge of the can, that they were incapable ofinterference. 

Blinded with rage, and with the liquid streaming into his eyes, Jacksonrushed at Vincent. The latter caught the blow aimed at him on the edgeof the shovel, and then swinging his weapon round, smote his antagonistwith all his strength, the edge of the shovel falling fairly upon hishead. Without a cry the traitor fell dead in his tracks. The otherofficers now drew their swords and rushed forward. Vincent, seeing thefutility of resistance, threw down his shovel. He was instantly seized. 

"Hallo, there!" the senior officer called to the men, who had stopped intheir work and were gazing at the sudden fray that had arisen, "asergeant and four men!" Four of the negro soldiers and a sergeant atonce stepped forward. "Take this man and conduct him to the village. Puthim in a room, and stay there with him. Do you, sergeant, stationyourself at the door, so that I shall know where to find you. Put onyour uniforms and take your guns. " The men put on their coats, whichthey had removed while at work, shouldered their muskets, and took theirplaces, two on each side of the prisoner. The officers then turned toexamine their prostrate comrade. 

"It's all over with him, " one said, stooping down; "the shovel has cuthis skull nearly in half. Well, I fancy he was a bad lot. I don'tbelieve in Southerners who come over to fight in our ranks; besides, hewas at one time in the rebel army. "

"Yes, he was taken prisoner, " another said. "Then his father, who had tobolt from the South, because, he said, of his Northern sympathies, butlikely enough for something else, came round, made interest somehow andgot his son released, and then someone else got him a commission withus. He always said he had been obliged to fight on the other side, butthat he had always been heart and soul for the North; anyhow, he wasalways blackguarding his old friends. I always doubted the fellow. Well, there's an end of him; and anyhow he has done useful service at last byrecognizing this spy. Fine-looking young fellow that! He called himVincent Wingfield. I seem to remember the name; perhaps I have read itin some of the rebel newspapers we got hold of; likely enough someonewill know it. Well, I suppose we had better have Jackson carried intocamp. "

Four more of the negroes were called out, and these carried the bodyinto the camp of his regiment. An officer was also sent from theworking party to report the capture of a spy to his colonel. 

"I will report it to the general, " the latter said; "he rode along hereabout a quarter of an hour ago, and may not be back again for somehours. As we have got the spy fast it cannot make any difference. "

As he marched back to the village Vincent felt that there was no hopefor him whatever. He had been denounced as a spy, and, although the lipsthat had denounced him had been silenced forever, the mischief had beendone. He could give no satisfactory account of himself. He thought for amoment of declaring that a mistake had been made, but he felt that nodenial would counterbalance the effect of Jackson's words. The fury, too, with which the latter had attacked him would show plainly enoughthat his assailant was absolutely certain as to his identity, and eventhat there had been a personal feud between them. Then he thought thatif he said that he was the son of the woman in the hut she would bearhim out in the assertion. But it was not likely that this would beaccepted as against Jackson's testimony; besides, inquiry among herneighbors would certainly lead to the discovery that she was speaking anuntruth, and might even involve her in his fate as his abettor. But mostof all he decided against this course because it would involve thetelling of a lie. 

Vincent considered that while in disguise, and doing important servicefor his country, he was justified in using deceit; but merely for thepurpose of saving his own life, and that perhaps uselessly, he would notlie. His fate, of course, was certain. He was a spy, and would be shot. Vincent had so often been in the battlefield, so often under a fire fromwhich it seemed that no one could come alive, that the thought thatdeath was at hand had not for him the terrors that possess thosedifferently circumstanced. He was going to die for the Confederacy astens of thousands of brave men had died before, and he rejoiced over theprecaution he had taken as to the transmission of his discoveries onthe previous day, and felt sure that General Lee would do full justiceto his memory, and announce that he had died in doing noble service tothe country. 

He sighed as he thought of his mother and sisters; but Rose had beenmarried in the spring, and Annie was engaged to an officer in GeneralBeauregard's staff. Then he thought of Lucy away in Georgia, and for thefirst time his lips quivered and his cheek paled. 

The negro guards, who had been enlisted but a few weeks, were whollyignorant of their duties, and having once conveyed their prisoner intothe room, evidently considered that all further necessity for militarystrictness was at an end. They had been ordered to stay in the room withthe prisoner, but no instruction had been given as to their conductthere. They accordingly placed their muskets in one corner of the room, and proceeded to chatter and laugh without further regarding him. 

Under other circumstances this carelessness would have inspired Vincentwith the thought of escape, but he knew that it was out of the questionhere. There were Federal camps all round, and a shout from the negroeswould send a hundred men in instant pursuit of him. There was nothingfor him to do but to wait for the end, and that end would assuredly comein the morning. From time to time the door opened, and the negrosergeant looked in. Apparently his ideas on the subject of disciplinewere no stricter than those of his men, for he made no remark as totheir carelessness. Presently, when he looked in, the four soldiers werestanding at the window, watching a regiment passing by on its way totake its share of the work in the trenches. Vincent, who was sitting ata table, happened to look up, and was astonished at seeing the sergeantfirst put his finger on his lips, then take off his cap, put one hand onhis heart, and gesticulate with the other. 

Vincent gazed at him in blank surprise, then he started and almostsprang to his feet, for in the Yankee sergeant he recognized TonyMoore; but the uplifted hand of the negro warned him of the necessity ofsilence. The negro nodded several times, again put his hand on hisheart, and then disappeared. A thrill of hope stirred every vein inVincent's body. He felt his cheeks flush and had difficulty inmaintaining his passive attitude. He was not, then, utterly deserted; hehad a friend who would, he was sure, do all in his power to aid him. 

It was extraordinary indeed that it should be Tony who was now hisjailer; and yet, when he thought it over, it was not difficult tounderstand. It was natural enough that he should have enlisted when theblack regiments were raised. He had doubtless heard his name shouted outby Jackson, and had, as Vincent now remembered, stepped forward as asort of volunteer when the officer called for a sergeant and four men. 

Yes, Tony would doubtless do all in his power to save him. Whether itwould be possible that he could do so was doubtful; but at least therewas a hope, and with it the feeling of quiet resignation with whichVincent had faced what appeared to be inevitable at once disappeared, and was succeeded by a restless longing for action. His brain was busyat once in calculating the chances of his being ordered for instantexecution or of the sentence being postponed till the following morning, and, in the latter case, with the question of what guard would beprobably placed over him, and how Tony would set about the attempt toaid him to escape. 

Had the general been in camp when he was brought in he would probablyhave been shot at sunset, but if he did not return until the afternoonhe would most likely order the sentence to be carried out at daybreak. In any case, as he was an officer, some time might be granted him toprepare for death. Then there was the question whether he would behanded over to a white regiment for safe-keeping or left in the hands ofthe black regiment that had captured him. No doubt, after the sentencewas passed, the white officers of that regiment would see that a muchstricter watch than that now put over him was set. 

It was not probable that he would still be in charge of Tony, for as thelatter would be on duty all day, he would doubtless be relieved. In thatcase how would he manage to approach him, and what means would he use todirect the attention of the sentries in another direction? He thoughtover the plans he himself would adopt were he in Tony's place. The firstthing would be, of course, to make the sentries drunk if possible. Thisshould not be a difficult task with men whose notions of discipline wereso lax as those of the negroes; but it would be no easy matter for Tonyto obtain spirits, for these were strictly prohibited in the Federalcamp. Perhaps he might help Tony in this way. He fortunately had a smallnotebook with a pencil in his pocket, and as his guards were still atthe window he wrote as follows:

"I am captured by the Yankees. So far as I can see, my only chance ofescape is to make the sentries drunk. The bearer is absolutely to betrusted. Give him his canteen full of spirits, and tell him what I havewritten here. "

He tore this page out, folded it up, and directed it to Mrs. Grossmith, Worley Farm, near Union. Presently Tony looked in again and Vincent heldup the note. The sergeant stepped quickly forward and took it, and thensaid sharply to the men:

"Now den, dis not keeping guard. Suppose door open and dis fellow runaway. What dey say to you? Two of you keep your eye on dis man. SupposeCaptain Pearce come in and find you all staring out window. He kick upnice bobbery. "

Thus admonished to do their duty, two of the negroes took up theirmuskets and stood with their backs to the door, with their eyes fixed onthe prisoner with such earnestness that Vincent could not suppress asmile. The negroes grinned responsively. 

"Dis bad affair young sah, " one said; "bery bad affair. Ob course wesoldiers ob de Union, and got to fight if dey tell us; but no like disjob ob keeping guard like dis. "

"It can't be helped, " Vincent said; "and of course you must do yourduty. I am not going to jump up the chimney or fly through the window, and as there are four of you, to say nothing of the sergeant outside, you needn't be afraid of my trying to escape. "

"No, sah, dat not possible nohow; we know dat bery well. Dat's why we notrouble to look after you. But as de sargeant say watch, of course wemust watch. We bery pleased to see you kill dat white officer. Datofficer bery hard man and all de men hate him, and when you knock himdown we should like to hab given cheer. We all sorry for you; still yousee, sah, we must keep watch. If you were to get away, dar no sayingwhat dey do to us. "

"That's all right, " Vincent said; "I don't blame you at all. As you say, that was a very bad fellow. I had quarreled with him before, because hetreated his slaves so badly. "

CHAPTER XIX. 

FREE!

It was not until late in the afternoon that a white officer entered, andordered the soldiers to conduct the prisoner to the general's tent. 

"What is your name, sir, and who are you?" the general asked as he wasbrought in. "I hear that you were denounced by Lieutenant Jackson asbeing a spy, and that he addressed you as Vincent Wingfield. What haveyou got to say to the charge?"

"My name is Vincent Wingfield, sir, " Vincent replied quietly. "I am uponthe staff of General Wade Hampton, and in pursuance of my duty I camehere to learn what I could of your movements and intentions. "

The general was silent for a moment. 

"Then, sir, as you are an officer, you must be well aware of theconsequence of being discovered in disguise here. I regret that there isno course open to me but to order you to be shot as a spy to-morrowmorning. "

One of the officers who were standing by the general here whispered tohim. 

"Ah, yes! I remember, " he said. "Are you the same officer, sir, whoescaped from Elmira?"

"I am, sir, " Vincent replied; "and at the same time aided in the escapeof the man who denounced me to-day, and who then did his best to have mearrested by sending an anonymous letter stating the disguise in which Iwas making my way through the country. I was not surprised to find thathe had carried his treachery further, and was now fighting against themen whom he had formerly served. "

"He deserved the fate that has befallen him, " the general said. "Stillthis does not alter your position. I regret that I must order mysentence to be carried out. "

"I do not blame you, sir. I knew the risks I ran when I accepted themission. My only regret is that I failed in supplying my general withthe information he required. "

The general then turned to the officer who had brought Vincent up. 

"This officer will remain in charge of your men for to-night, CaptainPearce. You will see that the sentence is carried into effect atdaybreak. I need not tell you that a vigilant guard must be placed overhim. "

Vincent was again marched back to the village, but the officer haltedthe party when he arrived there. 

"Stop here a few minutes, sergeant, " he said. "That room is required foran officer's quarters. I will look round and find another place. "

In a few minutes he returned, and Vincent was conducted to a shedstanding in the garden of one of the houses. 

"Place one man on guard at the door and another behind, " the officersaid to the sergeant. "Let the other two relieve them, and change thewatch once an hour. "

The sergeant saluted. 

"De men hab been on duty since daylight, sah, and none ob us hab hadanyting to eat. "

"Oh, I forgot that!" the officer replied. "Very well, I will sendanother party to relieve you at once. "

In ten minutes another sergeant and four men arrived at the spot, andTony and his companions returned to the camp. 

As soon as Tony had devoured a piece of bread he left the camp, walkedwith careless gait through the camps behind, and went on until hereached a village in which were comparatively few soldiers. He went upto a woman who was standing at a door. 

"Missus, " he said, "I hab got a letter to take, and I aint bery sure asto de name. Will you kindly tell me what is de address writ on thispaper?"

The woman looked at it. 

"'Mrs. Grossmith, Worley Farm, near Union. ' That's about two miles alongthe road. If you go on, anyone will tell you which is Mrs. Grossmith's. "

Tony hurried on, for he wanted to get back to the camp before it wasdark. He had no difficulty in finding Worley Farm. 

"Now then, what do you want?" its owner said sharply, as she opened thedoor in reply to his knock. "There's nothing for you here. You can lookround if you like. It's been all stripped clean days ago, so I tellyou. "

"Me no want anyting, ma'am. Me hab a letter for you. "

The woman in surprise took the note and opened it. She read it throughand looked earnestly at Tony. 

"He says you are to be trusted, " she said. "Is that so?"

"I would gib my life for him twenty times over, " Tony replied. "He gotme away from a brutal master and bought my wife out of slavery for me. What does he say, ma'am? For de Lord sake tell me. Perhaps he tell mehow to get him clar. "

The woman read out the contents of the note. 

"Dat's it, missus, sure enough; dat's the way, " he exclaimed in delight. "Me tink and tink all day, and no manage to tink of anyting except toshoot de sentry and fight wid de oders and get him out; but den all deoder sojers come running down, and no chance to escape. If me can get despirits dat's easy enough. Me make dem all drunk as hogs. "

"I can give you that, " the woman said. "Is there anything else you willwant? What are you going to do with him if you get him free? They willhunt you down like vermin. "

"I tought we might get down to de river and get ober somehow. Dere willbe no getting troo der cavalry. Dey will hab dem on ebery road. "

"Well, you want some clothes, anyhow; you can't go about in thesesoldier clothes. The first Yank you came across would shoot you for adeserter, and the first of our men as a traitor. Well, by the time youget back to-night, --that is, if you do come back, --I will get up a chestI've got buried with my men's clothes in them. They didn't want to takethem away to the war with them, so I hid them up. "

She had by this time dug up the keg from its hiding-place, and nowfilled Tony's canteen. 

"Tank you, missus; de Lord bress you for what you've done, wheder I getMassa Wingfield off or wheder we bofe get killed ober de job. But I mustget back as fast as I can. Ef it was dark before I got back to camp deywould wonder whar I had been. "

"Oh, you have plenty of time, " the woman said; "it won't be dark tilleight o'clock, and it's not seven yet. I will set to and boil a bigchunk of pork and bake some cakes. It's no use getting out of the handsof the Yanks and then going and getting starved in the swamps. "

When Tony got back to his regiment he strolled over to the shed whereVincent was confined. Two sentinels were on duty, the sergeant and thetwo other men were lying at full length on the ground some twenty yardsaway. Their muskets were beside them, and it was evident to Tony, by thevigilant watch that they kept on the shed, that their responsibilityweighed heavily upon them, and that Captain Pearce had impressed uponthem that, if the prisoner escaped, they would certainly be shot. 

"Well, Sergeant John Newson, " Tony began, "I hab just walked over to seehow you getting on. It am a mighty 'sponsible business dis. I had sixhours of him, and it make de perspiration run down my back to tink whata job it would be for me if dat fellow was to run away. "

"Dat's just what dis chile feel, Sergeant Tony Moore; I am zactly likedat, and dat's what these men feel, too. We am all on guard. De captainsay put two on guard at de shed and let de oders relieb dem ebery hour. So dey shall; but dose off duty must watch just de same. When it getsdark we get close up, so as to be ready to jump in directly we hear astir. Dis fellow no fool us. "

"Dat's the way Sergeant Newson, dat am de way. Neber close your eye, butkeep a sharp look on dem. It's a pity dat you not in camp to-night. "

"How am dat, how am dat?" the sergeant asked. 

"To tell you de truf, sergeant, tree or four ob us hab smuggled in somespirits, and you are one of dose who would hab come in for a share of itif you had been dere. "

"Golly!" the sergeant exclaimed; "but dat is bery unfortunate. Can't youmanage to bring me a little here?"

"Well, you know, it's difficult to get out ob camp. "

"Oh, you could get through! Dere is no fear about you being caught. "

"I don't know, " Tony replied with an air of reluctance. "Well, I willsee about it. Ef I can crawl troo de sentries, and bring some for youand de oders, I will. It will help keep you awake and keep out dedamp. "

"Dat's right down good ob you, " the other said cordially. "You a goodman, Tony Moore; and if I can do as much for you anoder time, I do it. "

Having settled this, Tony went round to the hospital tent in rear of theregiment, having tied up his face with a handkerchief. 

"Well, what is it, sergeant?" the negro who acted as an orderly, andsometimes helped the surgeon mix his drugs, asked. "De doctor am goneaway, and I don't 'spect he come back again to-night. "

"Dat am bery bad ting, " Tony said dolefully. "Can't you do something forme, Sam Smith? I tink you know quite as much about de medicines as dedoctor himself. "

"Not quite so much, sergeant, not quite so much; but I'se no fool, andmy old mother she used to make medicine for de plantation and knew aheap about herbs, so it am natural dat I should take to it. What can Igib you?"

"Well, Sam, you see, sometimes I'se 'flicted dre'fful wid defaceache--him just go jump, jump, jump, as if he bust right up. Mosetimes I find de best ting am to put a little laudabun in my mouf, and alittle on bit of rag and put him outside. De best ting would be for youto gib me little bottle of him; den when de pain come on I could jestake him, and not be troubling you ebery day. And, Sam, jus youwhisper--I got hold of a little good stuff. You gib me tin mug; me sharewhat I hab got with you. "

The negro grinned with delight, and going into the tent brought out atin mug. 

"Dat's all right, Sam; but you hab no brought de bottle of laudabun. Youjust fetch dat, and I gib you de spirit. "

The negro went in again, and in two minutes returned with a small bottleof laudanum. 

"Dat's a fair exchange, " Tony said, taking it, and handing to the manhis mug half full of spirit. 

"Dat am someting like, " the black said, looking with delight at theliberal allowance. "Me drink him de last ting at night, den me go tosleep and no one 'spect nuffin'. Whereber you get dat spirit?"

"Neber you mind, Sam!" Tony said with a grin. "Dar's more where datcomes from, and maybe you will get anoder taste ob it. "

Then, after leaving the hospital tent, he poured half the spirits away, for he had not now to depend upon the effect of that alone; and it werebetter not to give it too strong, for that might arouse the suspicion ofthe guard. Then he uncorked the bottle of laudanum. 

"I don't know how much to gib, " he said to himself. "No good to killdem. Me don't 'spect dis stuff bery strong. Dose rogues sell all sortsof stuff to de Government. Anyting good enough for de soldier. Dey gibhim rotten boots, and rotten cloth, and bad powder, and all sorts oftings. I 'spect dey gib him bad drugs, too. However, me must risk it. Dis bottle not bery big, anyhow--won't hold more dan two or threeteaspoon. Must risk him. "

So saying, he poured the contents of the vial into the canteen, andthen, going to a water-cart, filled it up. He waited until the camp wasquiet, and then, taking off his boots and fastening in his belt his ownbayonet and that of one of the men sleeping near, he quietly andcautiously made his way out of camp. There were no sentries placed here, for there was no fear whatever of an attack, and he had littledifficulty in making his way round to the back of the village to thespot where Vincent was confined. He moved so quietly that he was notperceived until he was within a few yards of the shed. 

"Sergeant Newson, am you dere?"

"Bless me! what a start you hab given me, for suah, " the sergeant said. "I did not hear you coming. "

"You didn't s'pose I was coming along shouting and whistling, SergeantNewson? Don't you talk so loud! Dar am no saying who's about. "

"Hab you brought de stuff?"

"You don't suppose I should hab come all dis way to tell you I hab notgot it. How am do prisoner?"

"Oh, he's dere all right. My orders was to look in at dat little winderebery five minutes, and dat when it began to get dark me was to tie himquite tight, and me hab done so. And one ob de sentries goes in everyfive minutes and feels to see if de ropes are tight. He am dar, sureenough. "

"Dat's quite right, Sergeant Newson. I knew, when you came to 'lieve me, as de captain knew what he was doing when he choose you for dis job. Hejust pick out de man he considers de very best in de regiment. Now, hereis de spirit; and fuss-rate stuff it am, too. "

"Golly, but it am strong!" the sergeant said, taking a long gulp at thecanteen. "Dat warm de cockles ob de heart in no time. Yes, it am goodstuff--just de ting for dis damp air. I hear as a lot of de whitesoldiers are down wid de fever already, and dere will be lots and lotsmore ef we stop here long. Here, you two men, take a drink of dis; butmind, you mustn't tell no one 'bout it. Dis a secret affair. "

The two negroes each took a long drink, and returned the canteen withexpressions of approval. 

"De oder men are on duty, " the sergeant said with the air of a man whoknew his business; "dey mustn't hab none of it, not until dey comes off. As we are de relief, it am proper and right dat we drink a drop out ob acanteen ef we want it. "

"Quite so, Sergeant Newson, " Tony said in a tone of admiration. "Dat'sde way to manage dese tings--duty first and pleasure afterward. "

"It am nearly time to relieve guard, " the other said; "and den dey canhab a drink. "

In five minutes the two soldiers relieved those on guard, and they, also, took a long drink at the canteen, to which the sergeant also againapplied his lips. 

"Now I must be going, " Tony said. "I will leave the canteen with you, sergeant. I have got some more of the stuff over there, and I dare sayyou will like another drink before morning. "

Then he stole away, but halted and lay down twenty yards distant. In tenminutes he heard the sergeant say:

"I feel as if I could do jus five minutes' sleep. You keep your eyes onde shed, and ef you hear any officer coming his rounds you wake me up. "

Tony waited another half hour and then crawled up. The sergeant waslying on his back sound asleep; the two men with him were on theirfaces, with their rifles pointing toward the shed, as if they haddropped off to sleep while they were staring at it. Then he crawled onto the shed. The soldier on sentry at the back had grounded his musketand was leaning against the shed fast asleep, while the one at the doorhad apparently slid down in a sitting position and was snoring. 

"I hope I haben't given it to dem too strong, " Tony said to himself;"but it can't be helped anyhow. "

He opened the door and entered the shed. 

"Are you awake, Marse Wingfield?"

"Yes, I am awake, Tony. Thank God you have come! How did you manage it?"

"I hab managed it, sah, and dey are all fast asleep, " Tony said, as hecut the ropes which bound Vincent. 

"Now, sah, let's be going, quick. Dar am no saying when dey may comeround to look after de guards. Dat's what I hab been worrying about delast quarter ob an hour. "

Vincent sprang to his feet as the ropes fell from him, and graspedTony's hand. 

"Here am a baynet, sah. I hope we shan't want to use dem, but dar am nosaying. "

They made their way cautiously across the fields till they approachedanother camp. A few sentries were walking up and down in front of it, but they crawled round these and passed through the space between theregiment and that next to it. Several other camps were passed and then, when Vincent knew that they were well in rear of the whole of them, they rose to their feet and started forward at a run. Suddenly Tonytouched Vincent, and they both stood still. A distant shout came throughthe air, followed by another and another. 

"I 'spect dey hab found out we have gone, sah. Dey go round two or threetimes in de night to see dat de sentries are awake. Now, sah, comealong. "

They were on the road now, and ran at full speed until they approachedUnion. They left the track as they neared the village, and as they didso they heard the sound of a horse at full gallop behind them. 

"That's an orderly taking the news of our escape. Sheridan's cavalry arescattered all over the country, and there are two squadrons at UnionGrove. The whole country will be alive at daybreak. "

Making their way through the fields they soon struck the track leadingto Worley Farm, and in a few minutes were at the door. The woman openedit at once. 

"I have been watching for you, " she said, "and I am real glad you havegot safe away. Wait a minute and I will strike a light. "

"You had better not do that, " Vincent said. "They have got the alarm atUnion Grove already, and if anyone caught sight of a light appearing inyour window, it would bring them down here at once. 

"They can't see the house from Union, " the woman said. "Still, perhapsit will be best. Now, sir, I can't do anything for you, because my men'sclothes are the same sort of cut as yours; but here's a suit for thisman. "

Thanking her warmly Vincent handed the things to Tony. 

"Make haste and slip them on, Tony; and make your other things up into abundle and bring them with you for a bit. We must leave nothing here, for they will search the whole country to-morrow. We will take the horseaway, too; not that we want it, but it would never do for it to be foundhere. "

"Will you take your letter again?" the woman asked. 

"No, I will leave it with you. It will be no use now, if I get through, but if you hear to-morrow or next day that I am caught, please carry itas we arranged. What is this?" he asked, as the woman handed him abundle. 

"Here are eight or ten pounds of pork, " she said, "and some corn cakes. If you are hiding away you will want something, and I reckon, anyhow, you won't be able to make your way to our people for a bit. Now, if youare ready, I will start with you. "

"You will start with us!" Vincent repeated in surprise. 

"Certainly I will start with you, " the woman said. "How do you think youwould be able to find your way a dark night like this? No, sir; I willput you on your way till morning. But, in the first place, which line doyou mean to take?"

"I do not think there is much chance of getting back the way I came, "Vincent said. "By morning Sheridan's cavalry will have got a descriptionof me, and they will be scouring the whole country. The only chance willbe to go north and cross the river somewhere near Norfolk. "

"I think, sah, you better go on wid your horse at once. No use wait forme. I come along on foot, find my own way. "

"No, Tony, I shall certainly not do that. We will either get off or betaken together. Well, I think the best plan will be to go straight downto the river. How far is it away?"

"About fifteen miles, " the woman said. 

"If we get there we can get hold of a boat somehow, and either cross andthen make straight for Richmond on foot, or go up the river in the boatand land in the rear of our lines. That we can settle about afterward. The first thing is to get to the river bank. We are not likely to meetwith any interruption in that direction. Of course the cavalry are allon the other flank, and it will be supposed that I shall try either towork round that way or to make straight through the lines. They wouldhardly suspect that I shall take to the river, which is covered withtheir transports and storeships. "

"I think that is the best plan, " the woman said. "There are scarcely anyvillages between this and the river. It's only just when you cross theroad between Petersburg and Williamsburg that you would be likely tomeet a soul, even in the daytime. There is scarce even a farmhouseacross this section. I know the country pretty well. Just stop a minuteand I will run up to the wood and fetch down the horse. There's a bigwood about a mile away, and you can turn him in there. "

A few minutes later they started, Vincent leading the horse and Tonycarrying the bundle of food and his cast-off uniform. The woman led themby farm roads, sometimes turning off to the right or left, but keepingher way with a certainty which showed how well she was acquainted withthe country. Several times they could hear the dull sound of bodies ofcavalry galloping along the roads; but this died away as they gotfurther into the country. The horse had been turned loose a mile fromtheir starting place. Vincent removed the bridle and saddle, saying: "Hewill pick up enough to feed on here for some time. When he gets tired ofthe woods he can work his way out into a clearing. "

Here Tony hid away his uniform among some thick bushes, and the threewalked steadily along until the first tinge of daylight appeared on thesky. Then the woman stopped. 

"The river is not more than half a mile in front of you, " she said; "soI will say good-by. "

"What will you do?" Vincent asked. "You might be questioned as you getnear home. "

"I am going to put up at the last house we passed, " she said; "aboutthree miles back. I know the people there, and they will take me in. Iwill stop there for a day or two, maybe, then walk back, so I shall havea true story to tell. That's all right. "

Vincent said good-by to her, with many hearty thanks for the servicesshe had rendered him, and had almost to force her to take notes for twohundred dollars from the bundle he had sewn up in the lining of hiscoat. 

"You have saved my life, " he said, "and some day I hope to be able to domore to show my gratitude; but you must take this, anyhow, to tide youover the hard time, and find food for your husband and sons when theycome back from the war. "

As soon as the woman had turned back Vincent and Tony continued on theirway. The former had, as soon as they were fairly out from the Federalcamp, told Tony in a few words that his wife was safe at home and theirboy flourishing, and he now gave him further details of them. 

"And how came you to enter the army, Tony?"

"Well, sah, dare wasn't much choice about it. De Northern people, deytalk mighty high about der love for de negro, but I don't see much of itin der ways. Why, sah, dey is twice as scornful ob a black man as degentlemen in de Souf. I list in de army, sah, because dey say dey go toRichmond, and den I find Dinah and de boy. "

"Well, Tony, I little thought when I did you a service that it would bethe means of you being able to save my life some day. "

"Not much in dat, sah. You sabe my life, because dey would, for suah, hab caught me and killed me. Den you save my wife for me, den you payout dat Jackson, and now you hab killed him. I could hab shouted forjoy, sah, when I saw you hit him ober de head wid de shovel, and I sawdat dis time he gib no more trouble to no one. I should hab done for himbery soon, sah. I had my eye upon him, and the fust time we got intobattle he got a ball in his back. Lucky he didn't see me. He not officerob my company, and me look quite different in de uniform to what me waswhen I worked on de plantation; but I knew him, and wheneber I see himpass I hang down my head and I say to myself, 'My time come soon, MassaJackson; my time come bery soon, and den we get quits. '"

"It is wrong to nourish revenge, Tony; but I really can't blame you verymuch as to that fellow. Still, I should have blamed you if you hadkilled him--blamed you very much. He was a bad man, and he treated youbrutally, but, you see, he has been already punished a good deal. "

"Yes, you knock him down, sah. Dat bery good, but not enough for Tony. "

"But that wasn't all, Tony. You see, the affair set all my friendsagainst him, and his position became a very unpleasant one. Then, yousee, if it hadn't been for you he would probably have got through to ourlines again after he had escaped with me. Then, you see, his father, outof revenge, stole Dinah away. "

"Stole Dinah!" Tony exclaimed, stopping in his walk. "Why, sah, you habbeen telling me dat she is safe and well wid Mrs. Wingfield. "

"So she is, Tony. But he stole her for all that, and had her carrieddown into Carolina; but I managed to bring her back. It's a long story, but I will tell you about it presently. Then the knowledge that I hadfound Dinah, and the fear of punishment for his share of taking heraway, caused old Jackson to fly from the country, getting less than aquarter of the sum his estate would have fetched two or three years ago. That was what made him and his son turn Unionists. So, you see, Jacksonwas heavily punished for his conduct to you, and it did not need for youto revenge yourself. "

"So he was, sah, so he was, " Tony said thoughtfully. "Yes, it does seemas if all dese tings came on kinder one after de oder, just out ob datflogging he gabe me: and now he has got killed for just de same cause, for if he hadn't been obliged to turn Unionist he wouldn't have been indat dar battery at de time you came dere. Yes, I sees dat is so, sah;and I'se glad now I didn't hab a chance ob shooting him down, for Ishould have done so for suah, ef I had. "

They had now reached the river. The sun was just showing above thehorizon, and the broad sheet of water was already astir. Steamers weremaking their way up from the mouth of the river, laden with stores forthe army. Little tugs were hurrying to and fro. Vessels that haddischarged their cargo were dropping down with the tide, while manysailing vessels lay at anchor, waiting for the turn of tide to maketheir way higher up. Norfolk was, however, the base from which theFederal army drew the larger portion of its stores; as there were greatconveniences for landing here, and a railway thence ran up to the rearof their lines. But temporary wharves and stages had been erected at thepoint of the river nearest to their camps in front of Petersburg, andhere the cattle and much of the stores required for the army werelanded. At the point at which Vincent and Tony had struck the river thebanks were somewhat low. Here and there were snug farms, with the groundcultivated down to the river. The whole country was open and free fromtrees, except where small patches had been left. It was in front of oneof these that Vincent and Tony were now standing. 

"I do not think there is any risk of pursuit now, Tony. This is not theline on which they will be hunting us. The question is--how are we toget across?"

"It's too far to swim, sah. "

"I should think it was, " Vincent said with a laugh. "It's three or fourmiles, I should say, if it's a foot. The first question is--where are weto get a boat? I should think that some of these farmhouses are sure tohave boats, but the chances are they have been seized by the Yankeeslong ago. Still they may have some laid up. The Yanks would not havemade much search for these, though they would no doubt take all thelarger boats for the use of the troops or for getting stores ashore. Anyhow, I will go to the next farmhouse and ask. "

"Shall I go, sah?"

"No, Tony, they would probably take you for a runaway. No, I will go. There can be no danger. The men are all away, and the women are sure tobe loyal. I fancy the few who were the other way before will havechanged their minds since the Yanks landed. "

They followed the bank of the river for a quarter of a mile, and thenVincent walked on to a small farmhouse standing on the slope fifty yardsfrom the water. Two or three children, who were playing outside, at onceran in upon seeing a stranger, and a moment later two women came out. They were somewhat reassured when they saw Vincent approaching alone. 

"What is it, stranger?" one of them asked. "Do you want a meal? We havegot little enough to offer you, but what there is you are welcome to. The Yanks have driven off our cows and pigs and the two horses, and haveemptied the barns, and pulled up all the garden stuff, and stole thefowls, and carried off the bacon from the beams, so we have got but anempty larder. But, as far as bread and molasses go, you are welcome. "

"Thank you, " Vincent said; "I am not in want of food. What I am in wantof is a boat. "

"Boat!" the woman repeated in surprise. 

"Yes, I want to get across to the other side, or else to get up theriver and land between Petersburg and Bermuda. "

"Sakes alive!" the woman exclaimed; "what do you want to do that for?"

"I will tell you, " Vincent replied. "I know I can trust my life to anywoman in the Confederacy. I am one of General Wade Hampton's officers, and I have come through their lines to find out what they are doing. Ihave been caught once, but managed to slip through their hands, butthere is no possibility of making my way back across the country, forthe Yankee cavalry are patrolling every road, and the only chance I haveis of getting away by boat. "

"Step right in, sir, " the woman said. "It's a real pleasure to us tohave one of our officers under our roof. "

"I have a friend with me, " Vincent said; "a faithful negro, who hashelped me to escape, and who would be hung like a dog if they could layhands on him. "

"Bring him in, sir, " the woman said hospitably. "I had four or fiveniggers till the Yanks came, but they all ran away 'cause they knew theywould either be set to work or made to fight; so they went. They saidthey would come back again when the trouble is over; maybe they will andmaybe they won't. At first the niggers about here used to look for theYanks coming, but as the news got about of what happened to those theytook from their masters, they concluded they were better off where theywere. Call your boy in, sir; call him in!"

Vincent gave a shout, and Tony at once came up. "Thank you, we don'twant anything to eat, " Vincent went on, as the woman began to put someplates on the table. "We have just had a hearty meal, and have gotenough food for three or four days in that bundle. But we want a boat, or, if we can't find that, some sailors' clothes. If I had them I wouldkeep along the river down to Norfolk. The place will be full of sailors. We should not be likely to be noticed there. "

"I can't help you in that, " the woman said; "but there are certainlysome boats laid up along the shore. Now, Maria, who has got boats thathaven't been taken?"

"I expect the Johnsons have got one, " the other woman replied. "They hada small boat the boys and girls used to go out fishing in. I don't thinkthe Yanks have got that. I expect they hid it away somewhere; but Idon't know as they would let you have it. She is a close-fisted woman isSarah Johnson. "

"I could pay her for its value, " Vincent said. 

"Oh, well, if you could pay her she would let you have it. I don't sayshe wouldn't, anyhow, seeing as you are an officer and the Yanks areafter you. Still, she is close is Sarah Johnson, and I don't know as sheis so set on the Confederacy as most people. I tell you what I will do, sir. I will go down and say as a stranger wants to buy her boat, and noquestions asked. She is just to show where the boat is hidden, and youare to pay for it and take it away when you want it. "

"That would be a very good plan, " Vincent said, "if you wouldn't mindthe trouble. "

"The trouble is nothing, " she said. "Johnson's place aint above a milealong the shore. "

"I will go with you until you get close to the house, " Vincent said;"then, when you hear what she wants for the boat, I will give you themoney for it, and you can show me where it is hidden. "

This was accordingly done. Mrs. Johnson, after a considerable amount ofbargaining with Vincent's guide, agreed to take twenty dollars for theboat, and, upon receiving the money, sent one of her boys with her toshow her where it was hidden. It was in a hole that had been scooped outin the steep bank some ten feet above the water's edge, and wascompletely hidden from the sight of anyone rowing past by a small clumpof bushes. When the boy had returned to the farmhouse the woman tookVincent to the spot, and they then went back together. 

Here he and Tony had a long talk as to whether it would be better to putout at once or to wait till nightfall. It was finally determined that itwas best to make an immediate start. A boat rowed by two men wouldattract little attention. It might belong to any of the ships at anchorin the river, and might be supposed to have gone on shore to fetch eggsor chickens, or with a letter or a message. 

"You see, both shores are in the hands of the Yankees, " Vincent said, "and there will not be any suspicion of a boat in the daytime. At nightwe might be hailed, and, if we gave no answer, fired upon, and thatmight bring a gunboat along to see what was the matter. No, I think itwill be far best to go on boldly. There are not likely to be any bodiesof Federal troops on the opposite shore except at Fortress Monroe, andperhaps opposite the point where they have got their landing belowPetersburg. Once ashore we shall be safe. The peninsula opposite iscovered with forest and swamp, and we shall have no difficulty ingetting through, however many troops they may have across it. You knowthe place pretty well, don't you, Tony?"

Tony nodded. "Once across, sah, all de Yank army wouldn't catch us. Meknow ob lots ob hiding places. "

"Them broad hats will never do, " the woman said; "but I have got someblue nightcaps I knitted for my husband. They are something like thecaps I have seen some sailors wear; anyhow, they will pass at adistance, and when you take your coats and vests off, them coloredflannel shirts will be just the right thing. "

"That will do capitally, and the sooner we are off the better, " Vincentsaid, and after heartily thanking the two women, and bestowing a presentupon each of the children, they started along the shore. 

The boat was soon got into the water, the oars put out, and theystarted. The tide was just low now, and they agreed to pull along at ashort distance from the shore until it turned. As soon as it did so thevessels at anchor would be getting up sail to make up to the landingplace, and even had anyone on board noticed the boat put out, and hadbeen watching it, they would have other things to think about. 

"It is some time since we last rowed in a boat together, Tony. "

"About three years, sah; dat time when you get me safe away. I had a badfright dat day you left me, sah. It came on to blow bery hard, and someob de men told me dat dey did not tink you would ever get back to shore. Dat made me awful bad, sah; and me wish ober and ober again dat me habdied in de forest instead of your taking me off in a boat and trowingaway your life. I neber felt happy again, sah, till I got your letter upin Canady, and knew you had got back safe dat day. "

"We had a narrow squeak of it, Tony, and were blown some distance up. Wewere nearly swamped a score of times, and Dan quite made up his mindthat it was all up with us. However, we got through safe, and I don'tthink a soul except perhaps Jackson and that rascally overseer of ours, who afterward had a hand in carrying off your wife, and lost his life inconsequence, ever had a suspicion we had been doing more than a longfishing expedition. I will tell you all about it when we are goingthrough the woods. Now I think it's pretty nearly dead water, and wewill begin to edge across. "

CHAPTER XX. 

THE END OF THE STRUGGLE. 

Vincent directed his course so that, while the boat's head was stillpointing up the stream, and she was apparently moving in the samedirection as the ships, she was gradually getting out to the middle ofthe river. Had he tried to row straight across, suspicion might at oncehave been excited. In half an hour they were in the middle of thestream. A vessel passing under full sail swept along at a distance of ahundred yards, and they were hailed. Vincent merely waved his hand andcontinued his course. 

"I dare say those fellows wonder what we are up to, Tony; but they arenot likely to stop to inquire. In another quarter of an hour we shall bepretty safe. Ah! there's a fellow who might interfere with us, " headded, looking round. "Do you see that little black thing two milesahead of us? That's a steam launch. If she sees us making over, she'slikely enough to come and ask us some questions. We had better head alittle more toward the shore now. If it comes to a race, every foot isof importance. "

Up to now they had been rowing in an easy and leisurely manner, avoidingall appearance of haste. They now bent to their oars, and the boat beganto travel a good deal faster through the water. Vincent glanced over hisshoulder frequently at the steam launch. 

"She is keeping straight on in the middle of the channel, Tony;evidently she hasn't noticed us yet. "

Ten minutes after passing the ship he exclaimed sharply:

"Row, Tony, as hard as you can! The launch has just passed that ship, and has changed her course. I expect the captain has called theirattention to us. It's a race now. "

The boat, at the moment the launch changed her course, was rather morethan halfway between the center of the channel and the shore. The launchwas in the center of the channel, and three-quarters of a mile higherup. She had evidently put on steam as she started to cut off the boat, for there was now a white wave at her bow. 

"I think we shall do it, Tony, " Vincent said. "I don't suppose she cango above eight miles an hour, and we are certainly going four, and shehas more than twice as far to travel as we have. "

Those on board the launch were evidently conscious that they were likelyto lose the race, for in a few minutes they began to open fire withtheir rifles. 

"Fire away!" Vincent said. "You aint likely to hit us a thousand yardsoff, and we haven't another three hundred to row. "

The bullets whistled overhead, but none of them struck the water withinmany yards of the boat, and the launch was still four or five hundredyards away when the bow of the boat touched the shore. Several musketswere discharged, and Vincent and Tony leaped out and plunged into thebushes that came down to the water's edge. The launch sent up a sharpseries of whistles, and random shots were for some time fired into thebushes. 

"It is lucky she didn't carry a small gun in her bows, " Vincent said, "for though seven or eight hundred yards is a long range for a rifle, they might likely enough have hit us if they had had a gun. Now, Tony, we shall have to be careful, for those whistles are no doubt meant asan alarm; and although she cannot tell who we are, she will probablysteam up, and if they have any forces opposite Bermuda will give themnews that two suspicious characters have landed, and they will haveparties out to look for us. "

"Dey can look as long as dey like, sah. Ef dose slave-hunters can't findpeople in de swamps what chance you tink dose soldiers have? None atall! Dey haven't got no reward before dere eyes, and dey won't want tobe going in ober dere shoes into the mud and dirting dere uniforms. Nofear ob dem, sah. Dey make as much noise when dey march in de wood as adrove ob pigs. You can hear dem a quarter ob a mile away. "

They tramped on through the woods through which McClellan's force had sopainfully made their way during their first advance against Richmond. From time to time they could hear noises in the forest--shouts, and onceor twice the discharge of firearms. 

"Dey call dat hunting, I s'pose, " Tony said scornfully. 

They kept steadily on until it began to grow dark in the forest. Theywere now in the White Oak Swamp and not eight miles from Richmond, andthey thought it better to pause until it became quite dark, for theymight be picked up by any raiding party of cavalry. Vincent was in highspirits. Now that he had succeeded in his enterprise, and had escapedalmost by a miracle, he was eager to get back to Richmond and carry hisnews down to General Lee. Tony was even more anxious to push on. Atlast, after three years' absence, he was to see his wife and childagain, and he reluctantly agreed to Vincent's proposal for a halt. 

"We shan't stop very long, Tony; and I own I am waiting quite as muchbecause I am hungry and want to eat, and because I am desperately tired, as from any fear of the enemy. We walked twenty miles last night fromUnion Grove to the river; then I walked to the boat, back to the farm, and then back to the boat again--that's three more miles--and we havegone another twenty now. I am pretty nearly dead beat, I can tell you. "

"I'se tired, too, sah; but I feel I could go on walking all night if Iwas to see Dinah in de morning. "

"Well, I couldn't, Tony; not to see anyone. I might be willing enough, but my legs wouldn't take me. "

They ate a hearty meal, and almost as soon as they had finished Vincentstood up again. 

"Well, Tony, I can feel for your impatience, and so we'll struggle on. Ihave just been thinking that when I last left my mother, a week since, she said she was thinking of going out to the Orangery for a monthbefore the leaves fell, so it is probable that she may be there now. Itis only about the same distance as it is to Richmond, so we will gostraight there. I shall lose a little time, of course; but I can bedriven over to Richmond, so it won't be too much. Besides, I can put ona pair of slippers. That will be a comfort, for my feet feel as if theywere in vises. A cup of tea won't be a bad thing, too. "

During their walk through the wood Vincent related the circumstances ofthe carrying away of Dinah, and of her rescue. When he had finished Tonysaid:

"Well, Massa Wingfield, I don't know what to say to you. I tought I owedyou enuff before, but it war nothing to dis. Just to tink dat you shouldtake all dat pains to fetch Dinah back for me! I dunno how it came toyou to do it. It seems to me like as if you been sent special fromheaben to do dis poor nigger good. Words aint no good, sah; but if Icould give my life away a hundred times for you I would do it. "

It took them nearly three hours' walking before they came in sight ofthe Orangery. 

"There are lights in the windows, " Vincent said. "Thank goodness, theyare there!"

Vincent limped slowly along until he reached the house. 

"You stay out here, Tony. I will send Dinah out to you directly. Itwill be better for her to meet you here alone. "

Vincent walked straight into the drawing room, where his mother andAnnie were sitting. 

"Why, Vincent!" Mrs. Wingfield exclaimed, starting up, "what hashappened to you? What are you dressed up like that for? Is anything thematter?"

"Nothing is the matter, mother, except that I am as tired as a dog. Yes, my dress is not quite fit for a drawing room, " he laughed, looking downat the rough trousers, splashed with mud to the waist, and his flannelshirt, for they had not waited to pick up their coats as they left theboat; "but nothing is the matter, I can assure you. I will tell allabout it directly, but first please send for Dinah here. "

Mrs. Wingfield rang the bell on the table beside her. 

"Tell Dinah I want to speak to her at once, " she said to the girl thatanswered it. Dinah appeared in a minute. 

"Dinah, " Vincent said, "has your boy gone to bed?"

"Yes, sah; been gone an hour ago. "

"Well, just go to him, and put a shawl round him, and go out through thefront door. There is someone standing there you will be glad to see. "

Dinah stood with open eyes, then her hands began to tremble. 

"Is it Tony, sah; for de Lord's sake, is it Tony?"

Vincent nodded, and, with a little scream of joy, she turned and ranstraight to the front door. She could not wait now even to fetch herboy, and in another moment she was clasped in her husband's arms. 

"Now, Vincent, tell us all about it, " his mother said. "Don't you see weare dying of curiosity?"

"And I am dying of fatigue, " Vincent said; "which is a much more painfulsort of death, and I can think of nothing else until I have got theseboots off. Annie, do run and tell them to bring me a pair of slippersand a cup of tea, and I shall want the buggy at the door in half anhour. "

"You are not going away again to-night, Vincent, surely?" his mothersaid anxiously. "You do look completely exhausted. "

"I am exhausted, mother. I have walked seven or eight and forty miles, and this cavalry work spoils one for walking altogether. "

"Walked forty-eight miles, Vincent! What on earth have you done thatfor?"

"Not from choice, I can assure you, mother; but you know the old saying, 'Needs must when the devil drives, ' and in the present case you mustread 'Yankee' instead of 'the gentleman in black. '"

"But has Petersburg fallen?" Mrs. Wingfield asked in alarm. 

"No; Petersburgh is safe, and is likely to continue so. But you mustreally be patient, mother, until I have had some tea, then you can hearthe story in full. "

When the servant came in with the tea, Vincent told her that she was totell Dinah, whom she would find in the veranda, to bring her husbandinto the kitchen, and to give him everything he wanted. Then, as soon ashe had finished tea, he told his mother and sister the adventures he hadgone through. Both were crying when he had finished. 

"I am proud of you, Vincent, " his mother said. "It is hard on us thatyou should run such risks; still I do not blame you, my boy, for, if Ihad ten sons, I would give them all for my country. "

Vincent had just finished his story when the servant came in and saidthat the buggy was at the door. 

"I will go in my slippers, mother, but I will run up and change my otherthings. It's lucky I have got a spare suit here. Any of our fellows whohappened to be going down to-night in the train would think that I wasmad, were I to go like this. "

It was one o'clock in the morning when Vincent reached Petersburg. Hewent straight to his quarters, as it would be no use waking General Leeat that hour. A light was burning in his room, and Dan was asleep atthe table with his head on his arms. He leaped up with a cry of joy ashis master entered. 

"Well, Dan, here I am safe again, " Vincent said cheerily. "I hope youhad not begun to give me up. "

"I began to be terribly frightened, sir--terribly frightened. I went disafternoon and asked Captain Burley if he had any news ob you. He said'No'; and asked me ef I knew where you were. I said 'No, sah;' that Iknew nuffin about it except that you had gone on some dangerous job. Hesaid as dey had heard nuffin had happened to you. Still I was beryanxious, and tought I would sit up till de last train came in fromRichmond. Den I tink I dropped off to sleep. "

"I think you did, Dan. Well, I am too tired to tell you anything aboutit now, but I have one piece of news for you: Tony has come back to hiswife. "

"Dat's good news, sah; bery good news. I had begun to be afraid dat Tonyhad been shot or hung or someting. I know Dinah hab been fretting abouthim, though she neber said much, but when I am at home she allus asks meall sorts of questions 'bout him. She bery glad woman now. "

The next morning Vincent went to General Lee's quarters. 

"I am heartily glad to see you back, " the general said warmly as heentered. "I have blamed myself for letting you go. Well, what successhave you had?"

"Here is a rough plan of the works, general. I have not had time to doit out fairly, but it shows the positions of all their principalbatteries, with a rough estimate as to the number of guns that each isintended to carry. "

"Excellent!" the general said, glancing over the plan. "This will giveus exactly the information we want. We must set to with ourcounter-works at once. The country is indeed indebted to you, sir. Soyou managed to cheat the Yankees altogether?"

"I should have cheated them, sir; but, unfortunately, I came across anold acquaintance who denounced me, and I had a narrow escape of beingshot. "

"Well, Captain Wingfield, I must see about this business and give ordersat once. Will you come and breakfast with me at half-past eight? Thenyou can give me an account of your adventures. "

Vincent returned to his quarters, and spent the next two hours in makinga detailed drawing of the enemy's positions and batteries, and then, athalf-past eight, walked over to General Lee's quarters. The generalreturned in a few minutes with General Wade Hampton and several otherofficers, and they at once sat down to breakfast. As the meal wasproceeding an orderly entered with a telegram for the general. GeneralLee glanced through it. 

"This, gentlemen, is from the minister of war. I acquainted him bytelegraph this morning that Captain Wingfield, who had volunteered forthe dangerous service, had just returned from the Federal lines with aplan of the positions and strength of all the works that they areerecting. I said that I trusted that such distinguished service as hehad rendered would be at once rewarded with promotion, and the ministertelegraphs to me now that he has this morning signed this youngofficer's commission as major. I heartily congratulate you, sir, on yourwell-earned step. And now, as I see you have finished your breakfast, perhaps you will give us an account of your proceedings. "

Vincent gave a detailed account of his adventures, which were heard withsurprise and interest. 

"That was a narrow escape indeed, " the general said, as he finished. "Itwas a marvelous thing your lighting upon this negro, whom you say youhad once had an opportunity of serving, just at that moment; andalthough you do not tell us what was the nature of the service you hadrendered him, it must have been a very considerable service or he wouldnever have risked his life in that way to save yours. When these negroesdo feel attachment for their masters, there are no more faithful anddevoted fellows. Well, in your case certainly a good action has met withits reward; if it had not been for him there could be no question thatyour doom was sealed. It is a strange thing, too, your meeting thattraitor. I remember reading about that escape of yours from the Yankeeprison. He must have been an ungrateful villain, after your taking himwith you. "

"He was a bad fellow altogether, I am afraid, " Vincent said; "and thequarrel between us was a long-standing one. "

"Whatever your quarrel was, " the general said hotly, "a man who wouldbetray even an enemy to death in that way is a villain. However, he hasgone to his account, and the country can forgive his treachery to her, as I have no doubt you have already done his conduct toward yourself. "

A short time afterward Vincent had leave for a week, as things werequiet at Petersburg. 

"Mother, " he said, on the morning after he got home, "I fear that thereis no doubt whatever now how this struggle will end. I think we mightkeep Grant at bay here, but Sherman is too strong for us down inGeorgia. We are already cut off from most of the Southern States, and intime Sherman will sweep round here, and then it will be all over. Yousee it yourself, don't you, mother?"

"Yes, I am afraid it cannot continue much longer, Vincent. Well, ofcourse, we shall fight to the end. "

"I am not talking of giving up, mother; I am looking forward to thefuture. The first step will be that all the slaves will be freed. Now, it seems to me that, however attached they may be to their masters andmistresses, they will lose their heads over this, flock into the towns, and nearly starve there; or else take up little patches of land, cultivate them, and live from hand to mouth, which will be ruin to thepresent owners as well as to them. Anyhow, for a time all will beconfusion and disorder. Now, my idea is this: If you give all yourslaves their freedom at once, offer them patches of land for their owncultivation, and employ them for wages, you will find that a great manyof them will stop with you. " There is nowhere for them to go at presentand nothing to excite them, so, before the general crash comes, theywill have settled down quietly to work here in their new positions, andwill not be likely to go away. 

"It is a serious step to take, Vincent, " Mrs. Wingfield said, afterthinking the matter over in silence for some time. "You do not thinkthere is any probability of the ultimate success of our cause?"

"None, mother; I do not think there is even a possibility. One by onethe Southern States have been wrested from the Confederacy. Sherman'smarch will completely isolate us. We have put our last available man inthe field, and tremendous as are the losses of the enemy they are ableto fill up the gaps as fast as they are made. No, mother, do not let usdeceive ourselves on that head. The end must come, and that before long. The slaves will unquestionably be freed, and the only question for us ishow to soften the blow. There is no doubt that our slaves, both at theOrangery and at the other plantations, are contented and happy; but youknow how fickle and easily led the negroes are, and in the excitement offinding themselves free and able to go where they please, you may besure that the greater number will wander away. My proposal is that weshould at once mark out a plot of land for each family, and tell themthat as long as they stay here it is theirs, rent free; they will bepaid for their work upon the estates, three, four, or five days a week, as they can spare time from their own plots. In this way they will besettled down, and have crops upon their plots of land, before the wholeblack population is upset by the sudden abolition of slavery. "

"But suppose they won't work at all, even for wages, Vincent?"

"I should not give them the option, mother; it will be a condition oftheir having their plots of land free that they shall work at leastthree days a week for wages. "

"I will think over what you say, Vincent, and tell you my decision inthe morning. I certainly think your plan is a good one. "

The next morning Mrs. Wingfield told Vincent that she had decided toadopt his plan. He at once held a long consultation with the overseer, and decided which fields should be set aside for the allotments, choosing land close to the negroes' quarters and suitable for theraising of vegetables for sale in the town. 

In the afternoon Mrs. Wingfield went down with him. The bell was rungand the whole of the slaves assembled. Vincent then made them a speech. He began by reminding them of the kind treatment they had alwaysreceived, and of the good feeling that had existed between the owners ofthe Orangery and their slaves. He praised them for their good conductsince the beginning of the troubles, and said that his mother andhimself had agreed that they would now take steps to reward them, and tostrengthen the tie between them. They would all be granted their freedomat once, and a large plot of land would be given to each man, as much ashe and his family could cultivate with an average of two days a weeksteady labor. 

Those who liked would, of course, be at liberty to leave; but he hopedthat none of them would avail themselves of this freedom, for nowherewould they do so well as by accepting the offer he made them. All whoaccepted the offer of a plot of land, rent free, must understand that itwas granted them upon the condition that they would labor upon theestate for at least three days a week, receiving a rate of pay similarto that earned by other freed negroes. Of course they would be atliberty to work four or five days a week if they chose; but at leastthey must work three days, and anyone failing to do this would forfeithis plot of land. "Three days' work, " he said, "will be sufficient toprovide all necessaries for yourselves and families, and the produce ofyour land you can sell, and will so be able to lay by an ample sum tokeep yourselves in old age. I have already plotted out the land, and youshall cast lots for choice of the plots. There will be a little delaybefore all your papers of freedom can be made out, but the arrangementwill begin from to-day, and henceforth you will be paid for all labordone on the estate. "

Scarcely a word was spoken when Vincent concluded. The news was toosurprising to the negroes for them to be able to understand it all atonce. Dan and Tony, to whom Vincent had already explained the matter, went among them, and they gradually took in the whole of Vincent'smeaning. A few received the news with great joy, but many others weredepressed rather than rejoiced at the responsibilities of their newpositions. Hitherto they had been clothed and fed, the doctor attendedthem in sickness, their master would care for them in old age. They hadbeen literally without a care for the morrow, and the thought that, inthe future, they would have to think of all these things for themselvesalmost frightened them. Several of the older men went up to Mrs. Wingfield and positively declined to accept their freedom. They werequite contented and happy, and wanted nothing more. They had worked onthe plantation since they had been children, and freedom offered them notemptations whatever. 

"What had we better do, Vincent?" Mrs. Wingfield asked. 

"I think, mother, it will be best to tell them that all who wish canremain upon the old footing, but that their papers will be made out, andif, at any time, they wish to have their freedom they will only have tosay so. No doubt they will soon become accustomed to the idea, and, seeing how comfortable the others are with their pay and the produce oftheir gardens, they would soon fall in with the rest. Of course it willdecrease the income from the estate, but not so much as you would think. They will be paid for their labor, but we shall have neither to feed norclothe them; and I think we shall get better labor than we do now, forthe knowledge that those who do not work steadily will lose their plotsof land and have to go out in the world to work, their places beingfilled by others, will keep them steady. "

"It's an experiment, Vincent, and we shall see how it works. "

"It's an experiment I have often thought I should like to make, mother, and now, you see, it is almost forced upon us. To-morrow I will rideover to the other plantations and make the same arrangements. "

During the month of August many battles took place round Petersburg. Onthe 12th the Federals attacked, but were repulsed with heavy loss, and2500 prisoners were taken. On the 21st the Confederates attacked, andobtained a certain amount of success, killing, wounding, and capturing2400 men. Petersburg was shelled day and night, and almost continuousfighting went on. Nevertheless, up to the middle of October thepositions of the armies remained unaltered. On the 27th of that monththe Federals made another general attack, but were repulsed with a lossof 1500 men. During the next three months there was little fighting, theConfederates having now so strengthened their lines by incessant toilthat even General Grant, reckless of the lives of his troops as he was, hesitated to renew the assault. 

But in the South General Sherman was carrying all before him. GeneralsHood and Johnston, who commanded the Confederate armies there, hadfought several desperate battles, but the forces opposed to them weretoo strong to be driven back. They had marched through Georgia toAtlanta and captured that important town on the 1st of September, andobtained command of the network of railways, and thus cut off a largeportion of the Confederacy from Richmond. Then Sherman marched south, wasting the country through which he marched, and capturing Savannah onthe 21st of September. 

While he was so doing, General Hood had marched into Tennessee, andafter various petty successes, was defeated, after two days' hardfighting, near Nashville. In the third week in January, 1865, Shermanset out with 60, 000 infantry and 10, 000 cavalry from Savannah, layingwaste the whole country--burning, pillaging, and destroying. The town ofColumbia was occupied, sacked, and burned, the white men and women andeven the negroes being horribly ill-treated. 

The Confederates evacuated Charleston at the approach of the enemy, setting it in flames rather than allow it to fall into Sherman's hands. The Federal army then continued its devastating route through SouthCarolina, and at the end of March had established itself at Goldsboro, in North Carolina, and was in readiness to aid Grant in his final attackon Richmond. 

Lee, seeing the imminence of the danger, made an attack upon the enemyin front of Petersburg, but was repulsed. He had now but 37, 000 men withwhich to oppose an enemy of nearly four times that strength in front ofhim, while Sheridan's cavalry, 10, 000 strong, threatened his flank, andSherman with his army was but a few days' march distant. There wasfierce fighting on the 29th, 30th, and 31st of March, and on the 2d ofApril the whole Federal army assaulted the positions at Petersburg, andafter desperate fighting succeeded in carrying them. The Confederatetroops, outnumbered and exhausted as they were by the previous week'smarching and fighting, yet retained their discipline, and Lee drew offwith 20, 000 men and marched to endeavor to effect a junction withJohnston, who was still facing Sherman. 

But his men had but one day's provisions with them. The stores that hehad ordered to await them at the point to which he directed his marchhad not arrived there when they reached it, and, harassed at every footof their march by Sheridan's cavalry and Ord's infantry, the forcefought its way on. The horses and mules were so weak from want of foodthat they were unable to drag the guns, and the men dropped in numbersfrom fatigue and famine. Sheridan and Ord cut off two corps, but GeneralLee, with but 8000 infantry and 2000 cavalry, still pressed forwardtoward Lynchburg. But Sheridan threw himself in the way, and, findingthat no more could be done, General Lee and the infantry surrendered anda few days later Generals Lee and Grant met and signed terms of peace. General Johnston's army surrendered to General Sherman, and the longand desperate struggle was at an end. 

It was a dreadful day in Richmond when the news came that the lines ofPetersburg were forced, and that General Lee no longer stood between thecity and the invaders. The President and ministers left at once, andwere followed by all the better class of inhabitants who could findmeans of conveyance. The negroes and some of the lower classes at onceset to work to pillage and burn, and the whole city would have beendestroyed had not a Federal force arrived and at once suppressed therioting. 

Whatever had been the conduct of the Federal troops during the last yearof the war, however great suffering they had inflicted upon the unarmedand innocent population of the country through which they marched, theterms of peace that General Grant agreed upon, and which were, althoughwith some reluctance, ratified by the government, were in the highestdegree liberal and generous. No one was to be injured or molested forthe share he had taken in the war. A general amnesty was granted to all, and the States were simply to return to the position in the Union thatthey occupied previous to the commencement of the struggle. 

More liberal terms were never granted by a conqueror to the vanquished. 

Vincent was with the cavalry who escaped prior to Lee's surrender, butas soon as the terms of peace were ratified the force was disbanded andhe returned home. He was received with the deepest joy by his mother andsister. 

"Thank God, my dear boy, that all is over, and you have been preservedto us. We are beaten, but no one can say that we are disgraced. Hadevery State done its duty as Virginia has we should never have beenoverpowered. It has been a terrible four years, and there are fewfamilies indeed that have no losses to mourn. "

"It was well you were not in Richmond, mother, the day of the riots. "

"Yes; but we had our trouble here, too, Vincent. A number of the slavesfrom the plantations came along this way, and wanted our hands to jointhem to burn down their quarters and the house, and to march toRichmond. Tony and Dan, hearing of their approach, armed themselves withyour double-barreled guns, went down and called out the hands, and armedthem with hoes and other implements. When the negroes came up there wasa desperate quarrel, but our hands stood firm, and Tony and Dan declaredthat they would shoot the first four men that advanced, and at last theydrew off and made their way to Richmond. 

"Your plan has succeeded admirably. One or two of the hands went toRichmond next day, but returned a day or two afterward and begged sohard to be taken on again that I forgave them. Since then everything hasbeen going on as quietly and regularly as usual, while there is scarcelya man left on any of the estates near. "

"And now, mother, that I find things are quiet and settled here, I shallgo down to Georgia and fetch Lucy home. I shall be of age in a fewmonths, and the house on the estate that comes to me then can beenlarged, and will do very well. "

"Not at all, Vincent. Annie will be married next month. Herbert Rowsellwas here two days ago, and it's all settled. So I shall be alone here. It will be very lonely and dull for me, Vincent, and I would rather giveup the reins of government to Lucy and live here with you, if you likethe plan. "

"Certainly, I should like it, mother; and so, I am sure, would Lucy. "

"Well, at any rate, Vincent, we will try the experiment, and if it doesnot work well I will take possession of the other house. "

"There is no fear of that, mother--none whatever. "

"And when are you thinking of getting married, Vincent?"

"At once, mother. I wrote to Lucy the day we were disbanded, saying thatI should come in a week, and would allow another week and no longer forher to get ready. "

"Then, in that case, Vincent, Annie and I will go down with you. Anniewill not have much to do to get ready for her own wedding. It must, ofcourse, be a very quiet one, and there will be no array of dresses toget; for I suppose it will be some time yet before the railways are openagain and things begin to come down from the North. "

Happily Antioch had escaped the ravages of war, and there was nothing tomar the happiness of the wedding. Lucy's father had returned, havinglost a leg in one of the battles of the Wilderness a year before, andher brother had also escaped. After the wedding they returned to theirfarm in Tennessee, and Mrs. Wingfield, Annie, Vincent, and Lucy went backto the Orangery. 

For the next three or four years times were very hard in Virginia, andMrs. Wingfield had to draw upon her savings to keep up the house in itsformer state; while the great majority of the planters were utterlyruined. The negroes, however, for the most part remained steadilyworking on the estate. A few wandered away, but their places were easilyfilled; for the majority of the freed slaves very soon discovered thattheir lot was a far harder one than it had been before, and that freedomso suddenly given was a curse rather than a blessing to them. 

Thus, while so many went down, the Wingfields weathered the storm, andthe step that had been taken in preparing their hands for the generalabolition of slavery was a complete success. 

With the gradual return of prosperity to the South the prices of produceimproved, and ten years after the conclusion of the rebellion the incomeof the Orangery was nearly as large as it had been previous to itsoutbreak. Vincent, two years after the conclusion of the struggle, tookhis wife over to visit his relations in England, and, since the death ofhis mother, in 1879, has every year spent three or four months at home, and will not improbably, ere long sell his estates in Virginia andsettle here altogether.