with lee in virginia-第36章

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their　neck。。　The　riders　were　all　inside　the　house。



〃Look　here；　Dan；〃　he　whispered；　〃you　keep　here　perfectly　quiet

until　I　join　you　again　or　you　hear　a　pistol…shot。　If　you　do　bear　a

shot；　rush　at　the　horses　with　your　stick　and　drive　them　off　at　full

gallop。　　Drive　them　right　into　the　woods　if　you　can　and　then　lie

quiet　there　till　you　hear　me　whistle　for　you。　　If　you　don't　hear　my

whistle　you　will　know　that　something　has　happened　to　me；　and

then　you　must　make　your　way　home　as　well　as　you　can。〃



〃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　will

be　well；　but　it　must　be　done　anyhow。〃



〃Let　me　come　and　load　your　pistol　and　fight　with　you；　sah。〃



〃You　can　do　more　good　by　stampeding　the　horses；　Dan。　Perhaps；

after　all；　there　will　be　no　trouble。〃



So　saying；　leaving　Dan　with　the　tears　running　down　his　cheeks；

Vincent　went　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　though　the　window；　which　was　open；　and　the　sound　of

loud　voices；　showed　him　the　room　where　the　party　were。　　He　crept

cautiously　up　and　looked　in。　　Mullens　was　standing　facing　Lucy

Kingston；　the　rest　of　the　men　were　standing　behind　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

admitted　that　a　man　has　been　here　to…day；　and　that　you　gave　him

food。　　You　say　he　is　not　in　the　house；　and　as　we　have　searched　it

pretty　thoroughly；　we　know　that's　right　enough。　　You　say　you　don't

know　where　he　is；　and　that　may　be　true　enough　in　a　sense；　but　I

have　asked　you　whether　he　is　coming　back　again；　and　you　won't

answer　me。　　I　just　give　you　three　seconds；〃　and　he　held　out　his　arm

with　a　pistol　in　it。　　〃One！〃　　As　the　word　〃Two〃　left　his　lips；　a　pistol

cracked；　and　Mullens　fell　back　with　a　bullet　in　his　forehead。



At　the　same　time　Vincent　shouted　at　the　top　of　his　voice；　〃Come

on；　lads；　wipe　'em　out　altogether。　　Don't　let　one　of　them　escape。〃　

As　he　spoke　he　discharged　his　pistol　rapidly　into　the　midst　of　the

men；　who　were　for　the　moment　too　taken　by　surprise　to　move；　and

every　shot　took　effect　upon　them。　　At　the　same　moment　there　was

a　great　shouting　outside；　and　the　trampling　of　horses'　feet。　One　or

two　of　the　men　hastily　returned　Vincent's　fire；　but　the　rest　made　a

violent　rush　to　the　door。　　Several　fell　over　the　bodies　of　their

comrades；　and　Vincent　had　emptied　one　of　his　revolvers　and　fired

three　shots　with　the　second　before　the　last　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　corner　of　the　house；

prepared　to　shoot　them　as　they　came　round；　but　the　ruffians　were

too　scared　to　think　of　anything　but　escape；　and　they　could　be　heard

running　and　shouting　across　the　fields。



Vincent　ran　into　the　house。　　He　had　seen　Lucy　Kingston　fall

prostrate　at　the　same　instant　as　the　ruffian　facing　her。　　Strung　up　to

the　highest　tension；　and　expecting　in　another　second　to　be　shot；　the

crack　of　Vincent's　pistol　had　brought　her　down　as　surely　as　the

bullet　of　Mullens　would　have　done。　　Even　in　the　excitement　of

firing；　Vincent　felt　thankful　when　he　saw　her　fall；　and　knew　that

she　was　safe　from　the　bullets　flying　about。　　When　he　entered　the

room　he　found　the　old　negress　lying　beside　her；　and　thought　at　first

that　she　had　fallen　in　the　fray。　　He　found　that　she　was　not　only

alive；　but　unhurt；　having；　the　instant　she　saw　her　young　mistress

fall；　thrown　herself　upon　her　to　protect　her　from　harm。



〃Am　dey　all　gone；　sah？〃　she　asked；　as　Vincent　somewhat　roughly

pulled　her　off　the　girl's　body。



〃They　have　all　gone；　Chloe；　but　I　do　not　know　how　soon　they　may

be　hack　again。　　Get　your　mistress　round　as　soon　as　you　can。　　I　am

sure　that　she　has　only　fainted；　for　she　fell　the　instant　I　fired；　before

another　pistol　had　gone　off。〃



Leaving　the　old　woman　to　bring　Miss　Kingston　round；　he　reloaded

his　pistols　and　went　to　the　door。　　In　a　few　minutes　the　sound　of

horses　galloping　was　heard。



〃Halt；　or　I　fire！〃　he　shouted。



〃Don't　shoot；　sah！　Don't　shoot！　It　am　me！〃　and　Dan　rode　up；

holding　a　second　horse　by　the　bridle。　　〃I　thought　I　might　as　well　get

two　ob　dem；　so　I　jump　on　de　back　oh　one　and　get　hold　oh　anoder

bridle　while　I　was　waiting　to　hear　your　pistol　fire。　　Den　de　moment

I　heard　dat　I　set　de　oders　off；　and　chased　dem　to　de　corner　where

de　gate　was　where　dey　came　in　at；　and　along　do　road　for　half　a

mile；　dey　so　frightened　dey　not　stop　for　a　long　time　to　come。　Den　I

turn　into　de　wood　and　went　through　de　trees；　so　as　not　to　meet　dem

fellows；　and　lifted　two　of　de　bars　of　the　fence；　and　here　I　am。　　You

are　not　hurt；　massa？〃



〃My　left　arm　is　broken；　I　think；　Dan；　but　that　is　of　no　consequence。　

I　have　shot　five　of　these　fellows…their　leader　among　them…and　I

expect　three　of　the　others　have　got　a　bullet　somewhere　or　other　in

them。　　There　was　such　a　crowd　round　the　door　that　I　don't　think

one　shot　missed。　It　was　well　I　thought　of　stampeding　the　horses；

that　gave　them　a　greater　fright　than　my　pistols。　　No　doubt　they

thought　that　there　was　a　party　of　our　bushwhackers　upon　them。　

Now；　Dan；　you　keep　watch；　and　let　me　know　if　you　see　any　signs

of　their　returning。　　I　think　they　are　too　shaken　up　to　want　any　more

fighting；　but　as　there　are　seven　of　them；　and　they　may　guess　there

are　only　two　or　three　of　us；　it　is　possible　they　may　try　again。〃



〃Me　don't　tink　dey　try　any　more；　sah。　　Anyhow；　I　look　out　sharp。〃　

So　saying；　Dan；　fastening　up　one　of　the　horses；　rode　the　other　in　a

circle　round　and　round　the　house　and　little　plantation；　so　that　it

would　not　be　possible　for　any　one　to　cross　the　clearing　without

being　seen。　　Vincent　returned　to　the　house；　and　found　Miss

Kingston　just　recovering　consciousness。　　She　sat　upon　the　ground

in　a　confused　way。



〃What　has　happened；　nurse？〃



〃Never　mind　at　present；　deane。　　Juss　you　keep　yourself　quiet；　and

drink　a　little　water。〃



The　girl　mechanically　obeyed。　　The　minute　she　put　down　the　glass

her　eye　fell　upon　Vincent；　who　was　standing　near　the　door。



〃Oh！　I　remember　now！〃　she　said；　starting　up。　　〃Those　men　were

here　and　they　were　going　to　shoot　me。　　One…two…and　then　he　fired；

and　it　seemed　that　I　fell　dead。　Am　I　not　wounded？〃



〃He　never　fired　at　all；　Miss　Kingston；　he　will　never　fire　again。　　I

shot　him　as　he　said　'two；'　and　no　doubt　the　shock　of　the　sudden

shot　caused　you　to　faint　dead　away。　You　fell　the　same　instant　that

he　did。〃



〃But　where　are　the　others？〃　the　girl　said　with　a　shudder。　　〃How

imprudent　of　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

was　afraid　they　might　try　rough　measures　to　learn　from　you　where

I　was　hidden。　　I　arrived　at　the　window　just　as　the　scoundrel　was

pointing　his　pistol　toward　you；　and　then　there　was　no　time　to　give

myself　up；　and　I　had　nothing　to　do　for　it　but　to　put　a　bullet　through

his　head　in　order　to　save　you。　　Then　I　opened　fire　upon　the　rest；

and　my　boy　drove　off　their　horses。　　They　were　seized　with　a　panic

and　bolted；　thinking　they　were　surrounded。　Of　course　I　kept　up　my

fire；　and　there　are　four　of　them　in　the　next　room　besides　their

captain。　　And　now；　if　you　please；　I　will　get　you；　in　the　first　place；

to　bind　my　arm　tightly　across　my　chest；　for　one　of　their　bullets　hit

me　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　very

serious　matter；　only　I　would　rather　it　had　not　happened　just　at　the

present　moment；　there　are　more　important　affairs　in　hand。　　The

question　is；　What　is　to　become　of　you？　It　is　quite　impossible　that

you　should　stay　here　after　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

we　cannot　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；〃　Vincent

said。　　〃Of　course　it　would　be　toilsome　and　unpleasant；　but　I　do　not

think　it　would　be　dangerous；　for　even　if　we　got　caught　there　would

be　no　fear　of　your　receiving　any　injury　from　the　Federal　troops。　

My　proposal　is　that　you　and　Chloe　should　go　with　us。　　If　we　get

safely　through　the　Federal　lines　I　will　escort　you　to　Georgia　and

place　you　with　your　friends　there。〃



The　girl　looked　doubtful　for　a　moment；　and　then　she　shook　her

bead。



〃I　could　not　think　of　that；　sir。　　It　would　be　difficult　enough　for　you

to　get　through　the　enemy　by　yourselves　It　would　add　terribly　to

your　danger　to　have　us　with　you。〃



〃I　do　not　think　so；〃　Vincent　replied。　　〃Two　men　would　be　sure　to

be　questioned　and　suspected；　but　a　party　like　ours　would　be　far　less

likely　to　excite　suspicion。　　Every　foot　we　get　south　we　shall　find

ourselves　more　and　more　among　people　who　are　friendly　to　us；　and

although　they　might　he　afraid　to　give　shelter　to　men；　they　would

not　refuse　to　take　women　in。　　I　really　think；　Miss　Kingston；　that

this　plan　is　the　best。　　In　the　first　place　it　would　be　a　dangerous

journey　for　you　through　the　woods　to　Nashville　and　if　you　fall　into

the　hands　of　any　of　those　ruffians　who　have　been　here　you　may

expect　no　mercy。　　At　Nashville　you　will　have　great　difficulty　in

obtaining　employment　of　any　kind　aud　even　suppose　you　went

further　north　your　position　as　a　friendless　girl　would　be　a　most

painful　one。　As　to　your　staying　here　that　is　plainly　out　of　the

question。　I　think　that　there　is　no　time　to　lose　in　making　a　decision。

Those　fellows　may　go　to　the　camp　at　the　bridge；　give　their　account

of　the　atlair；　declare　they　have　been　attacked　by　a　party　of

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；　hut　I　do

tiuk　dat　in　times　like　dis　dat　a　young　gal　is　best　wid　her　own　folk。　

It　may　be　hard　work　getting　across；　but　as　to　danger　dar　can't　he

much　more　danger　than　dar　has　been　in　stopping　along　here；　so　it

seems　to　me　best　to　do　as　dis　young　officer　says。〃



〃Very　well；　then；　I　will；　sir。　　We　will　go　under　your　protection；　and

will　give　you　as　little　trouble　as　we　can。　We　will　be　ready　in　five

minutes。　　Now；　Chloe；　let　us　put　a　few　things　together。　　The　fewer

the　better。　　Just　a　small　bundle　which　we　can　carrv　in　our　hands。〃



In　a　few　minutes　they　returned　to　the　room；　Chloe　carrying　a　large

basket；　and　looking　somewhat　ruffled。



Chloe　is　a　little　upset；〃　the　girl　said；　smiling；　〃　because　I　won't　put

my　best　things　on；　and　the　leaving　her　Sun…day　gown　behind　is　a

sore　trouble　to　her。〃



〃No　wonder；　sah