with lee in virginia-第57章

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it；　it　don't　much　matter　what　you　put　in　besides；　only　it　wouldn't　do

to　take　spirits　up　alone。　You　can　call　it　plantation　drink；　and　I　don't

suppose　any　one　would　ask　too　closely　what　it's　made　of。〃



〃Thank　you；　that　will　do　capitally。〃



The　next　morning　Vincent　again　set　out；　turning　big　steps　this　time

toward　the　right　flank　of　the　Federal　position。　　He　had　in　the

course　of　the　evening　made　a　sketch　of　the　ground　he　had　soon；

marking　in　all　the　principal　batteries；　with　notes　as　to　the　number

of　guns　for　which　they　seemed　to　be　intended。



〃Look　here；〃　he　said　to　the　woman　before　leaving。　　〃I　may　not　be

as　lucky　to…day　as　I　was　yesterday。　　If　I　do　not　come　back　to…night；

can　you　find　any　one　you　can　trust　to　take　this　piece　of　paper　round

to　Richmond？　　Of　course　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　to　Petersburg；　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　the　bearer　a　hundred　dollars。〃



〃I　will　take　it　myself；〃　the　woman　said；　〃not　for　the　sake　of　the

hundred　dollars；　though　I　ain't　saying　as　it　wouldn't　please　the　old

man　when　he　conies　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　trust　me；　and　if　you　don't　come　back　by　daybreak

to…morrow　morning；　I　will　start　right　away　with　these　letters。　　I　will

go　out　at　once　and　hide　them　somewhere　in　case　the　Yanks　should

come　and　make　a　search。　　If　you　are　caught　they　might；　like

enough；　trace　you　here；　and　then　they　would　search　the　place　all

over　and　maybe　set　it　alight。　　If　you　ain't　here　by　nightfall　I　shall

sleep　out　in　the　wood；　so　if　they　come　they　won't　find　me　here。　　If

anything　detains　you；　and　you　ain't　back　till　after　dark；　you　will

find　me　somewhere　near　the　tree　where　your　horse　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　started　from　the　cottage。　　Again　he　made　his　way

safely　through　the　camps；　and　without　hindrance　lounged　up　to　a

spot　where　a　large　number　of　men　belonging　to　one　of　the　negro

regiments　were　at　work。



〃Plantation　liquor？〃　he　said；　again　assuming　a　stupid　air；　to　a　black

sergeant　who　was　with　them。　　〃First…rate　stuff；　and　only　fifteen

cents　a　glass。〃



〃What　plantation　liquor　like？〃　the　negro　asked。　　〃Me　not　know

him。〃



〃First…rate　stuff；〃　Vincent　repeated。　　〃Mother　makes　it　of　spirit　and

molasses　and　all　sorts。　　Fifteen　cents　a　glass。〃



〃Well；　I　will　take　a　glass；〃　the　sergeant　said。　　〃Mighty　hot　work　dis

in　de　sun；　but　don't　you　say　nuffin　about　the　spirit。　　Ef　dey　ask　you；

just　you　say　molasses　and　all　sorts；　dat's　quite　enough。　　De　white

officer　won't　let　spirits　be　sold　in　de　camp。



〃Dat　bery　good　stuff；〃　be　said；　smacking　his　lips　as　he　handed　back

the　little　tin　measure。　　〃You　sell　him　all　in　no　time。〃　　Several　of　the

negroes　now　came　round；　and　Vincent　disposed　of　a　considerable

quantity　of　his　plantation　liquor。　　Then　he　turned　to　go　away；　for

he　did　not　want　to　empty　his　can　at　one　place。　　He　had　not　gone

many　paces　when　a　party　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　me

nothing　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　will

bet　a　dollar；　in　some　shape　or　other。　　Pour　me　out　a　glass。　　I　will　try

it；　anyhow。〃



Vincent　filled　the　little　tin　mug；　and　handed　it　to　the　officer。　　As　he

lifted　his　face　to　do　so　there　was　a　sudden　exclamation。



〃Vincent　Wingfield！〃　and　another　officer　drawing　his　sword

attacked　him　furiously；　shouting；　〃A　spy！　Seize　him！　　A

Confederate　spy！〃



Vincent　recognized　with　astonishment　in　the　Federal　officer

rushing　at　him　with　uplifted　sword　his　old　antagonist；　Jackson。　

Almost　instinctively　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　was　knocked　off　his　feet　by　the　blow。　　With　a　yell

of　rage　he　started　up　again　and　rushed　at　Vincent。　　The　latter

snatched　up　a　shovel　that　was　lying　close　by　and　stood　his　ground。　

The　officers　were　so　surprised　at　the　suddenness　of　the　incident

and　the　overthrow　of　their　companion；　and　for　the　moment　so

amused　at　the　latter's　appearance；　covered　as　he　was　from　head　to

foot　with　the　sticky　liquor　and　bleeding　from　a　cut　inflicted　by　the

edge　of　the　can；　that　they　were　incapable　of　interference。



Blinded　with　rage；　and　with　the　liquid　streaming　into　his　eyes；

Jackson　rushed　at　Vincent。　　The　latter　caught　the　blow　aimed　at

him　on　the　edge　of　the　shovel；　and　then　swinging　his　weapon

round　smote　his　antagonist　with　all　his　strength；　the　edge　of　the

shovel　falling　fairly　upon　his　head。　　Without　a　cry　the　traitor　fell

dead　in　his　tracks。　The　other　officers　now　drew　their　swords　and

rushed　for…ward。　　Vincent；　seeing　the　futility　of　resistance；　threw

down　his　shovel。　　He　was　instantly　seized。



〃Halloo　there！〃　the　senior　officer　called　to　the　men；　who　had

stopped　in　their　work　and　were　gazing　at　the　sudden　fray　that　had

arisen；　〃a　sergeant　and　four　men。〃　　Four　of　the　negro　soldiers　and　a

sergeant　at　once　stepped　forward。　　〃Take　this　man　and　conduct

him　to　the　village。　Put　him　in　a　room；　and　stay　there　with　him。　　Do

you；　sergeant；　station　yourself　at　the　door；　so　that　I　shall　know

where　to　find　you。　　Put　on　your　uniforms　and　take　your　guns。〃　The

men　put　on　their　coats；　which　they　had　removed　while　at　work；

shouldered　their　muskets；　and　took　their　places；　two　on　each　side

of　the　prisoner。　　The　officers　then　turned　to　examine　their　prostrate

comrade。



〃It's　all　over　with　him；〃　one　said；　stooping　down；　〃the　shovel　has

cut　his　skull　nearly　in　half。　　Well；　I　fancy　he　was　a　bad　lot。　　I　don't

believe　in　Southerners　who　come　over　to　fight　in　our　ranks；

besides　he　was　at　one　time　in　the　rebel　army。〃



〃Yes；　he　was　taken　prisoner；〃　another　said。　　〃Then　his　father；　who

had　to　bolt　from　the　South；　because；　he　said；　of　his　Northern

sympathies；　but　likely　enough　for　something　else；　came　round；

made　interest　somehow　and　got　his　son　released；　and　then　some

one　else　got　him　a　commission　with　us。　　He　always　said　he　had

been　obliged　to　fight　on　the　other　side；　but　that　he　had　always　been

heart　and　soul　for　the　North；　anyhow；　he　was　always

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　by　recognizing　this　spy。　　Fine…looking　young　fellow　that。　He

called　him　Vincent　Wingfield。　　I　seem　to　remember　the　nanie；

perhaps　I　have　read　it　in　some　of　the　rebel　newspapers　we　got　hold

of；　likely　enough　some　one　will　know　it。　　Well；　I　suppose　we　had

better　have　Jackson　carried　into　camp。〃



Four　more　of　the　negroes　were　called　out；　and　these　carried　the

body　into　the　camp　of　his　regiment。　　Au　officer　was　also　sent　from

the　working　party　to　report　the　capture　of　a　spy　to　his　colonel。



〃I　will　report　it　to　the　general；〃　the　latter　said；　〃he　rode　along　here

about　a　quarter　of　an　hour　ago；　and　may　not　be　back　again　for

some　hours。　　As　we　have　got　the　spy　fast　it　cannot　make　any

difference。〃



As　he　was　marched　back　to　the　village　Vincent　felt　that　there　was

no　hope　for　him　whatever。　　He　had　been　denounced　as　a　spy；　and

although　the　lips　that　had　denounced　him　had　been　silenced

forever；　the　mischief　had　been　done。　　He　could　give　no　satisfactory

account　of　himself。　　He　thought　for　a　moment　of　declaring　that　a

mistake　had　been　made；　but　he　felt　that　no　denial　would

counterbalance　the　effect　of　Jackson's　words。　　The　fury；　too；　with

which　the　latter　had　attacked　him　would　show　plainly　enough　that

his　assailant　was　absolutely　certain　as　to　his　identity；　and　even　that

there　had　been　a　personal　feud　between　them。　　Then　he　thought

that　if　he　said　that　he　was　the　son　of　the　woman　in　the　lint　she

would　bear　him　out　in　the　assertion。　　But　it　was　not　likely　that　this

would　be　accepted　as　against　Jackson's　testimony；　besides；　inquiry

among　her　neighbors　would　certainly　lead　to　the　discovery　that　she

was　speaking　an　untruth；　and　might　even　involve　her　in　his　fate　as

his　abettor。　　But　most　of　all　he　decided　against　this　course　because

it　would　involve　the　telling　of　a　lie。



Vincent　considered　that　while　in　disguise；　and　doing　important

service　for　his　country；　he　was　justified　in　using　deceit；　but　merely

for　the　purpose　of　saving　his　own　life；　and　that　perhaps　uselessly；

he　would　not　lie。　　His　fate；　of　course；　was　certain。　　He　was　a　spy；

and　would　be　shot　for　it。　　Vincent　had　so　often　been　in　the

battlefield；　so　often　under　a　fire　from　which　it　seemed　that　no　one

could　come　alive；　that　the　thought　that　death　was　at　hand　had　not

for　him　the　terrors　that　possess　those　differently　circumstanced。　He

was　going　to　die　for　the　Confederacy　as　tens　of　thousands　of　brave

men　had　died　before；　and　he　rejoiced　over　the　precaution　he　had

taken　as　to　the　transmission　of　his　discoveries　on　the　previous　day；

and　felt　sure　that　General　Lee　would　do　full　justice　to　his　memory；

and　announce　that　he　had　died　in　doing　noble　service　to　the

country。



He　sighed　as　he　thought　of　his　mother　and　sisters；　but　Rose　had

been　married　in　the　spring；　and　Annie　was　engaged　to　an　officer　in

General　Beauregard's　staff。　　Then　he　thought　of　Lucy　away　in

Georgia　and　for　the　first　time　his　lip　quivered　and　his　cheek　paled。



The　negro　guards；　who　had　been　enlisted　but　a　few　weeks；　were

wholly　ignorant　of　their　duties；　and　having　once　conveyed　their

prisoner　into　the　room；　evidently　considered　that　all　further

necessity　for　military　strictness　was　at　an　end。　　They　had　been

ordered　to　stay　in　the　room　with　the　prisoner；　but　no　instructions

had　been　given　as　to　their　conduct　there。　　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

Vincent　with　the　thought　of　escape；　but　he　knew　that　it　was　out　of

the　question　here。　　There　were　Federal　camps　all　round　and　a　shout

from　the　negroes　would　send　a　hundred　men　in　instant　pursuit　of

him。　　There　was　nothing　for　him　to　do　but　to　wait　for　the　end；　and

that　end　would　assuredly　come　in　the　morning。　　From　time　to　time

the　door　opened；　and　the　negro　sergeant　looked　in。　Apparently　his

ideas　on　the　subject　of　discipline　were　no　stricter　than　those　of　his

men；　for　he　made　no　remark　as　to　their　carelessness。　　Presently；