with lee in virginia-第58章

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

when　he　looked　in；　the　four　soldiers　were　standing　at　the　window

watching　a　regiment　passing　by　on　its　way　to　take　its　share　of　the

work　in　the　trenches。　　Vincent；　who　was　sitting　at　a　table；

happened　to　look　up；　and　was　astonished　at　seeing　the　sergeant

first　put　his　finger　on　his　lips；　then　take　off　his　cap；　put　one　hand

on　his　heart；　and　gesticulate　with　the　other。



Vincent　gazed　at　him　in　blank　surprise；　then　he　started　and　almost

sprang　to　his　feet；　for　in　the　Yankee　sergeant　he　recognized　Tony

Morris；　but　the　uplifted　hand　of　the　negro　warned　him　of　the

necessity　of　silence。　　The　negro　nodded　several　times；　again　put　his

hand　on　his　heart；　and　then　disappeared。　　A　thrill　of　hope　stirred

every　vein　in　Vincent's　body。　　He　felt　his　cheeks　flush　and　had

difficulty　in　maintaining　his　passive　attitude。　　He　was　not；　then；

utterly　deserted；　he　had　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

his　jailer；　and　yet；　when　he　thought　it　over；　it　was　not　difficult　to

understand。　　It　was　natural　enough　that　he　should　have　enlisted

when　the　black　regiments　were　raised。　　He　had　doubtless　heard　his

name　shouted　out　by　Jackson；　and　had；　as　Vincent　now

remembered；　stepped　forward　as　a　sort　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　it　would　be　possible　that　he　could　do　so　was　doubtful；　but

at　least　there　was　a　hope；　and　with　it　the　feeling　of　quiet

resignation　with　which　Vincent　had　faced　what　appeared　to　be

inevitable　at　once　disappeared；　and　was　succeeded　by　a　restless

longing　for　action。　　His　brain　was　busy　at　once　in　calculating　the

chances　of　his　being　ordered　for　instant　execution　or　of　the

sentence　being　postponed　till　the　following　morning；　and；　in　the

latter　case；　with　the　question　of　what　guard　would　be　probably

placed　over　him；　and　how　Tony　would　set　about　the　attempt　to　aid

him　to　escape。



Had　the　general　been　in　camp　when　he　was　brought　in　he　would

probably　have　been　shot　at　sunset；　but　if　he　did　not　return　until　the

afternoon　he　would　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　to　him　to　prepare　for　death。　　Then　there　was

the　question　whether　he　would　be　handed　over　to　a　white　regiment

for　safekeeping　or　left　in　the　hands　of　the　black　regiment　that　had

captured　him。　　No　doubt　after　the　sentence　was　passed　the　white

officers　of　that　regiment　would　see　that　a　much　stricter　watch　than

that　now　put　over　him　was　set。



It　was　not　probable　that　he　would　still　be　in　charge　of　Tony；　for　as

the　latter　would　be　on　duty　all　day　he　would　doubtless　be　relieved。　

In　that　case　how　would　he　manage　to　approach　him；　and　what

means　would　he　use　to　direct　the　attention　of　the　sentries　in

another　direction？　He　thought　over　the　plans　that　he　himself　would

adopt　were　he　in　Tony's　place。　　The　first　thing　would　be；　of　course；

to　make　the　sentries　drunk　if　possible。　　This　should　not　be　a

difficult　task　with　men　whose　notions　of　discipline　were　so　lax　as

those　of　the　negroes；　but　It　would　be　no　easy　matter　for　Tony　to

obtain　spirits；　for　these　were　strictly　prohibited　in　the　Federal

camp。　　Perhaps　he　might　help　Tony　in　this　way。　　He　fortunately

had　a　small　notebook　with　a　pencil　in　his　pocket；　and　as　his　guards

were　still　at　the　window　he　wrote　as　follows：



〃I　am　captured　by　the　Yankees。　　So　far　as　I　can　see；　my　only

chance　of　escape　is　to　make　the　sentries　drunk。　The　bearer　is

absolutely　to　be　trusted。　　Give　him　his　canteen　full　of　spirits；　and

tell　him　what　I　have　written　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　held　up　the　note。　　The　sergeant　stepped　quickly

forward　and　took　it；　and　then　said　sharply　to　the　men：



〃Now　den；　dis　not　keeping　guard。　　Suppose　door　open　and　dis

fellow　run　away。　　What　dey　say　to　you？　　Two　of　you　keep　your　eye

on　d's　man。　　Suppose　Captain　Pearce　come　in　and　find　you　all

staring　out　window。　　He　kick　up　nice　bobbery。〃



Thus　admonished　as　to　their　duty；　two　of　the　negroes　took　up　their

muskets　and　stood　with　their　backs　to　the　door；　with　their　eyes

fixed　on　the　prisoner　with　such　earnestness　that　Vincent　could　not

suppress　a　smile。　　The　negroes　grinned　responsively。



〃Dis　bad　affair；　young　sah；〃　one　said；　〃bery　bad　affair。　Oh　course

we　soldiers　oh　de　Union；　and　got　to　fight　if　dey　tell　us；　but　no　like

dis　job　oh　keeping　guard　like　dis。〃



〃It　can't　be　helped；〃　Vincent　said；　〃and　of　course　you　must　do　your

duty。　　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　no　trouble　to　look　after　you。　　But　as　de　sargent　say　watch；

oh　course　we　must　watch。　　We　bery　pleased　to　see　you　kill　dat

white　officer。　　Dat　officer　bery　hard　man　and　all　de　men　hate　him；

and　when　you　knock　him　down　we　should　like　to　hab　given　cheer。　

We　all　sorry　for　you；　still　you　see；　sab；　we　must　keep　watch。　　If　you

were　to　get　away；　dar　no　saying　what　dey　do　to　us。〃



〃That's　all　right；〃　Vincent　said；　〃I　don't　blame　you　at　all。　　As　yon

say；　that　was　a　very　bad　fellow。　　I　had　quarreled　with　him　before；

because　he　treated　his　slaves　so　badly。〃



CHIAPTER　XIX。　FREE。



IT　WAS　not　until　late　in　the　afternoon　that　a　white　officer　entered；

and　ordered　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

was　brought　in。　　〃I　hear　that　you　were　denounced　by　Lieutenant

Jackson　as　being　a　spy；　and　that　he　addressed　you　as　Vincent

Wingfield。　　What　have　you　got　to　say　to　the　charge？〃



〃My　name　is　Vincent　Wingfield；　sir；〃　Vincent　replied　quietly。　　〃I

am　upon　the　staff　of　General　Wade　Hampton；　and　in　pursuance　of

my　duty　I　came　here　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　the

consequence　of　being　discovered　in　disguise　here。　　I　regret　that

there　is　no　course　open　to　me　hut　to　order　you　to　be　shot　as　a　spy

to…morrow　morning。〃



One　of　the　officers　who　was　standing　by　the　general　here

whispered　to　him。



〃Ah；　yes；　I　remember；〃　he　said。　　〃Are　you　the　same　officer；　sir；

who　escaped　from　Elmira？〃



〃I　am；　sir；〃　Vincent　replied；　〃and　at　the　same　time　aided　in　the

escape　of　the　man　who　denounced　me　to…day；　and　who　then　did　his

best　to　have　file　arrested　by　sending　an　anonymous　letter　stating

the　disguise　in　which　I　was　making　my　way　through　the　country。　　I

was　not　surprised　to　find　that　he　had　carried　his　treachery　further；

and　was　now　fighting　against　the　men　with　whom　he　had　formerly

served。〃



〃He　deserved　the　fate　that　has　befallen　him；〃　the　general　said。　

〃Still　this　does　not　alter　your　position。　　I　regret　that　I　must　order

my　sentence　to　he　carried　out。〃



〃I　do　not　blame　yon；　sir。　I　knew　the　risks　I　ran　when　I　accepted　the

mission。　　My　only　regret　is　that　I　failed　in　supplying　my　general

with　the　information　they　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；

Captain　Pearce。　　You　will　see　that　the　sentence　is　carried　into

effect　at　daybreak。　　I　need　not　tell　you　that　a　vigilant　guard　must　be

placed　over　him。〃



Vincent　was　again　marched　back　to　the　village；　but　the　officer

halted　the　party　when　he　arrived　there。



〃Stop　here　a　few　minutes；　sergeant；〃　be　said。　　〃That　room　is

required　for　an　officer's　quarters。　　I　will　look　round　and　find

another　place。〃



In　a　few　minutes　he　returned；　and　Vincent　was　conducted　to　a　shed

standing　in　the　garden　of　one　of　the　houses。



〃Place　one　man　on　guard　at　the　door　and　another　behind；〃　he　said

to　the　sergeant。　　〃Let　the　other　two　relieve　them；　and　change　the

watch　once　an　hour。〃



The　sergeant　saluted。



〃De　men　hab　been　on　duty　since　daylight；　sah；　and　none　of　us　hab

had　anything　to　eat。〃



〃Oh；　I　forgot　that；〃　the　officer　replied。　　〃Very　well；　I　will　send

another　party　to　relieve　you　at　once。〃



In　ten　minutes　another　sergeant　and　four　men　arrived　at　the　spot；　

and　Tony　and　his　companions　returned　to　the　camp。



As　soon　as　Tony　had　devoured　a　piece　of　bread　he　left　the　camp；

walked　with　careless　gait　through　the　camps　behind；　and　went　on

until　he　reached　a　village　in　which　were　comparatively　few

soldiers。　　He　went　up　to　a　woman　who　was　standing　at　a　door。



〃Missus；〃　ho　said；　〃I　hab　got　a　letter　to　take；　and　I　ain't　bery　sure　as

to　de　name。　　Will　you　kindly　tell　me　what　is　de　address　writ　on　dis

paper？〃



The　woman　looked　at　it。



〃Mrs。　Grossmith；　Worley　Farm；　near　Union。　　That's　about　two

miles　along　the　road。　　If　you　go　on　any　one　will　tell　you　which　is

Mrs。　Grossmith's。〃



Tony　hurried　on；　for　he　wanted　to　get　back　to　the　camp　before　it

was　dark。　　He　had　no　difficulty　in　finding　Worley　Farm。



〃Now；　then；　what　do　you　want？〃　its　owner　said　sharply；　as　she

opened　tile　door　in　reply　to　his　knock。　　〃There's　nothing　for　you

here。　　You　can　look　round　if　you　like。　It's　been　all　stripped　clean

days　ago；　so　I　tell　you。〃



〃Me　no　want　anything；　ma'am。　　Me　hab　a　letter　for　you。〃　The

woman　in　surprise　took　the　note　and　opened　it。　　She　read　it　through

and　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　got　me　away　from　a　brutal　master　and　bought　my　wife　out　ob

slavery　for　me。　　What　does　he　say；　ma'am？　For　do　Lord　sake　tell

me。　　Perhaps　he　tell　me　how　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

anything　except　to　shoot　de　sentry　and　fight　wid　do　oders　and　get

him　out；　but　den　all　do　odor　sojers　come　running　down；　and　no

chance　to　escape。　　If　me　can　get　do　spirits　dat's　easy　enough。　　Me

make　dem　all　drunk　as　hogs。〃



〃I　can　give　you　that；〃　the　woman　said。　　〃Is　there　anything　else　you

will　want？　What　are　you　going　to　do　with　him　if　yen　get　him　free？

They　will　hunt　you　down　like　vermin。〃



〃I　tought　we　might　get　down　to　de　river　and　get　ober　somehow。　

Dere　will　he　no　getting　tree　der　cavalry。　　Dey　will　hab　dem　on

every　read。〃



〃Well；　you　want　some　clothes；　anyhow；　you　can't　go　about　in　these

soldier　clothes。　　The　first　Yank　yen　came　across　would　shoot　you

fo