with lee in virginia-第44章

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now。〃



Vincent　then　walked　up　to　the　desk　at　the　and　of　the　hall；　at　which

a　clerk　was　sitting　reading　the　paper。　　Sincerely　hoping　that　the

man's　eye　had　not　fallen　on　this　paragraph；　he　asked　if　his　account

was　made　out。　　As　he　had　fortunately　mentioned　on　the　preceding

evening　that　he　should　be　leaving　in　the　morning；　the　bill　was

ready；　and　the　clerk；　scarce　looking　up　from　the　paper；　handed　it　to

him。　　Vincent　paid　him　the　amount；　saying　carelessly；　〃I　think　I

have　plenty　of　time　to　catch　the　train　for　the　east？〃



The　clerk　glanced　at　the　clock。



〃Yes；　it　goes　at　8；　and　you　have　twenty　minutes。　　It's　only　five

minutes'　walk　to　the　station。〃



CHAPTER　XI。　FUGITIVES。



ON　LEAVING　the　hotel　Vincent　walked　a　short　distance；　and　then

stopped　until　Dan　came　up　to　him。



〃Anyting　de　matter；　sah？〃



〃Yes；　Dan。　　There　is　a　notice　in　the　paper　that　the　police　have

obtained　information　that　I　am　traveling　disguised　as　a　minister；

and　have　a　negro　servant　with　me。。〃



〃Who　told　dam　dat？〃　Dan　asked　in　surprise。



〃We　can　talk　about　that　presently；　Dan；　the　great　thing　at　present　is

to　get　away　from　here。　　The　train　for　the　south　starts　at　ten。　　Give

me　the　bag；　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　be　noticed　that　we　are　traveling　together。　　That　is　the

only　clew　they　have　got。〃



Dan　obeyed　his　instructions。　　The　journey　was　a　long　one。　　The

train　was　slow　and　stopped　frequently；　passengers　got　in　and　out　at

every　station。　　The　morning's　news　from　the　various　points　at

which　the　respective　forces　were　facing　each　other　was　the　general

topic　of　conversation；　and　Vincent　was　interested　in　seeing　how

the　tone　gradually　changed　as　the　passengers　from　St。　Louis　one　by

one　left　the　train　and　their　places　were　taken　by　those　of　the　more

southern　districts；　　At　first　the　sentiment　expressed　had　been

violently　Northern；　and　there　was　no　dissent　from　the　general

chorus　of　hope　and　expectation　that　the　South　were　on　their　last

legs　and　that　the　rebellion　would　shortly　be　stamped　out；　but

gradually；　as　the　train　approached　the　State　of　Tennessee；　the

Unionist　opinion；　although　expressed　with　even　greater　force　and

violence；　was　by　no　means　universal。　　Many　man　read　their　papers

in　silence　and　took　no　part　whatever　in　the　conversation；　but

Vincent　could　see　from　the　angry　glances　which　they　shot　at　the

speakers　that　the　sentiments　uttered　were　distasteful　to　them。　　He

himself　had　scarcely　spoken　during　the　whole　journey。　　He　had　for

some　time　devoted　himself　to　the　newspaper；　and　had　then

purchased　a　book　from　the　newsboy　who　perambulated　the　cars。　

Presently　a　rough…looking　man　who　had　been　among　the　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

who　gave　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　in　a　train　like　as　not　he　is　a　rebel　in　disguise。　　Now；

mister；　may　I　ask　where　you　have　come　from　and　where　you　are

going　to？〃



〃You　may　ask　what　you　like；〃　Vincent　said　quietly；　〃but　I　am

certainly　not　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

would　put　you　off　the　car　in　no　time。〃



〃Black　coat　or　no　black　coat；〃　Vincent　said；　〃you　may　find　it　more

difficult　than　you　think。　　My　profession　is　a　peaceful　one；　but　even

a　peaceful　man；　if　assaulted；　may　defend　himself。　　You　say　it's

unpleasant　to　know　that　if　you　travel　with　a　man　in　a　black　coat　he

may　be　a　traitor。　It's　quite　as　unpleasant　to　me　to　know　that　if　I

travel　with　a　man　in　a　brown　one　he　may　be　a　notorious　ruffian；

and　may　as　likely　as　not　have　just　served　his　time　in　a

penitentiary。〃



Two　or　three　of　tha　passengers　laughed　loudly。　　The　man；　starting

up；　crossed　the　car　to　where　Vincent　was　sitting　and　laid　his　hand

roughly　on　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　be　sorry　for　it。〃



　The　man　shifted　his　hold　to　the　collar　of　Vincent's　coat　amid　cries

of　shame　from　some　of　the　passengers；　while　the　others　ware

silent；　even　those　of　his　own　party　objecting　to　an　assault　upon　a

minister。　　It　was　only　the　fact　that　the　fellow　was　a　notorious　local

ruffian　that　prevented　their　expressing　open　disapproval　of　the　act。　

As　the　man　grasped　Vincent's　collar　with　his　right　hand　Vincent

saw　his　left　go　under　his　coat　toward　the　pocket　in　the　back　of　the

trousers　where　revolvers　were　always　carried。　　In　an　instant　he

sprang　to　his　feet；　and　before　the　man；　who　was　taken　by　surprise

at　the　suddenness　of　the　movement；　could　steady　himself；　he

struck　him　a　tremendous　blow　between　the　eyes；　and　at　the　same

moment；　springing　at　his　throat；　threw　him　backward　on　to　the

floor　of　the　carriage。　　As　he　fell　the　man　drew　out　his　revolver；　but

Vincent　grasped　his　arm　and　with　a　sharp　twist　wrenched　the

revolver　from　his　grasp；　and　leaping　up；　threw　it　out　of　the　open

window。　　The　ruffian　rose　to　his　feat；　for　a　moment　half　dazed　by

the　violence　with　which　ha　had　fallen；　and　poured　out　a　string　of

imprecations　upon　Vincent。　　The　latter　stood　calmly　awaiting　a

fresh　attack。　For　a　moment　the　ruffian　hesitated；　and　then；　goaded

to　fury　by　the　taunting　laughter　of　the　lookers…on；　was　about　to

spring　upon　him　when　he　was　seized　by　two　or　three　of　the

passengers。



〃I　reckon　you　have　made　a　fool　enough　of　yourself　already；〃　one　of

thcm　said；　〃and　we　are　not　going　to　see　a　minister　ill…treated；　not　if

we　know　it。〃



〃You　need　not　hold　him；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃It　is　not　because　one

wears　a　black　coat　and　is　adverse　to　fighting　that　one　is　not　able　to

defend　one's　self。　　We　all　learn　the　same　things　at　college　whether

we　are　going　into　the　church　or　any　other　profession。　　You　can　let

him　alone　if　he　really　wants　any　more；　which　I　do　not　believe。　　I

should　be　ashamed　of　myself　if　I　could　not　punish　a　ruffian　of　his

kind。〃



〃Let　me　get　at　him！〃　yelled　Mullens；　and　the　men　who　held　him；

taking　Vincent　at　his　word；　released　hirn。　　He　rushed　forward；　but

was　received　with　another　tremendous　blow　on　the　mouth。　　He

paused　a　moment　in　his　rush；　and　Vincent；　springing　forward；

administered　another　blow　upon　the　same　spot；　knocking　him　off

his　legs　on　to　the　floor。　　On　getting　up　he　gave　no　sign　of　a　desire

to　renew　the　conflict。　　His　lips　were　badly　cut　and　the　bood　was

streaming　from　his　month；　and　he　looked　at　Vincent　with　an　air　of

absolute　bewilderment。　　The　latter；　seeing　that　the　conflict　was

over；　quietly　resumed　his　seat；　while　several　of　the　passengers

came　up　to　him；　and；　shaking　him　warmly　by　the　band；

congratulated　him　upon　having　punished　his　assailant。



〃I　wish　we　had　a　few　more　ministers　of　your　sort　down　this　way；〃

one　said。　　〃That's　the　sort　of　preaching　fellows　like　this　understand。　

It　was　well　you　got　his　six…shooter　out　of　his　hand；　for　he　would

have　used　it　as　sure　as　fate。　He　ought　to　have　been　lynched　long

ago；　but　since　the　troubles　began　these　fellows　have　had　all　their

own　way。　But　look　to　yourself　when　he　gets　out；　he　belongs　to　a

hand　who　call　themselves　Unionists；　but　who　are　nothing　but

plunderers　and　robbers。　　If　you　take　my　advice；　when　you　get　to　the

end　of　your　journey　you　will　not　leave　the　station；　but　take　a　ticket

straight　back　north。　　I　tell　you　your　life　won't　be　safe　five　minutes

when　you　once　get　outside　the　town。　　They　daren't　do　anything

there；　for　though　folks　have　had　to　put　up　with　a　good　deal　they

wouldn't　stand　the　shooting　of　a　minister；　still；　outside　the　town　I

would　not　answer　for　your　life　for　an　hour。〃