with lee in virginia-第47章

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Shenandoah　Valley　and　up　to　Bull　Run；　and　after　that　under　Stuart。　

But　is　not　your　brother　here？　　Your　servant　called　to　him。〃



〃There　is　no　one　here　but　ourselves；〃　the　girl　replied。　〃That　was　a

fiction　of　Chloe's；　and　it　has　succeeded　sometimes　when　we　have

had　rough　visitors。　　And　now　what　can　I　do　for　you；　sir？　　You　said

you　wanted　to　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　afraid　that　is　all　we　can　do；　sir；　but　such　as　it　is

you　are　heartily　welcome　to　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

be　welcome　too。〃



〃I　did　not　bring　him　in　before　because　two　men　in　these　days　are

likely　to　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　a　negro；　had　been　here；　vou　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　many

thousands　of　prisoners；　and　you　have　taken　still　more　of　them　in

Virginia；　surely　they　cannot　trouble　themselves　much　about　one

getting　away。〃



〃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

ruffian　named　Mullens；　who　is；　I　understand；　connected　with　one

of　these　bands　of　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　a

minister。　　And　it　was　you　who　heat　that　man　and　threw　his　revolver

out　of　the　window？　Oh；　then；　you　are　in　danger　indeed；　sir。　　He　is

one　of　the　worst　ruffians　in　the　State；　and　is　the　leader　of　the　party

who　stripped　this　house　and　threatened　to　burn　it　to　the　ground。

Luckily　I　was　not　at　home；　having　gone　away　to　spend　the　night

with　a　neighbor。　　His　band　have　committed　murders　all　over　the

country；　hanging　up　defenseless　people　on　pretense　that　they　were

Secessionists。　　They　will　show　you　no　mercy　if　they　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　the　river；　and　that　brings　me　to　the　question　of　the

information　I　want　you　to　give　me。　　How　far　is　it　from　the　next

bridge　on　the　south；　and　are　there　any　Federal　troops　there？〃



〃It　is　about　seven　miles　to　the　hridge　at　William　sport；　we　are　just

halfway　between　that　and　the　railway　bridge　at　Columbus。　　Yes；

there　are　certainly　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　of　considerable　width；　still；　I　think　I　can　get　across。　　But　my

boy　cannot　swim　a　stroke。〃



〃I　know　where　there　is　a　boat　hid　in　the　wood　near　the　river；〃　the

girl　said。　　〃It　belongs　to　a　neighbor　of　ours；　and　when　the　Yankees

seized　the　boats　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　take　useful　information　across　the　river　to　our

people；　but　a　few　weeks　afterward　his　house　was　attacked　by　one

of　these　bands…it　was　always　said　it　was　that　of　Mullens…and　he

was　killed　defending　it　to　the　last。　　He　killed　several　of　the　band

before　he　fell；　and　they　were　so　enraged　that　after　plundering　it

they　set　it　on　fire　and　fastened　the　door；　and　his　wife　and　two

maid…servants　were　burned　to　death。〃



〃I　wish　instead　of　throwing　his　pistol　out　of　the　window　I　had

blown　his　brains　out　with　it；〃　Vincent　said；　〃and　I　would　have　done

so　if　I　had　known　what　sort　of　fellow　he　was。　　However；　as　to　the

boat；　can　you　give　me　instructions　where　to　find　it；　and　is　it　light

enough　for　two　men　to　carry？〃



〃Not　to　carry；　perhaps；　but　to　push　along。　　It　is　a　light　boat　he　had

for　pleasure。　　He　had　a　large　one；　but　that　was　carried　away　with

the　others。　　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　he

caught；　and　your　share　in　the　affair　might　be　suspected。〃



〃Oh！　there　is　no　fear　of　that；〃　the　girl　said；　〃besides；　I　am　not　afraid

of　danger。〃



〃I　don't　think　it　is　right；　Miss　Kingston；　for　a　young　lady　like　you　to

be　living　here　alone　with　an　old　servant　in　such　times　as　these。　

You　ought　to　go　into　a　town　until　it's　all　over。〃　



〃I　have　no　one　to　go　to；〃　the　girl　said　stmply。　　〃My　father　bought

this　place　and　moved　here　from　Georgia　only　six　years　ago；　and　all

my　friends　are　in　that　State。　　Except　our　neighbors　round　here　I　do

not　know　a　soul　in　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　spring　plowed　an　acre　or　two　of　ground　and

planted　corn　for　us；　and　I　have　a　little　money　left　for　buying　other

things；　but　it　would　not　last　us　a　month　if　we　went　into　a　town。　

No；　I　have　nothing　to　do　but　to　stay　here　until　you　drive　the

Yankees　back。　　I　will　willingly　take　you　down　to　the　boat　to…night。　

Chloe　can　come　with　us　and　keep　me　company　on　the　way　back。　

Of　course　it　would　not　be　safe　to　cross　in　the　daytime。〃



〃I　thank　you　greatly；　Miss　Kingston；　and　shall　always　remember

your　kindness。　　Now；　when　I　finish　my　meal　I　will　go　out　and　join

my　boy；　and　will　come　for　you　at　eight　o'clock；　it　will　be　quite

dark　then。〃



〃Why　should　you　not　stay　here　till　then；　Mr。　Wingfield？　It　is　very

unlikely　that　any　one　will　come　along。〃



〃It　is　unlikely；　but　it　is　quite　possible；〃　Vincent　replied；　〃and　were　I

caught　here　by　Mullens；　the　consequence　would　be　very　serious　to

you　as　well　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　any　one　should　come　and　inquire；　you　can　honestly　say　that　you

do　not　know　where　I　am。〃



〃I　have　two　revolvers　here；　sir；　in　fact　I　have　three。　　I　always　keep

one　loaded；　for　there　is　never　any　saying　whether　it　may　not　be

wanted；　the　other　two　I　picked　up　last　spring。　　There　was　a　fight

about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　here　and　after　it　was　over　and　they

had　moved　away；　for　the　Confederates　won　that　time　and　chased

them　back　toward　Nashville；　I　went　out　with　Chloe　with　some

water　and　bandages　to　see　if　we　could　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　in　a　low

bush；　and　going　there　found　a　Yankee　officer　and　his　horse　both

lying　dead；　they　had　been　killed　by　a　shell；　I　should　think。　

Stooping　over　to　see　if　he　was　quite　dead　I　saw　a　revolver　in　his

belt　and　another　in　the　holster　of　his　saddle；　so　I　took　them　out　and

brought　them　home；　thinking　I　might　give　them　to　some　of　our

men；　for　we　were　then；　as　we　have　always　been；　very　short　of

arms；　but　I　never　had　an　opportunity　of　giving　them　away；　and　I

am　very　glad　now　that　I　have　not。　　Here　they　are；　sir；　and　two

packets　of　cartridges；　for　they　are　of　the　same　size　as　those　of　the

pistol　my　father　gave　me　when　he　went　away。　　You　are　heartily

welcome　to　them。〃



〃Thank　you　extremely；〃　Vincent　said；　as　he　took　the　pistols　and

placed　the　packets　of　ammunition　in　his　pocket。　〃We　cut　two

heavy　sticks　the　night　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　we　may　meet。　　Then　at　eight　o'clock　I　will

come　back　again。〃



〃I　shall　be　ready；〃　the　girl　said；　〃but　I　wish　you　would　ha