with lee in virginia-第50章

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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；〃　Chloo　said；　〃why　dey　say　dat　thar　am　no　pretty

dresses　in　de　'Federacy；　and　dat　blue　gown　wid　red　spots　is　just　as

good　as　new；　and　it　am　downright　awful　to　tink　dat　dose　fellows

will　come　back　and　take　it。〃



〃Never　mind；　CliIe；〃　Vincent　said；　smiling。　　〃No　doubt　we　are

short　of　pretty　dresses　in　the　South；　but　I　dare　say　we　shall　be　able

to　find　you　something　that　will　be　almost　as　good。　　But　we　must

not　stand　talking。　　You　are　sure　you　have　got　everything　of　value；

Miss　Kingston？〃



〃I　have　got　my　purse；〃　she　said；　〃and　Chloe　has　got　some　food。　　I

don't　think　there　is　anything　else　worth　taking　in　the　house。〃



〃Very　well；　we　will　be　off；〃　Vincent　said；　leading　the　way　to　the

door。



A　minute　later　Dan　rode　past；　and　Vincent　called　him　and　told　him

they　were　going　to　start。



〃Shall　we　take　do　horses；　sah？〃



〃No；　Dan。　　We　are　going　to　carry　out　our　original　plan　of　crossing

the　river　in　a　boat；　and　I　think　the　horses　would　be　rather　in　our

way　than　not。　But　you　had　better　not　leave　them　here。　　Take　them

to　the　farther　side　of　the　clearing　and　get　them　through　the　fence

into　the　forest；　then　strike　across　as　quickly　as　you　can　and　join　us

where　we　were　stopping　to…day。　　Miss　Kingston　and　her　servant　are

going　with　us。　　They　cannot　stay　here　after　what　has　taken　place。〃



Dan　at　once　rode　off　with　the　two　horses；　and　the　others　walked

across　to　the　edge　of　the　clearing　and　waited　until　he　rejoined

them。



〃Now；　Miss　Kingston；　you　must　be　our　guide　at　present。〃



〃We　must　cross　the　road　first；〃　the　girl　said。　　〃Nearly　opposite　to

where　we　are　there　is　a　little　path　through　the　wood　leading

straight　down　to　the　river。　　The　boat　lies　only　a　short　distance　from

it。〃



The　path　was　a　narrow　one；　and　it　was　very　dark　under　the　trees。



〃Mind　how　you　go；〃　Vincent　said　as　the　girl　stepped　lightly　on

ahead。　　〃You　might　get　a　heavy　fall　if　you　caught　your　foot　on　a

root。〃



She　instantly　moderated　her　pace。　　〃I　know　the　path　well；　but　it

was　thoughtless　of　me　to　walk　so　fast。　　I　forgot　you　did　not　know

it；　and　if　you　were　to　stumble　you　might　hurt　your　arm　terribly。　

How　does　it　feel　now？〃



〃It　certainly　hurts　a　bit；〃　Vincent　replied　in　a　cheerful　tone；　〃but

now　it　is　strapped　tightly　to　me　it　cannot　move　much。　　Please　do

not　worry　about　me。〃



〃Ah！〃　she　said；　〃I　cannot　forget　how　you　got　it…how　you　attacked

twelve　men　to　save　me！〃



〃Still　less　can　I　forget；　Miss　Kingston；　how　you；　a　young　girl；

confronted　death　rather　than　say　a　word　that　would　place　me　in

their　power。〃



〃That　was　quite　different；　Mr。　Wingfield。　　My　own　honor　was

pledged　not　to　betray　you；　who　had　trusted　me。〃



〃Well；　we　will　cry　quits　for　the　present；　Miss　Kingston；　or；　rather；

we　will　be　content　to　remain　for　the　present　in　each　other's　debt。〃



A　quarter　of　an　hour's　walking　brought　them　to　the　river。



〃Now；〃　Lucy　said；　〃we　must　make　our　way　about　ten　yards　through

these　bushes　to　the　right。〃



With　some　difficulty　they　passed　through　the　thick　screen　of

bushes；　the　girl　still　leading　the　way。



〃Here　it　is；〃　she　said；　〃I　have　my　hand　upon　it。〃　　Vincent　was　soon

beside　her；　and　the　negroes　quickly　joined　them。



〃There　are　no　oars　in　the　boat；〃　Vincent　said；　feeling　along　the

seat。



〃Oh！　I　forgot！　　They　are　stowed　away　behind　the　bushes　on　the

right；　they　were　taken　out；　so　that　if　the　Yankees　found　the　boat　it

would　be　of　no　use　to　them。〃



Dan　made　his　way　through　the　bushes；　and　soon　found　the　oars。　

Then　uniting　their　strength　they　pushed　the　boat　through　the　high

rushes　that　screened　it　from　the　river。



〃It　is　afloat；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃Now；　Dan；　take　your　place　in　the

bow。〃



I　will　row；　Mr。　Wingfleld。　　I　am　a　very　good　hand　at　it。　　So　please

take　your　seat　with　Chloe　in　the　stern。〃



〃Dan　can　take　one　oar；　anyhow；〃　Vincent　replied；　〃but　I　will　let

you　row　instead　of　me。　　I　am　afraid　I　should　make　a