with lee in virginia-第56章

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and　it　will　be　much　more　pleasant　to　push　on　at　once。〃



〃By　the　way；　you　cannot　cross　at　Florence；　for　I　hear　that　Hood　has

fallen　back　across　the　river；　the　forces　advancing　against　him　from

this　side　being　too　strong　to　be　resisted。　　But　I　think　that　this　is　no

disadvantage　to　you；　for　it　would　have　been　far　more　difficult　to

pass　the　Federals　and　get　to　Florence　than　to　make　for　some　point

on　the　river　as　far　as　possible　from　the　contending　armies。〃



〃We　talked　that　over　the　last　time　you　were　here；　doctor；　and　you

know　we　agreed　it　was　better　to　run　the　risk　of　falling　into　the

hands　of　the　Yankee　troops　than　into　those　of　one　of　those　partisan

bands　whose　exploits　are　always　performed　at　a　distance　from　the

army。　　However；　if　Hood　has　retreated　across　the　Tennessee　there

is　an　end　of　that　plan；　and　we　must　take　some　other　route。　　Which

do　you　advise？〃



〃The　Yankees　will　be　strong　all　round　the　great　bend　of　the　river　to

the　west　of　Florence　and　along　the　line　to　the　east；　which　would；　of

course；　be　your　direct　way。　　The　passage；　however；　is　your　real

difficulty；　and　I　should　say　that　instead　of　going　in　that　direction

you　had　better　bear　nearly　due　south。　　There　is　a　road　from　Mount

Pleasant　that　strikes　into　the　main　road　from　Columbia　up　to

Camden。　　You　can　cross　the　river　at　that　point　without　any

question　or　suspicion；　as　you　would　be　merely　traveling　to　the　west

of　the　State。　　Once　across　you　could　work　directly　south；　crossing

into　the　State　of　Mississippi；　and　from　there　take　train　through

Alabama　to　Georgia。



〃It　seems　a　roundabout　way；　but　I　think　you　would　find　it　far　the

safest；　for　there　are　no　armies　operating　upon　that　line。　　The

population；　at　any　rate　as　you　get　south；　are　for　us；　and　there　are；

so　far　as　I　have　heard；　very　few　of　these　bushwhacking　bands

about　either　on　one　side　or　the　other。　　The　difficult　part　of　the

journey　is　that　up　to　Camden；　but　as　you　will　be　going　away　from

the　seat　of　war　instead　of　toward　it　there　will　be　little　risk　of　being

questioned。〃



〃I　had　thought　of　buying　a　horse　and　cart；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃Jogging

along　a　road　like　that　we　should　attract　no　attention。　　I　gave　up　the

idea　because　our　funds　were　not　sufficient；　but；　thanks　to　your

kindness；　we　might　manage　now　to　pick　up　something　of　the　sort。〃



The　doctor　was　silent　for　a　minute。



〃If　you　will　send　Dan　over　to　me　to…morrow　afternoon　I　will　see

what　can　be　done；〃　he　said。　　〃It　would　certainly　be　the　safest　plan

by　far；　but　I　must　think　it　over。　　You　will　not　leave　before　that；　will

you？〃



〃Certainly　not；　doctor。　　In　any　case　we　should　have　stayed　another

day　to　get　a　few　more　things　for　our　journey。〃



The　next　afternoon　Dan　went　over　to　Mount　Pleasant。　He　was

away　two　hours　longer　than　they　had　expected；　and　they　began　to

feel　quite　uneasy　about　him；　when　the　sound　of　wheels　was　heard；

and　Dan　appeared　coming　along　the　road　driving　a　cart。　　Vincent

gave　a　shout　of　satisfaction；　and　Lucy　and　the　negress　ran　out　from

the　house　in　delight。



〃Here　am　de　cart。　　Me　had　to　go　to　five　miles　from　de　town　to　get

him。　　Dat　what　took　me　so　long。　　Here　am　a　letter；　sah；　from　the

doctor　　First…rate　man　dat　　Good　man　all　ober。〃



The　letter　was　as　follows：



〃My　DEAR　Mu。　WINGFIELD：　I　did　not　see　how　you　would　be

able　to　buy　a　cart；　and　I　was　sure　that　you　could　not　obtain　one

with　the　funds　in　your　possession。　　As　from　what　you　have　said　I

knew　that　you　would　not　in　the　least　mind　the　expense；　I　have

taken　the　matter　upon　myself；　and　have　bought　from　your　landlady

a　cart　and　horse；　which　will；　I　think；　suit　you　well。　　I　have　paid　for

them　a　hundred　and　fifty　dollars；　which　you　can　remit　me　with　the

hundred　I　handed　you　yesterday。　　Sincerely　trusting　that　you　may

succeed　in　carrying　out　your　plans　in　safety；　and　with　kind　regards

to　yourself　and　Miss　Kingston；



〃I　remain；　yours　truly；



〃JAMES　SPENCER。〃



〃That　is　a　noble　fellow；〃　Vincent　said；　〃and　I　trust；　for　his　sake　as

well　as　our　own；　that　we　shall　get　safely　through。　　Now；　Lucy；　I

think　you　had　better　go　into　the　town　the　first　thing　and　buy　some

clothes　of　good　homely　fashion。　　What　with　the　water　and　the

bushes　your　dress　is　grievously　dilapidated；　to　say　the　least　of　it。　

Dan　can　go　with　you　and　buy　a　suit　for　me…those　fitted　for　a　young

farmer。　　We　shall　look　like　a　young　farmer　and　his　sister　jogging

comfortably　along　to　market；　we　can　stop　…and　buy　a　stock　of

goods　at　some　farm　on　the　way。〃



〃That　will　be　capital；〃　the　girl　said。　　〃I　have　been　greatly　ashamed

of　my　old　dress；　hut　knowing　we　were　running　so　short；　and　that

every　dollar　was　of　consequence；　I　made　the　best　of　it；　now　that

we　are　in　funds　we　can　afford　to　be　respectable。〃



Lucy　started　early　the　next　morning　for　the　town；　and　the　shopping

was　satisfactorily　accomplished。　　They　returned　by　eleven　o'clock。　

The　new　purchases　were　at　once　donned；　and　half　an　hour　later

they　set　off　in　the　cart；　Vincent　sitting　on　the　side　driving；　Lucy　in

the　corner　facing　him　on　a　basket　turned　topsy…turvy；　Dan　and

Chioe　on　a　thick　bag　of　rushes　in　the　bottom　of　the　cart。





CHAPTER　XIV。　ACROSS　THE　BORDER。



DAN　ON　his　return　with　the　cart　had　brought　back　a　message　from

its　late　owner　to　say　that　if　she　could　in　any　way　be　of　use　to　them

she　should　be　glad　to　aid　them。　Her　farm　lay　on　the　road　they　were

now　following；　and　they　determined　therefore　to　stop　there。　　As　the

cart　drew　up　at　the　door　the　woman　came　out。



〃Gad　to　see　you；〃　she　said；　〃come　right　in。　It's　strange　now　you

should　have　been　lodging　in　my　house　for　more　than　six　weeks　and

I　should　never　have　set　eyes　on　you　before。　　The　doctor　talked　to

me　a　heap　about　you；　but　I　didn't　look　to　see　quite　such　a　young

couple。〃



Lucy　colored　hotly　and　was　about　to　explain　that　they　did　not　stand

in　the　supposed　relationship　to　each　other；　but　Vincent　slightly

shook　his　head。　　It　was　not　worth　while　to　undeceive　the　woman；

and　although　they　had　agreed　to　pass　as　brother　and　sister　Vincent

was　determined　not　to　tell　an　untruth　about　it　unless　deceit　was

absolutely　necessary　for　their　safety。



〃And　you　want　to　get　out　of　the　way　without　questions　being

asked；　I　understand？〃　the　woman　went　on。　　〃There　are　many　such

about　at　present。　　I　don't　want　to　ask　no　questions；　the　war　has

brought　trouble　enough　on　me。　Now　is　there　anything　I　can　do？　If

so；　say　it　right　out。〃



〃Yes；　there　is　something　you　can　do　for　us。　　We　want　to　fill　up　our

cart　with　the　sort　of　stuff　you　take　to　market…apples　and　pumpkins；

and　things　of　that　sort。　　If　we　had　gone　to　buy　them　anywhere　else

there　might　have　been　questions　asked。　　From　what　the　doctor　said

you　can　let　us　have　some。〃



〃I　can　do　that。　　The　storeroom's　chuck　full；　and　it　was　only　a　few

days　ago　I　said　to　David　it　was　time　we　set　about　getting　them　off。　

I　will　fill　your　cart；　sir；　and　not　overcharge　you　neither。　　It　will

save　us　the　trouble　of　taking　it　over　to　Columbia　or　Camden；　for

there's　plenty　of　garden　truck　round　Mount　Pleasant；　and　one

cannot　get　enough　to　pay　for　the　trouble　of　taking　them　there。〃



The　cart　was　soon　filled　with　apples；　pumpkins；　and　other

vegetables；　and　the　price　put　upon　them　was　very　moderate。



〃What　ought　we　to　ask　for　these？。〃　Vincent　soon　inquired。　　〃　One

does　not　want　to　be　extra　cheap　or　dear。〃



The　woman　informed　them　of　the　prices　they　might　expect　to　get

for　the　produce；　and　they　at　once　started　amid　many　warm　good

wishes　from　her。



Before　leaving　the　farm　the　woman　had　given　them　a　letter　to　her

sister　who　lived　a　mile　from　Camden。



〃It's　always　awkward　stopping　at　a　strange　place；〃　she　said；　〃and

farmers　don't　often　put　up　at　hotels　when　they　drive　in　with　garden

truck　to　a　town；　though　they　may　do　so　sometimes；　besides　it's

always　nice　being　with　friends。　I　will　write　a　line　to　Jane　and　tell

her　you　have　been　my　tenants　at　Woodford　and　where