with lee in virginia-第69章

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with　a　break　or　two；　till　we　get　there。　I　propose　that　we　dismount

when　we　get　within　half　a　mile　of　the　place。　　We　will　try　and　get

hold　of　some　one　who　knows　the　country　well；　and　get　him　to　load

three　of　us　round　through　the　edge　of　the　swamp　to　the　back　of　the

house。　　It　stands　within　fifty　yards　of　the　swamp。　　I　have　no　doubt

they　put　it　there　so　that　they　might　escape　if　pressed；　and　also　to

prevent　their　being　observed　going　backward　and　forward　to　that

still　of　theirs。〃



This　plan　was　followed　out。　　A　negro　lad　was　found　who；　on　the

promise　of　a　couple　of　dollars；　agreed　to　act　as　guide　　Three　of　the

party　were　then　told　off　to　follow　him；　and　the　rest；　after　waiting

for　half　an　hour　to　allow　them　to　make　the　detour；　mounted　their

horses　and　rode　down　at　a　gallop　to　the　house。　　When　they　were

within　a　short　distance　of　it　they　heard　a　shout；　and　a　man　who　was

lounging　near　the　door　ran　inside。　　Almost　instantly　they　saw　the

shutters　swing　back　across　the　windows；　and　when　they　drew　up

fifty　yards　from　the　door　the　barrels　of　four　rifles　were　pushed　out

through　slits　in　the　shutters。



The　sheriff　held　up　his　hand。　　〃William　Porter；　I　want　a　word　with

you。〃



A　shutter　in　an　upper　room　opened；　and　an　elderly　man　appeared

with　a　rifle　in　his　hand。



〃William　Porter；〃　the　sheriff　said；　〃I　have　a　warrant　for　the　arrest

of　two　men　now　in　your　house　on　the　charge　of　kidnaping　a　female

slave；　the　property　of　Captain　Wingfield　here。　　I　have　no　proof

that　you　had　any　share　in　the　matter；　or　that　you　are　aware　that　the

slave　was　not　honestly　obtained。　　In　the　second　place；　I　have　a

warrant　for　the　arrest　of　your　son　John　Porter；　now　in　your　house

and　passing　recently　under　the　name　of　Jonas　Pearson；　on　the

charge　of　resisting　and　killing　the　officers　of　the　law　on　the　5th　of

December；　1851。　　I　counsel　you　to　hand　over　these　men　to　me

without　resistance。　　You　know　what　happened　when　your　sons

defied　the　law　before；　and　what　will　happen　now　if　you　refuse

compliance。〃



〃Yah！〃　the　old　man　shouted。　　〃Do　you　suppose　we　are　going　to

give　in　to　five　mon？　Not　if　we　know　it。　　Now；　I　warn　you；　move

yourself　off　while　I　let　you；　else　you　will　get　a　bullet　in　you　before

I　count　three。〃



〃Very　well；　then。　　You　must　take　the　consequences；〃　the　sheriff

replied；　and　at　once　called　the　party　to　fall　back。



〃We　must　dismount；〃　ho　said　in　answer　to　Vincent's　look　of

surprise；　〃they　would　riddle　us　here　on　horseback　in　the　open。　

Besides　we　must　dismount　to　break　in　the　door。〃



They　rode　back　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　and　then　dismounted。　The

sheriff　took　two　heavy　axes　that　hung　from　his　saddle；　and　handed

them　to　two　of　the　men。



〃I　reckoned　we　should　have　trouble；〃　ho　said。　　〃However；　I　hope

we　sha'n't　have　to　use　these。　　My　idea　is　to　crawl　up　through　the

corn…field　until　we　are　within　shooting　distance；　and　then　to　open

fire　at　the　loopholes。　　They　have　never　taken　the　trouble　to　grub　up

the　stumps；　and　each　man　must　look　out　for　shelter。　　I　want　to

make　it　so　hot　for　them　that　they　will　try　to　bolt　to　the　swamp；　and

in　that　case　they　will　ho　covered　by　the　men　there。　　I　told　them　not

to　fire　until　they　got　quite　close；　so　they　ought　to　dispose　of　three

of　them；　and　as　they　have　got　pistols　they　will　be　able　to　master　the

others；　besides；　directly　we　hear　firing　behind；　we　shall　jump　up

and　make　a　rush　round。　　Do　you；　sir；　and　James　Wilkins　here；　stop

in　front。　　Two　of　them　might　make　a　rush　out　behind；　and　the

others；　when　they　have　drawn　us　off；　bolt　in　front。〃



Several　shots　were　fired　at　the　party　as　they　made　their　way　across

to　the　end　of　the　field；　where　the　tall　stalks　of　maize　were　still

standing；　though　the　corn　had　been　gathered　weeks　before。　　As

soon　as　they　reached　the　shelter　they　separated；　each　crawling

through　the　maize　until　they　arrived　within　fifty　yards　of　the　house。　

There　were；　as　the　sheriff　had　said；　many　stumps　still　standing；　and

each　ensconced　himself　behind　one　of　those；　and　began　to　reply　to

the　fire　that　the　defenders　had　kept　up　whenever　they　saw　a

movement　among　the　corn　stalks。



At　such　a　distance　the　shutters　were　but　of　slight　advantage　to　the

defenders　of　the　house；　for　the　assailants　were　all　good　shots；　and

the　loopholes　afforded　excellent　targets　at　such　a　distance。　　After

a　few　shots　had　been　fired　from　the　house　the　fire　of　the　defenders

ceased；　the　men　within　not　daring　to　protrude　the　rifles　through　the

loopholes；　as　every　such　appearance　was　instantly　followed　by　a

couple　of　shots　from　the　corn　patch。



〃Give　me　one　of　those　axes；〃　the　sheriff　said。　　〃Now；　Withers；　do

you　make　a　rush　with　me　to　the　door。　　Get　your　rifle　loaded　before

you　start；　and　have　your　revolver　handy　in　your　belt。　　Now；　Captain

Wingfield；　do　you　and　the　other　two　keep　a　sharp　lookout　at　the

loopholes；　and　see　that　they　don't　get　a　shot　at　us　as　we　run。　　Now；

Withers；〃　and　the　sheriff　ran　forward。　　Two　rifles　were　protruded

through　the　loopholes。　　Vincent　and　his　companions　fired　at　once。　

One　of　the　rifles　gave　a　sharp　jerk　and　disappeared；　the　other　was

fired；　and　Withers　dropped　his　axe；　but　still　ran　forward。　　Tho

sheriff　began　an　onslaught　at　the　door；　his　companion's　right　arm

being　useless。　　A　minute　later　the　sharp　crack　of　rifles　was　heard　in

the　rear；　and　the　sheriff　and　two　men　rushed　in　that　direction；

while　Vincent　and　the　other　lay　watching　the　door。　　Scarcely　had

the　sheriff's　party　disappeared　round　the　house　than　the　door　was

thrown　open；　and　Pearson　ran　out　at　full　speed。　　Vincent　leaped　to

his　feet。



〃Surrender；〃　he　said；　〃or　you　are　a　dead　man。〃



Jonas　paused　for　a　moment　with　a　loud　imprecation；　and　then

leveling　a　revolver；　fired。　　Vincent　felt　a　moment's　pain　in　the

cheek；　but　before　he　could　level　his　rifle　his　companion　fired；　and

Pearson　fell　forward　dead。　A　minute　later　the　sheriff　and　his　party

ran　round。



〃Have　you　got　him？〃　ho　asked。



〃He　will　give　no　more　trouble；　sheriff；〃　the　young　man　who　fired

said。　　〃I　fancy　I　had　him　plum　between　the　eyes。　　How　about　the

others？〃



〃Dick　Matheson　is　killed；　he　got　two　bullets　in　his　body。　The　other

man　is　badly　wounded。　　There　are　no　signs　of　old　Porter。〃



They　now　advanced　to　the　door；　which　stood　open。　　As　the　sheriff

entered　there　was　a　sharp　report；　and　he　fell　back　shot　through　the

heart。　　The　rest　made　a　rush　forward。　　Another　shot　was　fired；　but

this　missed　them；　and　before　it　could　be　repeated　they　had　wrested

the　pistol　from　the　hand　of　Matheson's　wife。　　She　was　firmly

secured；　and　they　then　entered　the　kitchen；　where；　crouched　upon

the　floor；　lay　some　seven　or　eight　negro　men　and　women　in　an

agony　of　terror。　　Vincent's　question；　〃Dinah；　where　are　you？〃　was

answered　by　a　scream　of　delight；　and　Dinah；　who　had　been

covering　her　child　with　her　body；　leaped　to　her　feet。



〃It's　all　right；　Dinah；〃　Vincent　said；　〃but　stay　here；　we　haven't

finished　this　business　yet。〃



　〃I　fancy　the　old　man's　upstairs；〃　one　of　the　men　said。　〃It　was　his

rifle；　I　reckon；　that　disappeared　when　we　fired。〃



It　was　as　he　expected。　　Porter　was　found　dead　behind　the　loophole；

a　bullet　having　passed　through　his　brain。　The　deputy…sheriff；　who

was　with　the　party；　now　took　the　command。　　A　cart　and　horse　were

found　in　an　out…building；　in　these　the　wounded　man；　who　was　one

of　those　who　had　taken　part　in　the　abduction　of　Dinah；　was　placed；

together　with　the　female　prisoner　and　the　dead　body　of　the　sheriff。　

The　negroes　were　told　to　follow；　and　the　horses　having　been

fetched　the　party　mounted　and　rode　off　to　the　next　village；　five

miles　on　their　way　back。　　Here　they　halted　for　the　night；　and　the

next　day　went　on　to　Marion　Courthouse；　Vincent　hiring　a　cart　for

the　conveyance　of　Dinah　and　the　other　women。　　It　was　settled　that

Vincent's　attendance　at　the　trial　of　the　two　prisoners　would　not　be

necessary；　as　the　man　would　be　tried　for　armed　resistance　to　the

law；　an