with lee in virginia-第76章

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cold　blood。　　As　long　as　one　is　doing　one's　duty；　one　death　is　surely

as　honorable　as　the　other。〃



〃That　is　true　enough；〃　General　Lee　said；　〃although　it　is　not　the　way

men　generally　view　the　matter。　　Still；　sir；　if　you　volunteer　for　the

work；　I　do　not　feel　justified　in　refusing　the　opportunity　of

acquiring　information　that　may　be　of　vital　consequence　to　us。　

When　will　you　start？〃



〃In　half　an　hour；　sir。　　I　shall　ride　back　to　Richmond；　obtain　a

disguise　there；　and　then　go　round　by　train　to　Burksville　Junction

and　then　ride　again　until　I　get　round　behind　their　lines。　　Will　you

give　me　an　order　for　my　horse　and　myself　to　he　taken？〃



〃Very　well；　sir；〃　General　Lee　said。　　〃So　be　it。　　May　God　he　with

you　on　your　way　and　bring　you　safely　back。〃



Vincent　rode　off　to　his　quarters。



〃Dan；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　going　away　on　special　duty　for　at　least　three

days。　　I　have　got　a　couple　of　letters　to　write；　and　shall　be　ready　to

start　in　half　an　hour。　　Give　the　horse　a　good　feed　and　have　him　at

the　door　again　by　that　time。〃



〃Am　I　to　go　with　you；　sah？〃



〃No；　Dan；　I　must　go　by　myself　this　time。〃



Dan　felt　anxious　as　he　went　out；　for　it　was　seldom　that　his　master

ever　went　away　without　telling　him　where　he　was　going；　and　he

felt　sure　that　the　service　was　one　of　unusual　danger；　nor　was　his

anxiety　lessened　when　at　the　appointed　time　Vincent　came　out　and

handed　him　two　letters。



〃You　are　to　keep　these　letters；　Dan；　until　I　return；　or　till　you　hear

that　something　has　happened　to　me。　　If　you　hear　that；　you　are　to

take　one　of　these　letters　to　my　mother；　and　take　the　other　yourself

to　Miss　Kingston。　Tell　her　before　you　give　it　her　what　has

happened　as　gently　as　you　can。　　As　for　yourself；　Dan；　you　had　your

letters　of　freedom　long　ago；　and　I　have　left　you　five　hundred

dollars；　so　that　you　can　get　a　cabin　and　patch　of　your　own；　and

settle　down　when　these　troubles　are　over。〃



〃Let　me　go　with　you；　master；〃　Dan　said；　with　the　tears　streaming

down　his　cheeks。　　〃I　would　rather　be　killed　with　you　a　hundred

times　than　get　on　without　you。〃



〃I　would　take　you　if　I　could；　Dan；　but　this　is　a　service　that　I　must

do　alone。　　Good…by；　my　boy；　let　us　hope　that　in　three　or　four　days

at　the　outside　I　shall　be　back　here　again　safe　and　sound。〃



He　wrung　Dan's　hand；　and　then　started　at　a　canter　and　kept　on　at

that　pace　until　he　reached　Richmond。　　A　train　with　stores　was

starting　for　the　south　in　a　few　minutes；　General　Lee's　order　enabled

Vincent　to　have　a　horse…box　attached　at　once；　and　he　was　soon

speeding　on　his　way。　He　alighted　at　Burksville　Junction；　and　there

purchased　some　rough　clothes　for　himself　and　some

country…fashioned　saddlery　for　his　horse。　　Then；　after　changing　his

clothes　at　an　inn　and　putting　the　fresh　saddlery　on　his　horse；　he

started。



It　was　getting　late　in　the　afternoon；　but　he　rode　on　by　unfrequented

roads；　stopping　occasionally　to　inquire　if　any　of　the　Federal

cavalry　had　been　seen　in　the　neighborhood；　and　at　last　stopped　for

the　night　at　a　little　village　inn。　　As　soon　as　it　was　daybreak　he

resumed　his　journey。　　He　had　purchased　at　Burksville　some

colored　calico　and　articles　of　female　clothing；　and　fastened　the

parcel　to　the　back　of　his　saddle。　　As　he　rode　forward　now　he　heard

constant　tales　of　the　passing　of　parties　of　the　enemy's　cavalry；　but

he　was　fortunate　enough　to　get　well　round　to　the　rear　of　the

Federal　lines　before　he　encountered　any　of　them。　　Then　he　came

suddenly　upon　a　troop。



〃Where　are　you　going　to；　and　where　have　you　come　from？〃



〃Our　farm　is　a　mile　away　from　Union　Grove；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　have

been　over　to　Sussex　Courthouse　to　buy　some　things　for　my

mother。〃



〃Let　me　see　what　you　have　got　there；〃　the　officer　said。　〃You　are

rebels　to　a　man　here；　and　there's　no　trusting　any　of　you。〃



Vincent　unfastened　the　parcel　and　opened　it。　The　officer　laughed。



〃Well；　we　won't　confiscate　them　as　contraband　of　war。〃



So　saying　he　set　spurs　to　his　horse　and　galloped　on　with　his　troop。　

Vincent　rode　on　to　Union　Grove；　and　then　taking　a　road　at　random

kept　on　till　he　reached　a　small　farmhouse。　　He　knocked　at　the　door；

and　a　woman　came　out。





〃Mother；〃　he　said；　〃can　you　put　me　up　for　a　couple　of　days？　I　am　a

stranger　here；　and　all　the　villages　are　full　of　soldiers。〃





The　woman　looked　at　him　doubtfully。



〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　she　asked　at　last。　　〃This　ain't　a　time　for

strangers；　besides　a　young　fellow　like　you　ought　to　be　ashamed　to

show　yourself　when　you　ought　to　be　over　there　with　Lee。　　My　boys

are　both　there　and　my　husband。　　You　ought　to　be　ashamed　of

yourself；　a　strong…looking　young　fellow　like　you；　to　be　riding　about

instead　of　fighting　the　Yankees。　　Go　along！　you　will　get　no　shelter

here。　　I　would　scorn　to　have　such　as　you　inside　my　doors。〃





〃Perhaps　I　have　been　fighting　there；〃　Vincent　said　significantly。　

〃But　one　can't　be　always　fighting；　and　there　are　other　things　to　do

sometimes。　　For　instance；　to　find　out　what　the　Yankees　are　doing

and　what　are　their　plans。〃





〃Is　that　so？〃　the　woman　asked　doubtfully。





〃That　is　so；〃　he　answered　earnestly。　　〃I　am　an　officer　in　Wade

Hampton's　cavalry；　and；　now　Sheridan's　troopers　have　cut　off　all

communication；　I　have　come　out　to　find　for　General　Lee　where　the

Yankees　are　building　their　batteries　before　Petersburg。〃



〃In　that　case　you　are　welcome；〃　the　woman　said。　〃Come　straight

in。　　I　will　lead　your　horse　out　and　fasten　him　up　in　the　bush；　and

give　him　a　feed　there。　　It　will　never　do　to　put　him　in　the　stable；　the

Yankees　come　in　and　out　and　they'd　take　him　off　sharp　enough　if

their　eyes　fell　on　him。　　I　think　you　will　be　safe　enough　even　if　they

do　come。　　They　will　take　you　for　a　son　of　mine；　and　if　they　ask　any

questions　I　will　answer　them　sharp　enough。〃



〃I　wonder　they　have　left　you　a　feed　of　corn；〃　Vincent　said；　when

the　woman　returned　after　taking　away　his　horse。



〃It's　no　thanks　to　them；〃　she　answered；　〃they　have　cleared　out

everything　that　they　could　lay　their　hands　on。　But　I　have　been

expecting　it　for　months；　and；　as　I　have　had　nothing　to　do　since　my

man　and　boys　went　away；　I　have　been　digging　a　great　pit　in　the

wood　over　there；　and　have　buried　most　all　my　corn；　and　have

salted　my　pigs　down　and　buried　them　in　barrels；　so　they　didn't　find

much。　They　took　the　old　horse　and　two　cows；　but　I　hope　the　old

horse　will　fall　down　the　first　time　they　uses　him；　and　the　cow　meat

will　choke　them　as　eats　it。　　Now；　is　there　anything　as　I　can　do　to

help　you？〃



〃I　want　a　basket　with　some　eggs　and　chickens　or　vegetables　to　take

into　their　camp　to　sell；　but　I　am　afraid　I　have　not　much　chance　of

getting　them。〃



〃I　can　help　you　there　too；〃　the　woman　said。　　〃I　turned　all　my

chickens　into　the　wood　the　day　I　heard　the　Yankees　had　landed。　

They　have　got　rather　wild　like；　but　I　go　out　and　give　them　some

corn　every　evening。　　I　expect　if　we　look　about　we　shall　find　some

nests；　indeed　I　know　there　are　one　or　two　of　them　sitting。　　So　if

you　will　come　out　with　me　we　can　soon　knock　down　five　or　six　of

the　creatures；　and　maybe　get　a　score　or　two　of　eggs。　　As　for

vegetables；　a　horde　of　locusts　couldn't　have　stripped　the　country

cleaner　than　they　have　done。〃



They　went　out　into　the　wood。　　Six　hens　were　soon　killed；　and

hunting　about　they　discovered　several　nests　and　gathered　about

three　dozen　eggs。　　Vincent　aided　in　plucking　the　chickens　and　they

then　returned　to　the　house。



〃You　had　best　take　a　bite　before　you　go；〃　she　said。



It's　noon　now；　and　you　said　you　started　at　daybreak。　Always　get　a

meal　when　you　can；　say　I。〃



She　produced　a　loaf　and　some　bacon　from　a　little　cupboard　hidden

by　her　bed；　and　Vincent；　who；　now　he　thought　of　it；　was　feeling

hungry；　made　a　hearty　meal。



〃I　will　pay　you　for　these　chickens　and　eggs　at　once；〃　he　said。　

〃There　is　no　saying　whether　I　shall　come　back　again。〃



〃I　will　not　say　no　to　your　paying　for　the　c