with lee in virginia-第79章

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mistake　had　been　made；　but　he　felt　that　no　denial　would

counterbalance　the　effect　of　Jackson's　words。　　The　fury；　too；　with

which　the　latter　had　attacked　him　would　show　plainly　enough　that

his　assailant　was　absolutely　certain　as　to　his　identity；　and　even　that

there　had　been　a　personal　feud　between　them。　　Then　he　thought

that　if　he　said　that　he　was　the　son　of　the　woman　in　the　lint　she

would　bear　him　out　in　the　assertion。　　But　it　was　not　likely　that　this

would　be　accepted　as　against　Jackson's　testimony；　besides；　inquiry

among　her　neighbors　would　certainly　lead　to　the　discovery　that　she

was　speaking　an　untruth；　and　might　even　involve　her　in　his　fate　as

his　abettor。　　But　most　of　all　he　decided　against　this　course　because

it　would　involve　the　telling　of　a　lie。



Vincent　considered　that　while　in　disguise；　and　doing　important

service　for　his　country；　he　was　justified　in　using　deceit；　but　merely

for　the　purpose　of　saving　his　own　life；　and　that　perhaps　uselessly；

he　would　not　lie。　　His　fate；　of　course；　was　certain。　　He　was　a　spy；

and　would　be　shot　for　it。　　Vincent　had　so　often　been　in　the

battlefield；　so　often　under　a　fire　from　which　it　seemed　that　no　one

could　come　alive；　that　the　thought　that　death　was　at　hand　had　not

for　him　the　terrors　that　possess　those　differently　circumstanced。　He

was　going　to　die　for　the　Confederacy　as　tens　of　thousands　of　brave

men　had　died　before；　and　he　rejoiced　over　the　precaution　he　had

taken　as　to　the　transmission　of　his　discoveries　on　the　previous　day；

and　felt　sure　that　General　Lee　would　do　full　justice　to　his　memory；

and　announce　that　he　had　died　in　doing　noble　service　to　the

country。



He　sighed　as　he　thought　of　his　mother　and　sisters；　but　Rose　had

been　married　in　the　spring；　and　Annie　was　engaged　to　an　officer　in

General　Beauregard's　staff。　　Then　he　thought　of　Lucy　away　in

Georgia　and　for　the　first　time　his　lip　quivered　and　his　cheek　paled。



The　negro　guards；　who　had　been　enlisted　but　a　few　weeks；　were

wholly　ignorant　of　their　duties；　and　having　once　conveyed　their

prisoner　into　the　room；　evidently　considered　that　all　further

necessity　for　military　strictness　was　at　an　end。　　They　had　been

ordered　to　stay　in　the　room　with　the　prisoner；　but　no　instructions

had　been　given　as　to　their　conduct　there。　　They　accordingly　placed

their　muskets　in　one　corner　of　the　room；　and　proceeded　to　chatter

and　laugh　without　further　regarding　him。



Under　other　circumstances　this　carelessness　would　have　inspired

Vincent　with　the　thought　of　escape；　but　he　knew　that　it　was　out　of

the　question　here。　　There　were　Federal　camps　all　round　and　a　shout

from　the　negroes　would　send　a　hundred　men　in　instant　pursuit　of

him。　　There　was　nothing　for　him　to　do　but　to　wait　for　the　end；　and

that　end　would　assuredly　come　in　the　morning。　　From　time　to　time

the　door　opened；　and　the　negro　sergeant　looked　in。　Apparently　his

ideas　on　the　subject　of　discipline　were　no　stricter　than　those　of　his

men；　for　he　made　no　remark　as　to　their　carelessness。　　Presently；

when　he　looked　in；　the　four　soldiers　were　standing　at　the　window

watching　a　regiment　passing　by　on　its　way　to　take　its　share　of　the

work　in　the　trenches。　　Vincent；　who　was　sitting　at　a　table；

happened　to　look　up；　and　was　astonished　at　seeing　the　sergeant

first　put　his　finger　on　his　lips；　then　take　off　his　cap；　put　one　hand

on　his　heart；　and　gesticulate　with　the　other。



Vincent　gazed　at　him　in　blank　surprise；　then　he　started　and　almost

sprang　to　his　feet；　for　in　the　Yankee　sergeant　he　recognized　Tony

Morris；　but　the　uplifted　hand　of　the　negro　warned　him　of　the

necessity　of　silence。　　The　negro　nodded　several　times；　again　put　his

hand　on　his　heart；　and　then　disappeared。　　A　thrill　of　hope　stirred

every　vein　in　Vincent's　body。　　He　felt　his　cheeks　flush　and　had

difficulty　in　maintaining　his　passive　attitude。　　He　was　not；　then；

utterly　deserted；　he　had　a　friend　who　would；　he　was　sure；　do　all　in

his　power　to　aid　him。



It　was　extraordinary　indeed　that　it　should　be　Tony　who　was　now

his　jailer；　and　yet；　when　he　thought　it　over；　it　was　not　difficult　to

understand。　　It　was　natural　enough　that　he　should　have　enlisted

when　the　black　regiments　were　raised。　　He　had　doubtless　heard　his

name　shouted　out　by　Jackson；　and　had；　as　Vincent　now

remembered；　stepped　forward　as　a　sort　of　volunteer　when　the

officer　called　for　a　sergeant　and　four　men。



Yes；　Tony　would　doubtless　do　all　in　his　power　to　save　him。　

Whether　it　would　be　possible　that　he　could　do　so　was　doubtful；　but

at　least　there　was　a　hope；　and　with　it　the　feeling　of　quiet

resignation　with　which　Vincent　had　faced　what　appeared　to　be

inevitable　at　once　disappeared；　and　was　succeeded　by　a　restless

longing　for　action。　　His　brain　was　busy　at　once　in　calculating　the

chances　of　his　being　ordered　for　instant　execution　or　of　the

sentence　being　postponed　till　the　following　morning；　and；　in　the

latter　case；　with　the　question　of　what　guard　would　be　probably

placed　over　him；　and　how　Tony　would　set　about　the　attempt　to　aid

him　to　escape。



Had　the　general　been　in　camp　when　he　was　brought　in　he　would

probably　have　been　shot　at　sunset；　but　if　he　did　not　return　until　the

afternoon　he　would　would　most　likely　order　the　sentence　to　be

carried　out　at　daybreak。　　In　any　case；　as　he　was　an　officer；　some

time　might　be　granted　to　him　to　prepare　for　death。　　Then　there　was

the　question　whether　he　would　be　handed　over　to　a　white　regiment

for　safekeeping　or　left　in　the　hands　of　the　black　regiment　that　had

captured　him。　　No　doubt　after　the　sentence　was　passed　the　white

officers　of　that　regiment　would　see　that　a　much　stricter　watch　than

that　now　put　over　him　was　set。



It　was　not　probable　that　he　would　still　be　in　charge　of　Tony；　for　as

the　latter　would　be　on　duty　all　day　he　would　doubtless　be　relieved。　

In　that　case　how　would　he　manage　to　approach　him；　and　what

means　would　he　use　to　direct　the　attention　of　the　sentries　in

another　direction？　He　thought　over　the　plans　that　he　himself　would

adopt　were　he　in　Tony's　place。　　The　first　thing　would　be；　of　course；

to　make　the　sentries　drunk　if　possible。　　This　should　not　be　a

difficult　task　with　men　whose　notions　of　discipline　were　so　lax　as

those　of　the　negroes；　but　It　would　be　no　easy　matter　for　Tony　to

obtain　spirits；　for　these　were　strictly　prohibited　in　the　Federal

camp。　　Perhaps　he　might　help　Tony　in　this　way。　　He　fortunately

had　a　small　notebook　with　a　pencil　in　his　pocket；　and　as　his　guards

were　still　at　the　window　he　wrote　as　follows：



〃I　am　captured　by　the　Yankees。　　So　far　as　I　can　see；　my　only

chance　of　escape　is　to　make　the　sentries　drunk。　The　bearer　is

absolutely　to　be　trusted。　　Give　him　his　canteen　full　of　spirits；　and

tell　him　what　I　have　written　here。〃



He　tore　this　page　out；　folded　it　up；　and　directed　it　to　Mrs。

Grossmith；　Worley　Farm；　near　Union。　　Presently　Tony　looked　in

again　and　Vincent　held　up　the　note。　　The　sergeant　stepped　quickly

forward　and　took　it；　and　then　said　sharply　to　the　men：



〃Now　den；　dis　not　keeping　guard。　　Suppose　door　open　and　dis

fellow　run　away。　　What　dey　say　to　you？　　Two　of　you　keep　your　eye

on　d's　man。　　Suppose　Captain　Pearce　come　in　and　find　you　all

staring　out　window。　　He　kick　up　nice　bobbery。〃



Thus　admonished　as　to　their　duty；　two　of　the　negroes　took　up　their

muskets　and　stood　with　their　backs　to　the　door；　with　their　eyes

fixed　on　the　prisoner　with　such　earnestness　that　Vincent　could　not

suppress　a　smile。　　The　negroes　grinned　responsively。



〃Dis　bad　affair；　young　sah；〃　one　said；　〃bery　bad　affair。　Oh　course

we　soldiers　oh　de　Union；　and　got　to　fight　if　dey　tell　us；　but　no　like

dis　job　oh　keeping　guard　like　dis。〃



〃It　can't　be　helped；〃　Vincent　said；　〃and　of　course　you　must　do　your

duty。　　I　am　not　going　to　jump　up　the　chimney　or　fly　through　the

window；　and　as　there　are　four　of　you；　to　say　nothing　of　the

sergeant　outside；　you　needn't　be　afraid　of　my　trying　to　escape。〃



〃No　sah；　dat　not　possible　nohow；　we