IT WAS not until late in the afternoon that a white officer entered, and ordered the soldiers to conduct the prisoner to the general's tent.
"What is your name, sir, and who are you?" the general asked as he was brought in."I hear that you were denounced by Lieutenant Jackson as being a spy, and that he addressed you as Vincent Wingfield.What have you got to say to the charge?""My name is Vincent Wingfield, sir," Vincent replied quietly."Iam upon the staff of General Wade Hampton, and in pursuance of my duty I came here to learn what I could of your movements and intentions."The general was silent for a moment.
"Then, sir, as you are an officer, you must be well aware of the consequence of being discovered in disguise here.I regret that there is no course open to me hut to order you to be shot as a spy to-morrow morning."One of the officers who was standing by the general here whispered to him.
"Ah, yes, I remember," he said."Are you the same officer, sir, who escaped from Elmira?""I am, sir," Vincent replied; "and at the same time aided in the escape of the man who denounced me to-day, and who then did his best to have file arrested by sending an anonymous letter stating the disguise in which I was ****** my way through the country.Iwas not surprised to find that he had carried his treachery further, and was now fighting against the men with whom he had formerly served.""He deserved the fate that has befallen him," the general said.
"Still this does not alter your position.I regret that I must order my sentence to he carried out.""I do not blame yon, sir.I knew the risks I ran when I accepted the mission.My only regret is that I failed in supplying my general with the information they required."The general then turned to the officer who had brought Vincent up.
"This officer will remain in charge of your men for to-night, Captain Pearce.You will see that the sentence is carried into effect at daybreak.I need not tell you that a vigilant guard must be placed over him."Vincent was again marched back to the village, but the officer halted the party when he arrived there.
"Stop here a few minutes, sergeant," be said."That room is required for an officer's quarters.I will look round and find another place."In a few minutes he returned, and Vincent was conducted to a shed standing in the garden of one of the houses.
"Place one man on guard at the door and another behind," he said to the sergeant."Let the other two relieve them, and change the watch once an hour."The sergeant saluted.
"De men hab been on duty since daylight, sah, and none of us hab had anything to eat.""Oh, I forgot that," the officer replied."Very well, I will send another party to relieve you at once."In ten minutes another sergeant and four men arrived at the spot, and Tony and his companions returned to the camp.
As soon as Tony had devoured a piece of bread he left the camp, walked with careless gait through the camps behind, and went on until he reached a village in which were comparatively few soldiers.He went up to a woman who was standing at a door.
"Missus," ho said, "I hab got a letter to take, and I ain't bery sure as to de name.Will you kindly tell me what is de address writ on dis paper?"The woman looked at it.
"Mrs.Grossmith, Worley Farm, near Union.That's about two miles along the road.If you go on any one will tell you which is Mrs.Grossmith's."Tony hurried on, for he wanted to get back to the camp before it was dark.He had no difficulty in finding Worley Farm.
"Now, then, what do you want?" its owner said sharply, as she opened tile door in reply to his knock."There's nothing for you here.You can look round if you like.It's been all stripped clean days ago, so I tell you.""Me no want anything, ma'am.Me hab a letter for you." The woman in surprise took the note and opened it.She read it through and looked Earnestly at Tony.
"He says you are to be trusted," she said."Is that so?""I would gib my life for him twenty times over," Tony replied.
"He got me away from a brutal master and bought my wife out ob slavery for me.What does he say, ma'am? For do Lord sake tell me.Perhaps he tell me how to get him clar."The woman read out the contents of the note.
"Dat's it, missus, sure enough; dat's the way," he exclaimed in delight."Me tink and tink all day, and no manage to tink of anything except to shoot de sentry and fight wid do oders and get him out; but den all do odor sojers come running down, and no chance to escape.If me can get do spirits dat's easy enough.Me make dem all drunk as hogs.""I can give you that," the woman said."Is there anything else you will want? What are you going to do with him if yen get him free?
They will hunt you down like vermin."
"I tought we might get down to de river and get ober somehow.
Dere will he no getting tree der cavalry.Dey will hab dem on every read.""Well, you want some clothes, anyhow; you can't go about in these soldier clothes.The first Yank yen came across would shoot you for a deserter, and the first of our men as a traitor.Well, by the time you get back to-night, that is if you do come back, I will get up a chest I've get buried with my men's clothes in it.They didn't want to take them away to the war with them, so I hid them up."She had by this time dug up the keg from its hiding-place, and now filled Tony's canteen.
"Tank yen, missus; de Lord bress yen for what you've done, wheder I get Massa Wingfield off or wheder we bofe get killed ober de job.But I must get back as fast as I can.Ef it was dark before I got to camp dey would wonder whar I had been.""Oh, you have plenty of time," the woman said; "it won't be dark till eight o'clock, and it's not seven yet.I will set to and boil a good chunk of pork and bake some cakes.It's no use getting out of the hands of the Yanks and then going and getting starved in the swamps.
