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clump of bushes； and assuring themselves that none of them had
been used as a place of refuge for the runaway。
；
〃It's no good； Mr。 Jackson；〃 the sheriff said at last。 〃The man may
have been here； he ain't here now。 The only place we haven't；
searched is the house； and you may be quite sure the slaves dare
not conceal him there。 Too many would get to know it。 No； sir；
he's made a bolt of it； and you will have to wait now till he is
caught by chance； or shot； by some farmer or other in the act of
stealing。〃
〃I would lay a thousand dollars；〃 Andrew Jackson exclaimed
passionately； 〃that young Wingfield knows something about； his
whereabouts； and has lent him a hand！〃
〃Well； I should advise you to keep your mouth shut about； it； till
you get some positive proof；〃 the sheriff said dryly。 〃I tell you it's
no joke to accuse a member of a family like the Wingfields of
helping runaway slaves to escape。〃
〃I will bide my time；〃 the planter said。 〃You said that some day
you would lay hands on Tony dead or alive。 You see if some day I
don't lay hands on young Wingfield。〃
Well； it seems； Mr。 Jackson；〃 the sheriff remarked with a sneer； for
he was out of temper at the ill success of the day's work； 〃that； he
has already laid hands on your son。 It seems to me quite as likely
that he will lay hands on you as you on him。〃
Two days afterward as Vincent was riding through the streets of
Richmond he saw to his surprise Andrew Jackson in close
conversation with Jonas Pearson。
〃I wonder what those two fellows are talking about？〃 he said to
himself。 〃I expect； Jackson is trying to pump Pearson as to the
doings at the Orangery。 I don't like that； fellow； and never shall；
and he is just the sort of man to do one a bad turn if he had the
chance。 However； as I have never spoken to him about； that affair
from beginning to end； I don't see that he can do any mischief if he
wants to。〃
Andrew Jackson； however； had obtained information which he
considered valuable。 He learned that Vincent had been away in a
boat for five days； and that his mother had been very uneasy about
him。 He also learned that the boat was one belonging to Mr。
Furniss； and that it was only quite lately that Vincent had taken to
going out sailing。
After considerable trouble he succeeded in getting at one of the
slaves upon Mr。 Furniss' plantation。 But he could only learn from
him that Vincent had been unaccompanied when he went out in
the boat either by young Furniss or by any of the plantation hands；
that he had taken with him only his own slave； and had come and
gone as he chose； taking out and fastening up the boat himself； so
that no one could say when he had gone out；； except； that his horse
was put up at the stables。 The slave said that certainly the horse
bad only stood there on two or three occasions； and then only for a
few hours； and that unless Mr。 Wingfield had walked over he
could never have had the boat out all night； as the horse certainly
had not stood all night in the stables。
Andrew Jackson talked the matter over with his son； and both
agreed that Vincent's conduct； was suspicious His own people said
he had been away for five days in the boat。 The people at Furniss'
knew nothing about this； and therefore there must be some mystery
about it； and they doubted not that； that mystery was connected
with the runaway slave； and they guessed that he had either taken
Tony and landed him near the mouth of the York River on the
northern shore； or that he had put him on beard a ship。 They
agreed； however； that whatever their suspicious； they had not
sufficient grounds for openly accusing Vincent of aiding their
runaway。
CHAPTER V。 SECESSION。。
WHILE Vincent had been occupied with the affairs of Tony and
his wife； public events had moved forward rapidly。 The South
Carolina Convention met in the third week in December； and on
the 20th of that month the Ordinance of Secession was passed。 On
the 10th of Jan…nary； three days after Vincent returned home from
his expedition； Florida followed the example of South Carolina
and seceded。 Alabama and Mississippi passed the Ordinance of
Secession on the following day； Georgia on the 18th； Louisiana on
the 23d； and Texas on the 1st of February。
In all these States the Ordinance of Session was received with
great； rejoicing： bonfires were lit； the towns illuminated； and the
militia paraded the streets； and in many cases the Federal arsenals
were seized and the Federal forts occupied by the State troops。 In
the meantime the Northern Slave States； Virginia； North Carolina；
Tennessee； Kentucky； and Missouri； remained irresolute。 The
general feeling was strongly in favor of their Southern brethren；
but they were anxious for peace； and for a compromise being
arrived at。 Whether the North would agree to admit； the
constitutional rights of secession； or whether it would use force to
compel the Seceding States to remain in the Union； was still
uncertain； but the idea of a civil war was so terrible a one that the
general belief was that some arrangement to allow the States to go
their own way would probably be arrived at。
For the time the idea of Vincent going to West Point was
abandoned。 Among his acquaintances were several young men
who were already at West Point； and very few of these returned to
the academy。 The feeling there was very strongly on the side of
secession。 A great majority of the students came from the
Southern States； as while the sons of the Northern men went
principally into trade and commerce； the Southern planters sent
their sons into the army； and a great proportion of the officers of
the army and navy were Southerners。
As the professors at West； Point were all military men； the feeling
among them； as well as among the students； was in favor of State
rights； they considering that； according to the constitution； their
allegiance was due first to the States of which they were natives；
and in the second place to the Union。 Thus； then； many of the
professors who were natives of the seven States which had seceded
resigned their appointments； and returned home to occupy
themselves in drilling the militia and the levies； who were at once
called to arms。
Still all hoped that； peace would be preserved； until on the 11th of
April General Beauregard； who commanded the troops of South
Carolina； summoned Major Anderson； who was in command of
the Federal troops in Fort Sumter； to surrender； and on his refusal
opened fire upon the fort on the following day。
On the 13th； the barracks of the fort； being set on fire； and Major
Anderson seeing the hopelessness of a prolonged resistance；
surrendered。 The effect of the news throughout the United States
was tremendous； and Mr。 Lincoln at once called out 75；000 men of
the militia of the various States to put down the rebellion…the
border States being ordered to send their proportion