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patiently for your own。〃
〃And now； mother； I have told you all of my news； let us hear
about every one here。 How are all the old house hands； and how is
Dinah？ Tony is at Washington； I know； because I saw in the paper
that he had made a sudden attack upon Jackson。〃
Mrs。 Wingfield's face fell。
〃That is my one piece of bad news； Vincent。 I wish you hadn't
asked the question until to…morrow； for I am sorry that anything
should disturb the pleasure of this first meeting； still as you have
asked the question I must answer it。 About ten days ago a negro
came； as I afterward heard from Chloe； to the back entrance and
asked for Dinah。 He said he had a message for her。 She went and
spoke to him； and then ran back and caught up her child。 She said
to Chloe； 'I have news of my husband。 I think he is here。 I will
soon be back again。' Then she ran out； and has never returned。
We have made every inquiry we could； but we have not liked to
advertise for her； for it may be that she has met her husband； and
that he persuaded her to make off at once with him to Yorktown or
Fortress Monroe。〃
〃This is bad news indeed； mother；〃 Vincent said。 〃No； I do not
think for a moment that she has gone off with Tony。 There could
be no reason why she should have left so suddenly without telling
any one； for she knew well enough that you would let her go if she
wished it； and I feal sure that neither she nor Tony would act so
ungratefully as to leave us in this manner。 No； mother； I feel sure
that this has been done by Jackson。 You know I told you I felt
uneasy about her before I went。 No doubt the old rascal has seen
in some Northern paper an account of his son having been attacked
in the streets of Washington； and recaptured by Tony； and he has
had Dinah carried off from a pure spirit of revenge。 Well；
mother；〃 he went on in answer to an appealing look from her； 〃I
will not put myself out this first evening of my return； and will say
no more about it。 There will be plenty of time to take the matter
up to…morrow。 And now about all our friends and acquaintances。
How are they getting on？ Have you heard of any more of my old
chums being killed since I was taken prisoner at Antietam？〃
It was late in the evening before Vincent heard all the news。
Fortunately； the list of casualties in the army of Virginia had been
slight since Antietam； but that battle had made many gaps among
the circle of their friends； and of these Vincent now heard for the
first time； and he learned too； that although no battle had been
fought since Antietam； on the 17th of September； there had been a
sharp skirmish near Fredericksburg； and that the Federal army；
now under General Burnside； who had succeeded McClellan； was
facing that of Lee； near that town； and that it was believed that
they would attempt to cross the Rappahannock in a few days。
It was not until he retired for the night that Vincent allowed his
thoughts to turn again to the missing woman。 Her loss annoyed and
vexed him much more than he permitted his mother to see。 In the
first place； the poor girl's eagerness to show her gratitude to him
upon all occasions； and her untiring watchfulness and care during
his illness from his wound； had touched him； and the thought that
she was now probably in the hands of brutal taskmasters was a real
pain to him。 In the next place； he bad； as it were； given his pledge
to Tony that she should be well cared for until she could be sent to
join him。 And what should he say now when the negro wrote to
claim her？ Then； too； he felt a personal injury that the woman
should be carried cif when under his mother's protection； and he
was full of indignation and fury at the dastardly revenge taken by
Jackson。 Upon hearing the news he had at once mentally
determined to devote himself for some time to a search for Dinah；
but the news that a great battle was expected at the front interfered
with his plan。 Now that ho was back； capable of returning to duty；
his place was clearly with his regiment； but he determined that
while he would rejoin at once； he would as soon as the battle was
over； if he were unhurt； take up the search。 His mother and sisters
were greatly distressed when at breakfast he told them that he must
at once report bimself as fit for duty； and ready to join his
regiment。
〃I was afraid you would think so；〃 Mrs。 Wingfield said； while the
girls wept silently； 〃and much as I grieve at losing you again
directly you have returned； I can say nothing against it。 You have
gone through many dangers； Vincent； and have been preserved to
us through them all。 We will pray that you may be so to the end。
Still； whether or not； I as a Virginian woman cannot grudge my
son to the service of my country； when all other mothers are
making the same sacrifice； but it is hard to give you up when but
yesterday you returned to us。〃
CHAPTER XV。 FREDERICKSBURG。
As soon as breakfast was over Vincent mounted Wi1dfire… which
had been sent back after he had been taken prisoner； and rode into
Richmond。 There he reported himself at headquarters as having
returned after escaping from a Federal prison； and making his way
through the lines of the enemy。
〃I had my shoulder…bone smashed in a fight with some Yankees；〃
he said； 〃and was laid up in hiding for six weeks； but have now
fairly recovered。 My shoulder； at times； gives me considerable
pain； and although I am desirous of returning to duty and rejoining
my regiment until the battle at Fredericksburg has taken place； I
must request that three months' leave be granted to me after that to
return home and complete my cure； promising of course to rejoin
my regiment at once should hostilities break out before the
spring。〃
〃We saw the news that you had escaped；〃 the general said； 〃but
feared； as so long a time elapsed without hearing from you； that
you had been shot in attempting to cross the lines。 Your request
for leave is of course granted； and a note will be made of your zeal
in thus rejoining on the very day after your return。 The vacancy in
the regiment has been filled up； but I will appoint you temporarily
to General Stuart's staff； and I shall have great pleasure in to…day
filling up your commission as captain。 Now let me hear how you
made your escape。 By the accounts published in the Northern
papers it seemed that you must have had a confederate outside the
walls。〃
Vincent gave a full account of his escape from prison and a brief
sketch of his subsequent proceedings； saying only that he was in
the house of some loyal people in Tennessee； when it was attacked
by a party of Yankee bushwhackers； that these were beaten off in
the fight； but that he himself had a pistol bullet in his shoulder。 He
then made his way on until compelled by his wound to lay up for
six weeks in a lonely farmhouse near Mount Pleasant； that
afterward in the disguise of a young farmer he had made a