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Yankee…land he may either call me out or demand a court of
inquiry。 I may not succeed in getting a verdict from twelve white
men； but I think I can convince every one of our own class that the
fellow did it； and when this battle that is expected is over I have
got three months' leave； and I will move heaven and earth to find
the woman； and if I do； Jackson will either have to bolt or stand a
trial； with the prospect of ten years' imprisonment if he is
convicted。 In either case we are not likely to have his son about
here again； and if he did venture back and brought an action
against me； his chance of getting damages would be a small one。〃
Another half…hour's ride brought them to the Cedars。 They
dismounted at the house； and fastening their horses to the portico
knocked at the door。 It was opened by a negro。
〃Tell your master；〃 Vincent said； 〃that Mr。 Wingfield wishes to
speak to him。〃
Andrew Jackson himself came to the door。
〃To what do I owe the very great pleasure of this visit； Mr。
Wingfield？〃 he said grimly。
〃I have come to ask you what you have done with Dinah Morris；
whom； I have every ground for believing； you have caused to be
kidnaped from my mother's house。〃
〃This is a serious charge； young gentleman；〃 Andrew Jackson said；
〃and one that I shall call upon you to justify in the law…courts。
Men are not to be charged with criminal actions even by young
gentlemen of good Virginian families。〃
〃I shall be quite ready to meet you there； Mr。 Jackson； whenever
you choose； but my visit here is rather to give you an opportunity
of escaping the consequences that will follow your detection as the
author of the crime； for I warn you that I will bring the crime home
to you； whatever it costs me in time and money。 My offer is this：
produce the woman and her child； and not only shall no
prosecution take place； but I will remain silent concerning a fact
which affects the honor of your son。〃
Andrew Jackson's face had been perfectly unmoved during this
conversation until he heard the allusion to his son。 Then his face
changed visibly。
〃I know nothing concerning which you can attack the honor of my
son； Mr。 Wingfield；〃 he said； with an effort to speak as
unconcernedly as before。
〃My charge is as follows；〃 Vincent said quietly： 〃I was imprisoned
at Elmira with a number of other officers； among them your son。
Thinking that it was time for the unpleasantness that had been
existing between us to come to an end； I offered him my hand。
This he accepted and we became friends。 A short time afterward a
mode of escape offered itself to me； and I proved the sincerity of
my feelings toward him by offering to him and another officer the
means of sharing my escape。 This they accepted。 Once outside the
walls； I furnished them with disguises that had been prepared for
them； assuming myself that of a minister。 We then separated；
going in different directions； I myself being accompanied by my
negro servant； to whose fidelity I owed our escape。 Two days
afterward an anonymous writer communicated to the police the
fact that I had escaped in the disguise of a minister； and was
accompanied by my black servant。 This fact was only known to
the negro； myself； and the two officers。 My negro； who had
released me； was certainly not my betrayer； the other officer could
certainly have had no possible motive for betraying me。 There
remains； therefore； only your son； whose hostility to me was
notorious； and who had expressed himself with bitterness agsinst
me on many occasions； and among others in the hearing of my
friend Mr。 Furniss here。 Such being the case； it is my intention to
charge him before the military authorities with this act of
treachery。 But； as I have said； I am willing to forego this and to
keep silence as to your conduct with reference to my slave Dinah
Morris； if you will restore her and her child uninjured to the house
from which you caused her to be taken。〃
The sallow cheeks of the old planter had grown a shade paler as he
listened to Vincent's narrative； but he now burst out in angry tones：
〃Hew dare you； sir； bring such an infamous accusation against my
son…an accusation； like that against myself； wholly unsupported by
a shred of evidence？ Doubtless your negro had confided to some
of his associates his plans for assisting you to escape from prison；
and it is from one of these that the denunciation has come。 Go； sir；
report where you will what lies and fables you have invented； but
be assured that I and my son will seek our compensation for such
gross libels in the courts。〃
〃Very well； sir；〃 Vincent said； as be prepared to mount his horse；
〃if you will take the trouble to look in the papers to…morrow； you
will see that your threats of action for libel have no effect
whatever upon me。〃
〃The man is as hard as a rock； Wingfleld；〃 Furniss said； as they
rode off together。 〃He wilted a little when you were telling your
story； but the moment he saw you had no definite proofs he was； as
I expected he would be； ready to defy you。 What shall you do
now？〃
〃I shall ride back into Richmond again and give a full account of
my escape from the jail； and state that I firmly believe that the
information as to my disguise was given by Jackson； and that it
was the result of a personal hostility which； as many young men in
Richmond are well aware； has existed for some time between us。〃
〃Well； you must do as you like； Wingfield； but I think it will be a
risky business。〃
〃It may be so；〃 Vincent said； 〃but I have little doubt that long
before Jackson is exchanged I； shall have discovered Dinah； and
shall prosecute Jackson for theft and kidnaping； in which case the
young man will hardly venture to prosecute me or indeed to show
his face in this part of the country。〃
That evening the two young officers started for the front； and the
next morning the Richmond papers came oat with a sensational
heading； 〃Alleged Gross Act of Treachery and Ingratitude by a
Confederate Officer。〃
It was the 10th of December when Vincent joined the army at
Fredericksburg。 He reported himself to General Stuart； who
received him with great cordiality。
〃You are just in time； Wingfield；〃 he said。 〃I believe that in
another twenty…four hours the battle will be fought。 They have for
the last two days been moving about in front； and apparently want
us to believe that they intend to cross somewhere below the town；
but all the news we get from our spies is to the effect that these are
only feints and that they intend to throw a bridge across here。 We
know； anyhow； they have got two trains concealed opposite； near
the river。 Burnside is likely to find it a hard nut to crack。 Of
course they are superior in number to us； as they always are； but as
we have always beat them well on level ground I do not think their
chances of getting up these heights are by any means hopef