按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
about fifty miles。 I should think the second place was most likely；
as the cart could easily have got there in two days。 Now； Dan； you
had better start tomorrow morning； and spend two days there if
necessary； find out if you can if on the twentieth of last month any
one noticed a vehicle of any kind； with two rough men in it； and
with； perhaps； a negro woman。 She might not have been noticed；
for she may have been lying tied up in the bottom of the cart；
although it is more likely they frightened her by threats into sitting
up quiet with them。 They are sure not to have stopped at any
decout hotel； but will have gone to some small place； probably just
outside the town。
〃I will go with you to Mr。 Renfrew the first thing in the morning
and get him to draw up a paper testifying that you are engaged in
lawful business； and are making inquiries with a view to
discovering a crime which has been committed； and
recommending you to the assistance of the police in any town you
may go to。 Then if you go with that to the head constable at Hicks
Ford he will tell you which are the places at which such fellows as
these would have been likely to put up for the night； and perhaps
send a policeman with you to make inquiries。 If you get any news
telegraph to me at once。 I will start by the six o'clock train on the
following morning。 Do you be on the platform to meet me； and we
can then either go straight on to Florence； or； should there be any
occasion； I will get out there； but I don't think that is likely。
Pearson him self will； to a certainty； sooner or later； go to
Florence to get his luggage； and the only real advantage we shall
get if your inquiries are successful will be to find out for certain
whether he is concerned in the affair。 We shall then only have to
follow his traces from Florence。〃
Two days later Mr。 Renfrew received a telegram from the head
constable at Hicks Ford： 〃The two men with cart spent day here；
20th ult。 Were joined that morning by another man…negro says
Pearson。 One man returned afternoon； Richmond。 Pearson and
the other drove off in buggy。 A young negress and child were with
them。 Is there anything I can do？〃
Mr。 Renfrew telegraphed back to request that the men； who were
kidnaping the female slave； should if possible be traced and the
direction they took ascertained。 He then sent the message across
to Vincent； who at once went to his office。
〃Now；〃 the lawyer said； 〃you must do nothing rashly in this
business； Vincent。 They are at the best of time a pretty rough lot
at the edge of these Carolina swamps； and at present things are
likely to be worse than usual。 If you were to go alone on such an
errand you would almost certainly be shot。 In the first place； these
fellows would not give up a valuable slave without a struggle； and
in the next place； they have committed a very serious crime。
Therefore it is absolutely necessary that you should go armed with
legal powers and backed by the force of the law。 In the first place；
I will draw up an affidavit and sign it myself； to the effect that a
female slave； the property of Vincent Wingfield； has； with her
male child； been kidnaped and stolen by Jonas Pearson and others
acting in association with him； and that we have reason to know
that she hasbeen conveyed into South Carolina。 This I will get
witnessed by ajustice of the peace； and will then take it up to
Government House。 There I wifl get the usual official request to
the governor of South Carolina to issue orders that the aid of the
law shall be given to you in recovering the said Dinah Morris and
her child and arresting her abductors。 You will obtain an order to
this effect from the governor； and armed with it you will； as soon
as you have discovered where the woman is； call upon the sheriff
of the county to aid you in recovering her； and in arresting Pearson
and his associates。〃
〃Thank you； sir。 That will certainly be the best way。 I run plenty of
risk in doing my duty as an officer of the state； and I have no
desire whatever to throw my life away at the hands of ruffians such
as Pearson and his allies。〃
Two hours later Vincent received from Mr。 Renfrew the official
letter to the governor of South Carolina； and at six o'clock next
morning started for Florence。 On the platform of the station at
Hicks Ford Dan was waiting for him。
〃Jump into the car at the end； Dan； I will come to you there； and
you can tell me all the news。 We are going straight on to
Columbia。 Now； Dan；〃 Vincent went on when he joined him…for
in no part of the United States were negroes allowed to travel in
any but the cars set apart for them…〃 what is your news？ The chief
constable telegraphed that they had； as we expected； been joined
by Pearson here。〃
〃Yes； sah； dey war here for sure。 When I get here I go straight to
de constable and tell him dat I was in search of two men who had
kidnaped Captain Wingfield's slave。 De head constable he
Richmond man； and oh course knew all about de family； so he
take de matter up at once and send constable wid me to seberal
places where it likely dat the fellows had put up； but we couldn't
find nuffin about dem。 Den next morning we go out again to
village four mile out of de town on de north road； and dere we
found sure 'nough dat two men； wid negro wench and chile； had
stopped dere。 She seem bery unhappy and cry all do time。 De men
say dey bought her at Richmond； and show do constable of de
village do paper dat dey had bought a female slabe Sally Moore
and her chile。 Do constable speak to woman； but she seem fright
cued out of her life and no say anything。 Dey drive off wid her
early in do morning。 Den we make inquiries again at do town and
at do station。 We find dat a man like Pearson get out。 He had only
little hand…bag with him。 He ask one of do men at do station
which was do way to do norf road。 Den we find dat one of do
constables hab seen a horse and cart wid two men in it； with negro
woman and child。 One of do men look like Yankee…dat what make
him take notice of it。 We s'pose dat odor man went back to
Richmond again。〃
〃That is all right； Dan； and you have done capitally。 Now at
Florence we will take up the hunt。 It is a long way down there；
and if they drive all the way； as I hope they will； it will take them a
fortnight； so that we shall have gained a good deal of time on
them。 The people at the station are sure to remember the three
boxes that lay there for so long without being claimed。 Of course
they may have driven only till they got fairly out of reach。 Then
they may either have sold the horse and trap； or the fellow Pearson
has with him may have driven it back。 But I should think they
would most likely sell it。 In that case they would not be more than
a week from the time they left Richmond to the time they took
train again for the south。 However； whether they have got a
fort…night or three weeks'