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but if you hear to…morrow or next day that I am caught； please
carry it as we arranged。 What is this？〃 he asked as the woman
handed him a bundle。
〃Here are eight or ten pounds of pork；〃 she said； 〃and some
corn…cakes。 If you are hiding away you will want something； and I
reckon anyhow you won't be able to make your way to our people
for a bit。 Now； if you are ready I will start with you。〃
〃You will start with us！〃 Vincent repeated in surprise。
〃Certainly I will start with you；〃 the woman said。 〃How do you
think you would be able to find your way a dark night like this？
No； sir； I will put you on your way till morning。 But； in the first
place； which line do you mean to take？〃
〃I do not think there is much chance of getting back the way we
came；〃 Vincent said。 〃By morning Sheridan's cavalry will have got
a description of me； and they will be scouring the whole country。
The only chance will be to go north and cross the river somewhere
near Norfolk。〃
〃I think； sat； you better go on wid your horse at once。 No use wait
for me。 I come along on foot； find my own way。〃
〃No； Tony； I shall certainly not do that。 We will either get off or
be taken together。 Well； I think the best plan will be to go straight
down to the river。 How far is it away？〃
〃About fifteen miles；〃 the woman said。
If we got there we can get hold of a boat somehow； and either
cross and then make straight for Richmond on feet； or go up the
river in the boat and land in the rear of our lines。 That we can
settle about afterward。 The first thing is to get to the river bank。
We are not likely to meet with any interruption in that direction。
Of course the cavalry are all on the other flank； and it will be
supposed that I shall try either to work round that way or to make
straight through the lines。 They would hardly suspect that I shall
take to the river； which is covered with their transports and
store…ships。〃
〃I think that is the best plan；〃 the woman said。 〃There are scarce
any villages between this and the river。 It's only just when you
cross the road between Petersburg and Williamsburg that you
would be likely to moot a soul； even in the daytime。 There is
scarce even a farmhouse across this section。 I know the country
pretty well。 Just stop a minute and I will run up to the wood and
fetch down the horse。 There's a big wood about a mile away； and
you can turn him in there。〃
A few minutes later they started； Vincent leading the horse and
Tony carrying the bundle of food and his castoff uniform。 The
woman led them by farm roads； sometimes turning off to the right
or left； but keeping her way with a certainty which showed how
well she was acquainted with the country。 Several times they
could hear the dull sound of bodies of cavalry galloping along the
roads； but this died away as they got further into the country。 The
horse had been turned loose a mile from their starting place。
Vincent removed the bridle and saddle； saying： 〃He will pick up
enough to feed on hero for some time。 When he gets tired of the
wood he can work his way out into a clearing。〃
Here Tony hid away his uniform among some thick bushes； and
the three walked steadily along until the first tinge of daylight
appeared on the sky。 Then the woman stopped。
〃The river is not more than half a mile in front of you；〃 she said；
〃so I will say good…by。〃
〃What will you do？〃 Vincent asked。 〃You might be questioned as
you get near home。〃
〃I am going to put up at the last house we passed；〃 she said； 〃about
three miles back。 I know the people there； and they will take me
in。 I will stop there for a day or two； maybe； then walk back； so I
shall have a true story to tell。 That's all right。〃
Vincent said good…by to her； with many hearty thanks for the
services she had rendered him； and had almost to force her to take
notes for two hundred dollars from the bundle ho had sewn up in
the lining of his coat。
〃You have saved my life；〃 he said； 〃and some day I hope to be able
to do more to show my gratitude； but you must take this anyhow to
tide you over the hard times； and find food for your husband and
sons when they come back from the war。〃
As soon as the woman had turned back Vincent and Tony
continued on their way。 The former had； as soon as they were
fairly out from the Federal camp； told Tony in a few words that his
wife was safe at home and their boy flourishing； and he now gave
him further details of them。
〃And how came you to enter the army； Tony？〃
〃Well； sab； dere wasn't much choice about it。 Do Northern people；
dey talk mighty high about der love for de negro； but I don't see
much of it in der ways。 Why； sab； dey is twice as scornful oh a
black man as de gentleman is in de Souf。 I list in de army； sah；
because dey say dey go to Richmond； and den I find Dinah and de
boy。〃
〃Well； Tony； I little thought when I did you a service that it would
be the means of you being able to save my life some day。〃
〃Not much in dat； sab。 You sabe my life； because dey would； for
suab； hab caught me and killed me。 Den you save my wife for me；
den you pay out dat Jackson； and now you hab killed him。 I could
hab shouted for joy； sah； when I saw you hit him ober de head wid
de shovel； and I saw dat dis time he gib no more trouble to no one。
I should hab done for him bery soon； sah。 I had my eye upon him；
and the fust time we go into battle he get a ball in his back。 Lucky
he didn't see me。 He not officer ob my company； and me look
quite different in do uniform to what me was when I work on de
plantation； but I know him； and wheneber I see him pass I hung
down my head and I say to myself； 'My time come soon； Massa
Jackson； my time come bery soon； and den we get quits。'〃
〃It is wrong to nourish revenge； Tony； but I really can't blame you
very much as to that fellow。 Still； I should have blamed you if you
had killed him…blamed you very much。 Ho was a bad man； and he
treated you brutally； but you see he has been already punished a
good deal。〃
〃Yes； you knock him down； sak。 Dat bery good； but not enough
for Tony。〃
〃But that wasn't all； Tony。 You see； the affair set all my friends
against him； arid his position became a very unpleasant one。 Then；
you see； if it hadn't been for you lie would probably have got
through to our lines again after lie had escaped with me。 Then；
you see； his father； out of revenge； stole Dinah away。〃
〃Stole Dinah！〃 Tony exclaimed； stopping in his work。 〃Why； sah；
you hab been tolling me dat she is safe and well wid Mrs。
Wingfield。〃
〃So she is； Tony。 But he stole her for all that； and had her carried
down into Carolina； but I managed to bring her back。 It's a long
story； but I will tell you about it presently。 Then the knowledge
that I had found Dinah； and the fear of punishment for his share of
taking her away； caused old Jackson to f