DAN ON his return with the cart had brought back a message from its late owner to say that if she could in any way be of use to them she should be glad to aid them.Her farm lay on the road they were now following, and they determined therefore to stop there.As the cart drew up at the door the woman came out.
"Gad to see you," she said; "come right in.It's strange now you should have been lodging in my house for more than six weeks and I should never have set eyes on you before.The doctor talked to me a heap about you, but I didn't look to see quite such a young couple."Lucy colored hotly and was about to explain that they did not stand in the supposed relationship to each other, but Vincent slightly shook his head.It was not worth while to undeceive the woman, and although they had agreed to pass as brother and sister Vincent was determined not to tell an untruth about it unless deceit was absolutely necessary for their safety.
"And you want to get out of the way without questions being asked, I understand?" the woman went on."There are many such about at present.I don't want to ask no questions; the war has brought trouble enough on me.Now is there anything I can do? If so, say it right out.""Yes, there is something you can do for us.We want to fill up our cart with the sort of stuff you take to market-apples and pumpkins, and things of that sort.If we had gone to buy them anywhere else there might have been questions asked.From what the doctor said you can let us have some.""I can do that.The storeroom's chuck full; and it was only a few days ago I said to David it was time we set about getting them off.
I will fill your cart, sir; and not overcharge you neither.It will save us the trouble of taking it over to Columbia or Camden, for there's plenty of garden truck round Mount Pleasant, and one cannot get enough to pay for the trouble of taking them there."The cart was soon filled with apples, pumpkins, and other vegetables, and the price put upon them was very moderate.
"What ought we to ask for these?." Vincent soon inquired." One does not want to be extra cheap or dear."The woman informed them of the prices they might expect to get for the produce; and they at once started amid many warm good wishes from her.
Before leaving the farm the woman had given them a letter to her sister who lived a mile from Camden.
"It's always awkward stopping at a strange place," she said, "and farmers don't often put up at hotels when they drive in with garden truck to a town, though they may do so sometimes; besides it's always nice being with friends.I will write a line to Jane and tell her you have been my tenants at Woodford and where you are going, and ask her to take you in for the night and give you a note in the morning to any one she or her husband may know a good bit along that road."When they reached the house it was dark, but directly Vincent showed the note the farmer and his wife heartily bade them come in.
"Your boy can put up the horse at the stab]e, and you are heartily welcome.But the house is pretty full, and we can't make you as comfortable as we should wish at night; but still we will do our best."Vincent and Lucy were soon seated by the fire.Their hostess bustled about preparing supper for them, and the children, of whom the house seemed full, stared shyly at the newcomers.As soon as the meal was over, Chloe's wants were attended to, and a hunch of bread and bacon taken out by the farmer to Dan in the stables.The children were then packed off to bed, and the farmer and his wife joined Vincent and Lucy by the fire.
"As to sleeping," the woman said, "John and I have been talking it over, and the best way we can see is that you should sleep with me, ma'am, and we will make up a bed on the floor here for my husband and yours.""Thank you-that will do very nicely; though I don't like interfering with your arrangements.""Not at all, ma'am, not at all, it makes a nice change having some one come in, especially of late, when there is no more pleasure in going about in this country, and people don't go out after dark more than they can help.Ah! it's a bad time.My sister says you are going west, but I see you have got your cart full of garden truck.How you have raised it so soon I don't know; for Liza wrote to me two months since as she hadn't been able to sell her place, and it was just a wilderness.Are you going to get rid of it at Camden to-morrow?"Vincent had already been assured as to the politics of his present host and hostess, and he therefore did not hesitate to say:
"The fact is, madam, we are anxious to get along without being questioned by any Yankee troops we may fall in with; and we have bought the things you see in the cart from your sister, as, going along with a cart full, any one we met would take us for farmers living close by on their road to the next market-town.""Oh, oh! that's it!" the farmer said significantly."Want to get through the lines, eh?"Vincent nodded.
