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, Imust 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 long detour across the Tennessee river and reached Georgia.
"When do you leave for the front, Captain Wingfield?""I shall be ready to start to-night, sir.""In that case I will trouble you to come round here this evening.
There will be a fast train going through with ammunition for Lee at ten o'clock, and I shall have a bag of despatches for him, which Iwill trouble you to deliver.You will find me here up to the last moment.I will give orders that a horse-box be put on to the train."After expressing his thanks Vincent took his leave.As he left the general's quarters, a young man, just alighting from his horse, gave a shout of greeting.
"Why, Wingfield, it is good to see you! I thought you were pining again in a Yankee dungeon, or had got knocked on the head crossing the lines.Where have you sprung from, and when did you arrive?""I only got in yesterday after sundry adventures which I will tell you about presently.When did you arrive from the front?""I came down a few days ago on a week's leave on urgent family business," the young man laughed, "and I am going back again this afternoon by the four o'clock train.""Stay till ten," Vincent said, "and we will go back together.There is a special train going through with ammunition, and as everything will make way for that it will not be long behind the four o'clock, and likely enough may pass it on the way.There is a horse-box attached to it, and as I only take one horse there will be room for yours.""I haven't brought my horse down," Harry Furniss said; "but I will certainly go with you by the ten o'clock.Then we can have a long talk.I don't think I have seen you since the day you asked me to lend you my boat two years ago.""Can you spare me two hours now?" Vincent asked."You will do me a very great favor if you will."Harry Furniss looked at his watch."It is eleven o'clock now; we have a lot of people to lunch at half-past one, and I must be back by then.""You can manage that easy enough," Vincent replied; "in two hours from the time we leave here you can be at home.""I am your man, then, Vincent.Just wait five minutes I have to see some one in here."A few minutes later Harry Furniss came out again and mounted.
"Now which way, Vincent? and what is it you want me for?""The way is to Jackson's place at the Cedars, the why I will tell you about as we ride."Vincent then recounted his feud with the Jacksons, of which, up to the date of the purchase of Dinah Morris, his friend was aware, having been present at the sale.He now heard of the attack upon young Jackson by Tony, and of the disappearance of Dinah Morris.
"I should not be at all surprised, Wingfield, if your surmises are correct, and that old scoundrel has carried off the girl to avenge himself upon Tony.Of course, if you could prove it, it would be a very serious offense; for the stealing a slave, and by force too, is a crime with a very heavy penalty, and has cost men their lives before now.But I don't see that you have anything like a positive proof, however strong a case of suspicion it may be.I don't see what you are going to say when you get there.""I am going to tell him that if he does not say what he has done with the girl, I will have his son arrested for treachery as soon as he sets foot in the Confederacy again.""Treachery!" Furniss said in surprise; "what treachery has he been guilty of? I saw that he was one of those who escaped with you, and I rather wondered at the time at you two being mixed up together in anything.I heard that he had been recaptured through some black fellow that had been his slave, but I did not read the account.Have you got proof of what you say?""Perhaps no proof that would hold in a court of law," Vincent replied, "but proof enough to make it an absolute certainty to my mind."Vincent then gave an account of their escape, and of the anonymous denunciation of himself and Dan.
