"Didn't I think sot" the farmer said, rubbing his hands."I thought directly my eyes hit upon you that you did not look the cut of a granger.Been fighting-eh? and they are after you?"I don't think they are after me here," Vincent said."But I have seen a good deal of fighting with Jackson and Stuart; and I am just getting over a collar-bone which was smashed by a Yankee bullet.""You don't say!" the farmer exclaimed."Well, I should have gone out myself if it hadn't been for Jane and the children.But there are such a lot of them that I could not bring myself to run the chance of leaving them all on her hands.Still, I am with them heart and soul.""Your wife's sister told me that you were on the right side,"Vincent said, "and that I could trust you altogether.""Now, if you tell me which road you want to go, I don't mind if Iget on my horse to-morrow and ride with you a stage, and see you put for the night.I know a heap of people, and I am sure to be acquainted with some one whichever road you may go.We are pretty near all the right side about here, though, as you get further on, there are lots of Northern men.Now, what are your ideas as to the roads?"Vincent told him the route he intended to take.
"You ought to get through there right enough," the farmer said.
"There are some Yankee troops moving about to the west of the river, but not many of them; and oven if you fell in with them, with your cargo of stuff they would not suspect you.Anyhow, I expect we can get you passed down so as always to be among friends.So you fought under Jackson and Stuart, did you? Ah, they have done well in Virginia! I only wish we bad such men here.What made you take those two darkies along with you? I should have thought you would have got along better by yourself.""We Couldn't very well leave them," Vincent said; "the boy has been with me all through the wars, and is as true as steel.Old Chloe was Lucy's nurse, and would have broken her heart had she been left behind.""They are faithful creatures when they are well treated.Mighty few of them have run away all this time from their masters, though in the parts the Yankees hold there is nothing to prevent their bolting if they have a mind to it.I haven't got no niggers myself.Itried them, but they want more looking after than they are worth;and I can make a shift with my boys to help me, and hiring a hand in busy times to work the farm.Now, sir, what do you think of the look-out?"The subject of the war fairly started, his host talked until midnight, long before which hour Lucy and the farmer's wife had gone off to bed.
"We will start as soon as it is light," the farmer said, as he and Vincent stretched themselves upon the heap of straw covered with blankets that was to serve as their bed, Chloe having hours before gone up to share the bed of the negro girl who assisted the farmer's wife in her management of the house and children.
"It's best to get through Camden before people are about.There are Yankee soldiers at the bridge, but it will be all right you driving in, however early, to sell your stuff.Going out you ain't likely to meet with Yankees; but as it would look queer, you taking your garden truck out of the town, it's just as well to be on the road before people are about.Once you get five or six miles the other side you might be going to the next place to sell your stuff.""That is just what I have been thinking," Vincent said, "and I agree with you the earlier we get through Camden the better."Accordingly as soon as daylight appeared the horso was put in tbe cart, the farmer mounting his own animal, and with a hearty good-by from his wife the party started away.The Yankee sentinels at each end of the bridge were passed without questions, for early as it was the carts were coming in with farm produce.As yet the streets of the town were almost deserted, and the farmer, who before starting had tossed a tarpaulin into the back of the cart, said:
"Now, pull that over all that stuff, and then any one that meets us will think that you are taking out bacon and groceries and such like for some store way off."This suggestion was carried out, and Camden was soon left behind.A few carts were met as they drove along.The farmer knew some of the drivers and pulled up to say a few words to them.After a twenty-mile drive they stopped at another farm, where their friend's introduction ensured them as cordial a welcome as that upon the preceding evening.So step by step they journeyed on, escorted in almost every case by their host of the night before and meeting with no interruption.Once they passed a strong body of Federal cavalry, but these supposing that the party belonged to the neighborhood asked no questions; and at last, after eight days' traveling, they passed two posts which marked the boundary between Tennessee and Alabama.
For the last two days they had been beyond the point to which the Federal troops had penetrated.They now felt that all risk was at an end.Another day's journey brought them to a railwaystation, and they learned that the trains were running as usual, although somewhat irregular as to the hours at which they came along or as to the time they took upon their journey.The contents of the cart had been left at the farm at which they stopped the night before, and Vincent had now no difficulty in disposing of the horse and cart, as he did not stand out for price, but took the first offer made.
Two hours later a train came along, and the party were soon on their way to the east.After many hours' traveling they reached Rome, in Georgia, and then proceeded by the southern line a few miles to Macon, at which place they alighted and hired a conveyance to take them to Antioch, near which place Lucy's relatives resided.
