with lee in virginia-第49章

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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'　start　of　us　will　not　make　much

difference。　　With　the　description　we　can　give　of　Pearson；　and　the

fact　that　there　was　a　negress　and　child；　and　those　three　boxes；　we

ought　to　be　able　to　trace　him。〃



It　was　twelve　at　night　when　the　train　arrived　at　Florence。　As

nothing　could　be　done　until　next　morning　Vincent　went　to　an

hotel。　　As　soon　as　the　railway　officials　were　likely　to　be　at　their

offices　he　was　at　the　station　again。　The　tip　of　a　dollar　secured　the

attention　of　the　man　in　the　baggage…room。



〃Three　boxes　and　a　black　bag　came　on　here　a　month　ago；　you　say；

and　lay　here　certainly　four　or　five　days　perhaps　a　good　deal

longer。　Of　course　I　remember　them。　Stood　up　in　that　corner　there。　

They　had　been　checked　right　through。　　I　will　look　at　the　hooks　and

see　what　day　they　went。　　I　don't　remember　what　sort　of　men

fetched　them　away。　　Maybe　I　was　busy　at　the　time；　and　my　mate

gave　them　out。　　However；　I　will　look　first　and　see　when　they　went。　

What　day　do　you　say　they　got　here？〃



〃They　came　by　the　train　that　left　Richmond　at　six　o'clock　on　the

morning　of　the　20th。〃



〃Then　they　got　in　late　that　night　or　early　next　morning。　　Ah；　the

train　was　on　time　that　day；　and　got　in　at　half…past　nine　at　night。　

Here　they　are…three　boxes　and　a　bag；　numbers　15020；　went　out　on

the　28th。　　Yes；　that's　right　enough。　　Now　I　will　just　ask　my　mate　if

he　remembers　about　their　going　out。〃



The　other　man　was　called。　　Oh；　yes；　he　remembered　quite　well　the

three　boxes　standing　in　the　corner。　　They　went　out　some　time　in

the　afternoon。　　It　was　just　after　the　train　came　in　from　Richmond。

He　noticed　the　man　that　asked　for　them。　　He　got　him　to　help　carry

out　the　boxes　and　put　them　into　a　cart。　　Yes；　he　remembered　there

was　another　man　with　him；　and　a　negress　with　a　child。　　He

wondered　at　the　time　what　they　were　up　to；　but　supposed　it　was　all

right。　　Yes；　he　didn't　mind　trying　to　find　out　who　had　hired　out　a

cart　for　the　job。　　Dessay　he　could　find　out　by　to…morrow…at　any　rate

he　would　try。　Five　dollars　are　worth　earning　anyway。



Having　put　this　matter　in　train；　Vincent；　leaving　Dan　at　Florence；

went　down　at　once　to　Charleston。　　Here；　after　twenty…four　hours'

delay；　he　obtained　a　warrant　for　the　arrest　of　Jonas　Pearson　and

others　on　the　charge　of　kidnaping；　and　then　returned　to　Florence。　

He　found　that　the　railway　man　had　failed　in　obtaining　any

information　as　to　the　cart；　and　concluded　it　must　have　come　in

from　the　country　on　purpose　to　meet　the　train。



〃At　any　rate；〃　Vincent　said；　〃it　must　be　within　a　pretty　limited

range　of　country。　　The　railway　makes　a　bend　from　Wilmington　to

this　place　and　then　down　to　Charleston；　so　this　is　really　the　nearest

station　to　only　a　small　extent　of　country。〃



〃That's　so；〃　the　railway　man　said。　　He　had　heard　from　Dan　a　good

deal　about　the　case；　and　had　got　thoroughly　interested　in　it。　〃Either

Marion　or　Kingstree　would　he　nearer；　one　way　or　the　other；　to

most　of　the　swamp　country。　So　it　can't　be　as　far　as　Conwayhorough

on　the　north　or　Georgetown　on　the　south；　and　it　must　lie

somewhere　between　Jeifries'　Creek　and　Lynch's　Creek；　anyhow　it

would　be　in　Marion　County…that's　pretty　nigh　sure。　　So　if　I　were

you　I　would　take　rail　back　to　Marion　Court　house；　and　see　the

sheriff　there　and　have　a　talk　over　the　matter　with　him。　　You

haven't　got　much　to　go　upon；　because　this　man　you　are　after　has

been　away　from　here　a　good　many　years　and　won't　be　known；

besides；　likely　enough　he　went　by　some　other　name　down　here。　

Anyhow；　the　sheriff　can　put　you　up　to　the　roads；　and　the　best　way

of　going　about　the　job。〃



〃I　think　that　would　be　the　best　way；〃　Vincent　said。　〃We　shall　be

able　to　see　the　county　map　too　and　to　learn　all　the　geography　of　the

place。〃



〃You　have　got　your　six…shooters　with　you；　I　suppose；　becanse　you

are　as　likely　as　not　to　have　to　use　them？〃



〃Yes；　we　have　each　got　a　Colt；　and　as　I　have　had　a　good　deal　of

practice；　it　would　be　awkward　for　Pearson　if　he　gives　me　occasion

to　use　it。〃



〃After　what　I　hear　of　the　matter；〃　the　man　said；　〃I　should　say　your

best　plan　is　just　to　shoot　him　at　sight。　It's　what　would　serve　him

right。　　You　bet　there　will　be　no　fuss　over　it。　　It　will　save　you　a　lot

of　trouble　anyway。〃



Vincent　laughed。



〃My　advice　is　good；〃　the　man　went　on　earnestly。　〃They　are　a　rough

lot　down　there；　and　hang　together。　　You　will　have　to　do　it　sudden；

whatever　you　do；　or　you　will　get　the　hull　neighborhood　up　agin

you。〃



On　reaching　Marion　Courthouse　they　sought　out　the　sheriff；

produced　the　warrant　signed　by　the　States'　authority；　and　explained

the　whole　circumstances。



〃I　am　ready　to　aid　you　in　any　way　I　can；〃　the　sheriff　said　when　he

concluded；　〃but　the　question　is；　where　has　the　fellow　got　to？　　You

see　he　may　be　anywhere　in　this　tract；〃　and　he　pointed　out　a　circle

on　the　map　of　the　county　that　hung　against　the　wall。　　〃That　is　about

fifty　mile　across；　and　a　pretty　nasty　spot；　I　can　tell　you。　　There　are

wide　swamps　on　both　sides　of　the　creek；　and　rice　grounds　and　all

sorts。　　There　ain't　above　three　or　four　villages　altogether；　but　there

may　be　two　or　three　hundred　little　plantations　scattered　about；

some　big　and　some　little。　We　haven't　got　anything　to　guide　us　in

the　slightest；　not　a　thing；　as　I　can　see。〃



　〃The　man　who　was　working　under　Pearson；　when　he　was　with　us；

told　me　he　had　got　the　notion　that　he　had　had　to　leave　on　account

of　some　trouble　here。　　Possibly　that　might　afford　a　clew。〃



〃It　might　do　so；〃　the　sheriff　said。　　〃When　did　he　come　to　you？〃



〃I　think　it　was　when　I　was　six　or　seven　years　old。　　That　would　be

about　twelve　or　thirteen　years　ago；　but；　of　course；　he　may　not　have

come　direct　to　us　after　leaving　here。〃



〃We　can　look　anyway；〃　the　sheriff　said；　and；　opening　a　chest；　he

took　out　a　number　of　volumes　containing　the　records　of　his

predecessors。　　〃Twelve　years　ago！　　Well；　this　is　the　volume。　　Now；

Captain　Wingfield；　I　have　got　some　other　business　in　hand　that

will　take　me　a　couple　of　hours。　　I　will　leave　you　out　this　volume

and　the　one　before　it　and　the　one　after　it；　and　if　you　like　to　go

through　them　you　may　come　across　the　description　of　some　man

wanted　that　agrees　with　that　of　the　man　you　are　in　search　of。〃



It　took　Vincent　two　hours　and　a　half　to　go　through　the　volume；　but

he　met　with　no　description　answering　to　that　of　Pearson。



〃I　will　go　through　the　first　six　months　of　the　next　year；〃　he　said　to

himself；　taking　up　that　volume；　〃and　the　last　six　months　of　the

year　before。〃



The　second　volume　yielded　no　better　result；　and　he　then　turned

back　to　the　first　of　the　three　books。　　Beginning　in　July；　he　read

steadily　on　until　he　came　to　December。　Scarcely　had　he　begun　the

record　of　that　month　than　he　uttered　an　exclamation　of

satisfaction。



　〃December　2nd。…Information　laid　against　gang　at　Porter's　Station；

near　Lynch's　Creek。　　Charged　with　sev