with lee in virginia-第61部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


gang。　　Haverley　and　Corben　were　friends　of　his　sons。　　Came　and

went　when　they　liked。　　Will　be　tried　on　the　15th。〃



　On　the　16th　there　was　another　entry：



〃William　Porter　sentenced　to　three　years'　imprisonment　for

giving　shelter　to　gang　of　robbers。　　Evidence　wanting　to　show　he

took　any　actual　part　in　their　crimes。〃



The　sheriff　had　been　in　and　out　several　times　during　the　five　hours

that　Vincent's　search　had　taken　up。　　When　he　returned　again

Vincent　pointed　out　the　entry　he　had　found。



〃I　should　not　be　at　all　surprised　if　that's　our　man；〃　the　sheriff　said。　

〃I　know　old　Porter　well；　for　he　is　still　alive　and　bears　a　pretty　bad

reputation　still；　though　we　have　never　been　able　to　bring　him　to

book。　　I　remember　all　the　circumstances　of　that　affair；　for　I　served

upon　the　posse。　While　Porter　was　in　prison　his　house　was　kept　for

him　by　a　married　daughter　and　her　husband。　　There　was　a　strong

suspicion　that　the　man　was　one　of　the　gang　too；　but　we　couldn't

prove　it。　　They　have　lived　there　ever　since。　　They　have　got　five　or

six　field　hands；　and　are　said　to　be　well　off。　We　have　no　doubt　they

have　got　a　still　somewhere　in　the　swamps；　but　we　have　never　been

able　to　find　it。　　I　will　send　a　man　off　to…morrow　to　make　inquiries

whether　any　stranger　has　arrived　there　lately。　　Of　course；　Pearson

will　not　have　kept　that　name；　and　he　will　not　have　appeared　as

John　Porter；　for　he　would　be　arrested　on　a　fresh　warrant　at　once　for

his　share　in　that　former　business。　　I　think；　Captain　Wingfield；　you

had　better　register　at　the　hotel　here　under　some　other　name。　　I　don't

suppose　that　he　has　any　fear　of　being　tracked　here；　still　it　is　just

possible　his　father　may　have　got　somebody　here　and　at　Florence　to

keep　their　eyes　open　and　let　him　know　if　there　are　any　inquiries

being　made　by　strangers　about　a　missing　negress。　　One　cannot　be

too　careful。　　If　he　got　the　least　hint；　his　son　and　the　woman　would

be　hidden　away　in　the　swamps　before　we　could　get　there；　and　there

would　be　no　saying　when　we　could　find　him。〃



Vincent　took　the　sheriff's　advice；　and　entered　his　name　in　the　hotel

book　as　Mr。　Vincent。　　Late　in　the　evening　the　sheriff　came　round

to　him。



〃I　have　just　sent　summonses　to　six　men。　　I　would　rather　have　had

two　or　three　more；　but　young　men　are　very　scarce　around　here

now；　and　as　with　you　and　myself　that　brings　it　up　to　eight　that

ought　to　be　sufficient；　as　these　follows　will　have　no　time　to

summon　any　of　their　friends　to　their　assistance。　　Have　you　a　rifle；

Captain　Wingfield？〃



〃No；　I　have　a　brace　of　revolvers。〃



〃They　are　useful　enough　for　close　work；〃　the　sheriff　said；　〃but　if

they　see　us　coming；　and　barricade　their　house　and　open　fire　upon

us；　you　will　want　something　that　carries　further　than　a　revolver。　　I

can　lend　you　a　rifle　as　well　as　a　horse　if　you　will　accept　them。〃



Vincent　accepted　the　offer　with　thanks。　　The　next　morning　at

daylight　ho　went　round　to　tho　sheriff's　house；　where　six

determined…looking　men；　belonging　to　the　town　or　neighboring

farms；　were　assembled。　　Slinging　the　rifle　that　the　sheriff　handed

him　across　his　back；　Vincent　at　once　mounted；　and　the　party　sot

off　at　a　brisk　trot。



〃My　man　came　back　half　an　hour　ago；〃　the　sheriff　said　to　Vincent

as　they　rode　along。　　〃He　found　out　that　a　man　answering　to　your

description　arrived　with　another　at　Porter's　about　a　fortnight　ago；

and　is　staying　there　still。　Whether　they　brought　a　negress　with

them　or　not　no　one　seems　to　have　noticed。　　However；　there　is　not　a

shadow　of　doubt　that　it　is　our　man；　and　I　shall　be　heartily　glad　to

lay　hold　of　him；　for　a　brother　of　mine　was　badly　wounded　in　that

last　affair；　and　though　he　lived　some　years　afterward　he　was　never

the　same　man　again。　　So　I　have　a　personal　interest　in　it；　you　see。〃



〃How　far　is　it　to　Porter's？〃



〃About　thirty…five　miles。　　We　shall　get　there　about　two　o'clock；　I

reckon。　　We　are　all　pretty　well　mounted　and　can　keep　at　this　pace；

with　a　break　or　two；　till　we　get　there。　I　propose　that　we　dismount

when　we　get　within　half　a　mile　of　the　place。　　We　will　try　and　get

hold　of　some　one　who　knows　the　country　well；　and　get　him　to　load

three　of　us　round　through　the　edge　of　the　swamp　to　the　back　of　the

house。　　It　stands　within　fifty　yards　of　the　swamp。　　I　have　no　doubt

they　put　it　there　so　that　they　might　escape　if　pressed；　and　also　to

prevent　their　being　observed　going　backward　and　forward　to　that

still　of　theirs。〃



This　plan　was　followed　out。　　A　negro　lad　was　found　who；　on　the

promise　of　a　couple　of　dollars；　agreed　to　act　as　guide　　Three　of　the

party　were　then　told　off　to　follow　him；　and　the　rest；　after　waiting

for　half　an　hour　to　allow　them　to　make　the　detour；　mounted　their

horses　and　rode　down　at　a　gallop　to　the　house。　　When　they　were

within　a　short　distance　of　it　they　heard　a　shout；　and　a　man　who　was

lounging　near　the　door　ran　inside。　　Almost　instantly　they　saw　the

shutters　swing　back　across　the　windows；　and　when　they　drew　up

fifty　yards　from　the　door　the　barrels　of　four　rifles　were　pushed　out

through　slits　in　the　shutters。



The　sheriff　held　up　his　hand。　　〃William　Porter；　I　want　a　word　with

you。〃



A　shutter　in　an　upper　room　opened；　and　an　elderly　man　appeared

with　a　rifle　in　his　hand。



〃William　Porter；〃　the　sheriff　said；　〃I　have　a　warrant　for　the　arrest

of　two　men　now　in　your　house　on　the　charge　of　kidnaping　a　female

slave；　the　property　of　Captain　Wingfield　here。　　I　have　no　proof

that　you　had　any　share　in　the　matter；　or　that　you　are　aware　that　the

slave　was　not　honestly　obtained。　　In　the　second　place；　I　have　a

warrant　for　the　arrest　of　your　son　John　Porter；　now　in　your　house

and　passing　recently　under　the　name　of　Jonas　Pearson；　on　the

charge　of　resisting　and　killing　the　officers　of　the　law　on　the　5th　of

December；　1851。　　I　counsel　you　to　hand　over　these　men　to　me

without　resistance。　　You　know　what　happened　when　your　sons

defied　the　law　before；　and　what　will　happen　now　if　you　refuse

compliance。〃



〃Yah！〃　the　old　man　shouted。　　〃Do　you　suppose　we　are　going　to

give　in　to　five　mon？　Not　if　we　know　it。　　Now；　I　warn　you；　move

yourself　off　while　I　let　you；　else　you　will　get　a　bullet　in　you　before

I　count　three。〃



〃Very　well；　then。　　You　must　take　the　consequences；〃　the　sheriff

replied；　and　at　once　called　the　party　to　fall　back。



〃We　must　dismount；〃　ho　said　in　answer　to　Vincent's　look　of

surprise；　〃they　would　riddle　us　here　on　horseback　in　the　open。　

Besides　we　must　dismount　to　break　in　the　door。〃



They　rode　back　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　and　then　dismounted。　The

sheriff　took　two　heavy　axes　that　hung　from　his　saddle；　and　handed

them　to　two　of　the　men。



〃I　reckoned　we　should　have　trouble；〃　ho　said。　　〃However；　I　hope

we　sha'n't　have　to　use　these。　　My　idea　is　to　crawl　up　through　the

corn…field　until　we　are　within　shooting　distance；　and　then　to　open

fire　at　the　loopholes。　　They　have　never　taken　the　trouble　to　grub　up

the　stumps；　and　each　man　must　look　out　for　shelter。　　I　want　to

make　it　so　hot　for　them　that　they　will　try　to　bolt　to　the　swamp；　and

in　that　case　they　will　ho　covered　by　the　men　there。　　I　told　them　not

to　fire　until　they　got　quite　close；　so　they　ought　to　dispose　of　three

of　them；　and　as　they　have　got　pistols　they　will　be　able　to　master　the

others；　besides；　directly　we　hear　firing　behind；　we　shall　jump　up

and　make　a　rush　round。　　Do　you；　sir；　and　James　Wilkins　here；　stop

in　front。　　Two　of　them　might　make　a　rush　out　behind；　and　the

others；　when　they　have　drawn　us　off；　bolt　in　front。〃



Several　shots　were　fired　at　the　party　as　they　made　their　way　across

to　the　end　of　the　field；　where　the　tall　stalks　of　maize　were　still

standing；　though　the　corn　had　been　gathered　weeks　before。　　As

soon　as　they　reached　the　shelter　they　separated；　each　crawling

through　the　maize　until　they　arrived　within　fifty　yards　of　the　house。　

There　were；　as　the　sheriff　had　said；　many　stumps　still　standing；　and

each　ensconced　himself　behind　one　of　those；　and　began　to　reply　to

the　fire　that　the　defenders　had　kept　up　whenever　they　saw　a

movement　among　the　corn　stalks。



At　such　a　distance　the　shutters　were　but　of　slight　advantage　to　the

defenders　of　the　house；　for　the　assailants　were　all　good　shots；　and

the　loopholes　afforded　excellent　targets　at　such　a　distance。　　After

a　few　shots　had　been　fired　from　the　house　the　fire　of　the　defenders

ceased；　the　men　within　not　daring　to　protrude　the　rifles　through　the

loopholes；　as　every　such　appearance　was　instantly　followed　by　a

couple　of　shots　from　the　corn　patch。



〃Give　me　one　of　those　axes；〃　the　sheriff　said。　　〃Now；　Withers；　do

you　make　a　rush　with　me　to　the　door。　　Get　your　rifle　loaded　before

you　start；　and　have　your　revolver　handy　in　your　belt。　　Now；　Captain

Wingfield；　do　you　and　the　other　two　keep　a　sharp　lookout　at　the

loopholes；　and　see　that　they　don't　get　a　shot　at　us　as　we　run。　　Now；

Withers；〃　and　the　sheriff　ran　forward。　　Two　rifles　were　protruded

through　the