comes," the soldier replied, and two
minutes later the general, accompanied by three or four officers, rode
up.

Vincent saluted, and handed him the dispatch. The general opened it and
glanced at the contents.

"The storm is going to burst at last, gentlemen," he said to the
officers. "Stuart writes me that 2000 men, supposed to be the advance of
McClellan's army, are at Romney, and that he hears Patterson is also
advancing from Chambersburg on Williamsport. His dispatch is dated this
morning at nine o'clock. He writes from near Cumberland. No time has
been lost, for that is eighty miles away, and it is but five o'clock
now. How far have you brought this dispatch, sir?"

"I have brought it from Elmside, general; twenty miles on the other side
of Bath. A trooper brought it in just at midday, with orders for me to
carry it on at once."

"That is good work," the general said. "You have ridden over fifty miles
in five hours. You must be well mounted, sir."

"I do not think there is a better horse in the State," Vincent said,
patting Wildfire's neck.

The general called an orderly.

"Let this man picket his horse with those of the staff," he said, "and
see that it has forage at once. Take the man to the orderlies' quarters,
and see that he is well cared for."

Vincent saluted, and, leading Wildfire, followed the orderly. When he
had had a meal, he strolled out to see what was going on. Evidently some
movement was in contemplation. Officers were riding up or dashing off
from the general's headquarters. Two or three regiments were seen
marching down from the plateau on which they were encamped into the
town. Bells rang and drums beat, and presently long trains of railway
wagons, heavily laden, began to make their way across the bridge. Until
next morning the movement continued unceasingly; by that time all the
military stores and public property, together with as much private
property, belonging to inhabitants who had decided to forsake their
homes for a time rather than to remain there when the town was occupied
by the enemy, as could be carried on in the available wagons, had been
taken across the bridge. A party of engineers, who had been all night
hard at work, then set fire both to the railway bridge across the river
and the public buildings in the town. The main body of troops had moved
across in the evening. The rearguard passed when all was in readiness
for the destruction of the bridge.

General Johnston h