to take this piece of paper round to Richmond? Of
course he would have to make his way first up to Burksville Junction,
and then take train to Richmond. When he gets there he must go down to
Petersburg and ask for General Lee. I have written a line to go with it,
saying what I have done this for, and asking the general to give the
bearer a hundred dollars."

"I will take it myself," the woman said; "not for the sake of the
hundred dollars, though I aint saying as it wouldn't please the old
man, when he comes back, to find I had a hundred dollars stored away;
but for the cause. My men are all doing their duty, and I will do mine.
So you trust me, and if you don't come back by daybreak to-morrow
morning, I will start right away with these letters. I will go out at
once and hide them somewhere, in case the Yanks should come and make a
search. If you are caught they might, like enough, trace you here, and
then they would search the place all over and maybe set it alight. If
you aint here by nightfall I shall sleep out in the wood, so if they
come they won't find me here. If anything detains you, and you aint back
till after dark, you will find me somewhere near the tree where your
horse is tied up."

Provided with a large can full of a liquor that the woman compounded,
and which Vincent, on tasting, found to be by no means bad, he started
from the cottage. Again he made his way safely through the camps, and
without hindrance lounged up to a spot where a large number of men
belonging to one of the negro regiments were at work.

"Plantation liquor?" he said, again assuming a stupid air, to a black
sergeant who was with them. "First-rate stuff, and only fifteen cents a
glass."

"What plantation liquor like?" the negro asked. "Me not know him."

"First-rate stuff!" Vincent repeated. "Mother makes it of spirit and
molasses and all sorts. Fifteen cents a glass."

"Well, I will take a glass," the sergeant said. "Mighty hot work dis in
de sun; but don't you say nuffin about the spirit. Ef dey ask you, just
you say molasses and all sorts, dat's quite enough. De white officer
won't let spirits be sold in de camp.

"Dat berry good stuff," he said, smacking his lips as he handed back the
little tin measure. "You sell him all in no time." Several of the
negroes now came round, and Vincent disposed of a considerable quantity
of his plantation liquor. Then he turned to go away, for he did not
want to empty his can at one place. He