第63章

ON LEAVING the hotel Vincent walked a short distance, and then stopped until Dan came up to him.

"Anyting de matter, sah?"

"Yes, Dan.There is a notice in the paper that the police have obtained information that I am traveling disguised as a minister, and have a negro servant with me..""Who told dam dat?" Dan asked in surprise.

"We can talk about that presently, Dan; the great thing at present is to get away from here.The train for the south starts at ten.Give me the bag, and follow me at a distance.I will get you a ticket for Nashville, and as you pass me in the station I will hand it to you.

It must not be noticed that we are traveling together.That is the only clew they have got."Dan obeyed his instructions.The journey was a long one.The train was slow and stopped frequently; passengers got in and out at every station.The morning's news from the various points at which the respective forces were facing each other was the general topic of conversation, and Vincent was interested in seeing how the tone gradually changed as the passengers from St.Louis one by one left the train and their places were taken by those of the more southern districts, At first the sentiment expressed had been violently Northern, and there was no dissent from the general chorus of hope and expectation that the South were on their last legs and that the rebellion would shortly be stamped out; but gradually, as the train approached the State of Tennessee, the Unionist opinion, although expressed with even greater force and violence, was by no means universal.Many man read their papers in silence and took no part whatever in the conversation, but Vincent could see from the angry glances which they shot at the speakers that the sentiments uttered were distasteful to them.He himself had scarcely spoken during the whole journey.He had for some time devoted himself to the newspaper, and had then purchased a book from the newsboy who perambulated the cars.

Presently a rough-looking man who had been among the wildest and most violent in his denunciation of the South said, looking at Vincent:

"I see by the papers to-day that one of the cursed rebel officers who gave them the slip at Elmira is traveling in the disguise of a minister.I guess it's mighty unpleasant to know that even if you meet a parson in a train like as not he is a rebel in disguise.Now, mister, may I ask where you have come from and where you are going to?""You may ask what you like," Vincent said quietly; "but I am certainly not going to answer impertinent questions."A hum of approval was heard from several of the passengers.

"If you hadn't got that black coat on," the man said angrily, "Iwould put you off the car in no time.""Black coat or no black coat," Vincent said, "you may find it more difficult than you think.My profession is a peaceful one; but even a peaceful man, if assaulted, may defend himself.You say it's unpleasant to know that if you travel with a man in a black coat he may be a traitor.It's quite as unpleasant to me to know that if Itravel with a man in a brown one he may be a notorious ruffian, and may as likely as not have just served his time in a penitentiary."Two or three of tha passengers laughed loudly.The man, starting up, crossed the car to where Vincent was sitting and laid his hand roughly on his shoulder.

"You have got to get out!" he said."No man insults Jim Mullens twice.""Take your hand off my shoulder," Vincent said quietly, or you will be sorry for it."The man shifted his hold to the collar of Vincent's coat amid cries of shame from some of the passengers, while the others ware silent, even those of his own party objecting to an assault upon a minister.It was only the fact that the fellow was a notorious local ruffian that prevented their expressing open disapproval of the act.

As the man grasped Vincent's collar with his right hand Vincent saw his left go under his coat toward the pocket in the back of the trousers where revolvers were always carried.In an instant he sprang to his feet, and before the man, who was taken by surprise at the suddenness of the movement, could steady himself, he struck him a tremendous blow between the eyes, and at the same moment, springing at his throat, threw him backward on to the floor of the carriage.As he fell the man drew out his revolver, but Vincent grasped his arm and with a sharp twist wrenched the revolver from his grasp, and leaping up, threw it out of the open window.The ruffian rose to his feat, for a moment half dazed by the violence with which ha had fallen, and poured out a string of imprecations upon Vincent.The latter stood calmly awaiting a fresh attack.For a moment the ruffian hesitated, and then, goaded to fury by the taunting laughter of the lookers-on, was about to spring upon him when he was seized by two or three of the passengers.