I am afraid that is all we can do, sir, but such as it is you are heartily welcome to it." "I thank you greatly," Vincent replied, "and will, if you will allow me, take half my breakfast out to my boy, who is waiting over there." "Why did you not bring him in ?" the girl asked.

"Of course he will be welcome, too." "I did not bring him in before because two men in these days are likely to alarm a lonely household; and I would rather not bring him in now, because, if by any possibility the searchers, who are no doubt after me, should call and ask you whether two men, one a white and the other a negro, had been here, you could answer no." "But they cannot be troubling much about prisoners," the girl said.
"Why, in the fighting here and in Missouri they have taken many thousands of prisoners, and you have taken still more of them in Virginia; surely they cannot trouble themselves much about one getting away." "I am not afraid of a search of that kind," Vincent said; "but, unfortunately, on my way down I had a row in the train with a ruffian named Mullens, who is, I understand, connected with one of these bands of brigands, and I feel sure that he will hunt me down, if he can." The girl turned pale.
"Oh!" she said, "I saw that in the paper too, but it said that it was a minister.

And it was you who beat that man and threw his revolver out of the window?
Oh, then, you are in danger indeed, sir.

He is one of the worst ruffians in the State, and is the leader of the party who stripped this house and threatened to burn it to the ground.

Luckily I was not at home, having gone away to spend the night with a neighbor.