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 books 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 fellows 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.