officer。　　Vincent　was　not　questioned；　as；　having　entered　with　the
  constables；　it　was　supposed　he　was　not　present　at　the　affair。
  In　the　morning　Vincent　read　in　the　local　paper　a　highly　colored
  account　of　the　fray。　　After　giving　a　large　number　of　wholly
  fictitious　details　of　the　fray；　it　went　on　to　say：
  〃The　victims　were　Cyrus　D。　Jenkins；　a　much…esteemed　citizen　and
  a　prominent　Unionist；　the　other　two　were　guests　at　the　hotel；　one
  had　registered　as　P。　J。　Moore　of　Vermont；　the　other　James　Harvey
  of　Tennessee。　　Nothing　is　as　yet　known　as　to　the　persons　whose
  rooms　were　unoccupied；　and　who　had　doubtless　made　their　escape
  as　soon　as　the　affray　was　over；　but　the　examination　of　their　effects；
  which　will　be　made　by　the　police　in　the　morning；　will　doubless
  furnish　a　clew　by　which　they　will　be　brought　to　justice。〃
  Having　read　this；　Vincent　looked　for　the　news　as　to　the　escape
  from　Elmira；　being　anxious　to　know　whether　his　companions　had
  been　as　fortunate　as　himself　in　getting　clear　away。　　He　was　startled
  by　reading　the　following　paragraph：　〃We　are　enabled　to　state　that
  the　police　have　received　a　letter　stating　that　one　of　the　officers
  who　escaped　from　Elmira　prison　has　adopted　the　disguise　of　a
  minister；　and　is　traveling　through　the　country　with　a　black　servant。
  At　present　the　authorities　are　not　disposed　to　attach　much　credit　to
  this　letter；　and　are　inclined　to　believe　that　it　has　been　sent　in　order
  to　put　them　on　a　wrong　scent。　　However　a　watch　will　doubtless　be
  kept　by　the　police　throughout　the　country　for　a　person　answering　to
  this　description。〃
  Accustomed　to　rise　early；　Vincent　was　taking　his　breakfast　almost
  alone；　only　two　or　three　of　the　other　guests　having　made　their
  appearance。　　He　finished　his　meal　hastily；　and　went　out　to　Dan；
  who　was　lounging　in　front　of　the　hotel。
  〃Dan；　go　upstairs　at　once；　pack　the　bag；　bring　it　down　and　get　out
  with　it　immediately。　　I　will　pay　the　bill。　Don't　stop　to　ask　questions
  now。〃
  Vincent　then　walked　up　to　the　desk　at　the　and　of　the　hall；　at　which
  a　clerk　was　sitting　reading　the　paper。　　Sincerely　hoping　that　the
  man's　eye　had　not　fallen　on　this　paragraph；　he　asked　if　his　account
  was　made　out。　　As　he　had　fortunately　mentioned　on　the　preceding
  evening　that　he　should　be　leaving　in　the　morning；　the　bill　was
  ready；　and　the　clerk；　scarce　looking　up　from　the　paper；　handed　it　to
  him。　　Vincent　paid　him　the　amount；　saying　carelessly；　〃I　think　I
  have　plenty　of　time　to　catch　the　train　for　the　east？〃
  The　clerk　glanced　at　the　clock。
  〃Yes；　it　goes　at　8；　and　you　have　twenty　minutes。　　It's　only　five
  minutes'　walk　to　the　station。〃
  CHAPTER　XI。　FUGITIVES。
  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；　〃I
  would　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　I
  travel　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。
  〃I　reckon　you　have　made　a　fool　enough　of　yourself　already；〃　one　of
  thcm　said；　〃and　we　are　not　going　to　see　a　minister　ill…treated；　not　if
  we　know　it。〃
  〃You　need　not　hold　him；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃It　is　not　because　one
  wears　a　black　coat　and　is　adverse　to　fighting　that　one　is　not　able　to
  defend　one's　self。　　We　all　learn　the　same　things　at　college　whether
  we　are　going　into　the　church　or　any　other　profession。　　You　can　let
  him　alone　if　he　really　wants　any　more；　which　I　do　not　believe。　　I
  should　be　ashamed　of　myself　if　I　could　not　punish　a　ruffian　of　his
  kind。〃
  〃Let　me　get　at　him！〃　yelled　Mullens；　and　the　men　who　held　him；
  taking　Vincent　at　his　word；　released　hirn。　　He　rushed　forward；　but
  was　received　with　another　tremendous　blow　on　the　mouth。　　He
  paused　a　moment　in　his　rush；　and　Vincent；　springing　forward；
  administered　another　blow　upon　the　same　spot；　knocking　him　off
  his　legs　on　to　the　floor。　　On　getting　up　he　gave　no　sign　of　a　desire
  to　renew　the　conflict。　　His　lips　were　badly　cut　and　the　bood　was
  streaming　from　his　month；　and　he　looked　at　Vincent　with　an　air　of
  absolute　bewilderment。　　The　latter；　seeing　that　the　conflict　was
  over；　quietly　resumed　his　seat；　while　several　of　the　passengers
  came　up　to　him；　and；　shaking　him　warmly　by　the　b