urned to the officer who had brought Vincent up.

"This officer will remain in charge of your men for to-night, Captain
Pearce. You will see that the sentence is carried into effect at
daybreak. I need not tell you that a vigilant guard must be placed over
him."

Vincent was again marched back to the village, but the officer halted
the party when he arrived there.

"Stop here a few minutes, sergeant," he said. "That room is required for
an officer's quarters. I will look round and find another place."

In a few minutes he returned, and Vincent was conducted to a shed
standing in the garden of one of the houses.

"Place one man on guard at the door and another behind," the officer
said to the sergeant. "Let the other two relieve them, and change the
watch once an hour."

The sergeant saluted.

"De men hab been on duty since daylight, sah, and none ob us hab had
anyting to eat."

"Oh, I forgot that!" the officer replied. "Very well, I will send
another party to relieve you at once."

In ten minutes another sergeant and four men arrived at the spot, and
Tony and his companions returned to the camp.

As soon as Tony had devoured a piece of bread he left the camp, walked
with careless gait through the camps behind, and went on until he
reached a village in which were comparatively few soldiers. He went up
to a woman who was standing at a door.

"Missus," he said, "I hab got a letter to take, and I aint bery sure as
to de name. Will you kindly tell me what is de address writ on this
paper?"

The woman looked at it.

"'Mrs. Grossmith, Worley Farm, near Union.' That's about two miles along
the road. If you go on, anyone will tell you which is Mrs. Grossmith's."

Tony hurried on, for he wanted to get back to the camp before it was
dark. He had no difficulty in finding Worley Farm.

"Now then, what do you want?" its owner said sharply, as she opened the
door in reply to his knock. "There's nothing for you here. You can look
round if you like. It's been all stripped clean days ago, so I tell
you."

"Me no want anyting, ma'am. Me hab a letter for you."

The woman in surprise took the note and opened it. She read it through
and looked earnestly at Tony.

"He says you are to be trusted," she said. "Is that so?"

"I would gib my life for him twenty times over," Tony replied. "He got
me away from a brutal master and bought my wife out of slavery for me.
What does he say, ma'am? For de Lord sake tell me. Perhaps