The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 1, 1903, Page 3

the thumping of heavy feet jn the , and the unmistakable odor oY per- ring negroes. They had begun to ran- k the house on tours of inspection. peor woman’s head dropped and she to the floor in a dead swoon. There was a sudden charge as of an arr host, the sound of bio a wild r and the house was cleared. with a fire . Charlie with »e han and ‘Dick with a ake whip had cleared the air. E stood on the front doorstep ing the shovel at the crowd. Des put yo big flat hoofs in dis house ergin! 1'll split yo heads wide open! You ack cattle we will!” the whip railed Dick as Ke t a littie negro passing. e ran into mother’s room to what she was doing i found her ir across the floor on her face. Aunt Ev o quick, mama's The lifted her to r the docto Graham loo pleted h: X t his m the bed and Dick ed very grave when he fon. must tell you glanced up doctor’s face. dying, doctor. I eves k his hand. “You're get- now. my son: you will must be brav Your ive through the night.” kr beside the asped her thin hand slowly.. He wet cheek against with his hot young n his, a iss it would kiss It, la and try to warm . when she opened and looked into his t was about 9 o'c yes with a sn try to live! Don’t leave ring tones as he her lips. She am tired. I see him now. 1 with an agony no , don’t she sooth- v to be a brave, fight this battle home and bring ur own bride here in the far away days hine and s ss | see for you. She and fhe flowers will blos wn again. But I am tired. go red on for a while, but again. - Durham tenderly 1ift- »m_the bedside, kissed him he led him to his room: 5 e with suffering, Charlie. You going to live with me now, and let e love you and be your mother.” . . - . The preacher had made a profound im- pression on his Boston congregation. They were charmed by his simple, appeal to the heart. His fiery empt faith, his ten- pathos of his their feet. At night d to the doors, gling in vain to At the close of the ser- Imed with the ex- and heartfelt sym- hich they thanked him for di- ed and taken out nking teams, un- with the unaccus- h it all with a 1l homes with e furniture, ful carriages nirast with the which hg left at soul. li the story of Mrs. Id merchant, who had ey to Nim ened in the old man’s eye as rose. ght down to my store. T'll get a money order before the postoffice I've got tickets for you to go t with me to-night and hear e great peace jubilee. We g the return of peace and rity and the preservation of the It's the greatest musical festival constructed fc seated over 40,000 people had never seen gathered to- r within one building. The soul of rator in him leaped with divine pow- glanced over the swaying ocean There were 12,000 trained »rus. He had d of heaven wh s should had never expected to He was transported t thrilled and lifted lousness of time and him above the cc ser.se. They rendered masterpieces of all ages, The music continued hour after hour, day afte The grand was accompar the city the Coliseum ringing of bells cannon on the time with from those gainst the gates v voice was in full s instrument of music that devised throbbed in har- a' hundred anvils were ring- ue of el in perfect time, stepped forward on the great stage gnd in a voice that rang its splen- did_note of triumph over all 1like the irumpet of the archangel, sang the “‘Star Spangled Banner Men and women fainted, and one wom- an died, unable to endure the strain. The preacher turned his head away and look- ed out of the win A soft wind was blowing from the south. On its wings were borne to his heart the cry of the widow and orphan, the hungry and dying still being trampled to death by a war more terrible than the first, becanse it was waged against the unarmed, women sud children, the wounded, the starving and the defenseless! He tried in vain to keep back the tears. Bending low: he put his face in his hands and cried ltke a child, “God forgive them! They what they do!” he moaned The kindly old man by his side said rothing, supposing he was overcome by the grandeur of the music. had know not CHAPTER XIX. THE RALLY OF THE CLANSMEN. When the preacher took the train in Hoston for the South, his friendly mer- chant, a deacon, was by his side. ow, you put my name and address down in your note book, Willian Crane. don’t forget about us.” I never forget you, deacon.” ou,” whispered the deacon bending close, “we are not zoing to allow you to stay down South. We'll be down after you before long— just as well be packed u The preacher smiled, looked out of the car window, and made no reply. ““Well, good-by, doctor, good-by. God bless you and your work and your peo- pie! You've brought me a message warm from God's heart. I'll never forget it.” “Good-by, deacon.” As the train whirled southward through the rich populous towns and cities of the North, again the sharp contrast with the desolation of his own land cut him like a knife. He thought of Legree and Haley, Perkins and Tim Shelby robbing widows and orphans and sweeping the poverty-stricken Southland with riot, pil- lage, murder and b-igandage. and posing the representatives of the conscience of the North. And his heart was heavy Tow. ching Hambright he 'was thunder. at the nmews of the sale of Mrs. dear, 1 sent the money to first Monday /I spent in Bos- declared to hiz wife. er reached her.” Dave Haley, the dirty slave “Then g driver, has held that letter. T'll see to this”’ He hurried to the postoffice. “Mr. Haley,” he exclaimed, “I sent a money order letter to Mrs. Gaston from Boston on Monday a weck ago.” “Yes sir,” answered Haley in his blandest manner, “it goc here the day after the sale.” You're an infamous liar!” shouted the 'Of course! Of.course! All Unlon men liars to hear rebel traitors talk.” l'll”repurl you to Washington for this cality.” “So do, so do. More'n likely the Pre: dent and the Postoffice Department 'll be glad to have this information from so great a man.” As the preacher was leaving the pos- office he encountered the Hon. Tim Shelby dressed in the height of fashion, his silk bat shinifig in the sun, and his eyes roli- ing with jov of living. The preacher stepped squarely in front of Tim. Tim Shelby, I hear vou have moved into Mrs. Gaston's home and are using her furniture. By whose authority do you dare such insolence. “By authority of the law, sir. Mrs. Gaston died intestate. Her effects are the hands of our County Adminis- trator, Mr, Ezra Perkins. I'll be pleased to recelve vou, sir, any time you would like to call'” said Tim with a bow. “I'll call in due time,” re{)lled the preacher, looking Tim straight in the eye. Haley had been peeping through the window, watching and listening to this er.counter. \ *“These charmin’ preachers think they own this county, brother Shelby,” laugh- o‘ni P{Ijaley as he grasped Tim's outstretched hand. “‘Yes, they are the curse of the State. T wish to God they had succeeded in burn- ing him alive that night the boys tried it. They'll get him later on. Brother Haley, he's a dangerous man. He must be put out of the way, or we'll never have smooth sailing in this county.” “l believe you're right; he’'s just been in here cu: ' me about that letter of the widder's that didn't get to her in n%w ,, He thinks he can run the post- office. “Well, we'll show him this county’s in the hands of the loyal!” added Tim. ““Heard the news from Charleston? Heard 1t? I guess I have. I talked vith the commanding general in Charles- ten two weeks ago. He told me then he going to set aside that decision of the Supreme Court in a ringing order permitting the marriage of negroes to vhite women and commanding its en- forcement on every military post. I see Le's done it in no uncertain words.” “It's a great day, brother, for the world. There'll be no more color line.” “Yes, times have changed.” said Tim with a triumphant smile. “I guess our white hot-bloods will sweat and bluster and swear a little when they read that order. But we've got the bayonets tofen- force it. They'd just as weli cool down.” That’'s the stuff,” said Haley, taking a fresh chew of tobacco. “Let ‘em squirm. They're flat on their bacl We are on top, and we are going ay on top. I expect to lead.a fair bride into my house before another year nd have poor white aristocrats to tend y lawn.” Tim worked his ears and looked up at the ceiling.in a dreamy sort of way. “That'll ght, won’t it!” exclaim- ed Hale; delight. “Where's that rv'nund*else that lived with Mrs. Gas- Oh, fixed him,” said Tim. “The black rascal wouldn't join the league, and wouldn’t vote with the people, ana showed fight after we beat him half to death, o we put a levy of $50 on his cabin, sold him out, and every plece of furniture and every rag of clothes we could get hold of. "He'll leave the country now, or we'll Rill him next time.” ou ought to ‘a’ killed him the first and then the job would ha’ been time, over. “Oh, we'll have the country in good shape in a little while, and don’t you for- get it.” The news of the order of the military commandant of “‘District No. 2,”" compris- ing the Carolinas, abrogating the decl- sions of the North Carolina Supreme “ourt, forbidding the intermarriage of negroes and whites, fell like & bomb- sliell on Campbell County. The people Lad mnot belleved that the military au- thorities would dare ‘to go the length of attempting to forceysocial equality. This order from Charleston was not only explicit, its language was peculiarly emphatic. It apparently commanded in- termarriage, and ordered the military to enforce the command at the point of the bayonet. The feelings of the people were wrought to the pitch of fury. It needed but a word from a daring leader, and a massacre of every negro, scalawag and. carpet-bagger in the county might have followed. The Rev. John Durham was busy day and night seeking to allay excitement and prevent an uprising of the white popula- tion. Along with the announcement of this initiatory order, came the startling news that Simon Legree, whose infamy was known from end to end of the State, was to be the next Governor, and that the Hon. Tim Shelby was a candidate for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Legree was in Washington at the time on a mission to secure a stand of twenty thousand rifles from the Secretary of War. with which to arm the negro troops he was drilling for the approaching elec- tion. The grant was made and Legree came back in triumph with his rifles. Relief for the ruined people was now a hopel dream. lack despair was clutching at every white man's heart, The taxpayvers had held a convention and sent their representatives to Washington exposing the monstrous thefts that were being committed under the authority of the government by the organized band of thicves who were looting the State. But the thieves were the pets of politiclans high in power. The committee of tax- payers were insulted ana sent home to pay their taxes. And then a thing happened in Ham- br’(ghl that hrpughl matters to a sudden crisis. The Hon. Tim Shelby as school com- misgioner had printed the notices for an examination of school teachers for Camp- bell County. An enormous tax had been levied and collected by the county for this purpose, but mno school had been opened. Tim announced, however, that the school would be surely opened the first Monday in October. Miss Mollife Graham, the pretty niece of the old doctor, was struggling to sup- port a blind mother and four younger children. Her father and brother had been killed in the war. Their house had been soid for taxes, and they were re- quired now to pay Tim Shelby ten dollars a month for rent. When she saw that school notice her heart gave a leap. If she could only get the place, it would save them from beggary. She fairly ran to the preacher to get his advice. “Certainly, child, try for it. It's humil- fating to ask such a favor of that black ape. but if you can save your loved ones, do_it.” So with trembling hand she knocked at Tim’s door. He required all applicants to apply personally at his house. Tim met her with the bows and smirks of a dancing master. “Delighted to see your pretty face this morning, Miss Graham,” he cried enthus- iastically. d’rhe girl blusked and hesitated at the oor. “Just walk right into the parlor; I'll join you in a moment.” . . She bravely set her lips and entered. “And now what can I do for you, Miss aham?"* “I've come to apply for a teacher’s place in the schoo! “Al, indeed, I'm glad to know that. There is only one difficuity. You must be loyal. Your people were rebels and the new government has determined to have only loyal teachers.” “I think T am loyal enough to the old flag now that our people have surren- dered,” said the girl. . “Yes, yes, 1 dare say, but do you think you can accept the new regime of gov- ernment and soclety which we are now tablishing in the South? We have abol- THE SUNDAY CALL. T T ished the color line. Would you have a mixed school if assigned one?” - “l think 1'd prefer to teach a mnegro school outright to a mixed one,” she said after a moment’s hesitation. Tim continued,*“You know we are liv- ing in a new world. The supreme law of the land has broken down every barrier of race and we are henceforth to be one people. The struggle for existence knows no Tace _or color. It's a struggle now for bread. I'm in a position to be of great help to you and your family if you will only let me. The girl suddenly rose, impelled by some resistless instinect. “May I have the place then? 2pproaching the door. “Well, now, you know it depends really altcgether on my fancy. I'll tell you what I'll do. You're still full of silly preju- ices. I can see that. But if you will overcome them enough to do one thing for me as a test, that will cost you noth- ing and of which the world will never be the wiser, I'll give ‘you the place and more; I'll' remit $10 a’ month rent you're row paying. Will you do it?” “What is 1t?” the girl asked with pale, auivering lips. Let me kiss you—once? he whispered. With a scream she sprang past him out of the door, ran like a deer across the lawn, and fell sobbing in her mother’s arms when she reached home. The next day the town was unusually quiet. Tim had business with the com- mandant of the company of regulars still quartered at Hambright. He spent most of the day with him and walked about the sireets ostentatiously showing his famil- iarity with the corporal who accompan- ied him. A guard of three soldiers was stationed about Tim's house for two nights and then withdrawn. The next night at 12 o’clock 200 white- robed horses assembled around the old home of Mrs. Gaston where Tim was sleeping. The moon was full and flooded the lawn with silver glory. On those horses sat 200 white-robed silent men, whose “close-fitting hood disgulses looked like the’ mail helmets of ancient knights. It was' the work of a moment to seize Tim and bind him across a horse's back. Slowly the grim procession moved to the ccurthouse square. When the sun rose next morning the lifeless body of Tim Shelly was dangling from a rope tied to the iron rail of the balcony of the courthouse. His neck was broken and his body was hanging low scarcely three feet from the ground. His thick lips had been split with a sharp knife and from his teeth huwg this plac ar ; she asked, he answer of the Anglo-Saxon race to negro lips that dare pollute with words the womanhood of the South. K. K. K. And the Ku Klux Klan was master of Campbell County. The origin of this law and order league which sprang up like magic in_a night and nullified the programme of Congress, though backed by an army of a million veteran soldfers, Is yet a myster The simple truth is, it was a sponta- neous and resistless uprising of clansmen of Highland origin living along the Appa- lachian Mountains and foothills of the Eouth, and it appeared almost simulta- neously in every Southern State, produced by the same terrible conditions. It was the answer to their foes n§a proud and indomitable race of men dri to the wall. In the hour of their def t‘! they laid down their arms and accept&d in good faith the results of the war. And then, when unarmed and defenseless, a group of pothouse politicians for political ends renewed the war and attempted to wipe out the civilization of the South. The Invisible Empire of White-robed Anglo-Saxon Knights was simply the old answer of organized manhood to organ- ized erime. Its purpose was to bring or- der out of chaos, protect the weak and defenseless, the widows and or- phans of brave men who had dled for their country, to drive from power the thieves who were robbing the people, redeem the commonwealth from infamy and re-establish civilization. Within one week from its appearanca, life and property were as safe as in any Northern community. : ‘When the negroes came home from their league meeting one night they ran terror stricken past long rows of white horse- men. Not a word was spolen, but that was_the last meeting the of America” ever held in Every negro found guilty of a misde- meanor was promptly thrashed and warn- ed against its recurrence. The sudden a grasping at their throats with the grip of cold steel struck the heart of Legree and his followers with the chill of a dead- 1y fear. It meant inevitable ruin, overthrow and a prison cell for the *“Joyal” statesmen who were with him in his efforts to main- tain the new ‘‘republican form of govern- ment” in North Carolina. . At the approaching election, this white terror could intimidate every negro in the State unless he could arm them all, sus- pend the writ of habeas corpus and place l‘very county under the strictest martial aw. ‘Washington was besieged by a terrified army of the “loyal,” who saw their oc- cupation threatened. They begged for more troops, more guns for negro mili- tia, and for the re-establishment of uni- versal martial law until the votes were properly counted. But the great statesmen laughed them to scorn as a set of weak cowards and fools, frightened by negro stories of ghosts. It was incredible to them that the crushed, poverty stricken and unarm- ed South could dare challenge the power of the natlonal Government. They were sent back with scant comfort. The night that Ezra Perkins and Haley got back from Washington, where they had gone summoned by Legree and Hogg, to testify to the death of Tim Shelby, they saw a sight that made their souls quake. At 10 o'clock the Ku Klux Klan held a formal parade through the streets of Hambright. How the news was circulat- ed robody knew, but it seemed everybody in the county knew of it. .The streets grere lined with thousands of people, who %iad poured into town that afterngon. At exactly 10 o'clock a bugle call was heard on the hill to the west of the town and the muffled tread of soft shod horses came faintly to their ears. Women stood or the sidewalks, holding. their babies and smiling, and children were laughing and piaying in the streets. They rode four abreast in_perfect order slowly through the town. It was utterly impossible to recognize a man or a horse, 80 complete was the simple disguise of the white sh which blanketed the horse, fitting closely over his head and ears and falling gracefully over his form toward the ground. No citizen of Hambright was in the pro- cession. They were all in the streets watching it pass. There were fifteen hun- dred men in line. But the reports next day all agreed in fixing the number at over 5000. Perkins and Haley had watched it from a darkened room. “Brother Haley, that’s the end! Lord! T wish T was back in Michigan, jail er no jail,” sald Perkins, mopping the perspira- tion from his brow. e, “We'll have ter dig out purty quick, T reckon,” answered Haley. “And to think them fools at Washing- ten laughed at us!” cried Perkins, clench- ing his fists. And that night mothers and fathers gathered their children to bed with a sense of grateful security they had not felt through years of war and turmoil. CHAPTER XX. HOW CIVILIZATION WAS SAVED. The success of the Ku Klux Klan was so0 complete its organizers were dazed. Its appeal to ignorance and superstition of the negro at once reduced the race to obedience and order. Its threat against the scalawag and carpet-bagger struck terror to their craven _soul and the “Unio League,” ‘“Red Strings” and ‘Heroes of America” went to pleces with incredible rapidity. \ Major Stuart Dameron, the chief of the Klan in Campbell County, was holding a conference with the Rev. John Durham in his studv. - “Doctor, our work has succeeded beyond our wildest dream.” e I SR Sl ““Yes, and I thank God we can breathe freely if only for a moment, major. The danger now lies in our success. We are necessarily playing with fire.” T know it, and it requires my time day and night to prevent reckless men from disgracing us.’ “It will not be necessary to enforce the death penalty against any other man In this county,” major. The execution of Tim Shelby’ was absolutely necessary at the time and it has been sufficient.” 1 agree with you. I've impressed this matter on the master of every lodge, hut Some of them are growing reckless.” ‘ho are they?” . “Young Allan” McLeod for one. He is a dare devil, and only 18 years old. “He's a troublesome boy. "I don’t seem tc have any influence with him. But [ think Mrs. Durham can manage him. He séems to think a great deal of her and in spite of his wild habits he comes regular- 1y to her Sunday school class.” “I bope she can bring him to his We senses." me then a while. “Leave him to will see‘whnt can be done. . Hogg's Legislature promptly declared the Scotch-Irish hill counties in a state of irsurrection, passed a militia bill and the Governor issued a proclamation suspgnd- ing the writ of habeas corpus in these counties, Fearing the effects of negro militia in the hill districts he surprised Hambright by suddenly marching into the courthouse SGvare a regiment of white mountain guerrillas recruited from the outlaws of East Tennessee and commanded by a not- ed desperado, Colonel Henry Berry. The regiment had two pleces of field artillery. It was impossible for them to secure ev- idence against any -member of the Klan unless by intimidation of some coward Wwho could be made to confess. Not a dis- guise had ever been penetrated. It was the rule of the order for its decrees to be executed in the district issuing the de- cree by the lodge furthest removed in the county from the scene. In this way not @ man or a horse was ever identified. Henceforth there could be but one is- sue, are you a white man or a negro? They declared there was but one ques- tion to be settled: “‘Shall the future American be an An- glo-Saxon or a mulatto?” These determined, impassioned men be. Leved that this question was more im- pertant than any theory of tariff or finance and that it was larger than the South, or even the nation, and held in its salution the brightest hopes of the pro- gres< of the human rac And they be- lieved that they were orflained of God in this crisis to give this question its first - authoritative answer. The State burst into a flame of excite- ment that fused in jts white heat the Wwhole Anglo-Saxon race. In vain Hogg marched and counter- marched his twenty thousand State troops. They only added fuel to the fire. If they arrested a man he became forth- with a hero and was given an ovation. "ihey sent bands of music and played at the “jail doors, and the ladies filled the jail with every delicacy that could tempt the appetite or appeal to/the senses. Hogg and Legree were in a panic of fear with the certainty of defeat, expos- :l;e and a felon's cell yawning before em. Two days before the election the pray- er meeting was held at 8 o’clock in the Faptist church at Hambright. It was the u;‘\ml mid-week service, but the attend- ance was unusually large. After the meeting the preacher, Major Dameron and eleven men quietly walked back to the church and assembled in the pastor's study. The door opened at the réar of the church and could be ap- proached by a side street. “‘Gentlemen,"” Dameron, T've asked you here to-night to deliver to you the most important order I have ever given, and to have Dr. Durham as our chaplain to aid me in impressing on you fits great urgency.” We're ready for orders, Chies young Ambrose Kline, the deacon’s son. ““You are to call out every troop of the Klan in fuil force the night before the election. You are to visit every negro in the county and warn every one as he val- ues hlf life not to approach the polls at this election. "'Those who come will lestation. _All ‘Any man, out of Back of me hite, who can be scar Lis ballot is not fit to have one. every ballot is the ri that votes. The ball simply a test of manh 1 «enough to show who is fit to rule the State. As the masters of the eleven township lodges of the Klauou are the sole guardians of society to-day. When a civilized government has been restored your work will' be done.” The group of leaders left the church with enthusiasm and on the following night they carried out their instructions 0 the letter, he election was remarkably quiet. THousands of soldiers were used at the polls by Hogg's orders. But they seemed to make no impression on the determined men who marched up between their files and put the ballots in the box. Legree's ticket was burled beneath an avalanche. The new “Conservative” par- ty carried every county in the State save twelve and elected one hundred and six members of the new Legislature out of a total of one hundred and twenty. The next day hundreds of carpet-bagger thieves fled to the North, and Legree led the procession. Legree had on deposit” in New York $2,000,000, and the total amount of his part of the thefts he had engineered reached $5.000,000. He opened an office on Wall street, bought a seat in the Stock Ex- change and became one of the most dar- ing and successful group of robbers who preved on the industries of the nation. The new Legislature appointed a Fraud Cemmission, which uncovered the infa- mies of the Legree regime. but every thief had escaped. They promptly im- peached the Governor and removed him from office, and the old commonwealth once more lifted up her head and took her place in the ranks of civilized com- munities. CHAPTER XXI. THE OLD AND THE NEW NEGRO. Nelse was elated over the defeat and dissolution of the leagues that had per- secuted him with such malignant hatred. When the news of the election came ne was still _in bed suffering froin his wounds. He had received an internal in- Jury that threatened to prove fatal. “Dar now!"” he cried, sitting up in bed, “Ain’t 1 done tole you no kinky-headed niggers gwine ter run dis gov'ment!" ‘‘Keep still dar, ole man, you'll be faint- in' ergin,” worried Aunt Eve. “‘Na, honey, 1'se feelin’ better. Gwine ter git up and meander down town en ax dem niggers how's de Ku-Kluxes comin’ on dese days.” In spite of all Eve could say he crawled cut of bed, fumbled into his clothes and started down town, leaning heavily on his cane. He had gone about a block when he suddenly reeled and fell. Eve was watching him from the 4door, and was quickly by his side. He died that afternoon at 8 o’clock.” He regained con- £clousness before the end, and asked Eve for his banjo. % He put it lovingly into the hands of Chn‘rlie Gaston, who stood by the bed crying. “You keep ’er, honey. You lub ‘er talk better'n anybody in de worl’, en *member Nelse when you hear 'er moan en sigh. En when she talk short en sassy en make ‘em all gin ter shuffle, dat's me, too. Dat’'s me got back in ’er. Charlie Gaston rode with Aunt Eve to the cemetery. He walked back home through the -fields with Dick. ‘I wouldn’ cry 'bout er ole nigger!” sald Dick looking into his reddened eyes. Can’t help it. He was my best friend.” ‘Hain’t I wid you?" ““Yes, but you ain’t Nelse.” | “Well, I'll stan’ by you des de same.” CHAPTER XXII THE DANGER OF PLAYING WITH f FIRE. The following Saturday the . Jahn Durham vr§¢ed at a crouro}::v lci’:\)ol- house in thé woods about ten miles from Hambright. He preached every Saturday in the year at such a mission station. He was fond of taking Charlie with him on these trips. There was an unusually large crowd in attendance, and the preacher was much pleased at this evi- dence of interest. It had been a hard community to impress. At the close of the services, while the preacher was shaking hands with the people, Charlie elbowed his way rapidly among the throng to his side. “Doctor, there’s a nigger man out at the buggy says he wants to see you quick,” he whispered. “All right, Charlie, in a minute.” ‘‘Says to come right now. It's a matter of life and death, and he don't want to come into the crowd. A troubled look flashed over the preach- er’'s face and he hastily followed the boy, fearing now/ a sinister meaning to his great crowd. “‘Preacher,’ i said the negro looking tim- “de Ku-Klux is gwine ter Rufus Lattimore ter-night. I come ter see ef you can't save him. He ain’t done nuthin’ in God's worl’ 'cept he wouldn’ pull his waggin clear outen de road one day fur dat red-headed Allan McLeod ter pass, en he cussed 'im black and blue en tole 'Im he gwine git eben wid 'im." “How do you know this “I wuz huntin’ in de woods en hear a racket en clim’ er tree. En de Ku-Kluxes kad der meetin’ right under de tree. En I hear ev'ry word.” > Who was leading the crowd? ‘Dat Allan McLeod en Hose Norman.” Where are they going to meet?” ight at de crossroads here at schoolhouse at midnight. Dey sont man atter plenty er licker en dey gwine ter git drunk fust. 1 was erfeered ter come ter de meetin’ case I see er lot er de boys in de crowd. Fur de Lawd sake, preacher, do save de ole man. He des es harmless ez er chile. En I'm gwine ter marry his gal, en she des plum crazy. We’se got five men ter fight fur 'im, but I spec dey kill ’em all ef you can't he'p s ‘“‘Are you one of General Worth's ne- groes? Yassir. I run erway up here 'bout dat Free'mens Bureau trick dey put me up ter, but I'se larned better sense now.” “Well, Sam, you go to Uncle Rufus and tell him not to be afrai I'll stop this business before night. The negro stépped into the woods and @isappeared. “Charlie, we must hurry,” said the preacher, springing in his bugg: He was criving a beautiful bay mare, a gift from a Kentucky friend. Her sleek, glistening sk{gdsnd big round veins showed her fine ood. ““Well, Nancy, it's your life new or a man'’s or maybe a dozen. You must take us to Hambright in fifty minutes over these rough hills!” cried” the preacher. And he gave her the reins. The mare bounded forward with a rush that sent four spinning gircles of sand and dust from each wheel. She had sel- dom felt the lines slacken across her beautiful back except in some great emergency. She swung past buggies and wagons without a pause. The people wondered why the preacher was in such a hurry. Over long sand stretches of heavy road the mare flew in a cloud of dust. The preacher’s lips were firmly set and a scowl on his brow. They had made five miles without slackening up. The mare was now a mass of white foam, her big-veined nostrils wide open znd quivering, and her eyes flashing with the fire of proud ancestry. The slackened” gering. lines on her back seemed to her an insuf- ferable insult! “Doctor, you'll kill Charlie. “Can’t help it, son, drunken devils, masquerading as Ku- Klux, going to kill a man to-night. If we ean’t reach Major Dameron’s in time for him to get a lot of men and stop them there’ll be a terrible tragedy. On the mare flew, lifting her proud, sensitive head higher and higher, while her heart beat her foaming flanks like a trip-hammer. She never slackened her speed for the ten miles, but dashed up to M ameron’s gate at sundown, just ferty-nine _minutes from the time she preacher patted her drip- good! Nancy!” pleaded there's a lot of 1 believe you've W the ground. Id ‘Major Dameron, I've driven my mars here at a killirig speed to_ tell you that young McLeod and Hose Norman have a crowd of desperadoes organized to kill old Rufus Lattfmore to-night. You must get enough men together, and get there Ia time to stop them. Sam Worth over- heard their plot, knows every one of them, and there will be a battle if they attempt it “My God!” exclaimed the major. You haven't'a minute to spare. are whisky. “Dr. Durham, this is the end of the Ku-Klux Klan in this county. I'll break up every lodge in the next forty-eight hours. It's too easy for viclous men to abuse it. Its power is too great. Besides fts work is done.” “1 was just going to ask you to take that step, major. And now for God's sake get there in time to-night. I'd go with you, but my mare can't stand it." Tl be there on time, never fear,” re- plied the major, springing om his horse, already saddled at the door. That night when the crowd of young toughs ‘assembled at their rendezvous it was barely 10 o’clock. Suddenly a pistol shot rang from be- hind the schoolhouse, and before McLeod and his crowd knew what had happened fifty white horsemen wheeled into a circle about them. They were completely sur- prised and cowed. Major Dameron rode up to McLeod. ‘“Young man, you are the prisoner of the chief of the Ku-Klux Klan of Camp- bell County. Lift your hand now and I'll hang you in five minutes. You have for- feited your life by disobedience to my or- ders. You go bP.c® to Hambright with me under guard. Whether 1 execute you depends on the outcome of the next two days’ conferences with the chiefs of the township lodges.” The major wheeled his horse and rode home. The next day he ordered every one of the eleven township chiefs to re- port in person to him at different hours the same day. To each one his message was the same. He dissolved the order ana issued a perpetual injunction against any division of the Klan ever going on another raid. There were only a few who could see the wisdom of such hasty action. The success had been so marvelous, their power so absolute, it seemed a pity to throw it all away. Young Kline especial- 1y begged the major to postpone his ac- tion. “It's impossible, Kline. The Klan has done its work. The carpet-baggers have fled. The State is redeemed from the in- famies of a negro government, and we have a clean, economical administration, and we can keep it so as long as the white people are a unit without any se- cret societies.” “But, major, we may be needed again.” “] can’t assume the resvonsibility any Ignger. The thing is getting beyond my. control. The order is full of wild young- sters and revengeful men. They try to bring their grudges against neighbors into the order, and when I refuse to authorize a raid they take their disguises and go without authority. An archangel couldn’t command such a force.” Witkin two weeks from the dissolution of the Klan by its chief every lodge had been reorganized. Some of the older men had dropped out, but more young men were initiated to take thelr places. Allan McLeod led in this work of prompt reor- ganization and was elected chief of the county by the younger element, which now had a large majority. He at once served notice on Major Dameron, the former chief, that if he dared to interfere with his work even by cpening his mouth in criticism, he would order a raid and thrash him. ‘When the major found this note under his door one morning he read and re-read it with increasing wrath. Springing on his horse he went in search of McLeod. He saw him lelsurely crossing the street go- ln;hfrom the hotel to the courthouse. rowing his horse's reins to a nassine They ;Iready loading up on moonshine v boy, he walked rapidly to him and, with- out a word, boxed his ears as a father would an impudent child. McLeod was so astonished he hesitated for a moment whether to strike or to run. He did neither, but blushed red and “What do you mean, sir?’ Read that letter, you young whel The major thrust the ietter into his hand. You are its author. No cther fool in this county would have con- ceived it. Now, let me give you a little notice. I am prepared for you and your crowd. Call any time. I can whip a hundred puppies of your breed any time by myself with one hand tied behind me. and never get a scratch. Dare to lift yeur finger against me, or any of the men who refused to go with your new feel's movement, and I'll shoot you on sight as I would a mad dog.” Before McLeod could reply the major turned on his heels and left him. McLeod made no further attempt to molest the major, nor did he allow any raids bent on murder. The sudden au- therity placed In his hands in a measure sobered him. He inaugurated a series of petty deviltries, whipping negroes and poor white men against whom some of his crowd had a grudge, and annoying school teachers of negro schools. CHAPTER XXIIL THE BIRTH OF A SCALAWAG. The overwhelming defeat of their pets in the South and the toppling of their -houses of paper built on negro suprem- acy brought to Congress a sense of guilt and shame that required action. Their own agents in the South were now in the penitentiary or in exile for well es tablished felonies and the future looked dark. They found the scapegoat in these fool later day Ku {lux marauders. Once more the public square at Hambright saw the bivouac of the regular troops of the United States army. The preacher saw the glint of their bayonets with a sense of relief. With this army came a corps of skilled detectives, who set to work. All that was necessary was to arrest and threaten with summary death a_coward, and they got all the information he could give. The jall was choked with prisoners and every day saw a squad depart for the siockade at Independence. Sam Worth gave information that led to the immed- iate arrest of Allan McLeod. He was the first man led into the jail. The officers had a long conference with him that lasted four hours. And then the bottom fell out. A wild stampede of young men for the West! Somebody who held the names of every man in the order had proved a traitor. Every night from hundreds of humbie hocmes might be heard the choking sobs of a mother saying good-by in the dark- ness to the last boy the war had left her old age. When the good-by was said and the father. waiting in the buggy at the gate, had called for haste and the boy was hurrying out with his gripsack there S a moan, the soft rush of a coarse homespun dress toward the gate and her arms were around his neck again. “I can’t let you go, child! Lord have merey! He's the Iz And the low pit- iful sobs! ome, come, now ma, we must get away from here before the officers are after him!™ “Just a minute!” A kiss and then another long and lin- A sigh, and then a smothered choking cry from a mother's broken heart and he was gone. Thus Texas grew into the imperial com- monwealth of the South. . . . To save appearance McLeod was re- ved to Independence with the other prisoners and in a short time released, with a_number of others against whom insignificant charges were lodged. When he returned to Hambright tho people looked at him with suspicion. “How is it, young man,” asked the ou are at home so 500;1. n m preacher, ‘“‘that while brave boys are serving terms Northern prisons?” “Had nothing against me,” he replied. “That's strange, when Sam Worth swore that you organized the raid to kill iufe Lattimore.” ‘They didn’t believe him.” Well, I've an idea that you saved your hide by puking. I'm not sure yet, but information was given that only the man in command of the whole county could have possessed.” “There were half a dozen men who knew as much as I did. You mustn't think me capable of such a thing, Dr. Durham!” protested McLeod with heigh- tened color. “It's a nasty suspicion. I'd rather see a child of mine transformed into a cur dog, and killed for sheep stealing, than fall to the level of such a man. But only time will prove the issue.” “I've made up my mind to turn over a new leaf,” sald McLeod. “I'm sick of rowdyism. I'm going to be a law-abiding, loyal eitizen.” “That's just what Pm afraid of!” ex- claimed the preacher with a sneer, as he turned and left him. And his fears were soon confirmed. Within a month the Independence Ob- server contained a dispatch from Wash- ington announcing the appointment of Al- lan McLeod a Deputy United States Marshal for the District of Western North Carolina, togeTier with the infor- m.ation that he had renounced his alle- glarce to his old disloyal associates, and hLad become an enthusiastic Republican: and that henceforth he would labor with might and main to establish peace and further the industrial progress of the South. “1 knew it. The dirty whelp!” cried the preacker, as he showed the paper to his wif Now don’t be too hard on the boy, Dr. Durham.” urged his wife. e may be sincere in his change of politics. You never did like him.” “Sincere! ves, as the devil is always sincere. He’'s dead in earnest now. He's tound his level and his success is sure. Mark my words, the boy's a villain from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet. He has bartered his soul to save his skin, and the skin i= all that is left.” - sorry to think it. I couldn’t help liking him.” “And that's the funniest freak I ever knew your fancy to take, my dear—I nev- er could understand it.” When McLeod had established his office in Hambright he made special efforts to allay the suspicions against his name. His indignant denfals of the report of his treackery convinced many that he had been wronged. Two men alone, maintain- ed toward him an attitude of contempt, Major Dameron and the preacher. He called on Mrs. Durham and with his smooth tongue convinced her that he had been foully slardered. She urged him 1o win the doctor. Accordingly he called to talk the question over with the preach- er and ask him for a fair chance to build his character untarnished in the commun- ity. 5 "The preacher heard him through p: tiently, but in_silence. Allan was per- spiring before he reached the end of, his plavsible explanation. Tt was a tougher task than he thought, this deliberate ly- ing, under the gaze of those glowing biack eyes that looked out from their shaggy,_brows and plerced through his in- most : “You've ‘got an oily tongue. It will car- Ty you a long way in this world. I can't belp admiring the skill with which you are fast learning to use it. You've fooled Mrs. Durham with it, but you can't fool me,” sald the preacher. “Doctor, 1 solemnly swear to you I am net guilty.” “it'’s no use to add perjury to plain ly- ing. I know you did it. I know it as well as if I were present in that jall and heard you basely betray the men, name b; name, whom you had lured to their ruin. “Doctor, 1 swear you are mistaken.” ‘Bah! Don’t talk about it. You nause- ate me!” The preacher sprang to his feet, paced across the floor, sat down on the edge of his table and glared at.McLeod for a mo- ment. And then with his voice low and q\:‘l’\’rerlnl with a storm of emotion he b “The curse of God upon you—the God of your fathers! Your fathers in the far-