"Hang "em!" yelled another, "the ---- ---- rascals!"
"Yes," roared a third, "pull "em from their horses and string "em up to the limb o" that big oak yonder."
Our friends faced them with dauntless air.
"You will do neither," said Mr. Dinsmore, in a firm, quiet tone; "we are well armed and shall defend ourselves to the last extremity."
Travilla threw his riding whip into the road a foot or two in front of his horse"s head, saying, as he looked steadily into the leader"s eyes, "The first one who pa.s.ses that to come nearer to us is that instant a dead man."
The two were well known in the community as men of undoubted courage and determination; also as excellent marksmen.
A whisper ran along the lines of their opponents.
"He"s a dead shot; and so"s Dinsmore; and they"re not afraid o" the devil himself. Better let "em go for this time."
The leader gave the word, "Forward!" and with hisses, groans and a variety of hideous noises, they swept along the road and pa.s.sed out of sight, leaving our friends masters of the field.
"Cruelty and cowardice go hand in hand," observed Mr. Travilla, as they resumed their homeward way.
"Yes, those brave fellows prefer waging war upon sleeping unarmed men, and helpless women and children, to risking life and limb in fair and open fight with such as you and I," returned his companion.
"They are Ku Klux, you think?"
"I am morally certain of it, though I could not bring proof to convict even that rascally Dr. Savage."
They agreed not to mention the occurrence in presence of their wives: also that it would be best for Travilla to take his family home early, Mr. Dinsmore and Horace Jr. accompanying them as an escort.
This they could readily do without arousing the fears of the ladies, as both were constantly coming and going between the two places.
The sun was nearing the horizon when they reached the Oaks.
Rose and Elsie were in the veranda awaiting their coming in some anxiety.
"Oh," they cried, "we are so rejoiced to see you! so thankful that you are safe. We feared you had met some of those dreadful Ku Klux."
"Yes, little wife, we are safe, thanks to the protecting care which is over us all in every place," Mr. Travilla said, embracing her as though they had been long parted.
"Ah yes," she sighed, "how I have been forgetting to-day the lessons of faith and trust I have tried to impress upon Mrs. Leland. It is far easier to preach than to practice."
Little feet came running in from the grounds, little voices shouted, "Papa has come! Papa and grandpa too," and a merry scene ensued--hugging, kissing, romping--presently interrupted by the call to tea.
There was nothing unusual in the manner of either gentleman and the wives had no suspicion that they had been in peril of their lives.
"I think it would be well to return home early to-night," Mr. Travilla remarked to Elsie.
"Yes," she said, "on account of the children."
So the carriage was ordered at once, and shortly after leaving the table they were on their way--Elsie, children and nurses in the carriage, with Mr. Travilla, Mr. Dinsmore and son, all well armed, as their mounted escort.
Horace had been taken aside by his father and told of the afternoon"s adventure, and in his indignation was almost eager for "a brush with the insolent ruffians."
None appeared, however; Ion was reached in safety, they tarried there an hour or more, then returned without perceiving any traces of the foe.
The hush of midnight has fallen upon the Oaks, Ion, Fairview and all the surrounding region; the blinking stars and young moon, hanging a golden crescent just above the horizon, look down upon a sleeping world; yet not all asleep, for far down the road skirting yonder wood, a strange procession approaches;--goblin-like figures, hideous with enormous horns, glaring eye-b.a.l.l.s and lolling red tongues, and mounted upon weird-looking steeds, are moving silently onward.
They reach a small house hard by the road-side, pause before it, and with a heavy riding whip the leader thunders at the door.
The frightened inmates, startled from their sleep, cry out in alarm, and a man"s voice asks, "Who"s there?"
"Open the door," commands the leader in a strange sepulchral voice.
"I must know first who is there and what"s wanted," returns the other, hurrying on his clothes.
A shot is fired, and penetrating the door, strikes the opposite wall.
"Open instantly, or we"ll break in, and it"ll be the worse for you,"
thunders the leader; and with trembling hands, amid the cries of wife and children, the man removes the bars, draws back the bolts, and looks out, repeating his question, "What"s wanted?"
"Nothing, this time, Jim White, but to warn you that if you vote the Republican ticket, we"ll call again, take you to the woods, and flog you within an inch of your life--Beware! Forward, men!" and the troop sweeps onward, while White closes and bars the door again, and creeps back to bed.
"Ku Klux!" says the wife shuddering. "Jim, we"ll have to hide o" nights now, like the rest. Hush, hush, children, they"re gone now; so go to sleep; nothing"ll hurt ye. Jim, ye"ll mind?"
"Yes, yes, Betsy, though it galls me to be ordered round like a n.i.g.g.e.r; me with as white a skin as any o" them."
Onward, still onward sweeps the goblin train, and again and again the same scene is enacted, the victim now a poor white, and now a freedman.
At length they have reached Fairview; they pause before the gate, two dismount, make off into the woods, and presently reappear bearing on their shoulders a long dark object; a little square of white visible on the top.
They pa.s.s through the gate, up the avenue, and silently deposit their burden at the door, return to their companions, and with them repair to the negro quarter.
Dismounting, they tie their horses to the fence, and leaving them in charge of one of their number, betake themselves to the nearest cabin, surround it, break open the door, drag out the man, carry him to a little distance, and with clubs and leathern straps, give him a terrible beating.
Leaving him half dead with pain and fright, they return to his cabin, threaten his wife and children, rob him of his gun, and pa.s.s on to repeat their lawless deeds; menacing some, beating and shooting others; not always sparing women or children; the latter perhaps, being hurt accidentally in the melee.
From the quarter at Fairview, they pa.s.sed on to that of Ion, continuing there the same threats and acts of violence; winding up by setting fire to the school-house, and burning it to the ground.
The bright light shining in at the open windows of her room, awoke the little Elsie. She sprang from her bed, and ran to the window. She could see the flames bursting from every aperture in the walls of the small building, and here and there through the roof, curling about the rafters, sending up volumes of smoke, and showers of sparks; and in their light the demon-like forms of the mischief-doers, some seated upon their horses and looking quietly on, others flitting to and fro in the lurid glare; while the roar and crackling of the flames, and the sound of falling timbers came distinctly to her ear.
At the sight a panic terror seized the child. She flew into the room where her parents lay sleeping, but with habitual thoughtfulness for others, refrained from screaming out in her fright, lest she should rouse the little ones.
She went to her father"s side, put her lips to his ear, and said in low tremulous tones, "Papa, papa, please wake up, I"m so frightened; there"s a fire and the Ku Klux are there. O papa, I"m afraid they"ll come here and kill you!" and she ended with a burst of almost hysterical weeping, rousing both father and mother.
"What is it, darling?" asked Mr. Travilla, starting up to a sitting posture, and throwing an arm about the child, "what has alarmed my pet?" while the mother, exclaiming "Vi! is she gone again?" sprang out upon the floor, and hastily threw on a dressing-gown.
"No, no, no, mamma; Vi"s safe in bed, but look at that red light on the wall yonder! it"s fire, and the Ku Klux!"
In another moment all three were at the window overlooking the scene.