"How do you know that I shall do either?" Mr. Travilla asked with a slight twinkle in his eye.
"Because you"re not the man to tamely submit to such an outrage."
"No, as my wife says, "I believe in the duty and privilege of self-defense;" and for her sake and my children"s, even more than my own, I shall attempt it. I am extremely obliged to you, Martin."
"Not at all, sir; it was all in the way of business, and in the interests of humanity, law and order. No, no, sir, thank you; I"m not to be paid for doing my duty!" he added, hastily putting back a check which his host had filled out and now handed him.
"I think you may take it without scruple," said Mr. Travilla; "it is not a bribe, but simply a slight expression of my appreciation of an invaluable service you have already rendered me."
"Still I"d rather not, sir, thank you," returned the detective rising to go. "Good morning. I shall hope to hear to-morrow that the raiders have got the worst of it."
Left alone, Mr. Travilla sat for a moment in deep thought; then hearing Mr. Lilburn"s voice in the hall, stepped out and exchanged with him the usual morning salutations.
"So you are not off yet?" remarked the guest.
"No, but am about to ride over to the Oaks. Will you give me the pleasure of your company?"
"With all my heart."
Elsie was descending the stairs.
"Wife," Mr. Travilla said, turning to her, "your cousin and I are going to ride over to the Oaks immediately; will you go with us?"
"Yes, thank you," she answered brightly, as she stepped to the floor; then catching sight of her husband"s face, and seeing something unusual there, "What is it, Edward?" she asked, gliding swiftly to his side and laying her hand upon his arm, while the soft eyes met his with a loving, anxious look.
He could scarce refrain from touching the sweet lips with his own.
"My little friend, my brave, true wife," he said, with a tender sadness in his tone, "I will conceal nothing from you; I have just learned through a detective, that the Ku Klux will make a raid upon Ion to-night, between twelve and two; and my errand to the Oaks is to consult with your father about the best means of defense--unless your voice is for instant flight for ourselves, our children, and guests."
Her cheek paled, but her eye did not quail, and her tones were calm and firm as she answered, "It is a question for you and papa to decide; I am ready for whatever you think best."
"Bravo!" cried her cousin, who had listened in surprise to Mr.
Travilla"s communication, "there"s no coward blood in my kinswoman"s veins. She is worthy of her descent from the old Whigs of Scotland; eh, Travilla?"
"Worthy of anything and everything good and great," returned her husband, with a proud, fond glance at the sweet face and graceful form by his side.
"Ah ha! um h"m! so I think. And they are really about to attack you,--those cowardly ruffians? Well, sir, my voice is for war; I"d like to help you give them their deserts."
"It would seem cowardly to run away and leave our wounded friend and helpless dependents at their mercy," Elsie exclaimed, her eye kindling and her cheek flushing, while she drew up her slender figure to its full height; "our beautiful land, too, given up to anarchy and ruin; this dear sunny South that I love so well."
Her voice trembled with the last words, and tears gathered in her eyes.
"Yes, that is it," said her husband; "we must stay and battle for her liberties, and the rights guaranteed by her laws to all her citizens."
Horses were ordered, Elsie returned to her apartments to don a riding habit, and in a few minutes the three were on their way to the Oaks.
The vote there also was unanimous in favor of the policy of resistance.
Mr. Dinsmore and Horace, Jr. at once offered their services, and Arthur Conly, who happened to be spending a few days at his uncle"s just at that time, did the same.
"I was brought up a secessionist and my sympathies are still with the Democratic party," he said, "but these Ku Klux outrages I cannot tolerate; especially," he added, looking at Elsie with an affectionate smile, "when they are directed against the home and husband if not the person of my sweet cousin."
"You are to me "a kinsman born, a clansman true," Art," she said, thanking him with one of her sweetest smiles.
"That"s right, old fellow!" cried Horace, clapping his cousin on the shoulder. "We shall muster pretty strong;--papa, Brother Edward, Mr.
Lilburn, you and I--six able-bodied men within the fortress, with plenty of the best small arms and ammunition; all of us fair shots, too, some excellent marksmen--we ought to do considerable execution among our a.s.sailants."
"And G.o.d being on our side," said Mr. Lilburn, reverently, "we may have strong hope of being able to beat them back."
"Yes, "the race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong,"" remarked Mr. Dinsmore. ""Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our G.o.d.""
"And if we do so truly, fully, he will take hold of shield and buckler and stand up for our help," added Mr. Travilla.
The plan of defense was next discussed, but not fully decided upon; it was agreed that that could be done most readily upon the spot, and that accordingly Mr. Dinsmore and the two young men should ride over to Ion shortly after breakfast, to view the ground and consult again with the other two.
"Why not return with us and breakfast at Ion?" asked Elsie.
"Why not stay and breakfast with us?" said Rose.
"Certainly," said her husband. "Take off your hat, daughter, and sit down to your father"s table as of old."
"Ah, my little ones! I know they are watching now for mamma and wondering at her long delay."
"Then I shall not detain, but rather speed you on your way," he said, leading her out and a.s.sisting her to mount her horse.
The children had thought mamma"s ride a long one that morning, and much they wondered at papa"s unusual silence and abstraction. He quite forgot to romp with them, but indeed there was scarcely time, as he did not come in from the fields till the breakfast bell had begun to ring.
Grace had just been said, every one was sitting silent, quietly waiting to be helped (the children were all at the table, for "Cousin Ronald"
who had been with them for a week, was now considered quite one of the family). Mr. Travilla took up the carving knife and fork with the intent to use them upon a chicken that lay in a dish before him; but the instant he touched it with the fork, a loud squawk made every body start, and Harold nearly tumbled from his chair.
"Why dey fordot to kill it!" he cried breathlessly.
"But its head"s off!" said Eddie, gazing into the dish in wide-eyed astonishment.
"Ah ha nn h"m! is that the way your American fowls behave at table?"
asked Cousin Ronald, gravely, but with a slight twinkle in his eye, pushing back his chair a little while keeping his eyes steadily fixed upon the ill-mannered bird, as if fearful that its next escapade might be to fly in his face; "a singular breed they must be."
Elsie and her husband began to recover from their momentary surprise and bewilderment, and exchanged laughing glances, while the latter, turning to his guest, said, "Capitally done, cousin! wouldn"t have disgraced Signor Blitz himself or any of his guild. But I had no suspicion that ventriloquism was one of your many accomplishments. What part shall I help you to?"
"The leg, if you please; who knows but I may have use for more than two to-night?"
A gleam of intelligence lighted up little Elsie"s face. "Oh! I understand it now," she said, with a low silvery laugh; "cousin is a ventriloquist."
"What"s that?" asked Vi.
"Oh I know!" cried Eddie. "Cousin Ronald, don"t you have a great deal of fun doing it?"
"Well, my boy, perhaps rather more than I ought, seeing it"s very apt to be at other folks" expense."