Chapter Sixteenth.
"I know that there are angry spiritsAnd turbulent mutterers of stifled treason,Who lurk in narrow places, and walk outMuffled to whisper curses to the night.Disbanded soldiers, discontented ruffiansAnd desperate libertines who lurk in taverns."--BYRON.
A bright, warm day, some hours after sunrise. A man of rathergentlemanly appearance, well, though not handsomely dressed, is ridingleisurely along the public highway. He wears a broad-brimmed straw hatas a protection from the sun, and a linen duster somewhat soiled by thedust of travel. He has a shrewd though not unkindly face, and a keengrey eye whose quick glances seem to take in everything within its rangeof vision.
It is a lonely bit of road he is traveling and he moves with cautionevidently on the alert for any appearance of danger.
Presently he perceives another solitary horseman approaching from theopposite direction, and at the sight lays his hand on the pistols inhis belt concealed by the duster, to make sure that they are ready forinstant use; but at the same time keeping steadily on his way.
The new comer is a slender boy of eighteen or twenty, not at alldangerous looking.
As the two near each other each lifts his hat with a courteous, "Goodmorning, sir," the lad at the same time carelessly sliding his righthand down the left lappel of his coat.
The movement, slight as it was, had not escaped the watchful grey eyes,and instantly their owner replied by sliding his left hand in the samemanner down the right lappel of his coat.
The lad then ran his fingers lightly through his hair; the otherimitated his action; the lad opened his coat and seemed to be searchingfor a pin; the man opened his, took out a pin and handed it to him witha polite bow.
"Thanks! all right sir; I perceive you are one of us," said the boy,drawing a paper from his pocket and presenting it to the man. "Miller'sWoods!" and touching his hat he galloped away.
There was a twinkle in the grey eyes as they shot one swift glance afterhim; then the paper was opened and examined with minute care.
On it was a half moon with several dates written in different placesabout it, and that was all; yet its new possessor regarded it with greatsatisfaction, and after a careful scrutiny bestowed it safely in hisbreast pocket.
"I'll be on hand without fail," he said, in a low, confidential tone,perhaps addressing his horse, as there was no one else within hearing."To-night! they're late serving my notice; but better late than never;for me, though perhaps not for themselves," he added with a grim smile."Well, my preparations won't take long: dress-suit's all ready."
He kept on his way at the old leisurely pace, presently came in sight ofFairview, passed it, then Ion, diligently using his eyes as he went,made a circuit of several miles and returned to the town which he hadleft some hours previously.
Dismounting at the village tavern, he gave his horse into the care ofthe hostler, and joined a group of idlers about the bar-room door. Theywere talking politics and one appealed to him for his opinion.
"Don't ask me," he said with a deprecatory gesture! "I'm no party manand never meddle with politics."
"On the fence, hey? Just the place for a coward and a sneak," returnedhis interlocutor contemptuously.
The other half drew his bowie knife, then thrusting it back again, saidgood-humoredly, "I'll let that pass, Green; you've taken a drop toomuch and are not quite compos mentis just now."
"Be quiet, will you, Green;" spoke up one of his companions, "you knowwell enough Snell's no coward. Why didn't he risk his life the otherday, to save your boy from drowning?"
"Yes; I'd forgot. I take that back, Snell. Will you have a glass?"
"Thank you, no, it's too hot, and your wife and babies need the money,Green."
The words were half drowned in the clang of the dinner bell, and thegroup scattered, Snell, and most of the others hurrying into thedining-room in answer to the welcome call.
After dinner Snell sauntered out in the direction of the stable, passedwith a seemingly careless glance in at the door, and strolled onward;but in that momentary glimpse had noted the exact position of his horse.
About ten o'clock that night he stole quietly out again, made his wayunobserved to the stable, saddled and bridled his steed, all in thedark, mounted and rode away, passing through the village streets at avery moderate pace, but breaking into a round trot as soon as he hadfairly reached the open country.
He pressed on for several miles, but slackened his speed as he nearedthe forest known as Miller's Woods.
For the last mile or more he had heard, both in front and rear, thethumping of horses' hoofs, and occasionally a word or two spoken in anundertone, by gruff voices.
He was anxious to avoid an encounter with their owners, and on reachingthe outskirts of the wood, suddenly left the road, and springing to theground, took his horse by the bridle, and led him along for some rodsunder the trees; then fastening him securely, opened a bundle he hadbrought with him, and speedily arrayed himself in the hideous Ku Kluxdisguise.
He stood a moment intently listening. The same sounds still coming fromthe road; evidently many men were traveling it that night; and Snellreflected with grave concern, though without a shadow of fear, that ifseen and recognized by any one of them his life would speedily pay theforfeit of his temerity; for spite of his acquaintance with their secretsigns, he was not a member of the order.
He was, in fact, a detective in pursuit of evidence to convict theperpetrators of the outrages which had been so frequent of late in thatvicinity.
Making sure that his arms were in readiness for instant use, he hastenedon his way, threading the mazes of the wood with firm, quick, but lightstep.
He had proceeded but a short distance, when he came upon a sentinel whohalted him.
Snell slapped his hands together twice, quick and loud.
The sentinel answered in the same manner, and permitted him to pass; thesame thing was repeated twice, and then a few steps brought him into themidst of the assembled Klan; for it was a general meeting of all thecamps in the county which together composed a Klan.
Snell glided, silently and unquestioned, to a place among the others,the disguise and the fact of his having passed the sentinels, lullingall suspicion.
Most of those present were in disguise, but some were not, and severalof these the officer recognized as men whom he knew by name and bysight, among them Green and George Boyd.
A good deal of business was transacted; several raids were decided upon,the victims named, the punishment to be meted out to each prescribed,and the men to execute each order appointed.
One member after another would mention the name of some individual whohad become obnoxious to him personally, or to the Klan, saying that heought to be punished; and the matter would be at once taken up, andarrangements made to carry out his suggestion.
Boyd mentioned the name of "Edward Travilla, owner of Ion," cursing himbitterly as a scalawag, a friend of carpet-baggers, and of theeducation and elevation of the negroes.
"Right! his case shall receive prompt attention!" said the chief.
"Let it be a severe whipping administered to-morrow night, between thehours of twelve and two," proposed Green, and the motion was put to voteand carried without a dissenting voice.
"And let me have a hand in it!" cried Boyd, fiercely.
"You belong to the neighborhood and might be recognized," objected thechief.
"I'll risk it. I owe him a sound flogging, or something worse," returnedBoyd.
"We all do, for he'd have every mother's son of us sent to jail orhanged, if he could," growled another voice on Snell's right, while froma mask on the left there came in sepulchral tones, the words, "It hadbetter be hands off with you then, man," the speaker pointingsignificantly to Boyd's maimed member.
"It shall!" cried he, "but I flatter myself this right hand, mutilatedthough it be, can lay on the lash as vigorously as yours, sir."
After a little more discussion, Boyd's wish was granted, his fellowraiders were nam
ed, and presently the meeting was closed, and themembers began to disperse.
Snell thought he had escaped suspicion thus far, but his heart leapedinto his mouth as a man whom he had heard addressed as Jim Blake,suddenly clapped his hand on his shoulder, exclaiming, "Ah, ha, I knowyou, old chap!"
"You do? who am I then?" queried the spy in a feigned, unnatural voice,steady and cool, spite of the terrible danger that menaced him.
"Who? Hal Williams, no disguise could hide you from me."
Snell drew a breath of relief. "Ha! ha! Jim, I didn't think you were socute," he returned in his feigned voice, and glided away presentlydisappearing, as others were doing, in the deeper shadows of the wood.
He thought it not prudent to go directly to the spot where he had lefthis horse, but reached it by a circuitous route, doffing his disguiseand rolling it into a bundle again as he went.
He paused a moment to recover breath and listen. All was darkness andsilence; the conspirators had left the vicinity.
Satisfied of this, he led his horse into the road, mounted and rode backto the town.
There every one seemed to be asleep except in a drinking saloon, whencecame sounds of drunken revelry, and the bar room of the tavern where heput up. A light was burning there, but he avoided it attended to hishorse himself, returning it to the precise spot where he had found it,then slipped stealthily up to his room, and without undressing threwhimself upon the bed and almost immediately fell into a profoundslumber.