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Show ( - f-. j-' ! . r c".: r eV - . v W V w X ' i' - 1 ?i Well, sir, as soon as we four. 1 cut what was going on, we got together and wiped 'em up. Why, you've got the rok- . lest crowd over here I ever heari of. They Just sit and eun themselves. Why don't the folks here wake up? .They can't be afraid of the Yankee scia.ers, can they? Why the Captain here is a rank Democrat in politics, and a rljht down clever fellow. ' . "He is a clever gentleman," Gabriel assented. "I have met him walking about In the woods, and I like Mm very , much. He Is a Kentucklan, and he's -not fond of these carpet-bagrxers and ; scalawags at aU. But you know how they are, especially the women they . hate everything that's clothed in blue." Well, by George! you are the only person la the place that keeps his eyes ; opn. You eaw that rascal talking to the niggers awhile ago? WeU. ha'a the worst of the lot I happened to run across him t'other day, and I told him I'd give him twenty-four hours to get "V out of town. He stayed the limit; but . , when he eaw me walk downtown with -. my shotgun, he took a notion that I. , ' really meant business and he lit out." . v lUnenry Ann found where he was head- ed for, and I've followed him over here. . JVIaJ. Perdue paused a moment In hla talk. "Can you keep a secret, Tolll- ; err he asked., after awhile. ' , "WeU, I haven't had much practice, . Major, but If It Is important, Til do mv ht t IrMn it " . cnArrm zviil 1 llajor Toralla Perdue Arrives. Hotchkiss seemed to be undisturbed by the events that had startled and stampeded the negroes and the white Btranger. He had seated himself on one of the deacons' chairs near the pulpit, pul-pit, and, with his head leaning on his hand, appeared to be lost in thought After a while he arose, put on his hat. blew out one by one the lamps and went out into the darkness. Gabriel had remained in the tree. When Hotchkiss was out of sight, and presumably out of hearing. Gabriel heard someone caUIng his name. "Who are you?" Gabriel asked. "One," replied the other. ' "l don't know your volce,'Vald Gabriel; Ga-briel; "how did you know me?" "That Is a secret that belongs to the Knights of the White Camellia." answered an-swered the unknown. "If you don't come down, I'm afraid I'll have to shake j ' you out of that tree. 1 Gabriel slid down the trunk of the small tree and found that the owner of the voice was no other than MaJ. Tom-lln Tom-lln Perdue of Halcyondale. "Tou didn't expect to find-me roosting around out here, did your the irre preesible Major asked, as he shook Ga- "Oh, it Is not so Important That . fellow you saw. talking to the negroes awhile ago la named Bridalbln." "Brldalbinr exclaimed GahrleL "Yes; he goes by some other name. . Tve forgotten what He'a the fellow that married Margaret Gaither; ru re- -member her; she came home to u-e Jit so very long ago. Now, Tolliver, what- , ' ever you do. don't breathe a word about ' , this Bridalbln. There's no need of worrying wor-rying that poor girl, hia daughter; she . has already had trouble enough la this world. I'm telling you about him because be-cause I want you to keep your eye on. him. , . . Gabriel promptly gae his word that he would never mention anything about . Brldalbin's name, and then be said: "But this parade what does It mean?" The Major laughed. "Oh, that - was Just some of the boys from our settle- ment They are simply out for prac-' rice. They want to get their hands In. They don't belong to the Kuklux that you've read so much about They have no signs or passwords, but simply a general agreement You'll have to organize or-ganize something of that kind here, Tolliver. Tol-liver. You've got to get a move on you. briel warmly by the hand- Your grand-? mtohcr told me an hour ago that I'd find you mooning about on the hills back there. I came around by the road. I was loafing around here when you came up, and I knew it was you, as soon aa I beard you aUpping up thats tree. But that hin buainesa, and the mooning how about them? Well, I don't blame you. She's a fine gal, ain't ehe?" "Who?" inquired Gabriel. "Who!" cried MaJ.. Perdue, mocking.-ly. mocking.-ly. "Why, there's but one gal in the Dale. You know that as weU as I do. Gabriel laughed somewhat sheepishly. sheepish-ly. "Well, you deserve good luck, roy boy," the Major went on. "Everybody that knows you is singing your praises some for your book-learning, some for your modesty, and some for the way you ferreted out the designs of that fellow who was last to leave the church. But for you these dirty thieves might have got the beet of us. Why; we didn't know, even at Halcyondale. what was op till we got word of your discovery. There's no way out of It The only way to fight the devil Is to use his own ' weapons. The trouble Is that some of ' the hot-headed youngsters want to hold - ; the poor niggers responsible, as I said . i Just now, and the niggers are no more to blame than the chicken in a new-laid ' erg- Don't forget that Tolliver." To Be Continued .Tomorrow. |