Page:The leopard's spots - a romance of the white man's burden-1865-1900 (IA leopardsspotsrom00dixo).pdf/194

 forty-eight hours. It's too easy for vicious men to abuse it. Its power is too great. Besides its work is done."

"I 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."

"I'll be there on time. Never fear," replied the Major, springing on his horse already saddled at the door.

The Preacher drove slowly to his home, the mare pulling steadily on her lines. She walked proudly into her stable lot, her head high and fine eyes flashing, reeled and fell dead in the shafts! The Preacher couldn't keep back the tears. He called Dick and left him and Charlie the sorrowful task of taking off her harness. He hurried into the house and shut himself up in his study.

That night when the crowd of young toughs assembled at their rendezvous it was barely ten o'clock.

Suddenly a pistol shot rang from behind the school-house, and before McLeod and Lis crowd knew what had happened fifty white horsemen wheeled into a circle about them. They were completely surprised and cowed. Major Dameron rode up to McLeod.

"Young man, you are the prisoner of the Chief of the Ku Klux Klan of Campbell county. Lift your hand now and I'll hang you in five minutes. You have forfeited your life by disobedience to my orders. You go back to Hambright with me under guard. Whether I 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 report in person to him, at different hours the same day. To each one his message was the same. He dissolved the order and issued a perpetual injunction against any division of the Klan ever going on another raid.