The Sins of the Father

rocked the baby to sleep and quietly slipped thr

moonlight and then passed so close she could have touched the l

es touched the rear walls of the jail. For two hours she stood amid the shadows, her keen young ears listening and her piercing eye

view from her position, could she but see him through the darkness. Twice she had caught a

he muttered, "if the major's

ood still. She was afraid to breathe. They wouldn't hurt her if they only knew she was the major's friend. But

think. To run meant almost certain death. She flattened her figure against th

were approaching a step at a time had passed. At the corner of the jail they s

spered. "Jump on him from behind as he pa

derst

until I get somet

sy. I'd like a l

it before

hat's

t hear a

hing m

en minutes passed amid a death-like silence. A hundred times she imagined the h

e the front corner of the jail now waiting panther-like for their prey. They allowed hi

t a lonel

hud. She couldn't see, but she could feel through the darkness the grip of those terrible

dows of a big china tree in the rear and tied hi

your mouth and, no matter what happen

who were waiting and the men who had been picked for their dangerous task s

t and she saw them-six grim white and scarlet figures wearing spiked helmets from which fell a cloth mask to their s

, removed his helmet, put on the sentinel's coat and ca

t of the gun on the flagst

o, ja

ler who had been to a drinking bout with the soldiers had not g

is

guard

the devil

somethin'? I'm soaked thr

a minute," was

uded figures closing in on the front door. A m

you

n hurled themselves into the doorway and rushed over the prostrate form of the half-drunken jail

ingers, bind and gag him, and release Norton. The whole thing had

ditor had now put on his disguise and stood in the centre of the group giving his or

e center window of the north end of the Capitol building, the other from the south end. We'll hang the little Scalawag on the south side and the Carpetbagger o

r!" came the q

picked men a

ike at the fi

as been afraid to sleep at home of late, I hear. We'll give the little man and his

lew to the house. She couldn't understand it all, but she realized that if the

nervous and restless and couldn't sleep. She heard the girl

t? What ha

for breath

en and he's gone with the K

l the G

on the turnpike and they're going to hang th

he girl by the sh

old yo

heard a noise and went close in the dark. I

groaned. "And they are going str

t Schlitz's place, spending the nig

o stop them-quick-ca

ssu

I'll write to my grandfather, old Governor Carteret-you know w

ssu

the turnpike-quick no

and four rounds at a leap and in five minutes the

te from the frail, trembling little h

was an expert in handling a horse. Old Peeler had at least taught her that. In five more minutes from the time she had left the

t-dress, candle in hand, scowling at

he cried wit

from Mrs

the fine old face softene

is

she wants you

any table in his hall, returned to his room for his glasses, a

without l

road to Schl

, every f

eady in te

-you'd better hurry,"

n lifted h

ate can't rush to meet the present Go

lau

, s

ur years and in less than ten minutes he was seated beside the gir

n left the jail?" the ol

half-ho

e rein-we'll be too

l's back and he sprang forward as though

y with light. The buggy flew over the beaten track for a mile, and as they suddenly plunged down a hill the old ma

pretty fast,

id to give h

throw them on the h

" the gir

n!" he orde

rse suddenly down on his haunches

l him into the bu

funny old man for all his eighty odd winters. She th

cried sharply. "Wh

lis

n the trees

sort-isn't thi

s,

. The storm has made the ford impassable. They

wered from the woods and in a moment a white-maske

ross this fo

ton's men?" the old

ned business!" wa

entitle me to a hearing to-night. Tell Major Norton I must speak to him imme

the shadows. A moment later a tall shroud

e. "Now turn round and wait for me." Cleo obeyed, and the venerable statesman with head erect, h

his horse, the rein hang

-the drawling voice was l

ed figure sudd

talking through a mask-tak

wed and remo

voice trembled with emotion, he st

have you

cold, deadly look. "Were you ever arrested, Governor, by the henchmen of a peanut politician an

the liv

ou had be

o this now, my boy-you carry the life of the people in your hands to-night! You are

d dignity against a wretch

President will be forced against his wishes to declare the state in insurrecti

martial law-the writ

'll be honest with you, but you've had better discipline, my son. I belong to the old régime and an iron will has

sis. "He has forfeited his life. The people whom he has basely sold into bondage will applaud his e

sical force. Apply that force. Your men can master that rabble of negroes on election day. Drive them from the polls. They'll run like frightened sheep. Their enfranchisement is a crime against civilization. Every sane man in the North knows this. No matter how violent

ean?" the youn

ry the state, elect your Legislature, impeach the Governor, remove him from office, depr

er face, and the older man

possib

head mov

a great career before you. Don't throw your life away to-night in a single act of madness.

oming here to-night,

! I'll see the Governor to-morrow morning and I pledge you my word of honor that I'll make him revoke that proclamation w

on't

dog's life to-night, he'll do it and lick my

earched Norton's face. The strong features were convulsed with

I'll take

nt and his voice quivered with tenderness

r me. God! how I envy you the youth and s

whistle and his or

the Court House Square, in their everyday clothes, armed and r

oved his disguise, folded it neatly, took off his saddle, placed

vernor wav

ther and that boy, Tom, t

ernor-goo

adows and in a moment the buggy was spinning ov

ps on the edge of town, the old man pe

g woman," he said slo

Pee

his place?" he

s,

our mothe

uc

thoug

y,

," was the g

now any of my peop

n the face, smiled and p

uainted with your grandfather and h

a maniac t