, I beg of you, cousin, say another word in my
presence. I--I know I'm liable to be misunderstood--a wrong construction
put upon my conduct," he continued glancing in an agony of shame and
entreaty from one astonished face to another, "but I beg you will judge
me leniently and never, _never_, doubt my loyalty to you all," and
bowing courteously to the company he hastily left the room, and hurrying
out of the house, mounted his horse and galloped swiftly down the
avenue.

For a moment those left behind looked at each other in dumb surprise;
then old Mr. Dinsmore broke the silence by a muttered exclamation, "Has
the boy gone daft?"

"I think I understand it, sir," said his son, "poor Cal has been
deceived and cajoled into joining that organization, under a
misapprehension of its deeds and aims, but having learned how base,
cruel, and insurrectionary they are, has ceased to act with them--or
rather never has acted with them--yet is bound by oath to keep their
secrets and do nothing against them."

"Would be perilling his life by taking part against them," added Mr.
Travilla. "I think he has done the very best he could under the
circumstances."

He then went on with his communication to the old gentleman, who
received it with a storm of wrath and indignation.

"It is time indeed to put them down when it has come to this!" he
exclaimed, "The idea of their daring to attack a man of your standing,
an old family like this,--of the best blood in the country! I say it's
downright insolence, and I'll come over myself and help chastise them
for their temerity."

"Then you counsel resistance, sir?" queried his son.

"Counsel it? of course I do! nobody but a coward and poltroon would
think of anything else. But what are your plans, Travilla?"

"To barricade the verandas with bags of sand and bales of cotton,
leaving loopholes here and there, post ourselves behind these defenses,
and do what execution we can upon the assailants."

"Good! Who's your captain?"

"Your son, sir."

"Very good; he has had little or no experience in actual warfare, but I
think his maiden effort will prove a success."

"If on seeing our preparations they depart peaceably, well and good,"
remarked Travilla. "But if they insist on forcing an entrance, we shall
feel no scruples about firing upon them."

"Humph! I should think not, indeed!" grunted the old gentleman;
"'Self-defense is the first law of nature.'"

"And we are told by our Lord, 'a