cald dem Kluxes wid
boilin' soap an' lye?"

"Scald them, mammy?" she exclaimed with a slight shudder. "I can hardly
bear the thought of treating a dog so cruelly!"

"But dey's worse dan dogs. Miss Elsie; dogs neber come and detack folks
dat's sleepin' quietly in dere beds; does dey now?"

"No; and these men would take my husband's life. You may all fight them
with any weapon you can lay hands on."

Aunt Chloe returned her thanks and proceeded to give an account of the
plan concocted by Aunt Dicey and Uncle Joe.

Elsie, returning to the dining-room, repeated it there.

"Excellent!" exclaimed her brother. "Come, Art, let's hang a bell in the
kitchen and attach a string to it, taking the other end up to the
observatory."

The suggestion was immediately carried out. It had been previously
arranged that the two young men should repair to the observatory, and
there watch for the coming of the foe, and on their first appearance,
probably a mile or more distant, give the alarm to those below, by
pulling a wire attached to that from which the front door bell was
suspended; thus setting it to ringing loudly. Now they were prepared to
sound the tocsin in the kitchen, also, thus giving time for the removal
of the boiling lye from the fire there to the second story of the
mansion, where it was to be used according to Uncle Joe's plan.

The detective had reported the assailing party as numbering from
thirty-five to forty; but the Ion force, though much inferior in point
of numbers, even with the addition of eight or ten negro men belonging
to the Oaks and Ion, who were tolerably proficient in the use of
firearms, certainly had the advantage of position, and of being on the
side of right and justice.

The gentlemen seemed full of a cheerful courage, the ladies calm and
hopeful. Yet they refused to retire, though strongly urged to do so,
insisting that to sleep would be simply impossible.

It was but ten o'clock when all was ready, yet the young men deemed it
most prudent to betake themselves at once to their outlook, since there
might possibly have been some change in the plans of the enemy.

The others gathered in one of the lower rooms to while away the tedious
time of waiting as best they could. Conversation flagged; they tried
music, but it had lost its charms for the time being; they turned away
from the piano and harp and sank into silence; the house seemed
strangely silent, and the pattering of Bruno's feet as he p