sweetest blood that ever stained the sands of Time."

He dipped its ends in the silver cup, extinguished the fire, and handed
the charred symbol to the courier, who quickly disappeared.

CHAPTER III

THE PARTING OF THE WAYS

The discovery of the Captain of the African Guards lying in his full
uniform in Lynch's yard send a thrill of terror to the triumphant leagues.
Across the breast of the body was pinned a scrap of paper on which was
written in red ink the letters K. K. K. It was the first actual evidence
of the existence of this dreaded order in Ulster county.

The First Lieutenant of the Guards assumed command and held the full
company in their armoury under arms day and night. Beneath his door he had
found a notice which was also nailed on the courthouse. It appeared in the
Piedmont _Eagle_ and in rapid succession in every newspaper not under
negro influence in the State. It read as follows:

"HEADQUARTERS OF REALM NO 4.
"DREADFUL ERA, BLACK EPOCH,
"HIDEOUS HOUR.

"GENERAL ORDER NO. I.

"The Negro Militia now organized in this State threatens the
extinction of civilization. They have avowed their purpose to make war
upon and exterminate the Ku Klux Klan, an organization which is now
the sole guardian of Society. All negroes are hereby given forty-eight
hours from the publication of this notice in their respective counties
to surrender their arms at the courthouse door. Those who refuse must
take the consequences.

"By order of the G. D. of Realm No. 4.

"By the Grand Scribe."

The white people of Piedmont read this notice with a thrill of exultant
joy. Men walked the streets with an erect bearing which said without
words:

"Stand out of the way."

For the first time since the dawn of Black Rule negroes began to yield to
white men and women the right of way on the streets.

On the day following, the old Commoner sent for Phil.

"What is the latest news?" he asked.

"The town is in a fever of excitement--not over the discovery in Lynch's
yard--but over the blacker rumour that Marion and her mother committed
suicide to conceal an assault by this fiend."

"A trumped-up lie," said the old man emphatically.

"It's true, sir. I'll take Doctor Cameron's word for it."

"You have just come from the Camerons?"

"Yes."

"Let it be your