“Open the door,” commands the leader in a strange sepulchral voice.

“I must know first who is there and what’s wanted,” returns the other, hurrying on his clothes.

A shot is fired, and penetrating the door, strikes the opposite wall.

“Open instantly, or we’ll break in, and it’ll be the worse for you,” thunders the leader; and with trembling hands, amid the cries of wife and children, the man removes the bars, draws back the bolts, and looks out, repeating his question, “What’s wanted?”

“Nothing, this time, Jim White, but to warn you that if you vote the Republican ticket, we’ll call again, take you to the woods, and flog you within an inch of your life—­Beware!  Forward, men!” and the troop sweeps onward, while White closes and bars the door again, and creeps back to bed.

“Ku Klux!” says the wife shuddering.  “Jim, we’ll have to hide o’ nights now, like the rest.  Hush, hush, children, they’re gone now; so go to sleep; nothing’ll hurt ye.  Jim, ye’ll mind?”

“Yes, yes, Betsy, though it galls me to be ordered round like a nigger; me with as white a skin as any o’ them.”

Onward, still onward sweeps the goblin train, and again and again the same scene is enacted, the victim now a poor white, and now a freedman.

At length they have reached Fairview; they pause before the gate, two dismount, make off into the woods, and presently reappear bearing on their shoulders a long dark object; a little square of white visible on the top.

They pass through the gate, up the avenue, and silently deposit their burden at the door, return to their companions, and with them repair to the negro quarter.

Dismounting, they tie their horses to the fence, and leaving them in charge of one of their number, betake themselves to the nearest cabin, surround it, break open the door, drag out the man, carry him to a little distance, and with clubs and leathern straps, give him a terrible beating.

Leaving him half dead with pain and fright, they return to his cabin, threaten his wife and children, rob him of his gun, and pass on to repeat their lawless deeds; menacing some, beating and shooting others; not always sparing women or children; the latter perhaps, being hurt accidentally in the melee.

From the quarter at Fairview, they passed on to that of Ion, continuing there the same threats and acts of violence; winding up by setting fire to the school-house, and burning it to the ground.

The bright light shining in at the open windows of her room, awoke the little Elsie.  She sprang from her bed, and ran to the window.  She could see the flames bursting from every aperture in the walls of the small building, and here and there through the roof, curling about the rafters, sending up volumes of smoke, and showers of sparks; and in their light the demon-like forms of the mischief-doers, some seated upon their horses and looking quietly on, others flitting to and fro in the lurid glare; while the roar and crackling of the flames, and the sound of falling timbers came distinctly to her ear.