They however paid no heed to the insolent demand, but exerted themselves to discover who were the men wounded in the raid; for that more than one had been hurt, was evidenced by the bloody tracks in and around the house at Fairview.

In this they were not successful; doubtless because the men were from a distance, it being the custom for the organization so to arrange matters that thus they might the more readily escape recognition.

The Ion children were at play in the front veranda one morning shortly after breakfast, when a strange gentleman came riding leisurely up the avenue.

Harold was the first to notice his approach.  “Mammy, mammy! see who’s tumin! dat one de Kluxes?” he asked, running in affright to Aunt Chloe, who sat in their midst with the babe on her lap.

“Spect not, honey; don’t be ’fraid,” she said soothingly, putting her arm about the little trembler.

The little girls were dressing their dolls, Eddie and Bruno racing back and forth, in and out, having a grand romp:  but at Harold’s question, Eddie suddenly stood still, with an imperative, “Down, Bruno! down sir! be quiet now!” and turned to look at the stranger.

The gentleman, now close at hand, reined in his horse, lifted his hat, and with a winning smile, said “Good morning, my little lads and lasses.  Is your mother in?”

“No, sir, she and papa have gone out riding,” replied Eddie, returning the bow and smile.

Elsie laid aside her doll and stepping forward, said with a graceful little courtesy, “Good morning, sir, will you dismount and come in?  Papa and mamma will probably be here in a few minutes.”

“Ah, ha! um h’m; ah ha!  Yes, my little lady, I will do so, thank you,” returned the gentleman, giving his horse into the care of a servant, summoned by Eddie.

“Will you walk into the drawing-room sir?” Elsie asked.

“No, thank you,” he replied seating himself among them, and sending a glance of keen interest from one to another.

One look into the pleasant, genial face, banished Harold’s fears, and when the stranger held out his hand, saying, “I am your mamma’s cousin, won’t you come and sit on my knee?” the child went to him at once; while the others gathered eagerly about.

“Mamma’s cousin! then she will be very glad to see you,” said Elsie.

“But she never told us about you,” observed Eddie.

“Ah ha, ah ha! um h’m! ah ha!  But did she ever tell you about any of her mother’s kin?”

“No, sir,” said Elsie, “I asked her once, and she said she didn’t know anything about them; she wished she did.”

“Ah ha! ah ha, um h’m! ah ha!  Well, she soon will.  Child, you look very like a picture of your great-grandmother that hangs in my house in Edinburgh.  A bonny lassie she must have been when it was taken.”

“Yes, sir; and she’s the picture of mamma;” remarked Eddie; “everybody says so.”