“Good morning,” he said, as the stranger drew near.  “Solon, you may hitch Beppo and go to your work.”

“Good morning, Mr. Travilla, sir,” returned the horseman, lifting his hat and bowing respectfully, as Solon obeyed the order in regard to Beppo, and with a backward glance of curiosity, disappeared around the corner of the building.

“You bring news, Martin?” said Mr. Travilla, stepping nearer to the stranger and looking earnestly into his face.

“Yes, sir and very bad, I’m sorry to say, unless,” and he bent low over his saddle-bow and spoke in an undertone, “unless you can defend yourself against a band of thirty-five or forty ruffians.”

“Fasten your horse to that post yonder and come with me to my private room,” said Travilla, in calm, quiet tones.

Martin, alias Snell, immediately complied with the request, and as soon as he found himself closeted with Mr. Travilla, proceeded to give a full account of his last night’s adventure.

“I assure you, sir,” he concluded, “I look upon it as a piece of rare good fortune that I came upon that lad yesterday, and that he mistook me for one of the Klan; as otherwise you’d have had no warning.”

“It was a kind providence, Martin,” returned Mr. Travilla, with grave earnestness, “‘If God be for us who can be against us?’”

“Nobody, sir; and that’s the most Christian way of looking at the thing, no doubt.  But, if I may ask, what will you do? fight or fly?”

“How do you know that I shall do either?” Mr. Travilla asked with a slight twinkle in his eye.

“Because you’re not the man to tamely submit to such an outrage.”

“No, as my wife says, ’I believe in the duty and privilege of self-defense;’ and for her sake and my children’s, even more than my own, I shall attempt it.  I am extremely obliged to you, Martin.”

“Not at all, sir; it was all in the way of business, and in the interests of humanity, law and order.  No, no, sir, thank you; I’m not to be paid for doing my duty!” he added, hastily putting back a check which his host had filled out and now handed him.

“I think you may take it without scruple,” said Mr. Travilla; “it is not a bribe, but simply a slight expression of my appreciation of an invaluable service you have already rendered me.”

“Still I’d rather not, sir, thank you,” returned the detective rising to go.  “Good morning.  I shall hope to hear to-morrow that the raiders have got the worst of it.”

Left alone, Mr. Travilla sat for a moment in deep thought; then hearing Mr. Lilburn’s voice in the hall, stepped out and exchanged with him the usual morning salutations.

“So you are not off yet?” remarked the guest.

“No, but am about to ride over to the Oaks.  Will you give me the pleasure of your company?”

“With all my heart.”

Elsie was descending the stairs.

“Wife,” Mr. Travilla said, turning to her, “your cousin and I are going to ride over to the Oaks immediately; will you go with us?”