Logan suddenly stepped out of the crowd, drew a red bandanna handkerchief and waved it over his head. The whole mass of men who stood at some distance watching the jail moved in a single wave toward the door and enveloped the first line of men who had opened the passage. The deputies had taken a half dozen steps through these walls of men when the walls suddenly closed behind and before them.

The press was so dense that it was useless for them to try to move. In a moment they were both disarmed and the six guardsmen had lost their rifles. Craig stood in the center of a solid mass of a thousand silent men, waiting the orders of their leader.

Logan's tall figure pressed through the throng to Craig's side. He seized the young lawyer's arm and whispered:

"Quick now, the horses are just around the corner. I'll meet you at my place by the time you're there. I'll look out for the rear guard."

Craig smiled and shook his head. "No, old boy, that's not my way." "The hell it ain't," Logan growled. me now. You're not going to let that in that courthouse ag'in."

"You come with

skunk insult you

"I'm not running, I tell you," Craig protested. "Sure, you're not," Logan agreed.

out to my house to put yourself at the

"You're just ridin'

head of a regiment

of volunteers. You're goin' to run the county-not run away from it.

Come on

The men pressed around him eagerly.

"Come on, Chief!"

"We're with you-"

"Yes, till hell freezes over!"

"And then we'll skate over on the ice!"

There was no bluster. No cheap threats. They meant business and he knew it. A regiment of twelve hundred brave men, armed to the teeth. He could take his stand in the mountains and an army would be required to dislodge him. He smiled and lifted his hand for silence.

"I thank you, my friends, for this tribute to your commander. I see a lot of my old soldiers here to-day. It touches my heart. But you ought to know better than this, boys. Marse Robert told us at Appomattox to go home and be as good citizens as we had been soldiers. Somehow, this Klan business has made us forget.

He

"I've got to call you back to-day to something bigger than the idea of fighting your neighbors—something bigger than feuds and masks. Now listen to me—” paused and pointed to the white pillars of the courthouse. "The orderly process of law in that courthouse is the foundation of human society. Without it we are again savages. I stand for that process of law. In the hell of Klan passions I had almost forgotten it. light of our southern sun shining on those this morning I see it as never before. and open the way for these deputies."

In the clear solemn pillars Stand back now

The last sentence was spoken in tones of final command. Logan watched him through dimmed eyes, but he made no further protest. He knew it would be a waste of words.

"Open up, boys!" he cried. "The Chief's so damned stubborn, it's no use. But you wait here till I tell you something more."

The crowd opened in silence and Craig walked slowly through between the two deputies.

Logan called his men into another conference that boded no good to the peace and dignity of the state.

C

CHAPTER XXVII

THE TRIAL

RAIG entered the crowded courtroom in dead

silence. Logan had given his orders to the crowd outside and followed his Chief. Wilkes pretended not to notice the entrance of the prisoner. He leaned close to Claudia and whispered. The girl paid no attention to his words but fixed her eyes on Craig.

The prisoner walked with quiet dignity and nodded to friends who pressed close to the rail. Klein asked the privilege of sitting beside him to act as his messenger. The boy edged his way near and pressed his hand. Behind the District Attorney sat Lowery and Old Julius. The kindly eyes of the Judge were lifted from his calendar for a moment as he called:

"The State vs. John Craig-proceed, gentlemen.” Wilkes turned to Lowery and spoke sharply:

"Take the witness stand."

Lowery rose with a leer at Craig and walked with clumsy stride to the chair beside the Judge. The clerk administered the oath and told him to kiss the Book. It was the first time in his life he had ever touched a Bible. kissed it as if afraid it would bite him.

Wilkes began with great deliberation.

"Mr. Lowery-"

He

He paused and a ripple of laughter ran through the room at the unusual title given the tough. Lowery crossed his legs and grinned in embarrassment. The Sheriff called: "Order!"

The second time Wilkes did not pause too long. "Mr. Lowery, did you pass Judge Hawkins' gate on the night of the ball at which the murder was committed?" "Yes."

"Did you stop at the gate?" "A right smart spell."

"What were you doing?"

"I stood there watching the bright lights in the house and the boys in the Klan rig as they went in at the door." "Did you see any one enter the gate besides the boys in Klan costume?"

"Yes, sir. I saw Craig go in the gate. I followed him a piece till I saw him turn to the right and go down to the family graveyard in the corner."

Lowery fixed his eyes on the prisoner in a look of hate and grinned.

Wilkes waved his arm.

“That is all. Take the witness.”

Craig spoke sharply without moving a muscle. "Stand aside!"

Lowery had braced himself for sharp questions in crossexamination. He hoped to have a chance to say something insulting. He was so astonished at his curt dismissal that he sat for a moment as if dazed. The Judge finally spoke.

"That will do, sir; stand aside.”

Lowery threw a stream of tobacco juice at the nearest cuspidor, slowly rose and walked back to his seat. Wilkes was not proud of his witness. He curtly told him to get out of the bar rail inclosure.

He consulted his notes with deliberation until the Judge said sharply:

"Proceed with your witnesses, sir."

The District Attorney nodded to Julius.

He rose

promptly and hurried to the witness chair. Before seating himself the Apostle bowed to his Honor with unction. The Judge stared at him in surprise and said curtly: “Sit down, sir!”

Julius bowed low and murmured:

“Yassah—yassah. To be sho, sah-to-be-sho.” When the Clerk said, "Kiss the Book," Julius kissed it three times. He sought to convey in the act his official love as an Apostle of Sanctification.

The Clerk took the Bible from him and remarked:

"I said kiss it-not eat it."

Julius looked hurt and turned to the Judge for protection. His Honor ignored the appeal. The Apostle pulled himself together with an effort. The ungodly who sat near had heard the Clerk's words and smiled audibly. It rattled the Apostle. He had hoped to make his testimony more convincing by the fervent expression of his love for the word of God. It was evident that there were many present who sat in the seat of the scornful. He withdrew into the consciousness of his holiness and calmly awaited the first question. It was so foolish and unexpected, he forgot his dignity and laughed.

Wilkes rose, drew close to the witness and asked:

"Where are you employed, Julius?"

The Apostle stared incredulously and then laughed. "Ain't employed nowhar, sah. My wife's de cook. I don't hatter work."

Wilkes scowled as the crowd joined in the laugh. The Sheriff cried, "Order," and the silence was again intense.

The District Attorney fixed his witness with a steady stare until his eyes fell. He spoke with a touch of anger. "Answer my questions now without any comments." Julius bowed humbly.

"Yassah."