Dan nodded and disappeared.
By eight o'clock the town was in a ferment of excitement and the streets were crowded with feverish groups discussing a rumour which late in the afternoon had spread like wild-fire. From some mysterious source had come the announcement that a great Ku Klux parade was to take place in Independence at midnight for the purpose of overawing if not attacking the regiment of soldiers, which had just been quartered in the town.
By eleven o'clock the entire white population, men, women and children, were crowding the sidewalks of the main street.
Billy Graham passed John's office with Susie Wilson leaning on his arm. Billy was in high feather and Susie silent and depressed.
"Great Scott, Miss Susie, what's the matter? This isn't a funeral. It's a triumphant demonstration of power to our oppressors."
"I wish they wouldn't do it with all these troops in town," answered the girl, anxiously glancing at the dark window of John's office.
"Bah! The Ku Klux have been getting pusillanimous of late—haven't been on a raid in six months. They need a leader. Give me a hundred of those white mounted men and I'd be the master of this county in ten days!"
