For a brief while only the crackle of the flames, eating their way
through the dry oak framework of the barn, disturbed the silence that
followed this unexpected declaration, then a murmur of surprise ran from
horseman to horseman, while Milt broke into astonished speech:
"Why, Sally, what are you doing dressed up in my clothes?"
"My fear for you made me bold. I didn't want them to know you were away
delivering your tobacco, for fear they would follow you, and so I tried
to make them think I was you," she answered falteringly, and then, her
courage ebbing low, woman-like she began to cry.
Whether the sight of her tears, or the pluckiness of her attempt at
passing off for her husband appealed the stronger to the leader of the
Night Riders I cannot say, but the captain of the band turned suddenly
to Milton Derr and said:
"I think we have shown you in strong enough terms that we do not approve
of the stand you have taken on this tobacco question, and have made it
perfectly clear that there must be no more tobacco crop grown by you
this coming season.
"The crisis in the tobacco situation is near at hand. If all the growers
will agree to control the production and pool their crops they can soon
control the prices as well. It is such dumpers and renegades as you that
have delayed the victory this long, but despite your stubbornness and
the many difficulties you have helped to throw in the way, the victory
will surely come, and the long down-trodden grower will conquer.
"For the sake of your wife here, we are going to omit a part of the
punishment you deserve, but I cannot promise as much if we have to pay
you a future visit. To your horses boys!"
The men afoot quickly vaulted into their saddles, the little cavalcade
wheeled about and like shadows, horses and riders soon faded into the
night, red-tinged with the glow of the burning building.
[Illustration: "REVENGE IS SWEET!" SAID DERR. "NO, NO, MILT! YOU ARE
UNHARMED, THAT IS ALL I ASK."]
As the ring of hoofbeats grew fainter and fainter along the highway,
Milton and Sally, hand in hand, stood watching the fire gradually die
down, and the swarms of sparks grow less and less as they floated off
into the darkness, then the two slowly went to the house.
"The villains! I'd like to hang the last one of them!" cried Milt in a
sudden outburst of wrath as the full extent of his losses dawned upon
him.
"Hush! Milt, I am more than satisfied that things are no worse,"
answered his wife gratefully.
"But my barn is burned and my plant bed destroyed!" exclaimed Milt.
"You are unharmed, and that is all I ask."
"I'd like to get even with them for this night's work, and I will," he
announced vindictively.
"No! no! Milt, you must do nothing of the kind," declared Sally. "Let
the matter rest just where it is. Remember, you are looking from just
the opposite standpoint from which you looked a few years back. It is
now _your_ property that is being destroyed, and not other people's.
This makes all the difference in the world. You must not be too severe
on these Night Riders, for my sake, if for nothing else. You see," she
added coyly, "I married one of them myself."
THE END.
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Transcriber's Notes
Obvious punctuation errors repaired.
The following words are spelled both with and without hyphens and have
not been changed: "blood[-]thirsty", "fire[-]light", "half[-]tones",
"hoof[-]beats", "look[-]out", "mid[-]hour", "to[-]day", "to-morrow",
"to[-]night".
Hyphens added: "toll[-]gate" (page 10), "toll[-]house" (page 18).
Hyphens removed: "over[-]heard" (page 162).
Page 55: "he" changed to "the" (the host suggested).
Page 140: "chargin" changed to "chagrin" (The Squire's chagrin).
Page 158: "Sophonia" changed to "Sophronia" (declared Sophronia
frankly).
Page 191: "latters'" changed to "latter's" (the latter's outstretched
palm).
Page 237: added "of" (worthy of your love).
Page 242: "him" changed to "his" (she heard his retreating footsteps).
Page 245: "vengence" changed to "vengeance" (to wreak his vengeance).
Page 254: "dartardly" changed to "dastardly" (so dastardly deed).
Page 255: "aserted" changed to "asserted" (persistently asserted Milton
Derr's innocence).
Page 290: "horsmen" changed to "horsemen" (subdued sound of horsemen).
Page 293: "horseman" changed to "horsement" (several of the masked
horsemen).