tongue. Around it was a Latin motto worked in scarlet:

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'quod semper, quod ubique, quod ab omnibus"-what always, what everywhere, what by all has been held to be true. "The battle-flag of the Klan," he said; "the standard of the Grand Dragon."

Elsie seized his hand and kissed it, unable to speak. "Why so serious to-night?"

"Do you love me very much?" she answered.

"Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay his fife at the feet of his beloved," he responded, tenderly. "Yes, yes; I know-and that is why you are breaking my heart. When first I met you-it seems now ages and ages ago—I was a vain, self-willed, pert little thing" "It's not so. I took you for an angel-you were one. You are one to-night."

"Now," she went on slowly, "in what I have lived through you I have grown into an impassioned, serious, selfdisciplined, bewildered woman. Your perfect trust tonight is the sweetest revelation that can come to a woman's soul and yet it brings to me unspeakable pain

"For what?"

"You are guilty of murder."

Ben's figure stiffened.

"The judge who pronounces sentence of death on a criminal outlawed by civilised society is not usually called a murderer, my dear."

"And by whose authority are you a judge?”

"By authority of the sovereign people who created the State of South Carolina. The criminals who claim to be

our officers are usurpers placed there by the subversion of law."

"Won't you give this all up for my sake?" she pleaded. "Believe me, you are in great danger."

"Not so great as is the danger of my sister and mother and my sweetheart-it is a man's place to face danger," he gravely answered.

"This violence can only lead to your ruin and shame—”

"I am fighting the battle of a race on whose fate hangs the future of the South and the Nation. My ruin and shame will be of small account if they are saved," was the

even answer.

"Come, my dear," she pleaded, tenderly, "you know that I have weighed the treasures of music and art and given them all for one clasp of your hand, one throb of your heart against mine. I should call you cruel did I not know you are infinitely tender. This is the only thing I have ever asked to do for meyou

"Desert my people! You must not ask of me this infamy, if you love me," he cried.

"But, listen; this is wrong-this wild vengeance is a crime you are doing, however great the provocation. We cannot continue to love one another if you do this. Listen: I love you better than father, mother, life or career-all my dreams I've lost in you. I've lived through eternity to-day with my father"

"You know me guiltless of the vulgar threat against him"

"Yes, and yet you are the leader of desperate men who might have done it. As I fought this battle to-day, I've

:

B

CHAPTER IV

THE BANNER OF THE DRAGON

EN CAMERON rode rapidly to the rendezvous of the pickets who were to meet the coming squad

rons.

He returned home and ate a hearty meal. As he emerged from the dining-room, Phil seized him by the arm and led him under the big oak on the lawn:

66

Cameron, old boy, I'm in a lot of trouble. I've had a quarrel with my father, and your sister has broken me all up by returning my ring. I want a little excitement to ease my nerves. From Elsie's incoherent talk I judge you are in danger. If there's going to be a fight, let me in." Ben took his hand:

"You're the kind of a man I'd like to have for a brother, and I'll help you in love-but as for war-it's not your fight. We don't need help."

At ten o'clock Ben met the local Den at their rendezvous under the cliff, to prepare for the events of the night.

The forty members present were drawn up before him in double rank of twenty each.

"Brethren," he said to them, solemnly, "I have called you to-night to take a step from which there can be no retreat. We are going to make a daring experiment of the

"If another crime is committed in this county by your Klan, we will never see each other again."

He escorted her to the edge of the town without a word, pressed her hand in silence, wheeled his horse, and disappeared on the road to the North Carolina line.

B

CHAPTER IV

THE BANNER OF THE DRAGON

EN CAMERON rode rapidly to the rendezvous of

the pickets who were to meet the coming squad

rons.

He returned home and ate a hearty meal. As he emerged from the dining-room, Phil seized him by the arm and led him under the big oak on the lawn:

Cameron, old boy, I'm in a lot of trouble. I've had a quarrel with my father, and your sister has broken me all up by returning my ring. I want a little excitement to ease my nerves. From Elsie's incoherent talk I judge you are in danger. If there's going to be a fight, let me in." Ben took his hand:

"You're the kind of a man I'd like to have for a brother, and I'll help you in love-but as for war-it's not your fight. We don't need help."

At ten o'clock Ben met the local Den at their rendezvous under the cliff, to prepare for the events of the night.

The forty members present were drawn up before him in double rank of twenty each.

"Brethren," he said to them, solemnly, "I have called you to-night to take a step from which there can be no retreat. We are going to make a daring experiment of the