them back for a moment.

At the same time sounds of conflict came from the rear of the
dwelling,--an exchange of shots, whoops and yells, the hurried tramp of
many feet, and the yelping, barking and howling of the dogs--and
instantly the hall was cleared, every man there hastening to join in
this new struggle, apparently satisfied that their intended victim was
endeavoring to make his escape in that direction.

Seeing this, Mrs. Leland and her son ran to a window overlooking the new
scene of contest, their hearts beating between hope and fear.

Mr. Leland had slipped cautiously out of the back door, and, revolver in
hand, stepped into the yard, but only to find himself surrounded by his
foes.

They attempted to seize him, but eluding their grasp, he fired right and
left, several shots in succession, the others returning his fire, and
following in hot pursuit.

There was no moon that night, and the darkness and a simple suit of
black, were favorable to Leland, for while the long white gowns of the
Ku Klux not only trammelled their movements, but rendered each an easy
target for his shot, they could take but uncertain aim at him, and on
gaining the woods, he was soon lost to their view in the deepened gloom
of its recesses.

But the balls had been falling about him like hailstones, and as the
sounds of pursuit grew fainter, he found himself bleeding profusely from
a wound in the leg. He dropped behind a fallen tree, and partially
stanched the wound with some leaves which he bound on with a
handkerchief, fortunately left in his coat pocket on retiring that
night.

This was scarcely accomplished, when sounds of approaching footsteps and
voices told him the danger was not yet over.

He crouched close in his hiding place, and hardly dared breathe as they
passed and repassed, some almost stepping on him. But he remained
undiscovered, and at length they abandoned the search, and returning to
the vicinity of the house, gathered up their wounded and went away.

Yet Leland felt tha

Martha Finley (1828 - 1909) was a teacher and author of numerous works, the most well known being the 28 volume Elsie Dinsmore series which was published over a span of 38 years. The daughter of Presbyterian minister Dr. James Brown Finley and his wife and cousin Maria Theresa Brown Finley, she was born on April 26th, 1828 in Chillicothe, Ohio. Finley wrote many of her books under the psodonym Martha Farquharson. She died in 1909 in Elkton, Maryland, where she moved in 1876.

Anonymous may refer to: Anonymus, the Latin spelling, may refer to: