lux could be seen taking up
their line of march again.

The two Elsies watched in almost breathless suspense till they saw them
turn in a direction to take them farther from Ion.

"Thank God they are not coming here!" ejaculated Mrs. Travilla, in low,
reverent, grateful tones.

"Hark, mamma, papa, I hear cries and screams!" exclaimed little Elsie.
"Oh it must be some of the poor women and children coming up from the
quarter!"

As the child spoke there came a quick sharp tap, that seemed to tell of
fright and excitement, at the outer door of the suite of apartments, and
an old servant, hardly waiting for the permission to enter, thrust in
his head, saying in tremulous tones, "Mars Ed'ard, de people's all
comin' up from de quarter, an' knockin' an' cryin' to get in. Dere's
been awful times down dere; de Ku Klu--"

"Yes, yes, Jack, I know; but be quiet or you'll wake the children. Open
the hall door and let the poor things in, of course," said Mr. Travilla,
"and I'll be down in a moment."

"Plenty room on de back veranda, Mars Ed'ard, an' 'tween dat an' de
kitchen."

"Very well, they'll be safe there, but if they don't feel so let them
into the hall."

"Yes, sah."

The head was withdrawn, the door closed, and Jack's shuffling feet could
be heard descending the stairs.

Mr. and Mrs. Travilla, having each completed a hasty toilet, were about
to go down; but little Elsie clung to her mother.

"Mamma, mamma, don't go and leave me! please let me go too."

"My darling, you would be quite safe here; and it is much earlier than
your usual hour for rising."

"But day is breaking, mamma, and I could not sleep any more: besides
maybe I could help to comfort them."

"I think she could," said her father, and mamma gave consent at once.

They found the back veranda, the kitchen, and the space between, filled
with an excited crowd of blacks, old and young, talking, gesticulating,
crying, moaning and groaning.

"De Ku Klux, de Ku Klux!" was on every tongue.

"Tell ye what, darki

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.

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