The Arkansaw traveler., 1882-06-18
smoke. oyer the caxse of the ruined grandeur around me.

grandeur around me
 fhave neglected to say that had had no sleep the night before. and the stiffness oi this old house. broken only hy the batter 2 of the raIn. and soughing of the ~ind among the trees acted on tired nature Niih sopoTinc effect. X do,cn tunes sank into dofe ;o be aroused by crash of thunder. Finally the storm aha,ed. and the thunder died away In angrl and fasi receding gro~is The me burned down upon the hearth. and weird shadows eTep; into the corners of the roorn. \ strange hush fell upon the house. the pipe slipped from my grasp anu fell in,o a profound sleep.
 How long slep; d. nsd know.sbu, l a~oke flnally aul ot A troubled dream ata md the room brightly iliumina,c,tsssSssti crowded with strange. fantastic Hgufc>. Fitting climax ,o my dream started Up and stared ahou; me ~lih ~andertns eyes. Before could express m, aston ishnent one of the ilgures addressed me. and in spite of the mutr'cyl ,o,ec and ieigned accent. thought recognized the familiar tones ot my old friend. Lance Warrington.
 The figure wss clad m long. flowing roee ot white. which shrouded II from head to foot The head piece of the mask was pierced ~i,h hcies for the eyes. nose and mouth. The others were simi- lariy disguised. and could almost fancy n> self at the >eere, meeting If some knishtly order oi the Feudal Age
 You need not be alarmed. = ai,i the shrouded tisurc. you arc among friends. colonel. We mean you no harm. and We do not intend that you shall do Us ans harm. Nuu are surrounded bv Regala- tors. If you are che oi Us. makt your self known. If not d member of inc or der. our High Priest wili administer the oath of allegiance. and soon make .ou one.
 You need no, disguise vouI voice. for l recognize you, sad l. recovering fnS self-posscssion. You are ianec-"
 Stop. interrupted a doxJn voiees. and SAW the glcam ot i dozen pistol baf- rels under the folds ot tho white >htoads.
 ou w'it consul, seur e~f sssioyt and know no one here. >.tid t ,all fellow standing al the too: of the sofa
 >.,~ tina, his pistol covered uv heart and was silent.
 You IT 4> thlnk this an :dir nias4aef- ade.-bu, assure you t is the reverse. said the iigurc which thought Lance Morthmsten. Ne afe Regulators. and have met for business.
 "Neils@ l interroga,cd. rather ,aun;- insly.
 We perfectly understand tha, you are heFr by accident. and have ne intention of >pyins on OUT actions. Nevertheless. >elf-pTeseryatlon k the tirst Law of nature. and you must teih euF order.
 Nssppese obyec, to such forced mem befship: yentured. and looked about for ny pistols
 TheY Werc gene.
 The order deals vigorously ~ith all wtn dI>ebcl i. comma cF5st; a :auiticd soloe n mX Cal.
 You de not mean cred. s,4r,ng ap,
 "Bc qu,c,. old fellow interrupted the voice winch recognized a. Lance Worth inston,,. Let mc adase you. Ihl> house n which you have taken shelter '> the sometime rendezvous oi one oi the strongest Regulator lodges in the state. We number go members and ncarl. all are present tonight Ne aTc all armed and Seur pistols 4rc n ocr p">,e>sian- Ihis meeting |, accidental bu, thc r,fit, of the order art imperative. and you mast become one ot u.
 ..euppo,e refuse : sad.
 Then you must ,ts.sf 'I.,' li6ii.,fry ot contempt. cred ;he ,cr5gyi ii5,fe at the foot ot the sofa.
 And ih.s.s
 "Deathr r' cncd chorus et sofrcs.
 -0,enilemen. sad I. beginning ,o ;akc serious view of the matter. i am ep- posed ;o yaar order and haze ,o expressed myself hundred ,iines. II yuu foroc me to take any oath l shall not consider I binding. for take ], under protest.
 He who is once Regulator Is always d Regulate" walled the tall hgure al the foot of the sofa. You ~ill never bctray the secrets of the order
 Well. then. sad l. risang to my feet since l am forced io ,hst5s ahead.
 Let the High I'ucst administer the oath 7. sad the y-ice m m, rear. and the tall figure a, the foot of the sofa stepped forward
 Hold up your rIeh,hana "' commanded the High Priest.
 did So. and ,!@@,,ly repeated the oath which bound me 70 secfccv. winch obIi- gated me in hundred different asys, and which oath l kep, until regularly re- leased. After the ceremony ~'as over several of the iigures unmaskcd and dis closed old friends of mine. was no, de- ceived as 10 Lance Worthing,on' $ voice. and he Was the hrs; to congratulate me as brother Regulator
 In the course uf our conversation he told me tha, the ruined house in which ac were assembled vas the se enc pf. A terrible murder years ago. and had the repuratIou of being haunted b,- the ghos; Of ,he rnur- dered man. lt had not been occupied for years. and the Regulators had taken ad- vantage of the superstinous legends con- neeted si,h the pile and transformed it ints place of rendezvous They had 10 fear oi in;erlopers here. He told me that horse and cattle stealing vas so common in the county thai Il vas necessary ;o or ganize some sort of association for pro-