The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-08
CHAPTER XVII (contlnued.)

was soon within ear-shot of the church. 1 The pulpit was unoccupied but Gabriel i could see that a white man was stand- l ing in front of it. The inference to be drawn from his movements and gestures
 was that he was delivering an address l to the negroes. Hotchkiss was standing
 near the speaker, leaning in familiar
 way on one of the side projections of the l pulpit. Gabriel knew Hotehliss but the man who was speaking was a stranger. He was flushed as with wlne and ap- | peared to have no control of his hands, [ for he flung them about wildly. Gabriel crept closer. and climbed a l small tree, but listen as he might, no 1 sound of the strangers voice came to | Gabriel The church was full of negroes, and strange silence had fallen on l them The impression made upon the young fellow was very peculiar. Here was
 man fiinging his arms about In the
 heat and ardor of argument or exhorta-
 tion, and yet not a sound came through ] the windows.
 | Suddenly, while Gabriel was leaning forward trying in vain to hear the words
 of the speaker. tall white figure mount i ed on a tall white horse, emerged rom 1 the copse at the rear of the church. AS
 horse and rider swerved in the direction
 of the church, Gabriel saw that both
 were clad in white and flowing raiment. l While he was gazing, another figure l and another until thirteen white riders had come into view. Following one an- l other at intervals, they marched around | the church. observing the most profound l silecen The hoofs of their horses made \ no sound Three times this ghostly pro l cession marched around the church. m l ally they paused, each horseman at a 1 window, save the leader who had sta 1 tioned himself at the door,
 l He was the first to break the silence. l ''Brothers, is all well with you?" his ] voice was strong and sonorous. l "All is not we'll" replied twelve voices I in chorus.
 What do you seer Trouble misery, bloodp'
 | ,'Blood?' cried the leader. "Yes, bloodl" was the reply. "Then all is well!''
 | "So mote it bel All Is wellP' answer 1 ed twelve voices in chorus
 Once more the ghostly procession rode round and round the church, and then | suddenly disappeared in the darkness. l Gabriel rubbed his eyes.
 l It may well be believed that the sud- | den appearance and disappearance of | these apparitions produced consternation | in the Rev. Jeremah's congregation. | The stranger who had been addressing 1 them was left in a state of collapse. The | only person in the building who appear | ed to be cool and sane was the man l Hitchkiss. The negroes sat paralyzed for
 an instant after the white riders had dis i appeared-but only for an instant, for, 1 before you could breathe twice, those | in the rear seats made rush for the door. This movement precipitated panic. l The Rev. Jeremiah umbrella in hand, | emerged from window, bringing the up- | per sash with him. Bencnes were over~ | turned, and wild shrieks came from the | women. The climax came when five pis- l to-shots rang out on the air. | Gabriel, in his tree, could hear the | negroes running, their feet sounding on | the hard clay like the furious scamper | of a drove of wild horses. Years after | ward, he could afford to laugh at the 1 events of that night but at the moment
 the terror of the negroes was contagious,
 and he had mild attack of it. ] The pistol-shots were evidently in the
 nature of signal, for before the echoes
 of the reports had died away, the white
 horsemen came into view again, and
 rode after the fleeing negroes. They paid l little attention to the mob itself, but Nselected the Rev. Jeremiah as the ob- ] ject of their solicitude.
 l He had bethought him of his dignity. | found he was not pursued, and, instead | of taking to the woods, he kept to the
 public road. Before he knew 1t, he found himself, escorted by the entire band. Six | rode on each side, and the leader rode | behind him. Once he started to run, but | the white riders easily kept pace with l him. He would have stopped, but when | he tried to do so he felt the hot breath
 of the leaders horse on the back of his neck, and the frightened negro actually ] thought that a chunk of fire, or as he I described 1t afterward, had been applied | to his head and declared that he had actually seen the flame as 1t cipcled around his head. | He began to walk once more and as
 he was man of great fuency of speech,
 he made an effort to open a conversa-
 tion with his ghostly escort. He was
 perspiring at every pore, and his face called for a frequent use of his red pocket l handkerchief
 | 'Blood!~ cried the leader, and twelve
 voices repeated the word
 | "Bosses-Morstersi What is I ever done | to your" To this there was no reply. T
 aint never hurted none CT you-all I l ain't never had de idee CT harmin' you | All I been doin' for dis long time, Is ter | try ter fetch sinners ter de mercy-seat Oats all l been doin', an dat's all wanter dol tell you dat right now"
 Still there was no repsonse, and the Rev. Jeremiah made bold to take closer look i at the riders. He nearly sunk in his | tracks when he saw that eacn one ap- peared to be carrying his head under ] his arm. "Name CT de Lord!" he cried; 1 "who is you-all anyhow? an what you | gwineter do wid me?'
 l Silence was the only answer he receiv- ed, and the silence of the riders was
 more terrifying than their talk would
 have been. 'Ef you wanter know who
 been tryin' fer ter 'casion trouble, I kin
 tell you, an dat mighty quick" But apparently the white riders were not seeking for information. They asked no questions, and the precipitation flowed
 more freely than ever rom the Rev.
 Jeremiahs pores. Again his red hand | kerchief came out of his pocket, and
 again the rider behind him cried out
 "Bood!'' and the others repeated the
 word.