himself free.

But the inexorable Calhoun only tightened his grasp and dragged him on
to the nursery.

Dick was there trying to pick the lock of the closet door with his
pocket knife.

"What are you about, sir? No more mischief to-day, if you please,"
exclaimed Calhoun, seizing him with the free hand, the other having
enough to do to hold Walter.

"Give me that key then," cried Dick, vainly struggling to shake off his
cousin's strong grip.

The words were hardly on the boy's tongue, when the door was thrown
open, and Mr. Dinsmore and his daughters entered hastily, followed by
the whole crowd of younger children.

"Give you the key indeed! I'd like to know how you got hold of mine, and
how you dared to make use of it as you have, you young villain! There,
take that, and that and that! Hold him fast, Cal, till I give him a
little of what he deserves," cried Mrs. Johnson, rushing upon her son,
in a towering passion, and cuffing him right and left with all her
strength.

"Let me alone!" he roared; "'taint fair; old Travilla's half killed me
already."

"I'm glad of it! You ought to be half killed, and you won't get any
sympathy from me, I can tell you."

"And you had a share in it too, Walter?" Mrs. Conly was saying in
freezing tones. "If you think he deserves any more than you gave him,
Cal, you have my full permission to repeat the dose."

"Where is the cause of all this unseemly disturbance?" demanded Mr.
Dinsmore severely. "Calhoun, if you have the key of that closet and
those wretched disguises are there, produce them at once."

The young man obeyed, while Enna, holding Dick fast, turned a half
frightened look upon her sister; to which the latter, standing with her
arms folded and her back braced against the wall, replied with one of
cold, haughty indifference.

Calhoun drew out the obnoxious articles and held them up to view, a
flush of mortification upon his face.

The children screamed and ran.

"Be quiet! they can't hurt you," said the grandfather, stamping his
foot; then turning to Calhoun, "Ku Klux--your property and Arthur's, I
presume, you are members doubtless?" and he glanced from one to the
other of his older grandsons in mingled anger and scorn; Arthur having
just entered the room to ascertain the cause of the unusual commotion.

He flushed hotly at his grandsire's words and look. "I, sir! I a Ku
Klux?" he exclaimed in a hurt, indignant tone, "I a midnight assassin
stealing upon my help