est unprecedented in the history of the State. "This would
be too cowardly a backdown," he soliloquized. "The situation is not so
serious perhaps as the Governor imagines. Such bluffs the Democrats have
resorted to more than once before, but they didn't deter us in the
least. We put our ticket in the field and fought hard for its election."
But never before had the chairman of the Executive Committee seen in New
Hanover County such grim and warlike activity on the part of the
Democrats. The arming of the poor whites, the hiring of sterner
implements of war, secret house-to-house meetings, and the stern refusal
of dealers to sell a black man a deadly weapon of any description or as
much as an ounce of powder meant something more than bluff. Yet so
strong was the faith of Mr. Wingate in the integrity of the better
classes of Wilmington's white citizens that he was slow to grasp the
situation although the evidence was so overwhelming. He took the letter
from the desk and read it for the fourth time since receiving it,
riveting his eyes long and intently upon the signature affixed. Of all
the years he had known the Governor he had never known him to shrink or
show cowardice in any form whatever, although he'd passed through such
crises as would tend to test the mettle of any man, it matters not how
brave. "Surely the situation must be terrible!" finally observed Mr.
Wingate, throwing the letter upon the desk and whirling around in his
chair. "I will call a meeting and put the matter before the committee.
When that man says back down then surely doomsday is not far off."

There was a timid knock at the door. Feeling that perhaps it was one of
his colleagues dropping in for a chat upon the all-absorbing topic of
the day, Mr. Wingate did not rise or turn his face in that direction,
but simply bid the visitor enter. The latch was timidly turned, followed
by light footsteps, accompanied by the rustle of skirts, and before he
could turn his head to see who this unexpected visitor might be, the
figure had glided up to his chair and two soft hands were pressed over
his eyes. "Now, just guess who it is. I will not release my hold until
you do," was the soft command. "Now, as I was expecting only politicians
to-night and, of course, no visitor in petticoats, I should be excused
from trying to guess who you are on these grounds," answered Mr.
Wingate, trying to force the hands which were firmly pressing down upon
his eyes. "In such tim