rs. Wise the secretary who had laid down
her pen and was attentively listening to the president's talk. "But how
are they to do it?" asked Mrs. West; "My son tells me that there is not
a store in the city that will sell a Negro an ounce of powder. The best
thing to do--if such things should happen--is to stay in our homes, and
advise the men to be cool. Rashness on their part would be all the
excuse the unprincipalled whites would want to kill them. Editor Manly's
reply to Mrs. Fell's letter in August is now brought forward to be used
by their stump orators to fan the flames of race hatred." "I wish he
hadn't written it," interrupted Mrs. Cole. "It was a truth unwisely
said," answered Mrs. Wise, "and by a man who meant to defend his own; so
let us make the best of it. I would not have Editor Manly feel for a
moment that we are such ingrates as to say anything against him."

"The most important thing that I intended to mention, and which makes me
feel that our situation is a critical one," continued Mrs. West, "was a
letter that came this morning from Molly Pierrepont." "Molly
Pierrepont!" echo every one almost in one breath. "Poor erring girl!"
said Mrs. Wise slowly. "What has happened her?" "Molly has written me a
long and even affectionate letter. She writes, '_Ben Hartright confided
to me the other night the ghastly plans of the Rough Riders, a band made
up from the most respectable of the whites. They are to be reinforced
from all over the State, and even from other States for the purpose of
killing and driving from Wilmington objectionable blacks and whites,
John Holloway, Nicholas McDuffy, Editor Manly, John Brown, Lawyers
Scott, Moore and Henderson, George Z. French, Thomas Miller, Ariah
Bryant, McLane Lofton, Pickens and Bell and others of prominence and
independenence are to be special marks of vengeance. I beg you my dear
Aunt Betty, warn these people. I shall take it upon myself to give the
alarm, for these are my people._'

"There is some good in this wayward child after all," said Mrs. West,
pushing her spectacles back, and looking up. "But who of these people
would believe that such was in store for them? These men would not leave
their homes without a severe struggle." "The Government should protect
its citizens in their rights," said Mrs. Wise. "Government? Bah!"
answered Mrs. West. "Here's the highest official of the State afraid for
his own life." "Well if the Governor is incapable of coping with the