victim being one very dear to me) that I have not
read the papers for the last few days."

"We burned the people to-day that you are looking for."

"Burned them?" asked Ramon incredulously.

"Yes, burned them."

"The one crime!" gasped Ramon.

"I understand you," said the man. "You want to know how we square the
burning of a woman with the statement that we lynch for one crime in the
South, heh?"

The shocked Ramon nodded affirmatively.

"That's all rot about one crime. We lynch niggers down here for
anything. We lynch them for being sassy and sometimes lynch them on
general principles. The truth of the matter is the real 'one crime' that
paves the way for a lynching whenever we have the notion, is the crime
of being black."

"Burn them! The one crime!" murmured Ramon, scarcely knowing what he
said. With bowed head and hands clasped behind him he walked away to
meditate.

"After all, do not I see to-day a gleam of light thrown on the taking
away of my Alene? With murder and lawnessness rampant in the Southland,
this section's woes are to be many. Who can say what bloody orgies Alene
has escaped? Who can tell the contents of the storm cloud that hangs low
over this section where the tragedy of the ages is being enacted?
Alene, O Alene, my spirit longs for thee!"

Ramon took the train that night--not for Almaville, for he had not the
heart to bear the terrible tidings to those helpless, waiting, simple
folks, the parents of Bud and Foresta. He went North feeling that some
day somehow he might be called upon to revisit the South as its real
friend, but seeming foe. And he shuddered at the thought.

CHAPTER XXI.

_Planning To Act._

On the morning following the Maulville tragedy, before Ensal was out of
bed Earl was tugging viciously at his door bell. Recognizing the note of
distress in the clang of the bell, Ensal arose, quickly attired himself
and hurried to the door.

"Oh, it is my good friend, Earl. Glad--"

Ensal stopped short in the midst of his cordial greeting, so struck was
he by that look on Earl's face that said plainly that some overmastering
purpose had full charge of the man.

"Walk back," said Ensal, in a more subdued manner, leading the way to
his room and steadying himself to meet some grave crisis which Earl's
demeanor plainly told him was at hand.

"And what may I do for my friend?" asked Ensal soothingly, when the two
had taken seats facing each other.

Earl placed an el