"Ben Stringer aint got anything on me now," said he as he trudged along in triumph.
Entering by the rear he caught hold of the rope which he had left hanging, ascended to the attic window and crawled in.
The future ruler of the land!
On the afternoon of the lynching Ramon Mansford alighted from the train at Maulville in search of Bud and Foresta. He noted the holiday appearance of the crowd as it swarmed around the depot awaiting the going of the special trains that had brought the people to Maulville to see the lynching, and, not knowing the occasion that had brought them together, said within himself:
"This crowd looks happy enough. The South is indeed sunny and sunny are the hearts of its people."
At length he approached a man, who like himself seemed to be an onlooker. Using the names under which Mrs. Harper told him that Bud and Foresta were passing, he made inquiry of them. The man looked at him in amazement.
"You have just got in, have you?" asked the man of Ramon.
"Yes," he replied.
"Haven't you been reading the papers?" further inquired the man.