AS the fall election drew near when county and state officers were to be elected, a tremendous effort was being made by all opposing factions to defeat those candidates that the Klan was said to favor. The wildest stories were circulated as to outrages having been committed by the Klan. The fear of the negroes was again played upon. Rastus Jones was airing some of the church troubles of the union Avenue Baptist Church in the Wilford State Bank one morning and the bank force who had time to listen were greatly interested in his recital.
"You sees it wa' jest like this. I's elected deacon and so's that rascally niggah, Sam Jenkins. I se's I ain't gwine to act as no deacon if that low down niggah is goin' to be deacon. It's not in accordance wid my exalted opinion of the dignities an duties of the impo'tant and splendiferous office of chu'ch deacon."
"I guess that's right, Rastus," remarked the bank teller.
"Yes, sah; dat is right. Well, when we'd been instituted in ouh offices——"
"You mean installed, don't you?" Ruth asked.
"Yes'm, dat's it, installed. The fust Sunday we 'ficiated aftah de duties and sponsibilities had become incumbent upon us dat impudent niggah looks at me and says, 'Rastus, do you presume that you has the qualifications requisite to serve as deacon?' It was lucky for that niggah that I didn't have my razzer with me. I jumps up befo' the entire boad of deacons and says, 'I moves that Sam Jenkins is disqualified to occupy the high and exalted position of deacon of The union Avenue African Church.' Maybe you don't tink that brought on a battle. About half took sides wif me and tothah half wid Sam. Dar ware some langwage bein' used what wouldn't sound good in a pulpit when the Reverend George Washington Bascom entered and ast what all de argument was about. Well, Sam splained and I splained; but Sam splained moah than I did, an the Reverend George Washington Bascom decided that Sam could remain a deacon. I'd done said that I ain't gwine to serve with no sech a low down niggah so I takes my hat and walks out, and I ain't gwine to pay no moah of my ha'd earned money to a prechah what ain't got no mo' discriminatin and amplyfien powah than to side in with sech a wuthless niggah. I'se done stopped payin' and I reckons the Reverend is gwine to miss my thuty cents what I'se been takin' evah Sunday."
"You better watch out," warned the cashier. "The Ku Kluxers may visit you."
"Ain't nobody gwine to scah me with no Ku Klux talk. If I'se some if these niggahs what's a shootin' craps and liftin' othah people's chickens of' de roosts I might be scahed, but I'se a Christian, I is, and I jest like to know why the Kluxer would botheh me."
"They might get you for going back on the preacher."
"He done went back on me and de best interests of the chu'ch when he saved that onry low-down niggah from my just wrath and indignation."
"The Klan may not look at it that way," said Ruth.
"Go on, you all ain't gwine to scah me with no Ku Klux talk, you ain't."
The bank clerks continued their work and Rastus busied himself about the bank. Several times during the morning his questions about the Ku Klux Klan showed a grave apprehension.
"Rastus," said Stover, "I think you had better mop this evening after banking hours."
"Yes, sah; I'll mop it tonight. I'se janitah at one of the school buildings and have to do the work there right aftah fo' o'clock."
"Well, I don't care when you do it just so you get it done," Stover replied.
That evening after dinner at the Babcock home Ruth announced that she was going back to the bank.
"I'm sorry that they want you to come to the bank and work at night," said her father.
"This work that I am going to do tonight is a little work I want to do for myself. Mr. Stover did not tell me to do it."
"I hope you will not be out late."
Before going, Ruth went to her room and secured a pillow slip and a sheet; in the pillow slip she cut eyes and a mouth vent for breathing. She wrapped the pillow slip and sheet in a paper which she carried under her arm.
When she reached the bank she locked herself in her office and waited for the arrival of the janitor.
It was eight-thirty when he came. Ruth could hear him talking frequently to himself as he worked. Once she heard him say, "Who's afeared of them Kluxers, anyway. I'm mighty shuah I ain't."
Ruth put on her robe and mask and viewed herself in the mirror. She suppressed a laugh. When she heard Rastus emptying the water she went out of the door that opened directly into the corridor and waited behind the elevator cage which was standing at the bottom of the shaft.
Soon Rastus came out and when near the elevator Ruth stepped from behind it.
Rastus threw up both his hands and exclaimed, "Lawd, Lawd!" and began to back off. The white robed figure wearing a white mask slowly followed him. One arm under the robe was lifted toward him. He was sure the Klansman had a revolver in his hand, as he backed away from the approaching figure he said, "Please don't shoot me, I ain't done nothin', Mistah Ku Klux—honest to Gawd, I ain't."
"You have refused to support your pastor." The white robed figure spoke in a sepulchral voice.
"I'se only missed payin' one Sunday and that's a fact. If you will let me go this time I'll pay evah Sunday."
"You may have one more chance. Now face the wall and don't look around until you have counted three hundred. My final warning to you is beware, beware, beware!"
The negro, as directed, faced the wall and began to count. Ruth removed her robe and mask as she passed through the outer entrance to the corridor and hastened to the street intersection where she caught a car.
The next morning it was ten o'clock before Rastus made his appearance at the bank.
"Rastus, you are a little late," said Stover.
"Yes, sah, Mr. Stover, I'se late. I had a terrible sperience last night that's kinda made me feel flober-gasted."
"What was the trouble, Rastus?" asked Stover.
"I was visited by the Ku Klux Klan."
"What, are you telling the truth?" Stover asked with interest.
The bank employees all left their work and gathered around Rastus.
"Honest to Gawd, I'se tellin' the truf. I'd jest finished moppin' and sta'ted home, when out from behind the elevator stepped one of them Ku Kluxers."
"Did he have a mask on?" someone asked.
"Yes, sah; he had a mask on."
"Was there just one?" the cashier asked.
"Jest one in the hall, but I heard a lot of 'em outside the doah."
"What did the Klansman say to you?"
"He said I hadn't been payin' our preachah. I spec dat skunk of a Sam Jenkins done set 'em on me."
"What did they do?"
"This big spook done say he give me one moah chance."
"Why didn't you grab him and lift his mask?" Golter asked.
"He was too big and powahful."
"How big was he?" asked Ruth.
"He must have been seben feet tall."
"You thought he was too big for you to grapple with?"
"Yas, ma'am, he was too big—besides he threatened me with a gun."
"Are you sure he had a gun?" she asked.
"Yes'm, I'se shuah. I didn't see the gun itsef. He kept it covered with his ro............