THE next day after Stover's arrest the town was in a furore. The man who had for years been looked upon as one of Wilford Springs' most successful business men had been charged with a felony. Groups of excited people met on the street corners discussing the case. The Eagle stated the facts in connection with Stover's arrest without any editorial comment. The Journal stated that the arrest of "Jim Stover, Wilford Springs' most distinguished citizen, was spite work by Klan leaders and a girl who had been discharged from Stover's employ." The Reverend Earl Benton had just finished reading of Stover's arrest when his door bell rang. Mrs. Benton went to the door and admitted a young lady who asked to see Rev. Benton. Mrs. Benton showed the young lady into the pastor's study.
"Rev. Benton, I am Pearl Gardner," she said by way of introduction.
"Have a chair, Miss Gardner. What can I do for you?"
"I wanted to talk to you about a certain matter. I came to you because you are the only person I know whom I was sure belongs to the Ku Klux Klan. I wanted to talk to a Klansman."
"I have stated in a number of public lectures that I belong to the Klan."
"I had heard that you said that you belong to the Klan and as I wanted to get the help of the Klan, I came to you."
"I will be pleased to carry your message to the Klan if it appears that that organization can be of any service to you."
"I think it can. I have been keeping company with a young man by the name of Chester Golter. We are engaged to be married but he refuses to keep the engagement."
"What did you want the Klan to do in the matter?"
"I thought if a letter were written to him telling him that if he didn't keep his promise to me he would be visited by Ku Kluxers that he would marry me."
"Has he actually refused to marry you?"
"Not in so many words. He used to keep company with another girl who worked in the bank. Her name is Ruth Babcock. Since we have been engaged I have seen a letter she wrote to him. I discovered by the contents of this letter that he had asked her for her company after he had told me that he did not care for her and would not go with her again. She told him in this letter very positively that she would not go with him. Of course I was offended and refused to go with him to a show the following night. Since then he has gone with another girl several times and has said that he does not know whether we should get married or not; that he is afraid we are not compatible. He is afraid of the Klan and if he had a threatening letter from the Ku Kluxers he would keep his promise to me."
"My dear young lady," said the minister, "you do not understand the work of this organization. The Klan does not write threatening letters, nor visit anyone for the purpose of coercing them. That is a mistaken idea that many have. Not long ago a woman came to me asking that I get the Klan to chase her husband out of town. She said he was worthless and she wanted to get rid of him. A man came to me and told me that he thought that if the Klan would give his uncle a right good whipping it might improve his conduct. It isn't strange that so many people have this mistaken idea of the mission of the Klan. The newspapers have printed so much of alleged threats and punishments by Klans that many have believed them. The Klan is not a punitive organization except as it assists officers in the enforcement of the law by furnishing evidence and giving the officers its moral support. If this young man positively refuses to marry you, of course, you have recourse in the courts. You can sue him for breach of promise."
"Then the Klan won't write a letter to him threatening to visit him if he doesn't many me?"
"I am sure it would not. Maybe a little more sweetness and graciousness on your part would bring the young gentleman around all right?'
"Well, I will be going. I thank you."
The clergyman walked to the door and as she passed out he said, "I trust your affair with this young man may terminate satisfactorily for you, but remember this: there can be no true marriage relation except two hearts are bound captive to each other with a golden chain of love."
After his caller had gone Rev. Benton informed his wife that he was going to town.
"Remember, dear, that you have to conduct a funeral this afternoon. You must be back promptly at noon for your lunch."
"I remember the funeral and will be here at twelve. These funerals are sad, gloomy occasions in the life of a minister."
"A funeral is always sad whether one is in the ministry or not, isn't it?"
"Usually, but a funeral service might bring a great deal of pleasure to a minister."
"What do you mean?"
"It would afford me a great deal of pleasure to preach the funeral sermon over the remains of some of the brothers who are continually knocking, or of the sisters who are always suffering from the 'hoof and mouth disease.'"
"Tut, tut, my dear," his wife replied, shaking her finger at him, "to hear you talk one would think you have some members in your flock whom you do not love."
"Well, to tell the truth," he said, laughing, "I have a few members who would be so much more lovable dead."
"What a boy you are." She lifted her face toward his and he kissed her fervently.
As she stood watching him walk down the street she noticed that his step was not quite so sprightly as it had been when they were married thirty-five years before and that his shoulders were beginning to bow under the burdens of life. She rejoiced that while his body was aging his heart and spirits retained their youthfulness.
As the minister passed Isaac Goldberg's place the little Jew called to him from his door. "Shust a minute, Reverend, I vonts to speak to you."
"All right, Mr. Goldberg. What is it?"
"I understand dat the Klan is going to build a beeg klavern. Is dat right?"
"Yes, the plans are all drawn and work will begin at once."
"How much the cost?"
"Ten thousand dollars."
"Vel, vel, dot is lots of money. If the Klan vants to borry some moneys Isaac has it to loan. And I shust ask only 10 per cent."
"Isaac, would you loan money to the Klan?"
"I loan money shust as quick to the Klan as to the Knights of Columbus."
"I thank you for the offer, but I am quite sure that the Klan will be able to finance this building without any outside help."
"Vel, remember Isaac has moneys to loan—on goot security, of course; alvays on goot security."
A little way farther down the street Rev. Benton met Mr. Jackson.
"Good morning, Reverend."
"How are you, Jackson?"
"Reverend Benton, what do you think of Stover's arrest?"
"Well, I have never had a very exalted opinion of Stover, but I had not suspected him of being a thief."
"It looks bad for him, but he may be able to come clear. I hope he does."
"Well, I do, too. While I have never been an admirer of Stover I would regret very much to know that he had robbed a man who has become an invalid and dependent on his daughter for support."
"If he did defraud Babcock and then discharged his daughter who was supporting her father and aunt because she was keeping company with Harold King whom he had a personal grudge against, as reported, there aren't adjectives strong enough to use in condemning him." Jackson spoke with feeling.
"I know that he discharged the girl because she was keeping company with Harold King but, of course, I know nothing about the charges of fraud."
Springer now came by and Jackson stopped him with the question, "Springer, what do you think about this Stover affair?"
"I think just what I stated in the Journal, that Stover's arrest is a piece of spite work."
There was quite a crowd collected now and someone asked, "Who was the girl you referred to in the article in the paper?"
"Ruth Babcock who had been discharged by Stover."
"Oh, yes. Wasn't she the girl that published the affidavit in regard to the Rastus Jones affair?" another man asked.
"Yes, she has been playing into the hands of the Klan all along." Springer showed embarrassment in his voice and manner. His feeling was of the same nature as when that affidavit was published.
"Who is back of this prosecution?" another asked.
"Harold King," Springer replied.
"If Harold King is responsible for it you can rest assured that it is not spite work. Harold King is every inch a man, and while he may not be friendly to Stover he would not stoop to ............