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kind of information Theodore Roosevelt had sent me down here to uncover

Chapter 77

THROUGH THE HOLES in my hood I saw at least fiftythe dirt road Jacob, Byraht in with their step

No one said anything until ere all inside Scully’s large old barn and the doors had been closed

One ather around I followed Jacob toward the back wall of the barn

“Our first order of business,” he said, “is to announce that we have a special guest attending our ”

He waved his hand—was he waving in my direction? There was no way he could knoho I was, not under that hood

Without a word Jacob reached over and snatched the hood off my head

I stood revealed The onlyhis face

A h the crowd

“Benjamin Corbett,” said thefriends here We’re not the ones tried to hurt you”

I sincerely doubted that But then he took off his hood and I recognized Winston Conover, the phar as I could remember

One by one theoff their hoods I knew most of them The Methodist minister A farm products salesman A conductor on the Jackson & Northern railroad A carpenter’s assistant The county surveyor The man who did shoe repairs for Kline’s store Sheriff Reese and his deputy The man who repaired farm implements at the back of Sanders’ General Store

So this was the dreaded Ku Klux Klan As ordinary a group of small-town men as you’re likely to come across

“Ben, we appreciate you showing up to let us talk to you” It was Lyman Tripp Jovial, chubby Lyman had the readiest smile in town He was the undertaker, so he also had the steadiest business of anyone