I should be loth to have him drawn into intimacy with Boyd or Foster, but as he likes neither their conduct nor their principles, I have little fear of that." They sauntered about the garden a few moments longer, then rejoined the others, who were still in the library.
The children were romping with each other and Bruno on the veranda without; the merry shouts, the silvery laughter coming pleasantly in through the open windows.
"How happy they seem, Cousin Elsie," remarked Calhoun, turning to her.
"Yes, they are," she answered, smiling.

"You are fond of children, Cal ?" "Yes; suppose you let me join them." "Suppose we all do," suggested Mr.Dinsmore, seeing Travilla lay aside his book, and listen with a pleased smile to the glad young voices.
"With all my heart," said the latter as he rose and led the way, "I find nothing more refreshing after the day's duties are done, than a romp with my children." For the next half hour they were all children together; then Aunt Chloe and Dinah came to take the little ones to bed, and Elsie, after seeing her guests depart, followed to the nursery.
Mr.Dinsmore rode over to Roselands with his nephew, conversing all the way in a most entertaining manner, making no allusion to politics or to Boyd or Foster.
Calhoun was charmed, and when his uncle urged him to visit the Oaks more frequently, observing that he had been there but once since Horace's return from college, and proposing that he should begin by coming to dinner the next day and staying as long as suited his convenience, the invitation was accepted with alacrity and delight.
On returning home Mr.Dinsmore explained his views and wishes, with regard to Calhoun, to his wife and son, who at once cordially fell in with them in doing all they could to make his visit enjoyable.

In fact, so agreeable did he find it that his stay was prolonged to several days.
The morning papers one day brought news of several fresh Ku Klux outrages, beatings, shootings, hanging.
Mr.Dinsmore read the account aloud at the breakfast table, and again made some remarks against the organization.
Calhoun listened in silence, then as Mr.Dinsmore laid the paper down, "Uncle," said he doubtfully, and with downcast troubled look, "don't you think the reconstruction acts form some excuse for the starting of such an organisation ?" "Let the facts answer," returned Mr.Dinsmore: "the organization existed as early as 1866; the reconstruction acts were passed in March, 1867."[D] [Footnote D: See Reports of Congressional Committee of Investigation.] "Ah, yes, sir, I had forgotten the dates; I've heard that reason given; and another excuse is the fear of a conspiracy among the negroes to rob and murder the whites: and I think you can't deny that they are thievish." "I don't deny, Cal, that some individuals among them have been guilty of lawless acts, particularly stealing articles of food; but they are poor and ignorant; have been kept in ignorance so long that we cannot reasonably expect in them a very strong sense of the rights of property and the duty of obedience to law; yet I have never been able to discover any indications of combined lawlessness among them.

On the contrary they are themselves fearful of attack." "Well, sir, then there were those organizations in the other--the Republican party; the Union Leagues and Redstrings.

I've been told the Ku Klux Klan was gotten up in opposition to them." "I presume so, but Union Leaguers and Redstrings do not go about in disguise, robbing, beating, murdering." "But then the carpet-baggers," said Calhoun, waxing warm, "putting mischief into the negroes' heads, getting into office and robbing the state in the most shameless wholesale manner; they're excuse enough for the doings of the Ku Klux." "Ah!" said his uncle, "but you forget that their organization was in existence before the robberies of the state began: also that they do not trouble corruptionists: and why?
because they are men of both parties; some of them men who direct and control, and might easily suppress the Klan.