THE TRAITOR A Story of the Fall of the Invisible Empire By Thomas Dixon, Jr. Illustrated By C. D. Williams New York: Doubleday, Page & Company 1907 [Illustration: 0001] [Illustration: 0008] [Illustration: 0008] DEDICATED TO THE MEN OF THE SOUTH WHO SUFFERED EXILE. IMPRISONMENT AND DEATH FOR THE DARING SERVICE THEY RENDERED OUR COUNTRY AS CITIZENS OF THE INVISIBLE EMPIRE This volume closes, as originally planned, “THE TRILOGY OF RECONSTRUCTION” “The Leopard’s Spots” “The Clansman” “The Traitor” “The Clansman” ended with the political triumph of the Klu Klux Klan, or Invisible Empire. The story of “The Traitor” opens with the order of dissolution by General Forest and is set in the atmosphere of the fierce neighborhood feuds which marked the Klan’s downfall in the Piedmont region of the South. Thomas Dixon, Jr. New York, 1907. LEADING CHARACTERS OF THE STORY Scene: The Foothills of North Carolina. Time: 1870 to 1872. John Graham.............Ex-chief of the Klan Major Graham............His Father Billy...................His Brother Alfred..................The Family Butler Mrs. Wilson.............Their Landlady Susie...................Her Daughter Dan Wiley...............A Mountaineer Steve Hoyle.............Chief of the New Klan Judge Butler............Of the U. S. Circuit Court Stella..................His Daughter Aunt Julie Ann..........His Cook Maggie..................Stella’s Maid Suggs...................A Detective Ackerman................Of the U. S. Secret Service Alexander Larkin........A Carpetbagger Isaac A. Postle.........A Sanctified Man The Attorney General of the United States Hon. Reverdy Johnson of Maryland Hon. Henry Stanbery.....Of Ohio U. S. Grant.............The President THE TRAITOR BOOK I-THE CRIME CHAPTER I--THE THREAT WHAS the mather with the latch! He shook it gently. “No mistake about it--grown solid to the fence. I’ll have to climb over.” He touched the points of the sharp pickets, suddenly straightened himself with dignity and growled: “I won’t climb over my own fence, and I won’t scratch under. I’ll walk straight through.” A vicious lurch against the gate smashed the latch and he fell heavily inside. He had scarcely touched the ground when a fair girl of eighteen, dressed in spotless white, reached the gate, running breathlessly, darted inside, seized his arm and helped him to his feet. “Mr. John, you must come home with me,” she said eagerly. “Grot to see old Butler, Miss Susie.” “You’re in no condition to see Judge Butler.” She spoke with tenderness and yet with authority. “And why not?” he argued good-naturedly. “Ain’t I dressed in my best bib and tucker?” He brushed the dirt from his seedy frock coat and buttoned it carefully. “You’ve been drinking,” pleaded the girl. “Yet I’m not drunk!” he declared triumphantly. “Then you’re giving a good imitation,” she said with an audible smile. “Miss Susie, I deny the allegation.”