Circle of Fire (Mysteries through History) by Evelyn Coleman

Author:Evelyn Coleman [Coleman, Evelyn]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, mobi
ISBN: 9781497648234
Publisher: Open Road Media
Published: 2014-07-08T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 7

CIRCLE OF FIRE

I’m going to do something to stop them,” Mendy said as she and Jeffrey walked from Aunt Sis’s toward the clearing.

“You mean we’re going to do something, Mend.”

“Good. You’re in,” Mendy said. “I think it’s time we tell someone.”

Jeffrey bit his lip. “I suppose we could tell my pa.”

“But then he’ll know we’ve been together. You might even get sent to that boys’ school. I think we should tell the sheriff.”

“Mend, what can we tell him? We don’t really know what the Klan is planning, and we don’t know who’s involved. It’s dangerous messing with the Klan. If we start accusing people without proof, our families could end up with crosses burning in the yard. Or worse.”

“We’ll just have to find out who the men are, then, and what they’re up to.”

“And how are we supposed to find that out, Mend? Ask them?”

“No. We need to spy on them next time they meet,” Mendy said. “We can try to make out who they are. They might even take them hoods off. Maybe they’ll talk about what they’re planning on doing up at Highlander.”

“I don’t know, Mend. If they catch us spying, they might hurt us bad.”

“If they catch us. But they ain’t gonna see us. We know how to stay hidden in the woods.”

“Have you forgot we ain’t supposed to even be on Jeb Connor’s land?” Jeffrey reminded Mendy. “If we do see something, we can’t tell it.”

“What’s gotten into you? We don’t have a choice. Daddy says if you see something wrong, it ain’t right to do nothing.”

“Yeah, but this is dangerous. We’re just kids.”

“Then stay here. Don’t come with me,” Mendy said, marching off into the woods.

Jeffrey raced after her.

When they reached the clearing, they were both out of breath. And the choking sulfur in the air made it even harder for them to breathe.

Mendy didn’t need to check her trap—the skunk had sprayed. She didn’t know when the skunk had sprayed, or why. But if it had sprayed while still in the trap, then whoever had picked up the bowie knife would be marked with skunk scent for days. If Mendy or Jeffrey met up with him anywhere, they’d know who he was for sure.

Before they left the clearing, Mendy and Jeffrey vowed to meet late that night at the edge of Jeb Connor’s woods. They’d meet every night at the same time until the men returned to the clearing. They had to find out who the men were and tell the sheriff before Aunt Sis, Mr. Horton, or somebody else got hurt.

That evening Mendy leafed through her scrapbook, looking for courage. Her eyes landed on one of Mrs. Roosevelt’s sayings that Mendy had never noticed before:

Discrimination does something intangible and harmful to the souls of both white and colored people.

Mendy thought about the words. Then, just below them, she wrote words of her own:

Today I learned more about people in the world. Mama always said she wanted to protect me from everything and I was never sure what she meant.

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