The mob naturally supposed that Evangelist Blank would somehow make his
way from the campground to Jake Benton's. Benton and his family arrived
home from the camp about three o'clock in the morning. They had been
there only half an hour when they were aroused by the shout of the mob,
who demanded that the preacher should be yielded up to them. Not until
they had thoroughly searched Benton's home would they believe Jake's
contention that Evangelist Blank was not on the premises. Finally, when
they were convinced that Benton could not or would not tell them where
the preacher was they withdrew to a clump of woods a short distance from
Benton's home and, the morning air being chilly, built a fire.

It was here that their identity became known. As they chatted around the
fire they removed the masks from their faces. Of course, Jake Benton was
curious to know who they were, and when he saw their fire in the woods
he resolved to find out, even at the expense of much trembling. He
thought he had recognized some of them by their voices when they talked
to him at the camp, but now he determined to make sure. He crawled on
his hands and knees for nearly a quarter of a mile along an old rail
fence until he came within a distance of twenty rods from where the men
were gathered, Indian fashion, around the fire. He was not at all
surprised when he saw in the group the familiar face of Deacon Cramps
and Reverend Bonds. And he observed from certain parts of their masks
which they still had on that these two men were the fellows who took the
leading part in the affair at the camp. Jake recognized that the group
was made up mostly of men who were prominent members of Mount Olivet
church. A few non-church-members and young men of the baser sort were
also in the group. Benton watched them until nearly daybreak, when they
disbanded and started for home. Jake lay quietly in his clump of
buck-brush until he was sure that they were at a safe distance, then he
crawled out and went home, informed much and scared more.