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country。 Miss Rowena Warwick could never again become quite the
Rena Walden who had left the house behind the cedars no more than a
year and a half before。 Upon this very difference were based her noble
aspirations for usefulness；one must stoop in order that one may lift
others。 Any other young woman present would have been importuned
beyond her powers of resistance。 Rena's reserve was respected。
When supper was announced； somewhat early in the evening； the
dancers found seats in the hall or on the front piazza。 Aunt Zilphy；
assisted by Mis' Molly and Mary B。； passed around the refreshments；
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which consisted of fried chicken； buttered biscuits； pound…cake； and
eggnog。 When the first edge of appetite was taken off； the conversation
waxed animated。 Homer Pettifoot related； with minute detail； an old；
threadbare hunting lie； dating； in slightly differing forms； from the age of
Nimrod； about finding twenty…five partridges sitting in a row on a rail； and
killing them all with a single buckshot； which passed through twenty…four
and lodged in the body of the twenty…fifth； from which it was extracted
and returned to the shot pouch for future service。
This story was followed by a murmur of incredulityof course； the
thing was possible； but Homer's faculty for exaggeration was so well
known that any statement of his was viewed with suspicion。 Homer
seemed hurt at this lack of faith； and was disposed to argue the point； but
the sonorous voice of Mr。 Wain on the other side of the room cut short his
protestations； in much the same way that the rising sun extinguishes the
light of lesser luminaries。
〃I wuz a member er de fus' legislatur' after de wah；〃 Wain was saying。
〃When I went up f'm Sampson in de fall； I had to pass th'ough Smithfiel'； I
got in town in de afternoon； an' put up at de bes' hotel。 De lan'lo'd did n'
have no s'picion but what I wuz a white man； an' he gimme a room； an' I
had supper an' breakfas'； an' went on ter Rolly nex' mornin'。 W'en de
session wuz over； I come along back； an' w'en I got ter Smithfiel'； I driv'
up ter de same hotel。 I noticed； as soon as I got dere； dat de place had
run down consid'able dere wuz weeds growin' in de yard； de winders
wuz dirty； an' ev'ything roun' dere looked kinder lonesome an' shif'less。
De lan'lo'd met me at de do'； he looked mighty down in de mouth； an'
sezee：
〃‘Look a…here； w'at made you come an' stop at my place widout tellin'
me you wuz a black man？ Befo' you come th'ough dis town I had a fus'…
class business。 But w'en folks found out dat a nigger had put up here；
business drapped right off； an' I've had ter shet up my hotel。 You oughter
be'shamed er yo'se'f fer ruinin' a po' man w'at had n' never done no harm
ter you。 You've done a mean； low…lived thing； an' a jes' God'll punish you
fer it。'
〃De po' man acshully bust inter tears；〃 continued Mr。 Wain
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magnanimously； 〃an' I felt so sorry fer 'imhe wuz a po' white man tryin'
ter git up in de worl'dat I hauled out my purse an' gin 'im ten dollars； an'
he 'peared monst'ous glad ter git it。〃
〃 How good…hearted！ How kin'！〃 murmured the ladies。 〃It done
credit to yo' feelin's。〃
〃 Don't b'lieve a word er dem lies；〃 muttered one young man to
another sarcastically。 〃He could n' pass fer white； 'less'n it wuz a mighty
dark night。〃
Upon this glorious evening of his life； Mr。 Jefferson Wain had one
distinctly hostile critic； of whose presence he was blissfully unconscious。
Frank Fowler had not been invited to the party； his family did not go
with Mary B。's set。 Rena had suggested to her mother that he be invited；
but Mis' Molly had demurred on the ground that it was not her party； and
that she had no right to issue invitations。 It is quite likely that she would
have sought an invitation for Frank from Mary B。； but Frank was black；
and would not harmonize with the rest of the company； who would not
have Mis' Molly's reasons for treating him well。 She had compromised
the matter by stepping across the way in the afternoon and suggesting that
Frank might come over and sit on the back porch and look at the dancing
and share in the supper。
Frank was not without a certain honest pride。 He was sensitive
enough； too； not to care to go where he was not wanted。 He would have
curtly refused any such maimed invitation to any other place。 But would
he not see Rena in her best attire； and might she not perhaps； in passing；
speak a word to him？
〃Thank y'； Mis' Molly；〃 he replied； 〃I'll prob'ly come over。〃
〃You're a big fool； boy；〃 observed his father after Mis' Molly had gone
back across the street； 〃ter be stickin' roun' dem yaller niggers 'cross de
street； an' slobb'rin' an' slav'rin' over 'em； an' hangin' roun' deir back do'
wuss 'n ef dey wuz w'ite folks。 I'd see 'em dead fus'！〃
Frank himself resisted the temptation for half an hour after the music
began； but at length he made his way across the street and stationed
himself at the window opening upon the back piazza。 When Rena was in
the room； he had eyes for her only； but when she was absent； he fixed his
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attention mainly upon Wain。 With jealous clairvoyance he observed that
Wain's eyes followed Rena when she left the room； and lit up when she
returned。 Frank had heard that Rena was going away with this man； and
he watched Wain closely； liking him less the longer he looked at him。 To
his fancy； Wain's style and skill were affectation； his good…nature mere
hypocrisy； and his glance at Rena the eye of the hawk upon his quarry。
He had heard that Wain was unmarried； and he coul