Arriving at the Negro assemblage the teacher approached Stephen Dalton.
"Good evening, sir," said he to Stephen.
"Good evenin'," was Stephen's gruff response.
By this time a number of Stephen's lieutenants had clustered around the two, eagerly looking from the teacher to Stephen and from Stephen to the teacher, bent on catching whatever might pass between them. They made no attempt to conceal their feeling of curiosity, which was as manifest as in the case of children.
"May I be allowed to address this gathering?" asked the teacher of Stephen.
"Whar is you frum?" queried Stephen, grumly.
"I have just come from the white people's rendezvous," he replied.
"Thought so. Bettah go back dar, I 'specks," said Stephen, turning his back and walking away.
The teacher now turned to the others who had crowded about him. "Men," said he, "I have something to say that concerns you all. Uncle Stephen is interested in this whole affair in too personal a manner for you men to commit your interests blindly to him. In times like these you need a man who is in such a frame of mind that he can weigh everything. Now, you all know that Uncle Stephen has had enough to unbalance anybody, and, I tell you, men, unbalanced minds are not safe guides in such times as these."
The men gathered about the teacher now looked in the direction of Stephen. He, seeing that the teacher was engaging the attention of the crowd, decided to return and order him away.