Betty's sphere of influence rapidly extended itself. She soon began to have her doubts concerning the treatment accorded the slaves, and was not long in discovering that Hicks, the overseer, ran things with a heavy hand. Matters reached a crisis one day when, happening to ride through the quarters, she found him disciplining a refractory black. She turned sick at the sight. Here was a slave actually being whipped by another slave while Hicks stood looking on with his hands in his pockets, and with a brutal satisfied air. When he caught sight of the girl, he sang out,
“That'll do; he's had enough, I reckon, to learn him!” He added sullenly to Betty, “Sorry you seen this, Miss!”
“How dare you order such a punishment without authority!” cried Betty furiously.
Hicks gave her a black scowl.
“I don't need no authority to whip a shirker,” he said insolently, as he turned away.
“Stop!” commanded Betty, her eyes blazing. She strove to keep her voice steady. “You shall not remain at Belle Plain another hour.”
Hicks said nothing. He knew it would take more than her saying so to get him off the place. Betty turned her horse and galloped back to the house. She felt that she was in no condition to see Tom just at that moment, and dismounting at the door ran up-stairs to her room.
Meantime the overseer sought out Ware in his office. His manner of stating his grievance was singular. He began by swearing at his employer. He had been insulted before all the quarter—his rage fairly choked him, he could not speak.
Tom seized the opportunity to swear back. He wanted to know if he hadn't troubles enough without the overseer's help? If he'd got himself insulted it was his own affair and he could lump it, generally speaking, and get out of that office! But Tom's fury quickly spent itself. He wanted to know what the matter was.
“Sent you off the place, did she; well, you'll have to eat crow. I'll do all I can. I don't know what girls were ever made for anyhow, damned if I do!” he added plaintively, as a realization of a stupendous mistake on the part of nature overwhelmed him.