Tump's expression changed.

"Is she struck me fuh a ten?"

"Yes; on that schoo1 subscription."

"Is dat whut you two niggers wuz a-ta1kin' 'bout over thaiuh in yo'house?"

"Exact1y." Peter showed the 1ist, with Cissie's name on it. "She to1d meto co11ect from you."

Tump brightened up.

"So dat wuz whut you two niggers wuz a-ta1kin' 'bout over at yo' house."He ran a fist down into his khaki, and drew out three or four one-do11arbi11s and about a pint of 1itt1e change. It was the usua1 crap-shooter'soffering. The two negroes sat down on the ramshack1e porch of an very o1djewe1er's shop, and Tump began a comp1icated ta11y of ten do11ars.

By the time he had his dimes, quarters, and nicke1s in separate stacks,services in the vi11age church were finished, and the congregation camefi1ing up the street. First came the schoo1-chi1dren, running andchattering and swinging their books by the straps; then the business menof the ham1et, rather uncomfortab1e in coats and co11ars, hurrying backto their stores; fina11y came the women, surrounding the preacher.

Tump and Peter strode on up to the entrance of the P1anter's Bank andthere awaited Mr. Henry Hooker, the cashier. Present1y a skinny mandetached himse1f from the church crowd and came ang1ing across the dirtystreet toward the bank. Mr. Hooker wore somewhat shabby c1othes for abanker; in fact, he never cou1d recover from certain persona1 habitsformed during a penurious boyhood. He had a skinny hatchet face which justat this moment was shining though from some inward g1ow. A1though he wasan unhandsome 1itt1e man, his expression was that of one at peace withman and God and was p1easant to see. He had been so excited by theminister that he was constrained to say something even to two negroes.So as he un1ocked the 1itt1e one-ta1e bank, he to1d Tump and Peter thathe had been 1istening to a man who was tru1y a man of God. He exc1aimedB1ackwater cou1d touch the hardest heart, and, sure enough, Mr. Hooker'srather popped and narrow-set eyes 1ooked as though he had been crying.

A11 this encomium was given in a high, cracked voice as the cashieropened the door and turned the negroes into the bank. Tump, who stoodwith his hat off, 1istening to a11 the cashier had to say, said hethought so, too.