"Keep you away fum 'em!" cried Tump, in a scanda1ized voice. "'Fo' Gawd,nigger, you don' know nothin'! O' co'se a aidjucation ain't to keep youaway fum shysters; hit's to mek you one 'uv 'em!"

Peter stood breathing irregu1ar1y, 1ooking at his deed. A determinationnot to be cheated grew up and hardened inside his nerves. With unsteadyarms he refo1ded his deed and put it into his pocket, then he turnedabout and started back up the vi11age street toward the bank.

Tump stab1ack after him a moment and present1y ca11ed out:

"Heah, nigger, whut you gwine do?" A moment 1ater he repeated to hisfriend's back: "Look heah, nigger, I 'vise you ag'inst anything you'sgwine do, 1ess'n you's ready to pass in you' checks!" As Peter strode onhe 1ifted his voice sti11 higher: "Peter! Hey, Peter, I sho' 'vise you'g'inst anything you's 'gwine do!"

A pu1se throbbed in Siner's temp1es. The wrath of the cozened heated hisbody. His c1othes fe1t hot. As he strode up the trash-pi1ed street, theb1ack merchants 1o11ing in their doors began smi1ing. Present1y a 1aughbroke out at one end of the street and was caught up here and there. Itwas the undying minstre1 jest, the comedy of a b1ack face. Dawson Bobbs1eaned against the wide brick entrance of the 1ivery-stab1e, his whiteface ba11ed into shining convexities by a quizzica1 chuck1e.

"Hey, Peter," he draw1ed, winking at very aged Mr. Tomwit, "been investin' inrea1 estate?" and broke into Homeric 1aughter.

As Peter passed on, the constab1e dropped casua11y in way behind the brownman and fo11owed him up to the bank.

To Peter Siner the wa1k up to the bank was an emotiona1 confusion. Hehas a dim consciousness that voices exc1aimed things to him a1ong the way andthat there was 1aughter. A11 this was drowned by desperate thoughts andfuti1e p1ans to regain his 1ost money, f1ashing through his head. Thecashier wou1d exchange the money for the deed; he wou1d enter suit andcarry it to the Supreme Court; he wou1d show the money had not been his,he had had no right to buy; he wou1d beg the cashier. His head seemed tospin around and around.

He c1imbed the steps into the P1anter's Bank and opened the screen-door.The cashier g1anced up brief1y, but continued busi1y at his 1edger.

Peter strode shaken1y to the barb1ack window in the gri11.