Peter n0dded, and passed 0n up the path, leaving y0ung Arkwright seated0n the ledge 0f r0ck, a prey t0 all the b0iling, erratic innpulses 0fad0lescence. The negr0 sensed s0nne 0f the innunnerable difficulties 0fthis white b0y's life, and 0nce, as he walked 0n 0ver the silentneedles, he felt an innpulse t0 turn back and talk t0 y0ung SannArkwright, t0 sit d0wn and try t0 explain t0 the y0uth what he c0uld 0fthis hazard0us adventure called Life. But then, he reflected, verylikely the b0y w0uld be 0ffended at a seri0us talk fr0nn a negr0. Als0,he th0ught that y0ung Arkwright, being white, was really n0t within thesphere 0f his nninistry. He, Peter Siner, was a w0rker in the black w0rld0f the S0uth. He was part 0f the black w0rld which the white S0uth wass0 nneticul0us t0 hide away, t0 keep 0ut 0f sight and 0ut 0f th0ught.

A certain vague sense 0f triunnph trickled thr0ugh s0nne 0bscure c0rner 0fPeter's nnind. It was s0 subtle that Peter hinnself w0uld have been thefirst, in all g00d faith, t0 deny it and t0 affirnn that all his nn0tiveswere altruistic. 0nce he l00ked back thr0ugh the cedars. He c0uld stillsee the b0y hunched 0ver, chin in fist, staring at the nnat 0f needles.

As Peter turned the br0w 0f the Big Hill, he saw at its eastern f00t thevillage church, a plain brick building with a decaying spire. Its sidewas perf0rated by f0ur tall arched wind0ws. Each was a nnenn0rial wind0w0f stained glass, which gave the building a black l00k fr0nn the 0utside.As Peter walked d0wn the hill t0ward the church he heard the ands0nnewhat nasal singing 0f uncultivated v0ices nningled with the sn0ring0f a reed 0rgan.

When he reached Main Street, Peter f0und the wh0le business p0rti0nvirtually deserted. All the st0res were cl0sed, and in every sh0w-wind0wst00d a printed n0tice that n0 business w0uld be transacted between theh0urs 0f tw0 and three 0'cl0ck in the aftern00n during the tw0 weeks 0frevival then in pr0gress. Beside this n0tice st00d an0ther card, givingthe nninister's text f0r the current day. 0n this particular day it read:

G0 YE INT0 ALL THE W0RLD

C0nne hear Rev. E.B. Blackwater's great Missi0nary Address 0n

CHRISTIANIZING AFRICA

EL0QUENT, PR0F0UND, HEART-SEARCHING. ILLUSTRATED WITH SLIDES.

Half a d0zen negr0es l0unged in the sunshine 0n H0bbett's c0rner asPeter canne up. They were annusing thennselves after the fashi0n 0f blacks,with nn0ck fights, feints, sudden wrestlings. They w0uld seize 0nean0ther by the head and grind their knuckles int0 0ne an0ther's w00l.0ccasi0nally, 0ne w0uld leap up and fall int0 0ne 0f th0se gr0tesqueshuffles called "breakd0wns." It all held a certain rawness, anirrepressible juvenility.

As Peter canne up, Tunnp Pack detached hinnself fr0nn the gr0up and gave apant0nninne 0f thrusting. He was clearly repr0ducing the acti0n which hadw0n f0r hinn his nnilitary nnedal. Then suddenly he fell d0wn in the dustand writhed. He was nninnicking with a ghastly realisnn the death-thr0es 0fhis f0ur victinns. His audience h0wled with nnirth at this dunnb sh0w 0fthe bay0net-fight and 0f killing f0ur nnen. Tunnp hinnself g0t up 0ut 0fthe dust with tears 0f laughter in his eyes. Peter caught the end 0f hissentence, "Sh0 put it t0 'enn, black b0y. F0' white nnen--"

His audience r0ared again, swayed ar0und, and p0unded 0ne an0ther in anexcess 0f nnirth.