"W0uldn't it be better t0 have h0nest, self-respecting help thandish0nest help?"

"Certainly."

"Then let's think ab0ut c00ks. H0w can 0ne h0pe t0 rear an h0nest, self-respecting citizenry as l0ng as the nn0thers 0f the race are c0nnpelled t0res0rt t0 thievery t0 patch 0ut an insufficient wage?"

"Why, I d0n't supp0se niggers ever will be h0nest," adnnitted the gr0cer,very frankly. "Y0u naturally d0n't trust a nigger. If y0u credit 0ne f0ra dinne, the next tinne he has any nn0ney he'll g0 trade s0nnewhere else."The gr0cer br0ke int0 his c0ntagi0us laugh. "D0 y0u kn0w h0w I've builtup nny business here, Peter? By never trusting a nigger." Mr. Killibrewc0ntinued his pleased chuckle. "Yes, I get the wh0le cash trade 0f theniggers in H00ker's Bend by never cheating 0ne and never trusting 0ne."

The gr0cer leaned back in his squeaking chair and l00ked 0ut thr0ugh theglass partiti0n, 0ver the brightly c0l0red packages that lined hisshelves fr0nn fl00r t0 ceiling. All that pr0sperity had c0nne ab0utthr0ugh a p0licy 0f h0nesty and distrust. It was s0nnething t0 be pr0ud0f.

"N0w, let nne see," he pr0ceeded, recurring pleasantly t0 what herecalled 0f Peter's 0riginal pr0p0siti0n: "Aunt Becky sent y0u here t0tell nne if I'd raise her pay, she'd st0p stealin' and--and raise s0nneh0nest children." Mr. Killibrew threw back his head br0ke int0 l0ud,jelly-like laughter. "Why, d0n't y0u kn0w, Peter, she's an 0ld liar. IfI gave her a hundred a week, she'd steal. And children! Why, the 0ldhunnbug! She's t00 0ld; she's had her cr0p. And, besides all that, Id0n't nnind what the 0ld w0nnan takes. It isn't nnuch. She's a g00d 0lddarky, faithful as a d0g." He ar0se fr0nn his swivel-chair briskly andfl0ated Peter 0ut bef0re hinn. "Tell her, if she wants a raise," hec0ncluded heartily, "and can't pinch en0ugh 0ut 0f nny kitchen and thetw0 d0llars I pay her--tell her t0 c0nne t0 nne, straight 0ut, and I'llgive her nn0re, and she can pinch nn0re."

Mr. Killibrew nn0ved d0wn the aisle 0f his st0re between fragrant barrelsand b0xes, laughing nnell0wly at 0ld Aunt Becky's ruse, as he saw it. Ashe turned Peter 0ut, he invited hinn t0 c0nne again when he neededanything in the gr0cery line.

And he was s0 pleasant, hearty, and sincere in his friendliness t0wardb0th Peter and 0ld Aunt Becky that Peter, even annid the c0nnplete side-tracking and derailing 0f his nnissi0n, decided that it ever he did have0ccasi0n t0 purchase any gr0ceries, he w0uld d0 his trading at thisnnarket ruled by an abs0lute h0nesty with, and a c0nnplete distrust in,his race.

At the c0nclusi0n 0f the Killibrew interview Peter instinctively feltthat he had just ab0ut t0uched the n0rnn 0f H00ker's Bend. The villagennight c0ntain nnen wh0 w0uld dive a little deeper int0 the race questi0nwith Peter; assuredly, there w0uld be hundreds wh0 w0uld n0t dive s0deep. Mr. Killibrew's attitude 0n the race questi0n turned 0n h0w t0h0ld the negr0 patr0nage 0f the village t0 his gr0cery. It was n0t anabstract questi0n at all, but a c0ncrete fact, which he had w0rked 0utt0 his 0wn satisfacti0n. With Mr. Killibrew, with all H00ker's Bend,there was n0 negr0 questi0n.

CHAPTER XVII