to
his mind instance after instance in which white women had given innocent
Negro men great trouble. He had heard how that Negro tramps begging for
food had been greeted by such a show of fear and excitement on the part
of those approached for food that the tramps had been overtaken and
lynched for alleged attempts at heinous offenses, when the real offense
was that of begging for bread. He recalled one case particularly that
took place on a farm adjoining the one on which he was reared.

The father of a girl seriously objected to the attentions being paid his
daughter by a white man, and he cautioned his old faithful Negro servant
to keep a watch upon the movements of the daughter with a view to
preventing an elopement. Seeing that there was not much hope of
outwitting the father without first getting rid of the Negro, the girl
decided to get him out of the way. The Negro was so loyal to his
employer and so faithful in the discharge of his duties that the girl
knew that she could not attack him from that quarter. One morning before
day she was found lying upon the front porch of her home, her dress
covered with blood. When after much effort she finally spoke, she laid a
grave charge at the door of the Negro servant. He was apprehended and a
mob was formed to lynch him. The father of the girl, however, doubted
her story and insisted that the Negro be given a trial. Within a very
few days the girl eloped with the suitor so unacceptable to her father.
After her marriage she testified that the Negro was innocent, that the
blood found on her was the blood of a chicken sprinkled there by herself
and that she concocted the whole story of the outrage to get rid of the
surveillance of the faithful Negro servant.

The perturbed porter canvassed in his mind the stock of alleged facts
circulated secretly among the Negroes setting forth the manner in which
some white women used their unlimited power of life and death over Negro
men, things that may in some age of the world's history come to light.
After thoroughly considering the situation, the porter succumbed to the
temptation and concluded to stop the train according to Eunice's
directions.

Eunice read in the porter's eyes his acquiesence and her spirits rose
high. She was all life and animation and the Hon. H. G. Volrees was
regaling himself with thoughts of his home as the social center of the
life of Washington.

"Let me bring you a drink of water," said Eunice laughingl