Hertha?"

"No, I'm an Episcopalian."

"Whew! We only know 'em by name our way. It's Baptist or Methodist with
us, with once in a while a Christian place of worship. Ever seen a
revival now?"

"Yes."

"Have you? I wouldn't have supposed that an Episcopalian would so much
as go to one. But it's a wonderful sight, don't you think, when the
sinners come to the penitent seat? I've seen 'em, big men, crying like
babies. And then the preacher with his great voice calling 'em to repent
and showing 'em the way to righteousness. And out from somewhere a
woman'll start a song, perhaps 'Rock of Ages,' and the whole room'll be
full of the sound of the hymn."

He grew eloquent as he spoke, picturing the scene he knew so well. In
his narrow life the church and its emotional appeal had occupied an
important place. He wanted to tell her that he had been among that group
kneeling in repentance, that he was a sinner saved by grace; but there
was an aloofness about her that kept him from going further. He could
not guess that she had wholly forgotten him, and was sitting in a bare
room where the dim lamp lighted a multitude of black faces; where the
cries of "Amen" rang from the penitent seat, and where the black
preacher, the only father she had ever known, called upon the Lord to
give to His children mercy and forgiveness. Her visitor had never
listened to such a revival as she!

There was a long silence. Then Richard Brown strove again to make
conversation.

"The niggers, now, they're a worthless lot, don't you think?"

Hertha started nervously. "I don't think so," she said.

"Don't you? I suppose you've had 'em in your family for a long time--old
mammies and uncles. They don't grow that kind round our way, only a lot
of worthless coons that won't do a lick of work unless they're driven to
it."

"There's the funniest nigger minstrel show at the Hippodrome," he went
on, "you ought to see it. Greatest thing out. There ain't anything much
funnier, anyway, than to see a black buck dressed in a high hat and a
pair of fancy shoes, opening his frog mouth and singing a coon song.
Mighty funny songs they've got there, too. Wish you could hear one of
them."

He wanted to ask her to go to the show with him the next week, but she
looked further removed from him than ever. Had he said anything to
warrant it he would have thought that she was angry; but that could
hardly be the case. She just wasn't his kind and he had better accept
t