"Good evening, sir," said he to Stephen. "Good evenin'," was Stephen's gruff response. By this time a number of Stephen's lieutenants had clustered around the two, eagerly looking from the teacher to Stephen and from Stephen to the teacher, bent on catching whatever might pass between them. They made no attempt to conceal their feeling of curiosity, which was as manifest as in the case of children. "May I be allowed to address this gathering?" asked the teacher of Stephen. "Whar is you frum?" queried Stephen, grumly. "I have just come from the white people's rendezvous," he replied. "Thought so. Bettah go back dar, I 'specks," said Stephen, turning his back and walking away. The teacher now turned to the others who had crowded about him. "Men," said he, "I have something to say that concerns you all. Uncle Stephen is interested in this whole affair in too personal a manner for you men to commit your interests blindly to him. In times like these you need a man who is in such a frame of mind that he can weigh everything. Now, you all know that Uncle Stephen has had enough to unbalance anybody, and, I tell you, men, unbalanced minds are not safe guides in such times as these." The men gathered about the teacher now looked in the direction of Stephen. He, seeing that the teacher was engaging the attention of the crowd, decided to return and order him away. "I is cummander in chief, heah, sur, and you mus' leave dis groun' at once, sur," said Stephen to the teacher. The teacher now lifted his voice and said in tones that many could hear. "In former times when other people's oxen were gored, Uncle Stephen was not driven away when he came to see you. Uncle Stephen is a good man, but I don't think he is that much better than the rest of you. If _your_ matters could be talked of, it seems to be that _his_ might be talked of, too." This blow was well aimed. There seems to be a feeling in the Negro race to keep all upon a level and to resent anything that savors of superiority of one Negro over another. No man who attempts to lead them can have any measure of success unless he is thoroughly democratic in his behavior, tastes and manner of approach. The teacher knew of this feeling, and his remark was an adroit bid for its support. The Negroes now felt a little sullen toward Stephen Dalton, their commander, because he desired to prevent free speech on this occasion when he had availed himself of it so often in times of threatened trouble. "Uncle Stephen is in a mighty heap of trouble, an' ain't 'zactly at hisself. Go er head, teacher, we'll hear you," said one. A murmur of approval went through the crowd, which had now swelled to large proportions.