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 other bit her lips in agony of pain and in an effort to repress the anguish she felt. The tall, lanky black who had led off with the singing and hoeing stopped and looked angrily at the man, gripping his hoe menacingly. He kept silent, however.

"None of your impudence, Obed, or I'll brain you," shouted the foreman. "Let me catch you all loafing again and I'll cowhide every durned one of you."

The Negro spoken to, lifted his head toward heaven as if in prayer, then turned to his hoeing.

The overseer turned to the men in the automobile.

"You have to drive them. They're so lazy. You have to keep at them and use force, too," he offered in explanation.

"You use force, all right"—commented Dr. Tansey drily. "I'd like to see if you'd not be a lot lazier if you had to swing a hoe in that sun on that hot field. I know I would."

"Oh, that's a nigger's job. Not a white man's."

"Suppose they decided to quit you. Who'd do the work."

"Nobody 'round here would hire my hands, 'less I said so. That's the rule. Besides I feed 'em. They've got to work for me."

"Don't you pay them in cash for their work?"

"Sometimes."

"How much?"

"Thirty-five cents a day."

"My God!" exclaimed Dr. Tansey. "Thirty-five cents