ith an acquaintance of his, and for himself with another, while a
third took charge of the horse, the accommodation for travelers being
limited. Rena's appearance and manners were the subject of much
comment. It was necessary to explain to several curious white people
that Rena was a woman of color. A white woman might have driven with
Wain without attracting remark,--most white ladies had negro coachmen.
That a woman of Rena's complexion should eat at a negro's table, or
sleep beneath a negro's roof, was a seeming breach of caste which only
black blood could excuse. The explanation was never questioned. No
white person of sound mind would ever claim to be a negro.

They resumed their journey somewhat late in the morning. Rena would
willingly have hastened, for she was anxious to plunge into her new
work; but Wain seemed disposed to prolong the pleasant drive, and
beguiled the way for a time with stories of wonderful things he had
done and strange experiences of a somewhat checkered career. He was
shrewd enough to avoid any subject which would offend a modest young
woman, but too obtuse to perceive that much of what he said would not
commend him to a person of refinement. He made little reference to his
possessions, concerning which so much had been said at Patesville; and
this reticence was a point in his favor. If he had not been so much
upon his guard and Rena so much absorbed by thoughts of her future
work, such a drive would have furnished a person of her discernment a
very fair measure of the man's character. To these distractions must be
added the entire absence of any idea that Wain might have amorous
designs upon her; and any shortcomings of manners or speech were
excused by the broad mantle of charity which Rena in her new-found zeal
for the welfare of her people was willing to throw over all their
faults. They were the victims of oppression; they were not responsible
for its results.

Toward the end of the second day, while nearing their destination, the
travelers passed a large white house standing back from the road at the
foot of a lane. Around it grew widespreading trees and well-kept
shrubbery. The fences were in good repair. Behind the house and
across the road stretched extensive fields of cotton and waving corn.
They had passed no other place that showed such signs of thrift and
prosperity.

"Oh, what a lovely place!" exclaimed Rena. "That is yours, isn't it?"

"No; we ain't got to my