“I ain’t talking to nobody else,” he replied. “Come on! Don’t give me no argument. Get on back there with the rest of the niggers!”
A titter went up from the staring passengers. Mrs. Daquin felt the blood rising in her face and her anger mounting.
“I’ll do nothing of the sort. I am going to stay right where I am,” she challenged, her voice shaking with anger, though she was trying hard to control it.
“You’ll move back there or I’ll put you off the car,” the conductor shouted, more angry than ever as he felt the realization coming to him that he had stirred up an argument which might not end as easily as he had supposed.
“Come on back, lady,” a voice from the rear called. “ ’Tain’t no use having no argument and he’s got the law on his side.”
This unasked-for advice only served to make Mrs. Daquin and Mimi, who remained silent but who longed to join the argument, more adamant.
“You want me to stop the car and call a cop?” her tormentor queried belligerently.
“You can do whatever you please—I will not move!” was her answer. …
Muttering something about “biggity niggers,” the conductor retreated to the rear of the car, defeated.
They left the car at their corner and an obscene remark floated back to them from the discomfited conductor. Jean told Mr. Hunter of the affair and asked advice but that which he received was of slight comfort to them.