‚ÄúLike it? Why, great Jehoshaphat! I‚Äôd marry Carrie‚ÅÝ‚Äîbut how can I help you?‚Äù
“This way. I want to be better known among influential Negroes. You introduce me and let me make myself solid. Especially I must get in Miss Wynn’s set so that both of us can watch her and Alwyn, and make her friends ours.”
‚ÄúI‚Äôll do it‚ÅÝ‚Äîshake!‚Äù And Stillings put his oily hand into Teerswell‚Äôs nervous grip.
‚ÄúNow, here,‚Äù Stillings went on, ‚Äúyou stow all that jealousy and heavy tragedy. Treat Alwyn well and call on Miss Wynn as usual‚ÅÝ‚Äîsee?‚Äù
‚ÄúIt‚Äôs a hard pill‚ÅÝ‚Äîbut all right.‚Äù
‚ÄúLeave the rest to me; I‚Äôm hand in glove with Alwyn. I‚Äôll put stuff into him that‚Äôll make him wave the bloody shirt at the next meeting of the Bethel Literary‚ÅÝ‚Äîsee? Then I‚Äôll go to Cresswell and say, ‚ÄòDangerous nigger‚ÅÝ‚Äî, just as I told you.‚Äô He‚Äôll begin to move things. You see? Cresswell is in with Smith‚ÅÝ‚Äîboth directors in the big Cotton Combine‚ÅÝ‚Äîand Smith will call Alwyn down. Then we‚Äôll think further.‚Äù
“Stillings, you look like a fool, but you’re a genius.” And Teerswell fairly hugged him. A few more details settled, and some more whiskey consumed, and Teerswell went home at midnight in high spirits. Stillings looked into the glass and scowled.
“Look like a fool, do I?” he mused. “Well, I ain’t!”
Congressman Cresswell was stirred to his first political activity by the hint given him through Stillings. He not only had a strong personal dislike for Alwyn, but he regarded the promise to him of a high office as a menace to the South.