“You’re right, Elkins,” said Gray, soberly, “and though I hold a position under the administration, when it comes to a consideration of the wrongs of my race, I cannot remain silent.”

“I cannot and will not.  I hold nothing from them, and I owe them nothing.  I am only a bookkeeper in a commercial house, where their spite cannot reach me, so you may rest assured that I shall not bite my tongue.”

“Nor shall I. We shall all be colored men here together, and talk, I hope, freely one to the other.  Shall you introduce your resolution to-day?”

“I won’t have a chance unless things move more rapidly than I expect them to.  It will have to come up under new business, I should think.”

“Hardly.  Get yourself appointed on the committee on resolutions.”

“Good, but how can I?”

“I’ll see to that; I know the bishop pretty well.  Ah, good-morning, Miss Kirkman.  How do you do, Aldrich?” Gray pursued, turning to the newcomers, who returned his greeting, and passed into the hall.

“That’s Miss Kirkman.  You’ve heard of her.  She fetches and carries for Luther Hamilton and his colleagues, and has been suspected of doing some spying, also.”

“Who was that with her?”

“Oh, that’s her man Friday; otherwise Joseph Aldrich by name, a fellow she’s trying to make something of before she marries him.  She’s got the pull to do it, too.”

“Why don’t you turn them down?”

“Ah, my boy, you’re young, you’re young; you show it.  Don’t you know that a wind strong enough to uproot an oak only ripples the leaves of a creeper against the wall?  Outside of the race that woman is really considered one of the leaders, and she trades upon the fact.”

“But why do you allow this base deception to go?”

“Because, Elkins, my child,” Gray put his hand on the other’s shoulder with mock tenderness, “because these seemingly sagacious whites among whom we live are really a very credulous people, and the first one who goes to them with a good front and says ’Look here, I am the leader of the colored people; I am their oracle and prophet,’ they immediately exalt and say ‘That’s so.’  Now do you see why Miss Kirkman has a pull?”

“I see, but come on, let’s go in; there goes the gavel.”

The convention hall was already crowded, and the air was full of the bustle of settling down.  When the time came for the payment of their fees, by those who wanted the privilege of the floor, there was a perfect rush for the secretary’s desk.  Bank notes fluttered everywhere.  Miss Kirkman had on a suspiciously new dress and bonnet, but she had done her work well, nevertheless.  She looked up into the gallery in a corner that overlooked the stage and caught the eye of a young man who sat there notebook in hand.  He smiled, and she smiled.  Then she looked over at Mr. Aldrich, who was not sitting with her, and they both smiled complacently.  There’s nothing like being on the inside.