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His work at the factory had put him in touch with a larger number of his people than he could have possibly met had he gone into the office at once. Over them, his naturally bright mind exerted some influence. As a simple laborer he had fellowshipped with them but they acknowledged and availed themselves of his leadership, because they felt instinctively in him a power which they did not have. Among them now he worked sedulously. He held that the greater part of the battle would be in the primaries, and on the night when they convened, he had his friends out in force in every ward which went to make up the third judicial district. Men who had never seen the inside of a primary meeting before were there actively engaged in this.

The Diurnal said next morning that the active interest of the hard-working, church-going colored voters, who wanted to see a Christian judge on the bench had had much to do with the nomination of Mr. Featherton.

The success at the primaries did not tempt Halliday to relinquish his efforts on his employer’s behalf. He was indefatigable in his cause. On the west side where the colored population had largely colonized, he made speeches and held meetings clear up to election day. The fight had been between two factions of the party and after the nomination it was feared that the defection of the part defeated in the primaries might prevent the ratification of the nominee at the polls. But before the contest was half over all fears for him were laid. What he had lost in the districts where the skulking faction was strong, he made up in the wards where the colored vote was large. He was overwhelmingly elected.

Halliday smiled as he sat in the office and heard the congratulations poured in upon Judge Featherton.

“Well, it’s wonderful,” said one of his visitors, “how the colored boys stood by you.”

“Yes, I have been a friend to the colored people, and they know it,” said Featherton.

It would be some months before His Honor would take his seat on the bench, and during that time, Halliday hoped to finish his office course.

He was surprised when Featherton came to him a couple of weeks after the election and said, “Well, Bert, I guess I can get along now. I’ll be shutting up this office pretty soon. Here are your wages and here is a little gift I wish to add out of respect to you for your kindness during my run for office.”

Bert took the wages, but the added ten dollar note he waved aside. “No, I thank you, Mr. Featherton,” he said, “what I did, I did from a belief in your fitness for the place, and out of loyalty to my employer. I don’t want any money for it.”

“Then let us say that I have raised your wages to this amount.”

“No, that would only be evasion. I want no more than you promised to give me.”

“Very well, then accept my thanks, anyway.”

What things he had at the office Halliday took away that night. A couple of days later he remembered a book which he had failed to get and returned for it. The office was as usual. Mr. Featherton was a little embarrassed and nervous. At Halliday’s desk sat a young white man about his own age. He was copying a deed for Mr. Featherton.

PARY IV

Bertram Halliday went home, burning with indignation at the treatment he had received at the hands of the Christian judge.

“He has used me as a housemaid would use a lemon,” he said, “squeezed all out of me he could get, and then flung me into the street. Well, Webb was nearer right than I thought.”

He was now out of everything. His place at the factory had been filled, and no new door opened to him. He knew what reward a search for work brought a man of his color in Broughton so he did not bestir himself to go over the old track again. He thanked his stars that he, at least, had money enough to carry him away from the place and he determined to go. His spirit was quelled, but not broken.