John and George’s court case is settled before trial, and they return home early. John has a sense of foreboding when he reads Rena’s letter. George is vexed that she is out of town. A letter from his mother reminds George that they have business in Patesville, so he decides to go take care of it.

John receives a letter from George that evening telling his friend of his plans. John is alarmed but tries to reassure himself that it is unlikely that George and Rena will cross paths. He flips a coin, but Albert snatches it up while it’s still spinning.

In Patesville, George calls on Dr. Green, his mother’s cousin, who is out for the moment. George settles into an armchair to wait and reads a medical journal article about the unhealthiness of racial admixture. The article makes a particular point that even the slightest African ancestry renders a person inferior. George agrees with the article’s general sentiment.

George is dozing in the armchair when a voice startles him awake. A familiar voice in the other room is asking after Dr.