The story begins in the middle of an autumn night with Ralph Kabnis in a Georgia cabin, unable to fall asleep. Kabnis came from New York to be a teacher, but he is miserable in the South. He curses God and kills a hen that disturbs him. It is Sunday, and he is at least looking forward to the day. Finally, he falls asleep. Part 2 begins in Fred Halsey’s home. Fred has British and some faint Black heritage. He, Kabnis, and Professor Layman (a well-traveled Black man, preacher, and teacher) discuss recent incidents of anti-Black violence in the South. When they were at church earlier that morning, Kabnis had left early because he could not tolerate the shouting. He is used to a quieter church up north. The men comment on how the loudest shouters are always the worst sinners. They also don’t like Samuel Hanby, the uppity school principal; they also comment on Lewis, an unusual but intelligent newcomer. With the sound of the second church service of the day in the distance, the conversation turns back to racial violence, and Layman tells Kabnis about the lynching of Mame Lamkins last year.