Tom's eyes bulged from their sockets--she'd be doing that next, to spite him! Betty's sphere of influence rapidly extended itself.

She soon began to have her doubts concerning the treatment accorded the slaves, and was not long in discovering that Hicks, the overseer, ran things with a heavy hand.

Matters reached a crisis one day when, happening to ride through the quarters, she found him disciplining a refractory black.
She turned sick at the sight.

Here was a slave actually being whipped by another slave while Hicks stood looking on with his hands in his pockets, and with a brutal satisfied air.

When he caught sight of the girl, he sang out, "That'll do; he's had enough, I reckon, to learn him!" He added sullenly to Betty, "Sorry you seen this, Miss!" "How dare you order such a punishment without authority!" cried Betty furiously.
Hicks gave her a black scowl.
"I don't need no authority to whip a shirker," he said insolently, as he turned away.
"Stop!" commanded Betty, her eyes blazing.