Character Analysis
Birdsong is the corrupt white sawmill foreman in "Pantaloon in Black." He's been running a dice game for many years where he's been cheating the black sawmill workers. Rider, disconsolate over his wife's recent death, arrives completely drunk at the game one night. He loses as usual, but he won't take it from Birdsong any longer. He grabs Birdsong's hand, and the loaded dice fall out. Rider ends up killing Birdsong with a razor. Birdsong's kin eventually catch up with Rider and lynch him in revenge.