At length the coach was nearly filled.

A white lady entered, and not at once seeing a vacant seat, paused a few seconds to look about for one.

She soon espied an unoccupied seat.

She proceeded to it, but her slight difficulty had been noted by the white passengers.
Belton happened to glance around and saw a group of white men in an eager, animated conversation, and looking in his direction now and then as they talked.

He paid no especial attention to this, however, and kept on reading.