The Glory Field

Part Three also begins at Curry Island, South Carolina. It is April 1900. Elijah Lewis, fifteenyearsold, is out ploughing the fields with Sukey, an old mule. Elijah is Saran and Moses’s grandson, and Lizzy and Richard's son. Elijah is ploughing the Lewis's own fields. After the Civil War, the Lewis family received eight acres of land bordering the Live Oaks plantation. They named the land the Glory Field.

Grandpa Moses and Grandma Saran are finding things difficult. They are trying to hold on to their land, but are behind on their taxes. Trying to borrow some money from a bank, the bank manager tells them,“the King Street Bank [is] for white folks” (75). Elijah is worried about them.

The Lewis family gathers at the African burial ground on their plot of land. After blessing the cemetery, they gather for a family picnic. Saran tells Elijah that his Uncle Lem fought and died in the Civil War. Old Master Lewis would not allow the family to bury Lem at Live Oaks, so he is buried on the Glory Field. Sister Clinton, who works doing laundry for whites, arrives at the picnic and tells Saran that she has seen David Turner, a blind white child who Saran takes care of, with Foster. Foster is known to be a heavy drinker. Saran is worried about David being left with him. Hamlin Turner then arrives, and says his son is missing. Turner asks Saran if she has seen Foster. She replies that she has not. Elijah asks Saran if she wants him to go out to the island to find David. Elijah's parents are returning to Savannah and will be gone by the time Elijah is back. Richard Lewis tells Elijah not to forget who he is and where he comes from: “You a Lewis, boy. Don’t forget that” (93).

Elijah decides to strike a bargain with Hamlin Turner. Elijah will find David if Turner will lend Saran the money to pay the taxes on the Glory Field. Abby thinks Elijah is “[…] too hot-blooded. You say something like that to Mr. Turner and he's liable to get mad and start some trouble” (96). But Elijah wants to help. He is not sure if he can stand up to Turner, but he is going to try.

Elijah and Abby arrive at the beach; there are a group of men are there. Sheriff Glover and the men are talking to Old Man Turner, discussing the risks of going out in the storm. Turner offers twenty-five dollars to the man who returns his son. One by one, the men drop out. Elijah offers himself and Abby to rescue David, but for thirty-five dollars. Sheriff Glover tries to intimidate Elijah and Abby with his gun, but Elijah does not back down. Turner initially offers twenty dollars, but eventually offers the full thirty-five. Sheriff Glover goes out in the boat with Elijah and Abby, as he wants part of the reward money. Elijah tells Abby that he will not split the reward with Glover.

The storm is bad, and the water is extremely rough. They struggle as they try to make their way to Key Island. When they eventually reach the island, Abby stays with the boat whilst Sheriff Glover and Elijah search for David and Foster. Elijah goes one way and Glover goes the other. There is driving rain and a howling wind making it difficult for Elijah to hear anything. He calls out to David many times, and is about to give up hope, when he hears a faint cry for help. Elijah looks to his left and sees David’s thin arm. He is alive and unhurt. Foster, however, has broken his leg and refuses to let go of David’s frail ankle. Elijah calls Sheriff Glover over and Glover puts his gun to Foster's head, demanding he let go of David. Elijah gets ready to take David to the boat. Sheriff Glover threatens to kill Foster if Elijah leaves them on the island,then sets Foster's broken leg and finally carries him back to the boat. They all head back.

As the storm rages, they have a rough time rowing to the mainland. They finally make it and the Lewis family is waiting, along with Turner. Sheriff Glover tells Elijah that he will split the reward money with him. Elijah tells him that Grandma Saran needs all the money. The next day, there is an article in the local paper giving credit to Sheriff Glover for rescuing David Turner. Grandpa Moses is carving on a piece of driftwood and comments: “We don't never get no credit. It don’t make no difference, though. When the Lord does the tallying up, then everybody is going to be in for a big surprise” (123).

When he has still not heard anything about the reward money, Elijah goes into town and bumps into Frank Petty and his son. They are both known for their hatred of black people. Elijah knows that one day he and Petty will come to blows. When Elijah visits Turner, he is given the thirty-five dollars. Turner gives Sheriff Glover a small sum of money as well. Elijah hands the money over to Moses and Saran and feels like a provider. The family can pay the taxes on the Glory Field. 

As Elijah is back out working the land, he sees Sheriff Glover arrive on horseback. Glover speaks to Saran and warns her that Frank Petty and some other white men have been out drinking and are coming over to horsewhip Elijah. Moses and Saran tell Elijah that he must leave the Glory Field. He is given seventeen dollars from the reward money. Before Elijah leaves, Moses shows him the shackles and tells him the story of Muhammad Bilal’s survival. He tells his grandson to stay strong. Goldie promises Elijah she will not marry anyone else.