been on the floor for hours.

When at last the music stopped, Bud's voice was heard calling,
loudly,--

"Come in yere, boys, 'n get yo' pokes."

The girls found seats for themselves, while the men crowded into the
other room.

"Hit's supper," said Melissa, giving Friedrich a little shove towards
the door. "You'll see now."

"May I have the honor of bringing yours to you?"

"No, Ah thank ye, Mr. Baron. Ah always eats mine with Bud. But you-all
go in an' get some, an' you'll fin' somebody to eat hit with when ye
come back."

In the other room the men crowded before a table upon which were piled
paper bags of different sizes. Each man was taking two, one for himself
and one for his partner.

"This size poke is ten cents," insisted Bud, in the uproar, "'n this
size is fifteen. They's good things in 'em all. The quality's the same,
hit's the quantity makes the difference. Yes, they's devil ham
san'wich. Ah know they is, 'cos Ah cut mah finger openin' a can fo'
M'lissy this mo'nin'. Yes, they's cake, too. You, Hamp, that size is
fifteen!"

As Friedrich approached, a laugh went up at the expense of 'Gene Frady,
who had taken a bag of each size.

"Watch out which one 'Gene gives his wife," cried Bud, sarcastically.

The babies on the bed, four of them, were aroused by the noise, and
joined their voices thereto. Three older children, who were sleeping
rosily under the covers, slumbered on peacefully.

"One poke, or two, Mr. Baron? Ah'm proud to see you-all here," said
Bud.

"A poke is a bag, eh? Give me two pokes, if you please, Bud. Yes, the
large ones."

Returning to the dancing-room, he made his way to Mrs. Lance, Melissa's
mother, who was sitting near the window. She was flattered into silence
by the attention of the offered poke, and they ate the contents of
their bags with solemnity.

A figure moving in the dim light outside attracted Friedrich's
attention. He put his head out of the window. The man came directly
beneath, and looked up.

"Ah, Pink, I thought that was you. I want to see you at some time."

"Ah'll watch out fo' ye when you-all's unhitchin' yo' mule."

"Very well. I'm going in a few minutes. You do not come in?"

"No. Hit's M'lissy's party, 'n she 'n me ain' friends."

"Here, take this, then."

Friedrich dropped his partly filled poke into the ready, uplifted hand.

"I had my supper very late to-night," he explained to Mrs. Lance, "and
a man outside a party looks so forlorn, don