The young people scampered to their places, and when Mr. Eichorn made a bow to Mrs. Wiggs she laughingly took her place at the head of the line, and at the first strains of “Old Dan Tucker” she went down the middle with a grace and spirit that flatly contradicted the little red fifty on the birthday cake.

“Swing yer pahtners, balance all, Swing dat gal wid a water-fall.  Skip light, ladies, de cake’s all dough, Nebber min’ de weather, so de win’ don’t blow.”

Old Uncle Tom was warming up to his work, and the fun waxed furious.  Asia, looking very pretty in her new crepon, cast shy glances at Joe Eichorn, who had been “keeping company” of late.  Billy, for whom there was no room in the reel, let off his energy in the corner by a noisy execution of the “Mobile Buck.”  Australia and Europena sat in the window with Chris Hazy, and delightedly clapped time to the music.

When the dance ended, Mrs. Wiggs went to the door to get cool.  She was completely out of breath, and her false front had worked its way down over her eyebrows

“Look—­comin’, ma!” called Billy.

When Mrs. Wiggs saw who it was she hastened down to the gate.

“Howdy, Mr. Bob; howdy, Miss Lucy!  Can’t you git right out an’ come in?  We ‘re havin’ a birthday party an’ a benefit dance fer Chris Hazy’s leg.”

“No, thanks,” said Redding, trying in vain not to look at Mrs. Wiggs’s head.  “We just stopped by to tell you the good news.”

“’Bout Asia’s position?” asked Mrs. Wiggs, eagerly.

“Yes, about that, and something else besides.  What would you say if I told you that I was going to marry the prettiest, sweetest, dearest girl in the world?”

“Why, that’s Miss Lucy!” gasped Mrs. Wiggs, more breathless than ever.  Then the truth flashed upon her, and she laughed with them.

“Oh, sure ’nough!  Sure ‘nough!  I’m jes’ pleased to death!” She did not have to tell them; her eyes, though suffering a partial eclipse, fairly beamed with joy and satisfaction.  “An’ so,” she added, “it wasn’t the paint, after all!”

When they had driven away, she lingered a moment at the gate.  Music and laughter came from the house behind her, as she stood smiling out across the moonlit Cabbage Patch.  Her face still held the reflected happiness of the departed lovers, as the sky holds the rose-tints after the sun has gone.

“An’ they ‘re goin’ to git married,” she whispered softly to herself; “an’ Billy’s got promoted, an’ Asia’s got a place, an’ Chris’ll have a new peg-stick.  Looks like ever’thing in the world comes right, if we jes’ wait long enough!”