e Joe hurled a chicken-leg at
Cad Hines as she stood in the entry-way. Will Kinney told Sary Hines
for the fourth time how his team had run away, interrupted by his fear
that some kind of pie would get away untasted.

"An' so I laid the lines down--H'yare! Gimme another handful of
crackers, Merry--an' I laid the lines down while I went t' fine--nary a
noyster I can hold any more. Mrs. Moss, I'm ready f'r pie now--an' so I
noticed ole Frank's eye kind o' roll, but thinksi, I c'n git holt o' the
lines if he--Yes'm, I alwiss eat mince; won't you try some,
Sary?--an'--an'--so, jest as I gut my ax--You bet! I'm goin' t' try a
piece of every kind if it busts my stummick. Gutta git my money's
worth."

Milton was in his best mood and was very attractive in his mirth. His
fine teeth shone and his yellow curls shook under the stress of his
laughter. He wrestled with Bettie for the choice bits of cake,
delighting in the touch of her firm, sweet flesh; and, as for Bettie,
she was almost charmed to oblivion of Ed by the superior attractions of
Milton's town-bred gallantry. Ed looked singularly awkward and lonesome
as he sat sprawled out in one of the low seats, and curiously enough his
uncouthness and disconsolateness of attitude won her heart back again.

Everybody, with the usual rustic freedom, had remarks to make upon the
situation.

"Wal, Bettie, made a swop, hev yeh?" said Councill.

"Hello, Milt; thought you had a girl down town."

"Oh, I keep one at each end of the line," Milton replied, with his ready
laugh.

"Wal, I swan t' gudgeon! I can't keep track o' you town fellers. You're
too many f'r me!" said Mrs. Councill.

Carrie Hines came up behind Milton and Bettie and put her arms around
their necks, bringing their cheeks together. Bettie grew purple with
anger and embarrassment, but Milton, with his usual readiness, said,
"Thank you," and reached for the tittering malefactor's waist. Nobody
noticed it, for the room was full of such romping.

The men were standing around the stove discussing political outlooks,
and the matrons were busy with the serving of the supper. Out of doors
the indefatigable boys were beginning again on "pom-pom pullaway."

Supper over, the young folks all returned to the house across the way,
leaving the men of elderly blood to talk on the Grange and the
uselessness of the middlemen. Sport began again in the Dudley farm-house
by a dozen or so of the young people "forming on" for "Weevily