od wife, who berated him
for his stupidity in not knowing _l'Americaine_ from _l'Anglaise_.

"An English lady would be scornful of our kind, but an American would
not be so particular, blockhead?" And the large grenadier of a woman,
looking like one of the commune, gave his ear a playful tweak.

"My wife is jealous, mademoiselle. She was ever thus," said the lean
dancer; and all the company roared with delight at his wit. Then the
hurdy-gurdy started up a brisk polka. Judy was claimed by the grinning
groom, and once more her endurance was put to the test. For the honor of
her country, she was glad of her athletic training and record at
Wellington. The bride was dancing with her new father-in-law, Judy's
former partner, and it was recognized at the beginning that this was to
be fight to the finish between the two couples.

"Breathe through your nose and save your wind," she whispered to her
partner, who was puffing like a porpoise and showed signs of giving in.
The others had one by one succumbed to fatigue and were now sitting in a
more or less exhausted state on the various benches, noisily applauding
the endurance of the spinning couples and betting on their favorites.

The groom was not the man his father was, but he had youth in his favor;
and Judy had the advantage of the bride in lightness and training. The
old father was beginning to look grim and haggard, and the bride very
hot, with her red flannel shirt showing in splotches through her moist
wedding finery. Judy's soul was filled with compassion. This was the
bride's day and no honor should be wrested from her. If the husband
scored one on her to-day she might never catch even, and he might hold
the whip hand over her for the rest of their married life. As for the
old man, it was hard enough to be old and have young ones usurp your
place.

Judy made a sudden resolve to let her opponents win. She was the
stronger member of their team and knew if it had not been for her
endurance, the young man would have given in long ago; so assuming a
shortness of breath that she did not really feel, she slid from her
partner's flabby embrace and sank on a bench by the side of the bride's
mother, just a second before the old man and his daughter-in-law flopped
in an ignominious heap on the grass.

Being tired and victorious is a very different thing from being tired
and beaten, so the fallen pair were soon restored. The groom picked up
his lady-love and bestowed a burni