"No, Ah thank you. How's Mrs. Baron?"
"Mrs. Baron? Oh! She was very well the last time I was at Oakwood. She asks fr-requently for you and the baby."
"Mrs. Baron's so sweet! Ah never 'lowed to like anybody's much's Miss Sydney, but Mrs. Baron's jus' splendid."
With a woman's care-taking instinct, she began to gather together the dishes on the table and prepare them for washing.
"No, let me," she said, in response to von Rittenheim's objection. "Jus' while Ah'm talkin'. Ah stopped by to tell ye that Ah'm goin' to have a party to-night, an' Ah'd be proud to have you-all come to hit."
Her interest in him was so evident, and her desire to give him pleasure so real, that Friedrich responded, heartily,—
"Certainly, I shall go. It will give me delight. It is kind of you to ask me."
Melissa turned away, and rattled the knives and forks in gratified embarrassment.
"Hit's goin' to be to mother's 'cos her house is larger. You know where hit is?"
"Yes, indeed. Is it a dance?"