directly to the space by the piano. Here she was soon dancing with one
of the coloured girls who had come in.

Skaggs started to sit down alone at a table, but Thomas called him,
"Come over here, Skaggsy."

In the moment that it took the young man to reach them, Joe wondered if
he would ever reach that state when he could call that white man Skaggsy
and the girl Maudie. The new-comer soon set all of that at ease.

"I want you to know my friend, Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Skaggs."

"Why, how d' ye do, Hamilton? I 'm glad to meet you. Now, look a here;
don't you let old Thomas here string you about me bein' any old 'Mr!'
Skaggs. I 'm Skaggsy to all of my friends. I hope to count you among
'em."

It was such a supreme moment that Joe could not find words to answer, so
he called for another drink.

"Not a bit of it," said Skaggsy, "not a bit of it. When I meet my
friends I always reserve to myself the right of ordering the first
drink. Waiter, this is on me. What 'll you have, gentlemen?"

They got their drinks, and then Skaggsy leaned over confidentially and
began talking.

"I tell you, Hamilton, there ain't an ounce of prejudice in my body. Do
you believe it?"