Peck laughed shrilly. "Then I reckon you better git your hat and coat
and come along. Can't do US no harm, and might be an eye-opener fer YOU.
Grist and Gus Schulmeyer and Hank Cullop's waitin' out yonder at the
gate. We be'n havin' kind of a consultation at my house over somep'n'
Grist seen at Beasley's a little earlier in the evening."

"What did Grist see?"

"HACKS! Hacks drivin' up to Beasley's house--a whole lot of 'em. Grist
was down the street a piece, and it was pretty dark, but he could see
the lamps and hear the doors slam as the people got out. Besides, the
whole place is lit up from cellar to attic. Grist come on to my house
and told me about it, and I begun usin' the telephone; called up all the
men that COUNT in the party--found most of 'em at home, too. I ast 'em
if they was invited to this ball to-night; and not a one of 'em was.
THEY'RE only in politics; they ain't high SOCIETY enough to be ast to
Mr. Beasley's dancin'-parties! But I WOULD 'a' thought he'd let YOU
in--ANYWAYS fer the second table!" Mr. Peck shrilled out his acrid and
exultant laugh again. "I got these fellers from the newspapers, and all
I want is to git this here ball in print to-morrow, and see what the
boys that do the work at the primaries have to say about it--and what
their WIVES'll say about the man that's too high-toned to have 'em in
his house. I'll bet Beasley thought he was goin' to keep these doin's
quiet; afraid the farmers might not believe he's jest the plain man he
sets up to be--afraid that folks like you that ain't invited might turn
against him. I'LL fool him! We're goin' to see what there is to see, and
I'm goin' to have these boys from the newspapers write a full account of
it. If you want to come along, I expect it'll do you a power o' good."