Their leader austerely posed at one end of the bar and regarded the scene with disapproving eyes.

Wine, women, and the dance were not for him.

He produced again the disillusioned look that had won Henshaw.
"Fine," said Baird.

"Gun it, boys." The scene was shot, and Baird spoke again: "Hold it, everybody; go on with your music, and you boys keep up the dance until Mother's entrance, then you quit and back off." Merton was puzzled by this speech, but continued his superior look, breaking it with a very genuine shock of surprise when his old mother tottered in at the front door.

She was still the disconsolate creature of the day before, bedraggled, sad-eyed, feeble, very aged, and still she carried her bucket and the bundle of rags with which she had mopped.
Baird came forward again.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you.