She made a grimace at this.
Lucy whinnied, and they saw the Colonel and Dale waiting at the bottom step.
"Come in for awhile," the old gentleman urged.
"Now, Colonel," Bob said reproachfully, "do you know anything of Ann's temper when under suspense?"
"I see, sir," his eyes wrinkled into a merry smile, "that you're as much of a nigger about the house over there as I was when she honored me by living here. Go home to your tyrant, sir, but come over, all of you, tomorrow for dinner."
Lucy, now free of her burden, crossed to the silent but watchful mountaineer and nestled her nose in his arm. It was an evidence of affection which touched them all.
As Bob and Jane were leaving, in the buggy this time, they heard the Colonel ask Uncle Zack if Mr. McElroy were home, and that old darky of diminutive stature answer:
"No, sah, Cunnel, he done rid off harf hour ago."
"Maybe," Jane presently suggested, when they were well on their way, "he's gone over to our house!"
"Maybe," Bob replied, wondering where of late the young engineer had been spending his evenings.