“He and Miss Constance?” cried Forbes, aghast.
“Gawd bress ma soul, no, sir. I means dat Miss Boggs; an’ what I wants ter fin’ out is what fo’ he got any call ter jist na’chelly live dar.”
“Maybe it’s a charming romance right under your very eyes, Mammy Blairsdale. Surely you do not wish to play the kill-joy?”
“Kill-joy! Huh!” retorted Mammy. “I ain’t gwine be no fool, neider. I tells yo’ I never is like dat man, an’ if he’s takin’ ter pesterin’ dat girl he gotter quit; an’ if ’tain’t de girl it’s some other divilmint he got in his haid. I ain’ trus’ him no furder’n I kin see his shadder; no, I ain’.”
“Has he been there when Miss Constance was at the counter?”
“If he ain’t bin dar, he bin whar he kin watch her ’thout her s’pici’nin’ it. Time’n agin I’se done seen him tip in dat men’s furnishin’ Arch, Number Six, pertendin’ lak he buyin’ neckties an’ all kynds ob fummadiddles. Reckon he do buy a heap, too, for he jes’ splurgin’ fer fair dese days.”
“Dare say he is trying to make a good impression upon the lady of his heart,” laughed Forbes.
“D’ssay he tryn’ fer ter mak’ a ’pression on someone else, an’ he better quit if he knows what’s good fer him. Now, what dat girl scuttlin’ down yonder fer?” was her quick exclamation. Over Forbes’ shoulder she had caught sight of Miss Boggs hurrying down the corridor, ostensibly toward the lavatory.
“Candy makes her fingers sticky, Mammy Blairsdale,” was Forbes’ half-idle comment as he turned to look over his shoulder in the direction of Mammy’s glance. At that very instant Miss Boggs’ profile was distinctly outlined against the white marble wall behind her, and, strange coincidence, Elijah Sniffins, turning suddenly around the corner, came face to face with her. For a brief second each face was distinctly outlined, then the man and girl passed their opposite ways.
But in that instant Forbes had received an impression swift as an electric shock. When he turned to look at Mammy, she remarked: