"Na———"
The girl's pleading eyes were resistless and the black lips smiled:
"Cose I will, chile! Cose I will—I'll see 'im right away. I'll tell him de minute I lays my eyes on 'im."
She turned to go and ran squarely into Norton as he strode into the room. She stopped and stammered:
"Why—why—wuz yer lookin' fer me, major?"
Norton gazed at her a moment and couldn't call his mind from its painful train of thought. He spoke finally with sharp accent:
"No. I want to see Cleo."
Helen slipped behind Minerva:
"Stay and tell him now. I'll go."
"No, better wait," was her low reply, as she watched Norton furtively. "I don't like de way his eyes er spittin' fire."