"Ain't Miss Angel here?" he asked, in a voice full of surprise and disappointment.
"No, she is not," I answered. "You are her friend, Columbus——"
"Columbus Dockett, ma'am," he responded. "Yes, ma'am. Ain't Phenie been here this evenin'?"
"No. Did you expect to find her here?"
Mr. Dockett's frank face clouded perceptibly, and he pushed his hair back and forth on his forehead uneasily, as he answered:
"I did, indeed, ma'am. I—you see, ma'am, she ain't been comin' home reg'lar of late, Phenie ain't, an' I ain't had no good chance to speak to her for right smart of a while. I laid off to see her to-night for certain. I've got somethin' partic'lar to say to her, to-night. You see, ma'am," he added, becoming somewhat confused, "me an' her—we—I—me an' her——"
He stopped, evidently feeling his inability to express himself with the delicacy the subject required.
"I understand, Mr. Dockett," I said, smilingly, "you and Phenie are——"
"That's it!" interposed Mr. Dockett, much relieved. "Yes, ma'am, that's how the matter stan's! I made sure of findin' Phenie here. Her ma says as that's where she's been a-stayin' nights lately."