“Where is Toby Clark now?” he asked when he had rejoined Phoebe and Judith.
“He is at Mr. Spaythe’s house. He doesn’t go out much, for this dreadful charge against him makes him ashamed to face people,” replied Phoebe.
“I want to see him,” said the governor. “Will you take me to him after dinner?”
“Gladly!” cried Phoebe, sudden hope springing up in her breast, for the governor was a power in the land.
He said nothing more on the subject until after dinner. Phoebe almost feared he had forgotten about Toby Clark, for during the afternoon he chatted with Cousin Judith and during dinner he joked with Becky and Don and even with Sue, the demure and big-eyed. Cousin John won the entire family without effort, and even Aunt Hyacinth, hopping about in the kitchen, told the tea-kettle that “dis yer guv’ner ain’t no diff’rence f’m a plain, ever’day man. He jus’ natcherly takes to de whole kit an’ caboodle, seein’ he’s cousin to Miss Judy an’ not stuck up ner refrigerated a bit—no more ’n dem blessed child’ns is.”
But after dinner he walked into the hall and picked his hat from the rack, which Phoebe decided was a signal that he was ready to go to Toby Clark. So she threw on a jacket and joined him, for the evenings were getting cool of late, and together they strolled through the back streets, avoiding the business part of the town, and so reached Mr. Spaythe’s house.
CHAPTER XIII
HOW TOBY SAW THE GREAT MAN
Mr. Spaythe himself opened the door and took a step backward in astonishment.
“Why, Governor—is it really you?” he stammered.