At last she passed the danger point. She sank into a deep slumber. She was safe!
Kenneth, wearied beyond measure, rose and stupidly, weariedly, made preparations to go home.
Mrs. Ewing stopped him.
“You haven’t asked me to tell you why Mr. Ewing went to Atlanta,” she said.
Dully he asked why he had gone away with his daughter in such a critical condition, what she had meant by her cryptic remarks over the telephone. She spoke gladly.
“I couldn’t tell you over the telephone,” she explained. “If anyone had been listening, it would have been bad for all of us. He went to Atlanta this morning—it’s yestiddy morning, now—to do two things. First, to warn you not to come back to Central City until things has blown over, because he’d heard threats against you. And most of all to see the Gov’nor!”
“See the Governor for what?” Kenneth asked.
“Why, to get him to do somethin’ to protect you!” she cried as though amazed at his ignorance in not seeing.
“Protect me?” Kenneth echoed with a rising, questioning inflection.
“Yes, to protect you. Y’ see, he knew She’ff Parker couldn’t be depended on ’cause he’s in with this gang ’round here. He knew the only chance was through the Guy’nor.”