“But why should I need protection now?” Kenneth asked wonderingly. “Good God, haven’t these devils done enough to my family and me already?”
She explained patiently as though talking to a child. Neither of them realized the unusualness of their situation. Both had forgotten race lines, time, circumstances, and everything else in the tenseness of the moment.
“B’cause the Ku Kluxers are after you!” she whispered.
“Why should they be after me? I’ve done nothing! My Lord, I’ve tried in every way I could since I’ve been back in this rotten place to keep away from trouble⸺” he declared querulously.
“Wait a minute an’ I’ll tell you!” she interrupted him. She took his arm and led him into the next room where they would not disturb Mary. “Roy heard them talking about you and cursin’ you out about some kind of a society you’ve been formin’ among the nig—the coloured people. He told ‘em they oughter let coloured men like you alone ’cause you were a credit to the community. The nex’ mornin’ he foun’ a warnin’ on the front po’ch from the Kluxers, sayin’ he’d better stop defendin’ niggers or somethin’d happ’n to him!”
“Oh, that’s all tommyrot, Mrs. Ewing!” Kenneth declared in a disgusted and disdainful tone. “These silly night-riders wouldn’t dare do anything to your husband! I don’t believe they’d even try and do anything to me!”
“You mustn’t talk that way!” she sharply broke in. “They’d do anythin’! Roy says She’ff Parker’s one of ‘em, and a whole lot mo’ of the folks you wouldn’ believe was in it!”
Kenneth’s voice became hard and bitter.
“Mrs. Ewing, I’ve tried—God knows I have—to keep away from trouble with these white people in Central City. If they bother me, I’m going to fight—you hear me I’m going to fight—and fight like hell! They’ll get me in the end—I know that—but before I go I’m going to take a few along with me!”
He left her standing there and went back into Mary’s room. He secured his bag and started down the stairs. Mrs. Ewing ran after him and caught him just as he opened the front door. She had to seize his arm to hold him, as he was impatient to be gone. He felt as though he never wanted to see a white face again as long as he lived. He did not know, nor did Mrs. Ewing, that several white faces were looking at them as he stood there with Mrs. Ewing clinging to his arm.