Stewart stood in his familiar attentive position, erect, silent, with a hand on pommel and bridle.
“Stewart, you are exceedingly—thoughtful of my interests,” she said, wanting to thank him, and not readily finding words. “I would not know what to do without you. Is there danger?”
“I’m not sure. But I want to be on the safe side.”
She hesitated. It was no longer easy for her to talk to him, and she did not know why.
“May I know the special orders you gave Nels and Nick and Monty?” she asked.
“Who said I gave those boys special orders?”
“I heard Stillwell tell them so.”
“Of course I’ll tell you if you insist. But why should you worry over something that’ll likely never happen?”
“I insist, Stewart,” she replied, quietly.
“My orders were that at least one of them must be on guard near you day and night—never to be out of hearing of your voice.”