He felt a great responsibility for the girl since he had seen the face of the man who was pursuing her.
Their horses were fresh, and the day was fine.

They rode hard as long as the road was smooth, and did little talking.

The girl was turning over in her mind the words the woman had spoken to her.

But the thing that stuck there and troubled her was, "And he knows it is so." Was she doing something for which this man by her side would not respect her?
Was she overstepping some unwritten law of which she had never heard, and did he know it, and yet encourage her in it?
That she need fear him in the least she would not believe.

Had she not watched the look of utmost respect on his face as he stood quietly waiting for her to awake the first morning they had met?
Had he not had opportunity again and again to show her dishonor by word or look?
Yet he had never been anything but gentle and courteous to her.