“And you’ve decided it’s now.” Felix drew on his cigar while he studied it over to himself. “Nothing to stop you. You’re a free man. You have papers; I signed them myself.” Again Floyd waited, not expectantly, but knowing where Felix’s train of thought would lead him. “You just going to go off without any word to them? Or do they know; have you hinted any?” Floyd shook his head. “So.” Felix waited, and Floyd let him wait a little longer and finish his own thoughts to himself. When he did and then looked a first vague but genuine question to Floyd, Floyd said, “We didn’t happen to meet. I wanted to see you before I went.” Felix nodded, the lawyer and man of business.

“I have the right,” Floyd said, merely to make the point again.

Felix nodded.

“I have papers, and I can travel with them without trouble.”

Felix thought about that and then nodded slowly. “I should think so. You’re not the kind of man who attracts attention or gets in trouble anyway. But you were born here, Floyd. Why, when you and Leon were boys, they couldn’t separate you. I remember they couldn’t even get him to go to that tutor over at Oaks until they let you go with him. You can’t leave Leon without telling him.”

“I want you to tell him for me,” Floyd said. “I can’t.”

Slowly Felix nodded and frowned, but there were still questions in his eyes that showed back of the glow of the cigar when he drew deeply on it.

Floyd said, “I’m not gone forever.” Felix exhaled a big billow of smoke. “I couldn’t leave Mama and Papa like that.” Felix nodded, his chin hardly moving, but his eyes expressive.

“No,” he said. “I know how Lovey and Ezra feel—I know some, that is to say.” He looked at Floyd quietly, studying his face. “That’s why you waited for me, so I would tell them. Quite right, Floyd. We all can do a lot for each other in ways that don’t cost as much as they give. Everybody will be half dead tomorrow anyhow, I’ll tell them you’ve gone, but I bet they don’t believe it till next week.”

“Thank you, Mister Felix.”

Felix put out his hand and Floyd took it, pressed it, and let it go.

Floyd turned to leave. “Hold on,” Felix said, suddenly unwilling to let him go. “You move so fast. How are you going? Have you got it all planned?”

“Walk to Highboro. Isn’t far. From there I’ll borrow a ride on a wagon. I know folks all the way from here to Savannah from going times with Skeeter and the cotton trains. When I get to the coast, I’ll decide where next.”