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Show "Here I am, Brother Ford," she called, as if I had already engaged the reel. She danced with such lightness and grace that I might have fancied I was floating between the rows of partners in our set with a winged seraph on my armhad movement been all. But the filmy cloud of tulle and lace from which emerged her ivory bust and beautiful head, enveloped the body of a full-blooded young woman in the/rime of life and health. Her snowy bosom heave with emotion whenever she caught my glance. I must have been madeofwood not to have admired her. Yet while I smiled and chatted with her at every turn, my eyes sought out in the next set the younger and no less graceful form that was whirling about in the clutch of the Lion. The next dance was a quadrille. I thought best not to oppose Chilcott's claim on Lucy. For second partner he at last condescended to take out Cora. As Mrs. Sen by declined to dance, duty induced me to ask Amanda and her latest co-wife. We were not invited to become members of Brigham's set. Chilcott was favoured with a nod, but conveniently failed to see it. He bore off his partners to a set at the far end of the hall. For that dance Lucy was at least spared the gallantries of the Prophet, disagreeable as were the attentions of Chilcott. Insistence upon my rights as her promised husband, won me the contra dance that followed. But my delight was tempered with the knowledge that her candid pleasure in my company, at least in part, sprang from the relief of her escape from the partners whom she feared. Her affectionate manner towards me was the clinging of a child to its protector. Whenever she saw Chilcott and the Prophet peering at her through the whirl of dancers, she quivered with fear and repulsion. For the remainder of the ball the best I could do was to obtain a bare majority of the single-partner THE MORMON LION II3 dances with the dear girl, and I had to contend earnestly for them. All the other dances were taken by Brigham and Chilcott, the former demanding and receiving the lion's share. To have sulked would have been poor policy. I joined in every dance with all the zest that I could feign. For the same reason I made a point of seeking the Prophet's wives for partners in the double numbers. Emmeline, his tall and handsome favourite, received my attentions with queenly graciousness. She expressed a kindly interest in myself and the Senbys and, incidentally, in Sister Neville. Yet my fears were not lessened when I observed the covert anxiety in her full soft-blue eyes as she watched Brigham during his dances with Lucy. When I confided to her the news of my marriage engagement her dubious smile was still less reassuring. All evening Chilcott continued to neglect Cora. I found her almost always waiting for me whenever I had need to look around for a partner. Her preference for my company was so marked and we danced together so often that Amanda found occasion to warn me we were being observed by many present who made a business of scandalmongering. Mrs. Sen by also ventured to reproach me, and, for Lucy's sake, she prevented me from dancing one reel with Cora by exl?ressing her own willingness to be my partner. Seemg her on the floor, Brigham demanded her as a co-partner with Lucy in the next quadrille. She very wisely acquiesced. So far both she and her husband had been treated coldly, if not shunned, by the Church dignitaries. But after being honoured by the Prophet, num hers of Elders and more than one Apostle begged the pleasure of a dance with her, while their ladies beamed upon her portly husband. Cora, failing of a dance w1th me, laughingly challenged the merchant to take the floor. After that his bald head was ever to be seen in the midst of the liveliest sets. H |