| OCR Text |
Show 126 THE MORMON LION "You won't say anything to bring harm on David? " asked Cora. "Think I'd do that? " scoffed Amanda. "Ain't he my own cousin, and innocent as a suckling babe? Guess that lets you out too. Can't say I'm sorry. I'm a woman my ownself, if I am a dried-up old stick. I can understand-- Now don't cry all over me. You'll wet my gown." Cora had sprung up to fling her arms about the older woman and weep on her lean bosom. Amanda went on huskily : " There, there, girl! It's a hard lot we wimmenfolks have got to put up with. But we've got to obey counsel. There's no salvation without it. Your cross has come one way. Mine came t'other. It wasn't no light burden to submit to being sealed to Joseph, when I thought the world and all of my William." '' Yon-were-sealed- to Joseph ? '' I stammered. "Yes, j'ust before you and Mary came to Nauvoo when Wil iam was in England. It was a mighty hard tnal ; but the Prophet had a revelation commanding it. Who was I to go agin the word of the Lord I William don't know even yet. I spared him that. But it'll be a blow when we die and he finds me a star not in his own crown, but in Joseph's." ' " He- Joseph-had another revelation regarding my mother, d1d he not ? " I asked. " Yes, but poor Mary wasn't prepared yet for the higher doctrines. When he explained to her about celestial marriage--" " Go I " I cried, " go! before I blaspheme God I " I flung myself face down upon the bed. When at last my paroxysm of fury and despair had spent itself, I rose and found them gone. Only Cora's handkerchief still lay on my bureau. I held it over the guttenng candle and watched it blaze up and fall mashes .... Not that I condemned its owner. My thoughts were all of my own scorched wings. CHAPTER XIII A KISS AMANDA was astir at her usual hour. I hesitated over going to breakfast. In this I failed to do justice to Cora's delicacy of feeling. She had gone to her own apartments. With one exception, my cousin made absolutely no reference to the occurrence upon which our thoughts were centered. As I was leaving to go to my office, she said sharply : " Some things are best forgot-clean forgot, 'cept to remember not to let them happen agin." " Yes,' I agreed. " So that's settled. Dave, boy, have you got your heart set on that yellow-haired g1rl? " "Yes." " I'm mighty sorry for you. Still, the Lord only knows. Don't give up yet. He's taken a lot of 'em since Emmeline, but none that she was a-feared might oust her as his favourite. Trust her to do her share. Keep the girl away from him and marry her for time, soon as you can. You don't have to ask counsel for that-with a flrst wife. Only trouble, you'll need the certificate of the Bishop of your ward. William never'll give that. You might move to her ward. Her Bishop ain't so straight-laced as some." " Thank you. I'll see," I replied. My desire was to hasten to the Senbys'. I was restrained by the thought that Lucy might still be resting after the harassment and fatigue of the ball. I forced myself to go to mf office and labourj'through a big morning's grist o business. To c ear my "7 |
