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Show THE MORMON LION her, still rosy-cheeked and breathing quickly from her excitement. Both smiled and hastened forward to welcome the supposed callers. Seeing that they were strangers, Mrs. Senby looked at me inquiringly. " Permit me to introduce: Mrs. Helga and Mrs. Ann Jane Chilcott," I said. " Miss Neville and I are very pleased to meet you," Mrs. Senby cordially greeted them, and she approached Ann Jane with her hand outstretched m welcome. The girl had risen. She now shrank back behind her chair. " Maybe you-you won't be glad when you know why--" The words choked in her throat. She put up her hand to it and stood !)"ulping, unable to speak. Mrs. Senby stopped as If transfixed. But Lucy darted to the girl-wife and put an arm about her heaving shoulders. " Dear heart! " she soothed. " What is it ? Tell us, my dear. You will feel better when you have told us." "Ain't I a- a gump, standing here a-swall-wallowing my £-feelings! " sobbed Ann Jane. "But I jus-just can't help it! " " There, there ; you're only a little overwrought. All you need is a good hot cup of tea to make you feel quite right again. Sit down, do, while I run and fetch it." "No," replied the girl, drawing away. "It'sit's worser than tea can mend. Brother Chilcott he- he treated us so's we just had to go to Brigham, and he--" She put ur, her worn little hands before her eyes. "Now we ain t got no husband .... And he sent us here." "Who? Your husband?" shrilled Mrs. Sen by. "No. He ain't our husband no more. Brigham wrote us out divorce 'tificates. He said he'd collect the charges from Brother Chilcott." THE MORMON LION 137 " Yes ? And then ? " " Then he said for us to come here and tell Brother Senby h,~ was prosperous enough to obey counsel and-- " It has come- at last! " gasped Mrs. Sen by. "Norton-- Send Ankotash ! Norton- NortonNor--" I "•.Lucy and I caught her between us as she fell. Helga screamed and wrung her hands in futile consternation. But Ann Jane ran to fetch water from the kitchen. "Go, please." Lucy urged me. "Ankotash- in the yard. He can run fast. They'll not notice him -an Indian." An ugly dark face flattened itself against the glass of the end window as I sprang up. The young Indian had heard Helga's scream and had run to see what was the trouble. I went out and held up a Mexican dollar. " Here," I said, tossing him the coin. "Mr. Sen by -fetch him quick-Pronto ! " He caught the dollar and made for the front gate. I followed to see that he did not loiter outside. I need have had no fear. When I reached the gateway he was already a hundred yards down the street, loping along with the slinking, space-devounng stnde of a coyote. . I lit a cigar and paced about the yard until Mr. Senby was whirled up to his gate in a hired carriage. He called over the wall to me as he sprang out and flung the driver his pay: "Whatisit? Mywifeill?" "Nothing serious, I hope," I called back for the benefit of the driver. " Sudden attack. Thought best to send for you." Mr. Senby hurried through the gate and past me, into the cottage. The dnver started off, peenng back over his shoulder. Brother Senby was in disfavour with the Church authorities and so was a man |
