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Show rgo " Disguised? " I considered. " That is a possibility. I could manage to escape afterwards. But what if her absence were discovered? How could that be concealed? " " We must devise a plan. Helga might be able to impersonate her. The main difficulty is that there are so few trains coming through this year, and this fanaticism of the Reformation has made bitter and hostile even those good people who used to be kindly disposed to the Gentiles. Another thinfl'. relief may come from the Federal authorities. B1ll Hickman has been to Independence, Missouri, and he brings back word that the Government is preparing to send troops to put an end to Brigham's reign. Though in public the Church leaders discredit the report, they are seeking to fire the people into a defiant mood." " An army coming I There will be bloodshed I " I exclaimed. " Our part will be to keep as quiet as possible and stand prepared to take advantage of any opportunity that may arise," said Mr. Senby. " Return to your law practice with all the zest you can assume, and push the settlement of Dr. Neville's estate. His goods and your own, by the by, have been hauled through from Devil's Gate. I shall buy all of them at a high price-another way to forestall Brigham." I gripped his hand. " Between us, we may yet get our heads out of the Lion's mouth." " And not alone by the skin of our teeth," he added, with the first chuckle I had ever heard him utter. CHAPTER XX THE PROPHET PROPHESIES THE eventful day of my return was followed by two months of apparent calm. Brigham gave us every evidence that he intended to keep his promise to Lucy, He made no more calls and he saw to it that my law practice did not suffer from my absence. More clients came to me than I could attend to, and a few of the far-sighted ones insisted upon paying me larger fees than I asked of them. In several other ways I learned that I was a man expected to rise quickly in the Church hierarchy. Yet I was still only a member of the lowest order of the priesthood, to which the humblest of the brethren, other than negroes, belonged by right of their fellowship in the Church. Thanks to the favour of the Prophet, I added rapidly to the contents of the money-belt in which Mr. Sen by gave me the balance of Lucy's inheritance as well as the purchase price of my own goods. The merchant also made the prearranged transfer to me, as executor, of a seven-thousand-do!lar interest in his business. But for some reason that he did not explain he gave me none of his own money for safe-keeping. Nothwithstanding the night of the fanatical Reformation that was closing down over the Great Basin with ever-deepening gloom, all seemed well with us. We had paid our full increase-tithes, and I had paid the entire property-tithe for the Nevi!le estate upon the settlement with Mr. Senby. Cora kept ber promise to be discreet. Lucy regained her full health and the quiet joyousness natural to her disposition. '9' |
