OCR Text |
Show THE MORMON LION clothes to her. " Put on these as quick as you can. We must hurry away." . She gazed from the garments to me m amazement. "But- but, David, these are men's clothes." "You must wear them, dear. Your hfe depends upon it. Remember, I am your hus~.and. I tell you to do it- - And take off your wtg. "If you tell me--" She blushed rosily. "Leave me please. I shall be quick." As I left the crevice a sudden spasm of fear sent me flying to the head of the gulch. I still could hear the voices of the cursing murderers, but they sounded much farther down near the creek. The very excess of their thirst for blood was proving our salvation. I led Waller's horse up beside my own. Waller's · half naked body lay in the way. It was a far from pleasing sight, with blood smeared over the head and face. I carried it around behind a rock, where Lucy would not see it. As I laid it down under a ledge I felt coins through the pliant leather of the moneybelt. Thou~h I disliked to take his money, I remembered that I did not have enough gold to pay Ankotash all that I had promised him. The Indian might refuse to accept payment in bills. In the belt were two hundred and thirty dollars in gold and several packets of counterfeit treasury notes. I left the notes. CHAPTER XXXII THE FLIGHT A FRIGHTENED call from Lucy brought me back around to her on a run. She was standing half in the mouth of the crevice. From a little distance she looked so like Waller that involuntarily I put my hand to my revolver. I ran up to her, with arms outstretched. She shrank back, her face crimson with blushes. When I caught her to me Waller's broad-brimmed hat fell off and disclosed the short, flaxed locks that lay curled on her dainty head. " You boy! " I cried. "David!- pleasel" she begged, trying to draw away from me. I held her fast and kissed her sweet lips and drooping eyelids. "My wife! my darling wife!" "Yes, David, your wife!" she murmured, and she put up her arms about my neck. "My wife," I repeated. "My wife, Lucy, but also my boy comrade. That is what you look to be-a lovely boy. You must be one, dearest. You must be a manly boy. You must ride in a man's saddle. Whether or not Ankotash comes after us, we must start off into the desert before they discover-before they return." ' But these man's clothes? " she protested. " When may I put on my dress? They are not-are not clean, and I- oh, David, I cannot bear that anyone else than you should see me in them." "You must, dear. Our only way of escape lies •99 • |