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Show 44 THE MORMON LION Miss Neville," I said. " She would rather wait and come on quietly." "She would, eh? "he rejoined. " Well, let me tell you, If she was one of my women--" "Good day, Brother Chilcott," I interrupted as steadily as l could force myself to speak. " Tell Cousin Amanda I'll be along by evening." He looked at me with the glmt of steel in his hard eye~. "You'll learn mighty soon, boy. Don't figure you ve got any pnor nghts on that particular ewe lamb. That's counsel, and you'll do well to obey it." He tightened his reins with one powerful hand and swung his long mule whip in the other. The buckskm lash cut a stnp of hide out of the flank of one of the leaders. As the luckless beast leaped forward the lash snapped on the flank of his team mate. Ali four mules plunged down the road, nearly running over a group of persons on foot. Lucy clung to me m fnght. ·:Brother David, I- I am afraid of him " she whispered. " I know it is wicked-sinful-t~ hold such thoughts towards a High Priest-and he is your cousin!'' "No, my cousin is only-she is his wife" I corrected. "He is no blood kin to me; and it'he were, I should always consider you first, Lucy. He has no claim on me, and l cannot say that I like him. Your aunt hves m another ward, so you will not need to have anythmg to do with him. He will not be your bishop. Now let us go back to my wagon and forget him." Left to themselves, the two yoke of strong oxen loaned to me at Fort Bridger by one of the brethren from the city, stood patiently waiting back on the round of the hill. All my passengers had found seats m the other wagons, which were now rolling away down the pass m quick succession, the heavier ones With locked wheels, the lighter with close-set screammg brakes. THE MORMON LION 45 When we came back to my wagon I lifted Lucy into the front seat and wrapped her feet in bufialo robes. I then spent some time examining the wagon gear and the oxen. After the last of the other wagons had rolled away and the summit was deserted except for ourselves, I swung up beside my dear companion. "Lucy," I said," I have delayed our start in order that we could be alone. There is something I wish to say to you before we go down into the Valley." "But can we not be following the others? " she asked. " I do so long to see Zion-and my aunt and uncle." " We cannot pass any in the narrow road, but we shall arrive close behind the other ox-teams," I explained. " So listen, dear. Counting by days, we have known each other only these few months. But a lifetime of experience may be crushed into a brief period. I feel that I know you very well." "And y:ou, too, Brother David," she responded. "It is as If I have known you all my life." " You feel that you can trust me? " " Yes, yes! Did not both mother -and father--" She faltered and gazed up into the sapphire sky, her sweet eyes misty with the starting tears. " Yes, they also trusted me, dear," I went on. " Please hold in mind that what I am now going to say IS said w1th the most careful consideration of the trust they placed in me." "What IS it you wish to say, Brother David?" she asked. " I must speak with you regarding your future, Lucy." She looked at me with innocent simplicity. "But you no longer need bother about that, you know. I shall soon be with Aunt Ellen and Uncle Norton and then I shall cease to be a care to you." ' " Never! " I replied. " Never ? I do not understand " she said I could not talk of love with tha't look in h~r eyes. |
