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Show 68 THE MORMON LION The soft contour of her round face was balanced by the curve of her slightly aquiline nose. The creamy whiteness of her skin was enhanced by the colour of her full and enticingly curved lips, which were as red as if stained with cherry juice. Her large brown eyes completed a picture of almost enrav1shmg beauty. Instead of the coquettish allurement that Amanda's warning had led me to expect, the lady's glance as she rose from her graceful curtsey told of no more than well-bred interest in the guest of her husband's first wife. Yet the langorous calm of her eyes only partly masked the discontent and passwn that smouldered in their depths. I conjectured that she was only a year or two over twenty. . " It is a great pleasure to meet a gentleman who 1s the cousin of our dear s1ster," she murmured m a rich contralto voice. "We welcome Brother Ford to Zion, and wish him joy and prosperity in the Kingdom." , "In measure according to his deserts, no more,, qualified Amanda. " Sit clown, Dave. Everythmg s cooked to rags a' ready. Here's your seat. Dish up, girls." . Mrs. Polly and the two girl-wives hastened out mto the kitchen. But Mrs. Cora calmly floated around beside me. " Ain't you going to help, too, Cora? " queried Amanda. · d "Too many maids may spill the broth," rephe the beauty, with a smile that even Amanda could not resist. " Bes1des, th1s proves I have done my share." She held up a plump shapely hand. The callous in the palm showed that she was not unused to hard work, yet there was a fresh blister on one of the fingers. " Sakes alive! I didn't mean you to chop that much," said Amanda. THE MORMON LION 6g " It was little enough-only the axe needs grinding. I'll get Helga to turn the grindstone for me tomorrow," explained Mrs. Cora. "Not when I 'm around," I broke in, with no little heat. " That's a man's work. You don't mean to tell me that Chilcott lets any of you do such chores as a regular thing ? " " Why not, I'cllike to know? "snapped Amanda. "Wimminfolks ain't made to sit around doing nothing. The devil finds work for idle hands. And let me tell you, Brother Chilcott does a lot more than some by providing a roof and food for us all. Lots of wives have to go out to sew or help work the farms. We've only got to look after the house and garden, knit and weave, and make our clothes." " While I am here I shall at least chop the wood," I said. "No, you won't, Dave. You sha'n't do anything beneath your dignity." " Dignity ?- while ladies cut kindling! " " We do not believe in drones, here m the land of the honeybee, Brother Ford," remarked Mrs. Cora, as she drew out her chair to seat herself. " Excuse me! " I said, remembering my manners and springing to assist her. She blushed and smiled, cast a propitiatory glance at Amanda, and gracefully accepted my services. My cousin looked at me with an expression of severe disapproval, and sat clown before I could wait upon her. The return of the other wives with the dinner relieved the constraint of the situation, though I astonished and flurried all the servers by remaining on my feet until they were seated. At an expectant nod from Amanda, I said a brief grace, and promptly fell to eating. Such a feast I had not enjoyed for months, and I melted my cousin's hard look by exclaiming that even the French cooking I had once tasted at Saint Louis could not compare with hers. |
