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Show roB THE MORMON LION " You mean that I " she murmured with sudden intensity. She did not look at me, but her hand tightened on my arm. I felt myself Hushing with confusion. Chilcott, who had taken the place opposite Brigham, saw me about to join the set with Lucy, and promptly moved around to the side across from us. Brigham was crooking his finger to one of the many Elders who stood with the choicest dancers of their harems eagerly waiting to be honoured. He turned, bowed admiringly to Cora and still more admiringly to Lucy, and signed me to t ake the position just left by Chilcott. I hastened to comply. At the worst, I should not be required to exchange partners with Chilcott. Other sets were being formed all around us. As soon as Lucy and I had been introduced, Brigham signed the master of ceremonies to begin. Prompted by Cora, I started the first figure correctly, and I soon perceived the method of dancing with double partners. Had this been all there was to trouble me, I might have enjoyed the novel cotillion. But as I wove in and out and swung about through the intricate figures, I was ever catching glimpses, now of Chilcott, now of Brigham, with eyes fixed upon Lucy in glances that devoured her girlish loveliness. The Prophet was now in high humour. At first it appeared as though his attentions to Lucy were intended merely to tease and mock Chilcott, who made no concealment of his interest in Sister Neville. Soon, however, the expression of Brigham's face became less waggish and h1s gallantries took on a seriousness that fllfed me with dread. Confirmation of what I feared was furnished me by Chilcott's uneasy frown, by the resentful glances which Emmeline cast at the innocent girl, and by the significant smiles and looks of the other dancers. A pause between two of the figures gave Cora an THE MORMON LION !09 opportunity to whisper a bitter comment behind her fan: "Rejoice, King David! The Danite, not Uriah, possesseth Bathsheba, and Nathan thinks to gather your one ewe lamb into his fold." "Nathan? You mean--? ... The Prophet!" I groaned. . . She gave me a look of deepest comm1seratwn and whirled away, with a shrill outburst of laughter. All in our set except Lucy and my_self caught the mfection of her wild mernment. 1 he1r dancmg became livelier, and both Brigham and Chilcott began to ct~t pigeon-wings. The Prophet even allowed Cora s sprightliness to divert his atte1~t10n from Lucy. Chilcott however was so satiated w1th the charms of his wife' that her 'gayest cflorts failed to turn him from his persistent attempts to mterest Lucy. At the end of the last figure he and Brigham prov~d their vi~;our by dancing a thorough breakdown w1th the ag1lity of young men half the1r age. . . During the last fiounsh of the vwhns Cora gave Lucy and me a quick push to start us away, and darted forward to congratulate Brigham on his grace and verve. I drew Lucy back, hoping to lose ourselves in the disordered crowd. Her cheeks were flushed, and she was panting with excitement. But there was no merriment in her expression. Her eyes as she glanced up at my anxious face were wide with fear. She, too, had seen and understood. I bent down close to the silky flaxed locks that covered her ear. "Lucy, you promise to give me all the round dances?" "Yes, Brother David." I bent still closer. " You trust me! I asked you to be my wife, dear. Say that you will- that we are betrothed. It is nec:esEary." . . , "If you tell me to- yes, I w1ll, Brother Dav1d, |
