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Show r88 THE MORMON LION " Do not tell even Lucy or my wife," he said. " The fewer who know of it, the safer it will be Thank God, we now have an anchor out to wind: ward. We can now afford to wait a while for a good opportumty. We must be doubly cautious. Since the horrible murder of the Parrishes for planning to leave the Basm, I fear that Brigham will stop at nothmg." "Coming up from Fillmore," I remarked "I heard whispers of the Parrish and Aiken murder~ " " The .. slaughter of the Aiken party was ·bad enough, saJd the merchant. " It is the Parrish affair, however, that most concerns us. The Aiken party were Gentiles, and their property probably was the mam mcenbve to the crime-though of course the excuse was g1ven that they were Government sp1es. You may have heard that Judge Stiles and the notorious Judge Drummond have left the Basin. S~r;:eyor General Burr fled barely in time to save his hfe. He had mailed a report to Washington, in wluch he dared to expose Brigham's depredations an.~ defiance of Federal authority." . Yet still the Government does nothing to end this ternble state of affairs! " I exclaimed. " How about the Swiss chemist Loba and his wife? Were they overtaken in their flight? " " I believe they have escaped. The pursuers have returned, d1sappomted. The couple must have crossed the mountains high up. Yet even if they have not penshed from cold and hunger or been slain by. the Indians, they have left behind all they own. Bngham may permit their family to follow them but with no property." ' .. " We have made a better start than that," I said. And smce you have now complied with the doctrine, it is possible you may be trusted to go West to bu.Y. merchandise.',', It IS possible, he agreed. "They have a hold on me, for I could be prosecuted for bigamy-though THE MORMON LION r8g so far, my marriage to those unfortunate girls has not been a marriage in fact." " You are fortunate. Most spirituals would run to tattle that to Brigham." " They are far too grateful- only I could wish that Helga were as clever as Ann Jane. From the very first, the ward inquisitors have been at them, to pry into just such family matters. They never can learn anything from Ann jan e. But Helga is not so bright, and she is very devout. They have been counselling her that she must assert herself and demand full rights as an equal in the household with my wifemy Ellen. So far the girl has remained faithful to us." "You are compelled to endure that! Who knows but what I may come to the same- or worse? " I groaned, thinkmg of the inevitable outcome of Cora's love if she obtained a divorce before I could leave the Basin. "There must be some way of escape, Sen by. We must find a way out." He bent to whisper in my ear : " At the first opportunity I will give you another belt with the balance of Lucy's seven thousand. I will then make over to you as Dr. Neville's executor a seven-thousanddollar interest in the store. Brigham will respect your claims where he would not mine, But you will have to pay the full property-tithe." " I see. Yet how will the transfer aid our escape? " " If I become bankrupt," explained Mr. Senby, " there will be less reason for him to wish to keep me here. I have never taken the Endowments, thank God I and he does not know how fully I have learned all his dark secrets, notwithstanding what I wrote to Dr. Neville. If I seem to lose all my property, he may let me go with Ellen. I have thought of joming one of the trains of California emigrants." He lowered his whisper until it was almost inaudible- " Lucy might be smuggled among the people of the train, in disguise. There are theatrical goods-wigs- in my stock." |
