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Show CHAPTER XXV A BARGAIN MANY as were the miraculous cures of which the Church authorities boasted, the most orthodox Saint might well shun the vicinity of smallpox. When I called, the next afternoon, the dread name of the loathsome disease was posted on the Sen by gate. For the benefit of the neighbours, Mrs. Sen by had me stop in the yard while she talked to me from the porch. The Bishop of the ward had come to investigate soon after she had placed the notice on the gate. He had ventured in as far as the door of the darkened room where Ann Jane lay abed, with a wig of Lucy's hair outspread on the pillows. The bandages wtth which the girl's face was swathed and the odour of disinfectants and burning spices had been enough to make even the Bishop's fanatical faith consider the advisability of prudence. After a fervent prayer for his own safety, he had rushed in to anoint the head of the patient with oil and to hastily mumble his command for the disease to depart. When he hurried out, Mrs. Senby had redoubled his fear by insisting that he bathe his hands in disinfectants. " So now we are safe, David, safe ! " she concluded. "We shall have no more callers enter the house for at least a fortnight. By that time Lucy should be well on her way to the Southern Settlements." She put her hand to her heart. " God give me strength that I may live until the dear girl has escaped! " "You will live to join us in California," I remonstrated. " No, David, the shock of his death- I would have >JI THE MORMON LION 239 gone to him at once had I felt free to leave Lucy. And now I can stand it only a little while longeronly as long as I must for her sake." ' You are very brave ! Yet can we save her, after all? The Arkansans must travel slowly with their footsore cattle. They will be far short of the Southern Settlements when the time comes for your patient to convalesce. The fraud must then be dtscovered. Her manner of escape may be suspected and pursuers sent to fetch her back." " I have thought of that, David. Listen. When I can bear up no longer, Lucy is to die." "Die!" ."Die and be buried. We can weight a coffin. They wtll not pry mto the coffin of one who has died of smallpox." " You are a wonderful woman! " I cried, and I sprang forward to clasp her hands. "Keep away!" she warned. "You must not enter .. Go and tell the sad news of her illness to your acquamtances. It will account for your real anxiety as to her escape." I hastened to do as she advised. Within a few days all of my acquaintances in the city knew of my mrsfortune. Even Bngham, busy as he was with preparatwns fo: the repulse of the Govern!'lent troops, found occaswn to condole wtth me. 1 he Chilcotts could not have been more sympathetic. Amanda (:ave me baskets of her best-cooked delicacies to hand 111 at the door of the Sen by cottage. Cora was deeply grieved- and not entirely because of the delay. She did not consider herself alone but was g,enuinely sorry over the supposed certain l~ss of Lucy s beauty. When I exl?ressed my apprehension that Lucy mrght die, she satd that she herself would far prefer death to disfigurement for life. Yet the pretended delay of my marriage to Lucy did not prevent the lady from applying for a divorce. The Prophet agam counselled her to patience. Mrs, S~nby's scl1el11e continued to be such a |