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Show - --- i'"' " •w•r THE MORMON LION couldn't ride any faster in the dark," he objected. " It's only thirty-five miles to the Meadows. We can make it easy by sun-up if we start at midni~ht. Sister Lee says we'll sure be m hme. Lay down.' He rolled over in a manner that showed me there was no more to be said. I stretched out beside him and pretended to fall asleep. He was soon snoring. For two hours or more I lay awake, vainly scheming how I might safely part company with h1m and get Lucy away from the train, to escape across the desert. My fear of her danger from the Indians had subsided. From what Lee had told me the previous winter, I felt certain that the Piedes Jacked courage to come within rifle-shot of the emigrants. My surmise was that they had stampeded the stock belonging to the train and had then sat down to starve out the "Mericats." As the emigrants already were short of provisions, this was a serious menace. But I believed that the Saints of the Southern Settlements had at last taken pity on the Gentiles, and probably would sell them food, as well as drive off the Indians and recover their stock. Still I could not bear to think of leaving Lucy to make the tedious passage of the desert with the slowmoving ox-train while I rushed on ahead with Chilcott. Was there not some way that I could take her with me? This was of course impossible if I remained with Chilcott. Should I so much as speak to her in his presence he might penetrate her disguise. I fell asleep puzzling over the problem. We were more weary than we had thought. I did not waken until the morning sun streamed m through the window and warmed my face. Chilcott already had arisen. I rushed out and found him saddling our horses. He met my reproachful look with a shake of his head. "Now don't get on your ear, Dave," he said. "You overslept, as well as me. I didn't roust you out at once, because the horses had to eat their oats anyway. THE MORMON LION If you want to start now Sister Lee put a Jot of jerked venison in our saddlebags. M1ghty smart woman! She has hed on a feed of oats, in case we get out mto the desert." I sprang on my horse without stopping to reply and we galloped out of Cedar City. ' Even the probability that I would need to have my horse m perfect cond1t10n could not offset my longing to see Lucy. I set a smart pace and held to it whenever poss1ble. Towards noon we came to Pinto Creek, about seven miles from the head of the Meadows. Chilcott had said that we would stop at Lee's house to make inquiries. But as we rode down into the valley we saw a small man hurry from the house and gallop away on a ponY.. " Lord! ".said Cl!ilcott. " 1 hat's Jake Wallerand on the JUmp. fhmgs must be humming down the Meadows. We'll overhaul him." He J?Ut the spurs to his pony. But my horse went past hlln hke a shot. I was soon close upon Waller who was mounted on a horse of the scraggy ewe~ necked Indian breed that seem made all of smew and whalebone. At a hail from Chilcott the little man looked about and pulled up sharply. I raced up and remed m bes1de h1m with a suddenness that caused my horse to plunge and prance. "What news?" I cried. "Quick-tell mel Are the em1grants safe ? " "Howdy, Dav.e," he replied. "Better watch out that horse don't throw you. 1-Ie's--" " The emigrants? " I demanded. " Are they safe?" " Safe? You can jest bet your bottom dollar they're safe I " he exulted. " They're safe as suckers m a sack.'' His tone and the ferret-like ferocity of his wizened face alarmed me. ;; What d'you mean ? " I queried. Jest that, Dave. We've got all of 'em same's if they was sewed up in a sack-every last one of 'em.'' |
