“What became of the women?” Shefford asked, 'presently.
“Left over there with the old women. Couldn't be fetched over. But there are some pretty young babies in that bunch--need their mothers.”
“I should--think so,” replied Shefford, constrainedly. “When will their mothers get back to them?”
“To-night, maybe, if this mob of cow-punchers and wranglers get out of town.... It's a bad mix, Shefford, here's a hunch on that. These fellows will get full of whisky. And trouble might come if they--approach the women.”
“You mean they might get drunk enough to take the oaths of those poor women--take the meaning literally--pretend to believe the women what they swore they were?”
“Reckon you've got the hunch,” replied Joe, gloomily.
“My God! man, that would be horrible!” exclaimed Shefford.
“Horrible or not, it's liable to happen. The women can be kept here yet awhile. Reckon there won't be any trouble here. It'll be over there in the valley. Shefford, getting the women over there safe is a job that's been put to me. I've got a bunch of fellows already. Can I count on you? I'm glad to say you're well thought of. Bishop Kane liked you, and what he says goes.”
“Yes, Joe, you can count on me,” replied Shefford.
They finished their meal then and repaired to the big office-room of the house. Several groups of men were there and loud talk was going on outside. Shefford saw Withers talking to Bishop Kane and two other Mormons, both strangers to Shefford. The trader appeared to be speaking with unwonted force, emphasizing his words with energetic movements of his hands.
“Reckon something's up,” whispered Joe, hoarsely. “It's been in the air all day.”
Withers must have been watching for Shefford.
“Here's Shefford now,” he said to the trio of Mormons, as Joe and Shefford reached the group. “I want you to hear him speak for himself.”
“Give me a hunch and I'll put in my say-so,” said Joe Lake.
“Shefford, it's the matter of a good name more than a job,” replied the trader. “A little while back I told the bishop I meant to put you on the pack job over to the valley--same as when you first came to me. Well, the bishop was pleased and said he might put something in your way. Just now I ran in here to find you--not wanted. When I kicked I got the straight hunch. Willetts has said things about you. One of them--the one that sticks in my craw--was that you'd do anything, even pretend to be inclined toward Mormonism, just to be among those Mormon women over there. Willetts is your enemy. And he's worse than I thought. Now I want you to tell Bishop Kane why this missionary is bitter toward you.”