pressed tone.
"What with her delicate health, and what with her wilfulness, I have
always had trouble with her. Dr. West was the only one--But I can't
refer to those matters. Flore is broken-hearted. Poor Flore! she has
never given me an hour's grief in her life. Kitty has given me little
else. And now to go off with the Mormons!"

"Who has she gone with?"

"With the rest from Deerham. They have gone off in the night. That
Brother Jarrum and a company of about five-and-twenty, they say."

Jan could scarcely keep from exploding into laughter. Part of Deerham
gone off to join the Mormons! "Is it a fact?" cried he.

"It is a fact that they are gone," replied Mrs. Baynton. "She has been
out several times in an evening to hear that Brother Jarrum, and had
become infected with the Mormon doctrine. In spite of what I or Flore
could say, she would go to listen to the man, and she grew to believe
the foolish things he uttered. And you can't give me Dr. West's
address?"

"No, I can't," replied Jan. "And I see no good that it would be to you,
if I could. He could not get to Liverpool in time, from wherever he may
be, if the flight is to take place in a day or two."

"Perhaps not," sighed Mrs. Baynton. "I was unwilling to come, but it
seemed like a forlorn hope."

She let down her old crape veil as she went out at the door; and Jan,
all curious for particulars, went abroad to pick up anything he could
learn.

About fifteen had gone off, exclusive of children. Grind's lot, as it
was called, meaning Grind, his wife, and their young ones; Davies had
gone, Mary Green had gone, Nancy from Verner's Pride had gone, and
sundry others whom it is not necessary to enumerate. It was said that
Dinah Roy made preparations to go, but her heart failed her at the last.
Some accounts ran that she did start, but was summarily brought up by
the appearance of her husband, who went after her. At his sight she
turned without a word, and walked home again, meekly submitting to the
correction he saw fit to inflict. Jan did not believe this. His private
opinion was, that had Dinah Roy started, her husband would have deemed
it a red-letter day, and never have sought to bring her back more.

Last, but not least, Mrs. Peckaby had _not_ gone. No: for Brother Jarrum
had stolen a march upon her. What his motive in doing this might be was
best known to himself. Of all the converts, none had been so eager for
the emigration, so fondly anticipative of the