ony had been so comfortable in the forge, that he did not care to leave
it. He was dodging about and backing, wholly refusing to go forward, and
setting at defiance a boy who was striving to lead him onwards. Mrs.
Peckaby sat down and burst into tears.

CHAPTER XLV.

STIFLED WITH DISHONOUR.

"Now, then," began Peckaby, as Lionel departed, "what's the reason my
tea ain't ready for me."

"Be you a man to ask?" demanded she. "Could I redd up and put on
kettles, and, see to ord'nary work, with my inside turning?"

Peckaby paused for a minute. "I've a good mind to wallop you!"

"Try it," she aggravatingly answered. "You have not kep' your hands off
me yet to be let begin now. Anybody but a brute 'ud comfort a poor woman
in her distress. You'll be sorry for it when I'm gone off to New
Jerusalem."

"Now, look here, Suke," said he, attempting to reason with her. "It's
quite time as you left off this folly; we've had enough on't. What do
you suppose you'd do at Salt Lake? What sort of a life 'ud you lead?"

"A joyful life!" she responded, turning her glance sky-ward. "Brother
Jarrum thinks as the head saint, the prophet hisself, has a favour to
me! Wives is as happy there as the day's long."

Peckaby grinned; the reply amused him much. "You poor ignorant creatur,"
cried he, "you have got your head up in a mad-house; and that's about
it. You know Mary Green?"

"Well?" answered she, looking surprised at this _divertissement_.

"And you know Nancy from Verner's Pride as is gone off," he continued,
"and you know half a dozen more nice young girls about here, which you
can just set on and think of. How 'ud you like to see me marry the whole
of 'em, and bring 'em home here? Would the house hold the tantrums you'd
go into, d'ye think?"

"You hold your senseless tongue, Peckaby! A man 'ud better try and bring
home more nor one wife here! The law 'ud be on to him."

"In course it would," returned Peckaby! "And the law knowed what it was
about when it made itself into the law. A place with more nor one wife
in it 'ud be compairable to nothing but that blazing place you've heerd
on as is under our feet, or the Salt Lake City."

"For shame, you wicked man!"

"There ain't no shame, in saying that; it's truth," composedly answered
Peckaby. "Brother Jarrum said, didn't he, as the wives had a parlour
a-piece. Why do they? 'Cause they be obleeged to be kep' apart, for fear
o' damaging each other, a-tearing and biting an