Stephen and I slept in the enclosure by the packed flower, which he
would not leave out of his sight. It was as well that we did so, since
about twelve o'clock by the light of the moon I saw the door in the
wall open gently and the heads of some of the albino women appear
through the aperture. Doubtless, they had come to steal away the holy
plant they worshipped. I sat up, coughed, and lifted the rifle,
whereon they fled and returned no more.
Long before dawn Brother John, his wife and daughter were up and
making preparations for the march, packing a supply of food and so
forth. Indeed, we breakfasted by moonlight, and at the first break of
day, after Brother John had first offered up a prayer for protection,
departed on our journey.
It was a strange out-setting, and I noted that both Mrs. Eversley and
her daughter seemed sad at bidding good-bye to the spot where they had
dwelt in utter solitude and peace for so many years; where one of
them, indeed, had been born and grown up to womanhood. However, I kept
on talking to distract their thoughts, and at last we were off.
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