“Don’t be alarmed,” he said, “it was nothing.  I’m all right.”

He walked about while the maid came in and set the table for dinner.  The minister linked his arm into his brother’s.  “Say, brother,” he asked, “would you not be lonesome up in heaven without Aunt Sarah?”

Uncle Gilbert was seriously alarmed.  He had in mind to call Lucy, when, providentially she came to them.

“I think your father’s not well, Lucy?” said Uncle Gilbert, as she took her father’s other arm.

“What’s the matter, papa?” she asked.

“I am well,” protested the father—­“as well as I ever was.  I’ve just been telling brother here some things—­some gospel truths in fact, and I guess they’re beyond you yet,” he said to his brother.

“Well,” replied Uncle Gilbert, “I’ll admit I’ve never heard you talk like that before.”

“Why, I’ve preached these things scores of times from the pulpit, and my congregations have thought them fine.  I didn’t tell, however, where my inspiration came from.”

“Where did it come from?” asked Lucy.

“From your books, my dear.”

“My books?”

“Yes; from your books on ’Mormonism’.”

Had not dinner just then been announced, it is hard to say what would have become of Uncle Gilbert’s astonishment.  Across the table he saw Lucy’s reassuring smile from which he himself took courage that all was well.

CHAPTER XIII.

My Dear Lucy:—­I am writing this in my room high up on the hillside of Lucerne, (Luzern) pronounced as if there were a “t” before the “z.”  The day is closing.  The light is yet bright on the mountains, but the lake lies in shadows.  The lamps are being lighted down below in the town and along the promenade.  I hear faintly the arrival of the steamer at the pier.

But let me begin at the beginning, and tell you what I have seen and done up to the present.  This telling is a poor substitute for the reality, I assure you; but as you have never been in Switzerland, you might be interested in the sights here—­through my eyes!  Let me say now, before I forget, that at every point of beauty and interest, I said in my heart, “O that Lucy could be here to enjoy this!” It really seemed selfish in me to be alone.  And then, you know, the pleasure of sight seeing is materially enhanced when one has a sympathetic companion to whom one may exclaim:  “Isn’t that grand!”

We entered Switzerland at Basel, then journeyed on to Zurich.  This is Switzerland’s largest city, and in my opinion, it is one of the most beautiful large cities I have ever seen.  Of course, I hunted up the Church headquarters, where I was fortunate to meet a friend I had known in Salt Lake.  He kindly gave me the information I desired about the city and even took a few hours off duty to accompany me to points of interest.