Mexico weekly ledger., 1894-02-15
common report says truly. You have

"Where are your wives?" asked
Young, looking round him. "Call
them in. that I may greet Them
'iIt Is true that I have not married.
| Ferrier answered. But women were
few, and there we're many who had
better claims than L. I was not a lone
" man; | had my daughter to attend
TO my wants"
''It is of that daughter that I would
speak to YOU" said the leader of the
Mormons. '.She has grown to be the
flower of Utah and has found favor in
| the eyes of many who are high in the
land"
John Terrier groaned internally.
ssThere are stories OF her which l
would fain Observation-Disclosures that she
is sealed to some Gentle. This must be
the gossip of idle tongues. What is
the thirteenth rule in the code of the
| sainted Joseph Smith? Let every maid
en- of the true faith marry n of the
elect; fori if she wed ii GENTLE she com
mits a grievous SIM This being SO it is
impossible that you, who profess the
holy creed, should suffer your daughter
to violate it."
John Terrier made no answer, but
he played ~.nervously with his riding
whip.
Upon this one point your whole
faith shall be tested--so it has been
decided in the sacred council of four.
The girl Is young, and we would not
have her wed gray hairs; neither would
we deprive her of all choice. We elders
| lox-o N ~ I1sfa,,a sIohor ~ EtNzho1
in one of his sermons, alludes to his
hundred wives under this ~endearine
epithett, but our children must also be
provided. Stangerson has a son., and
Drebber has a son, and either of them
would gladly welcome your daughter
to their house. Let her choose be
tween them. They are young and rich
! and of the true faith. What say you
to that?"
Terrier remained silent for some
little time, with his brows knitted.
"You will give us time," he said, al
last. MY daughter is very young
she is scarce of an age to marry"
"She shall have a month to choose
said Young, rising from his seat. "At
the end of that time she shall give hel
answer"
He was passing through the door
when he turned, with flushed face and
flashing eyes. at were better for you
John Ferrier." he Numbered, "that yor
and she were o lying blanched skel
etons upon the Sierra Blanco, thar
that you should put your weak will.
against the orders of the Holy Four!'
With a threatening gesture of hi:
hand he turned from the door, ana
Terrier heard his heavy step ,scrunch
ing along the shingly path.
He was still sitting with his elbow.
upon his knees, considering how hi
should breach the matter to his daugh
ter, when a soft hand was laid upo1
his, and looking up he saw her stand
ing beside him. One glance at her pale
frightened face showed him that she
had heard what had passed.
ST could not help it," she said, in an
swer to his look. His voice rang
through the house. o father, father
what shall we do?"
"Don't o. scare yourself he an
swered, drawing her to him, and pass
ing his broad, rough hand caressingly
over her chestrsut hair. We'll fix il
up somehow or another. You don't fine
your fancy kind o. lessening for this
chap, do you?"
A sob and a squeeze of his hand were
her only answer.
"No; of course not. shouldn't carr
to hear you say you did. He's a likely
lad, and he's q Christian, which ismort
than these folk here, in spite O. al
their praying and preaching. There.
q party starting for Nevada tomorrow
and I'll manage to send him a message
letting him know the hole we are in
Ii | know anything o that young mai
he'll be back here with a speed thai
would whip acknowledgements"
Lucy laughed through her tears al
her fathers description.
"When he comes, he will advise us
for the best. But it is for you that ]
am frightened, dear. One hears-one
hears such dreadful stories about those
who oppose the prophet; something
terrible always happens to them"
But we haven't opposed him yet,'
her father answered. sit will be time
to look out for squalls when we do
We have a clear month before us; al
the end of that, l guess We had best
shin out of Utah"
"Leave Utah?"
''That's about the size of it."
But the farm?"
W will raise as much as we can in
money and let the rest go. To tell the
truth, Lucy, it isn't the first time ]
have thought of doing it. don't care
about knuckling under to any man, as
these folk do to their darned prophet
I'm a free-born American, and it's all
new to me. Guess I'm too old to learn.
If he comes browsing about this farm,
lie might chance to run up against
charge of buckshot travelling in the Oh.
posite direction"
But they won't let US leave" his
daughter objected.
wait till Jefferson comes, and well
soon manage that. In the meantime,
don't you fret yourself, my dearie, and
don't get your eyes swelled up, else
he'll be walking into me when he sees
you. There's nothing to be afeard
about, and there's no danger at ALL"
John Terrier uttered these ~consolinp
remarks in a very confident tone, blu
she could not help observing that he
paid unusual ear to the fastening OF
the doors that night, and that he care.
fully cleaned and loaded the RUSTY old
shotgun which hung upon the wall OF
his bedroom.
tCoutinned Next Week.