Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-06-18
4 STUDY IN SCARLET.
By A. CONAN DOYLE.
PART TWO
1.-THE Country Of the Saints.l
CHAPTER III.

eu from oaIt Lake Slty. JONI Il efficf
heart was sore within him when he
thought Of the young mans return and
Of the impending loss Of his adopted
child. Yet her bright and happy face
reconciled him to the arrangement more
than any argument could have done. He
, had always determined, deep down in
his resolute heart, that nothing would
ever induce him to allow his daughter
TO wed Norman Such marriage he
regarded as no marriage at all, but as q
shame and o disgrace. Whatever he
might think Of the Mormon doctrines,
upon that one point he was infiexible.
He had to seal his mouth on the sub
ject, however for TO express an unor.
thodox opinion was dangerous matter
in those days in the Land Of the Saints.
Yes, a dangerous matter-so danger
ous that even the most sanity dared
only whisper their religious opinions
with bated breath. lest something which
fell from their lips might be miscon-
strued and bring down swift retribu-
tion upon them. The victims Of persecu-
tion had now turned prosecutors OIL their
own account, and prosecutors OF the
most terrible description. Not the in
1uisition Of Seville, nor the German
Vehmgcricht. nor the secret societies Of
Italy, We're ever able to put more for
midable machinery in motion than
that which cast cloud over the terri
tory Of Utah
Its invisibility and the mystery which
was attached TO it made this organization
doubly terrible. 1t appeared To be ON
niscient and omnipotent, and yet was
neither seen nor heard. The man who
held out against the church vanished
away, and none knew whittier he had
gone or what had befallen him. His wife
and children awaited him Mt home. but
no father ever returned to tell them
how he had Jared Mt the hands OF his
secret judges A rash word or n hasty
act was followed by annihilation, and
yet none knew what the nature might
be of this terrible power which was
suspended over them. No wonder that
men went about in fear and trembling,
and that even in tho heart Of the wilder
ness they dared not whisper the doubts
which oppressed them.
| At first this vague and terrible power
was exercised only upon the recalci-
trants who, having embraced the Nor
mon faith. wished afterward to pervert
or 10 abandon it, Soon. however, it took
q wider range. The supply Of adult
women was running short, and polyg-
amy without q female population on
which 10 draw was n barren doctrine
| indeed. Strange rumors began To be
| banded about-rumors OF murdered i'm
migrants and rified camps in regions
where Indians had never been seen.
Fresh women appeared IN the harems OF
| the eldcrs-women who pinod and wept
and bore upon their faces the traces Of
an unextinguishable horror. Belated
wanderers upon tho mountains spoke OF
gangs Of armed men, masked, stealthy
and noiseless, who fitted by them IN
the darkness. These tales and rumors
took substance and shape and were cor
roboratcd and recorroborated until they
resolved themselves into a definite name.
To this day, in the lonely ranches Of the
west, the name Of the DANTE band, or
the Avenging Angels, is a sinister and
i'll omoned one.
Fuller knowledge Of the organization
which produced such terrible results
served to increase rather than to lessen
.l oh "A IN ha
minds Of men. Nome knew who belonged
to this ruthless society. The names Of
the participators in the deeds OF blood
and violence, done under the name OF
religion, were kept profoundly secret
The very friend to whom You commu'
nicated your misgivings as to tho prophet
and his mission might be one Of those
who would come forth ut night with fire
and sword to exact q terrible reparation
Hence every man feared his neighbor,
and none spoke of the things which We're
nearest his heart.
One fine morning John Ferrier was
about to set ont TO his wheatfields when
he heard the click Of the latch, and,
looking through the window, saw a
stout, sandy haired, middle aged man
coming up the pathway. His heart
leaped to his mouth, for this was none
other than the great Brigham Young
himself Full Of trepidation-for he
knew that such visit BODIED him little
good-Ferrier ran to the door to greet
the Mormon chief. The latter, however,
received his salutation coldly and fol-
lowed him with stern face into the
sitting ROOM
Brother Ferrier," he said, taking O
seat and eying the farmer keenly from
under his light colored eyelashes, 1.-THE
true believers have been good friends to
you. We picked you up when you were
starving in the desert; we shared our
food with you, led you safe TO the Chosen
valley, gave you goodly share Of land
and allowed you to wax rich under our
protection. Is not this so!'
1T is so" answered John Ferrier.
"In return for all this we asked but
one condition. and that was that you
should embrace the true faith and con
form in every way to its usages. This
you promised to do, and this, il CON-
mon report says truly, you have neg
lected."
"And how have / neglected it?"
asked Ferrier, throwing out his hands
in expostulation. "Have not given to
the common fund? Have not attended
at the templet Have not
"Where are your wives?" asked
Young, looking round him. "Call them
In that may greet them. F"
1T is true that have not married,
Ferrier answered. "But women were
few, and there were many who had bet
ter claims than !. Twas not lonely
man I had my daughter to attend TO
my wants.
1T is Of that daughter that would
speak tc SOU" 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 Ferrier groaned internally.
"There arc stories Of her which l
would fain disbelieve-stories that she
is sealed to some gentle. This must be
the gossip Of idle tongues. What is the
thirteenth rule in tho code Of the saint
cd Joseph Smith? Let every maiden OF
the true faith marry one Of the elect,
for il she wed gentle she commits