Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1895-09-16

1T Will be Tor the MAIDEN TO ueclue,
rejoined young Drebber, Sinking at
his own reflection in the glass. We
viii leave it all to her decision"
During this dialogue, John Terrier
had stood Tuning in the doorway, hard
~ able to keep his riding whip from
the backs Of his two visitors.
''Look here" he said, at last, striding
up to them, ''when my daughter sum-
mons YOU. YOU can come; but until then,
7 don't want to see your faces again. !"
The two young Mormons stared at
him in amnZement In their eyes, this
competition between them for the maid
ems hand was the highest Of honors,
both to her and her father.
"There are. two ways out of the
room,'' cried Ferrier. "There is the
door, and there is the window. Which
do you care to use?"
His brown face looked SO savage,
and his gaunt hands so threatening,
that his visitors sprang to their feet
and beat a hurried retreat. The old
farmer followed them to the door.
.'Let me know when you have set
tied which it is to be" he said, sardon-
ically.
"You shall smart for this!' Stanger-
son cried, white with rage. You have
defied the prophet and the council OF
four. You shall rue it to the end of
your DAYS"
'"The hand of the Lord shall tie heavy
upon your cried young Drebber He
will arise and smite. your
'"rhen I'll start the smitingw ex-
claimed Ferrier, furioasly, aid would
have rushed up stairs for his gun, had
not Lucy seized him by the arm and
restrained him. Before he could escape
from her, the clatter of horses hoofs
told him that they were beyond his
reach
'The young canting rascals'' he ex-
claimed, Wiping the persplratlon from
his forehead II would sooner see you
in your grave, my girl, than the wife
of either of them"
And so should I, father" she an
swered, with spirit. 'But Jefferson will
soon be here"
Eyes, it will not be long before he
comes; the sooner the better, for we
do not know what their next move
may be-
It was, indeed, high time that some
one capable Of giving advice and help
should come to the aid of the sturdy
old farmer and his adopted daughter.
In the whole history of the settlement
there had never been such a case of
rank disobediencn to the authority Of
the elders. If minor errors were pun
ished so sternly, what would be the
fate of this arch rebel? Ferrier knew
that his wealth and position would be
of no avail to him. Others as well
known and as rich as himself had been
spirited away before now, and their
goods given over to the church. He
was a brave man, but he trembled ct
the vague. shadowy terrorS which hung
over him. Any known danger he could
face: with a firm lip, but this suspense
was unnerving He concealed his fears
from his daughter, however. and af-
fected to make light of the whole mat
ter, though she, with the keen eye OF
love, saw plainly that he was i'll at
ease.
He expected that he would receive
some message or remonstrance from
Young as to his conduct, and he was
not mistaken, though it came in an
unlooked-for manner. Upon rising next
morning he found, to his surprise, a
small square of paper pinned on to
the coverlet of his bed, just over his
chest. On it. was printed, in bold,
struggling letters:
Twenty days are given you for
amendment, and then
The dash was far more fear-inSpiring
than any threat could have been. How
this warning came into his room puz-
zled John Terrier sorely, for his serv-
ants slept in an clubhouse, and the
doors and windows had all been Sc
cured He crumpled the paper up, and
said nothing TO his daughter. but the
incident struck a chill to his heart. The
tWenty-nine days We're evidently the
balance Of the month which Young had
promised What strength or courage
could avail against an enemy armed
with such mysterious powers? The
hand which fastened that pin might
have struck him to the heart, and he
could never have known who had slain
him.
Still more shaken was he next morn
inc. They had sat down to their break
fast, when Lucy, with a cry Of sur
prise, pointed upward. In the center
of the ceiling was scrawled, with
burned stick, apparently, the number
IS. To his daughter it was unintelligi-
bic. and he did not enlighten her. That
night he sat up with his gun and Kept
watch and ward He saw and heard
nothing. and yet in the morning 4
great 27 had been painted upon the out
side Of the door.
Thus day 'ollowed day, and so sure
as II o1ning came he found that his IN
seen Ell emies had kept their register,
and had marked up in some consplcu-
Gus position how many days were still
left to him out Of the month Of grace.
| Sometimes the fatal numbers appeared
upon the walls, sometimes upon the
| floors, occasionally they were unon
! sn,all placards stuck upon the garden
gate$ol the ratings. With all his Wig
ilanee John sFerrier could not discover
whence these daily warnings proceed
| ed A horror, which was almost super
| stitious. came upon him at the sight Of
| them. He became haggard and restless
and his eyes had the troubled look Of
! some haunted creature. He had but
ore hope inslife now, and that was for
tie arrival of the young hunter from
/ Nevada. s.
Twenty had chanGad TO fifteen and
4