Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-06-25

around tho bier in tho early hours OF
the morning, when, to their inexpSessi'
bio fear and astonishment, tho door was
flung open, and a savage looking.
weather beaten man in tattered gaf'
ments strobe into tho room.
Without glance or word 20 the
covering women, no walked up to the
white, silent figure which had once con-
tanned the pure soul Of Lucy Ferrier.
STOPPING over her. he pressed his lips
reverently to her cold forehead, and
then snatcbing up her hand he took
the wedding ring from her finger. "She
shall not be buried in that" he cried,
with fierce snarl, and before an alarm
could be raised sprang down the stairs
and was gone So strange and so brief
was the episode that the watchers might
have found it hard to believe it them
selves or persuade other people OF II
had il not been for the nndeniable fact
that the circlet Of gold which marked
her rs having been bride had disap-
| peared.
For some months jefferson Hope lin
gered among the mountains, leading q
strange, wild life and nursing in his
heart the fierce desire for vengeance
which possessed him. Tales We're told
in the city Of the weird figure which
was seen prowling about the suburbs,
and which haunted the lonely mountain
gorges Once bullet whistled through
Stangerson' window and fattened
itself upon the wall within a foot OF
him. On another occasion as Drebber
passed under a cliff great bowlder
crashed down OIL him. and no only es.
capped terrible death by throwing him
self upon his face. The two yonng Nor
mons were not long in discovering the
reason Of these attempts upon their lives
and led repeated expeditions into the
mountains in the hope Of capturing or
killing their enemy. but always with.
out success. Then they adopted the pre-
caution Of never going out alone or
after nightiall and Of having their
houses guarded. After a time they were
able to relax these measures, for moth
ing was either heard or seen Of their op-
ponent, and they hoped that time had
cooled his vindictiveness.
Far from doing so, IL had. il any.
thing. augmented it. The hunter s
mind was Of hard. unyielding nature.
and the predominant idea Of revenge
had taken such complete possession Of
IL that there was no room for any other
emotion. He was, however above all
things, practical He soon realized that
even his iron constitution could not
putting upon it Exposure and want Of
wholesome food were wearing him out
II he died like dog among the noun
tains, what was to become Of his re-
venge them And yet such death was
sure to overtake him il he persisted.
He felt that that was to play his enemy's $
game, so he reluctantly returned 10 tho
old Nevada mines. there TO recruit his
health and to amass money enough to
allow him to pursue his object without
privation
His intention had been to be absent .
year at the most, but combination Of
unforeseen circumstances prevented his
leaving the mines for nearly five At
the end Of that time, however, his
memory Of his wrongs and his cravings
for revenge were quite as keen as on
that memorable night when he had
stood by John Terriers grave Disguis-
ed and under an assumed name. he re-
turned TO Salt Lake City, careless what
became Of his own life as long rs he OBJ
tanned what he knew to be justice.
There he found evil tidings awaiting
him. There had been a schism among
the chosen people few months before.
some Of the younger members having
rebelled against the authority OF the
elders. and the result had been the Sc
cession Of certain number Of the NAL
contents, who had left Utah and become
gentiles. Among these had been Dreb-
Der and Stangerson. and no one knew
whittier they had gone. Rumor reported
that Drebber had managed 10 convert
a large part Of his property into money,
and that he had departed wealthy
man, while Stangerson was compare
lively poor There was no clew at all.
however, as to their whereabouts.
Many man, however vindictive,
would have abandoned all thought OF
revenge in the face Of such a difficulty.
but jefferson Hope never faltered for a
moment With the small competence
he possessed, eked out by such employ
ment as he could pick up, he travelled
from town 10 town through the United
States in quest Of his enemies. Year
passed into year, his black hair turned
crizzled, but sill he wandered OLA
human bloodhound. with his mind
wholly set upon the one object upon
which he had devoted his life AT last
his perseverance was rewarded II was
but glance of face in window,
but that one glance told him that Cleve-
land, in Ohio, possessed the man whom
he was in pursuit Of.
He returned To his miserable lodgings
with his plan Of vengeance all arranged
1t chanced. however, that Drebber,
looking from his window. had recog
nized the vagrant in the street and had
read murder in his eyes he hurried
before just .ce of the peace, accomoa
MED by Stangerson. who had become
his private secretary. and represented to
him that they were in danger Of their
lives from the jealousy and hatred OF
an old rival That evening Jefferson
Hope was taken into custody, and not
being able to find sureties was detained
some weeks. When at last he was liber
ated, it was only to find that Drebber's
house was deserted, and that he and his
secretary had departed for Europe.
Again the avenger had been foiled,
and again his concentrated hatred urged
him to continue the pursuit Funds were
wanting, however. and for some time
he had to return to work, saving every
dollar for his approaching journey. AT
last, having collected enough to keep
life in him. he departed for Europe and
tracked his enemies from city to city,
working his way in any menial capaci
ty, but never overtaking the fugitives-
When he reached St Petersburg, they
had departed for Paris, and when he fol
lowed them there he learned that they
had Just set of fnr Copenhagen. AT the
Danish capital he was again few days
late, for they had journeyed on to Lon
don, where he ut last succeeded in run.
ming them to earth As to what occur.
red there, we cannot do better than
ouote the old hunters own account, a.