The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-11-13
The Courage of Captain Plum Hs

| CAPTAIN Plum. very much prosecuted In
| deed" His wonderful voice tremb bled
| with IL subdued psthos. 1--WE have an
Swered for many sins that have never
been ours Captain Plum, and among
| them are robbery, piracy and even mur-
| der, The people along the coasts are
deadly enemies to us--who would be
! name and we do not retaliate IL was
not my people who waylaid your vessel
lncy were fishermen; probably, who came
from the Michigan shore and awaited
their opportunity Off Beaver island But
shall investigate this; believe me, |
Plum"
Nathaniel felt something like q great
choking fist shoot UP Into his throat 1t
was not a sensation of fear but of hu-
niliation-the humiliation OF defeat, the
knowledge Of his own weakness in the
hands OF this man VINO had so quickly
and so surely blocked his claim His
quick brain saw the futility OF argument
He possessed no absolute proof and he
had thought that he needed none Strang
saw the fash OF doubt in his face, the
hesitancy In his answer; he OWNED the
working OF the others brain and In his
soil voice. purring with friendship. he
followed up his triumph.
II sympathize with you,'' he spoke
gently and my sympathy and word shall
help YOU We do not welcome strangers
proved themselves our enemies and have
done us wrong, But to you j give the
freedom OF our Kingdom. Search where
you VIII, at what hours you will. and
your stolen property Is among my pe0-
pie-when you have seen a face that
YOU recognize as one OF the robbers re-
turn to me and I shall make restitution
and punish the evil-doers,"
So intensely he spoke so filled with
reasoS and truth were his words. that
Nathaniel thrust out his hand in token
as Strang .gripped that hand Captain
Plum saw the young girls face over the
prophets shoulder face, white as death
In its terror, that told him all he had
heard was a lie.
And when you have done with my
people" continued the king, you viii
go among that other race, along the
the restraints of society TO give loose
reign TO lust and avarice: where the In
dian Is brutined that his wife may be
intoxicated by compulsion and prosttut-
tho forest cabins and the streets of towns
are filled with half breeds; where there
stalk wretches with withered and tear
less eyes, who are in nowise troubled
by recollection OF robbery, rape and mur-
der. And there you Will find whom you
are looking for'''
Strang had risen to his feet, His eyes
blaZcd with the fire of smothered hatred
and passion and his great voice rolled
through his beard. trcmUlous with eX-
citement, hu, still deep and rich, like
the booming OF some melodious instru-
ment. He flung aside his hat as he paced
back and forth. his shaggy hair fell upon
his shoulders huge veins stood out upon
his forehead-and Nathaniel sat mute
as he watched this lion OF a man whose
great throat Quivered with the power that
might have stirred a nation-that might
have made him president instead OF king.
He waited for the thunder OF that throat
and his nerves keyed themselves to meet
its bursting passion. But when Strang
spoke again II was In voice as soft
and as gentle as woman's,
''Those are the men who have vilihed
US. Captain Plum, who have covered us
with crimes tina, we have never COM
mitted: who have driven our people into
groups that they may be free from dep
relation; who watch like vultures 10 de-
spoil our women: wild. wifeless men.
Captain Plum. who have left families
ana character behind them and who have
sought the wilderness to escape the pen
alties of law and order. 1t is they who
would destroy US. Go among my own
people first, Captain Plum. and find your
lost property II YOU can; and ii YOU can
not discover IT where in seven years not
one child has been born out of wedlock.
seek among the Lamanites-and my sher-
ifTs shall follow where you place the
crime,i'
He had stretched out his arms like
one whose plea was of llfc and death:
his face shone with earnestness; his low
words throbbed Ii his heart were
borne upon them for the inspection OF
its truth and honor. He was Strang the
tragedian, the orator. the connueror Of
a legislature, a governor, n dozen juries
and of human souls. And as he stood
silent for n moment in this attitude Ma
thanie rose to his feet, subservlent, and
believing as others had believed IN the
fitness Of this man. But as his eyes
Travelled dozen PAGES beyond. he saw
the young girl gcsturing TO him IN that
same terror. and holding up for him 10
sec a slip OF paper upon which she had
written And when she had caught his