The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-01-08

obadiah's eyes opened as Nathaniel
knclt beside him and from between nls
thin lips there came family the old, sure-
ling chuclsle. ~
sought his companions and clung TO II
tightly. I'VE have won. The vengeance
OF God-has come!"
In these last moncnts all madness hao
left the eyes of Obadiah Frice.
II want 10 tell you he whispered, and
Nathaniel bent low. 81 have given him
the Inckagc. II is evidence have gath
ered-all these yeers-to destroy the Nor
He tried TO turn his head.
Marion" he whispered wistfully., -,
'.She Will come" said Nathaniel
Will call her"
"No-not yet"
Obadiah's fingers frightened about Cap
tain Plum's.
For a few moments he seemed strug-
CLING TO command all his strength,
"a good many years years ago. s he said, Gir,s as
like Marion, and she loved meas Mar
ion loves you. Her people were Nor
mons. and they went to Klrtland-and l
followed them. We planned to escape and
go east for my jean was good and beau
t!ful, and hated the Mormons as | hated
them. But they caught us and-thought
-they-kilIed-"
vusve shudder shook his body.
when everything came back to me l
was oldcr-nuch older" he went on. MY
hair was white. I was like an old man.
| My people had found me and they told
me that had been mad for three years,
| at-mad-mad-madi and that a great
surgeon had operated on my head, where
they struck me-and brought me back to
reason. Nat-Nat-" He strained TO raise
| himself gasping excitedly God, ! was
like you then, Natl L went back to fight
from settlement TO settlement. In my
madness l became q Mormon for yenge-
ance-in hope OF finding her. 1 was rich,
and became powerful, l was made an
| A moan trembled on the old man s
! lips.
they had forced her to marry-the
! son Of Mormon"
| seemed filling with the glazed shadows OF
death He reused himself almost fierceiy;
| But he loved my Jean. Nat-he loved
her as | loved her.and he was a good
| qulck-I must tell you-they tried to es-
cape from Missouri and the Danites killed
| him-and Joseph Smith wanted Jean and
at the last moment she killed herself to
| save her Observation-Disclosures going
to-do. and she left two children"
| He coughed and blood flecked his lips
| 'She left-Marion and NieI!'
| He sank back, ashen white and still
| and with cry Nathaniel turned TO the
lieutenant, The officer ran forward with
a flack In his hand.
GIVE him thiSi'
| The touch of liquor to Obadlahs lips
revived him. He whispered weakly.
'The children. Natl tried TO find them
! and years after-I did-in Nauvoo. The
man and woman who had killed the faith
| er in their own house had taken them
and were raising them as their own.
went mad! Yengeance-vengeance- have
lived for IL, year after year. wanted
the children-but IL l took them all would
be lost. 1 followed them. watched them,
loved them-and they loved me. 1 would
waitmwait-unti my. vengeance would
would free them, and tell them how beau
| tiful their mother was. When Joseph
| Smith was willed and the split came tho
old folks followed strang-and Il
He rested a moment breathing heav-
lily.
81 brought my, Jean with me and buried
grave, Nat, the middle grave-Marlon s
| mother"
Nathaniel pressed the liquor to the old
mans lips again.
! most ready-when Strang learned part
| of the secret" he continued with an ef-
fort. He found the old people were
| murderers. When Marion would not be-
come his wife ne told her what they had
done. He showed her the evIdence! He
| threatened them with death unless Mar
ion became his wife His sheriffs watched
them night and day. He named the hour
of their doom-unless Marion yielded to
| him. And to save them. her supposed
parents-to keep the terrible knowledge OF
| their crime from eil-Marlon-was-go-
| ing-to-sacrifice- e-herself-when-"
Again he stopped. His breath was COM
| ing more family.
II understand whispered Nathaniel
| 'I understand"
Obadiah's dimming eyes gazed at him
steadily.
| II thought my vengeance would come
in time-to save. her. Nat. Butt failed
! ] knew of one other way and wnen all
seemed lost-I took it, / killed the old
people-the murderers OF her father-ot
my jean 1 knew that would destroy
Strang's power"
In a sudden apasm OF strength he lifted
his head. His voice came In a hoarse, ex-
cited whisper.
"You won't tell Marion-you won't tell
Marion that ! killed them"
"No-never."
| Obadiah fell back with a relieved sigh
After a moment he added.
| "In chest In the cabin there is letter
| for Marion. II tells her about her mother
and the gold there's for her-and
| Neil
His eyes closed. shudder passed
through his form.
Marion he breathed. Marion