A Flight for Life.
OnthemorningwhichfollowedhisinterviewwiththeMormonProphet,JohnFerrierwentintoSaltLakeCity,andhavingfoundhisacquaintance,whowasboundfortheNevadaMountains,heentrustedhimwithhismessagetoJeffersonHope. Inithetoldtheyoungmanoftheimminentdangerwhichthreatenedthem,andhownecessaryitwasthatheshouldreturn. Havingdonethushefelteasierinhismind,andreturnedhomewithalighterheart.
Asheapproachedhisfarm,hewassurprisedtoseeahorsehitchedtoeachofthepostsofthegate. Stillmoresurprisedwasheonenteringtofindtwoyoungmeninpossessionofhissitting-room. One,withalongpaleface,wasleaningbackintherocking-chair,withhisfeetcockedupuponthestove. Theother,abull-neckedyouthwithcoarsebloatedfeatures,wasstandinginfrontofthewindowwithhishandsinhispocket,whistlingapopularhymn. BothofthemnoddedtoFerrierasheentered,andtheoneintherocking-chaircommencedtheconversation.
“Maybeyoudon’tknowus,”hesaid. “ThishereisthesonofElderDrebber,andI’mJosephStangerson,whotravelledwithyouinthedesertwhentheLordstretchedoutHishandandgatheredyouintothetruefold.”
“AsHewillallthenationsinHisowngoodtime,”saidtheotherinanasalvoice;“Hegrindethslowlybutexceedingsmall.”
JohnFerrierbowedcoldly. Hehadguessedwhohisvisitorswere.
“Wehavecome,”continuedStangerson,“attheadviceofourfatherstosolicitthehandofyourdaughterforwhicheverofusmayseemgoodtoyouandtoher. AsIhavebutfourwivesandBrotherDrebberherehasseven,itappearstomethatmyclaimisthestrongerone.”