One summer evening, Hope galloped down the road towards the door of Ferrier's house. Lucy was at the door, and she went to meet him. He threw the reins on the fence and strode along the road.
Walked along the path in front of the door.
"I'm going away, Lucy," he said, taking her hands in his and looking at her face tenderly: "I don't ask you to go with me now, but when I come back
When the time comes, can you decide to be with me?"
"But when will you come back?" she asked with a shy smile.
"Two months at most, my dear. At that time, you will belong to me, and no one can separate us."
She asked: "But what is father's opinion?"
"He has already agreed, so there is no need to worry about this issue."
"Oh, that's fine. As long as you and father have arranged everything, there's no need to say anything more." She said softly, snuggling her cheek against his broad chest.
"Thank God!" Hope's voice was slightly rough, and he bent down to kiss her, "Then, the matter is decided. The longer I stay, the more inseparable I will be from you. My guys are still in the canyon.
Wait for me. Farewell, my dear, farewell! You will see me in less than two months."
He broke free from her arms, got on his horse, and galloped away without looking back, as if his determination would be shaken if he even looked back at the parting person.
She stood by the door and looked at him for a long time until his figure disappeared. Then she walked into the house. She felt that she was really the happiest girl in the entire Utah area.
…………
Three weeks have passed. Whenever John Ferrier thinks about losing his adopted daughter when this young man comes back, he can't help but feel a lot of reluctance and sadness. But when he sees Lucy's bright and happy face
, he thinks this is more important than anything else.
Of course, there is another unknown reason that drives him to do this. John Ferrier will never let his daughter marry any local Mormon! He believes that this kind of marriage cannot be done at all.
Even considered marriage, it is simply a disgrace. Regardless of his views on Mormon teachings, he is unswerving on this issue. Therefore, he himself has not married yet.
But disaster strikes just before the final happiness comes...
During that period, once undoctrinal remarks were heard, it meant that terrible disasters would follow! Even the Inquisition of Seville, the Germanic laws of apostasy, and the huge operations of the Italian Secret Party
The organization is nothing compared to the dragnet the Mormons have laid in Utah.
In the desolate prairie of the West, the "Dennett Gang (a secret and sinister sect in Mormonism)" and the "Avenging Angel" emerged. To this day, these two names are mentioned by people.
These invisible organizations have carried out countless criminal actions. They seem to know everything and are omnipotent, but people seem to be unable to see or hear what they do.
People only know that whoever opposes the church will suddenly disappear. No one will be seen alive or dead, and a dark cloud will always hang over their heads. Even in the deserted place, no one dares to say a word.
Opposing voices...
At first, this mysterious and terrifying force only dealt with those apostates. But soon, its functions expanded. Because the supply of adult women gradually became insufficient. Without enough women, the dogma of polygamy was
To be of no avail (Mormons practice polygamy, which was established by Brigham Young as one of the canons of the church. This system has always caused controversy within the church, and also caused widespread resentment outside the church. In 1890, the canon was implemented
Abolition). Then various strange rumors began to appear. In places where the Indians had never been, immigrants were murdered on the way, and travelers' tents were robbed. At the same time, people appeared in the deep houses of Mormon elders.
They met strange women. They described themselves as haggard, sobbing, and showing indelible fear on their faces...
Finally, the big shot personally visited John Ferrell and made a request: "Your daughter has grown up and can be called a flower in our Utah. Many prominent people here have taken a fancy to her."
she."
John Ferrier could only cry secretly in his heart, but Brigham Young was not finished yet: "There are rumors outside that she is engaged to some pagan who passed by here! I hope this is just a rumor,
You know, Article 13 of St. Joseph Smith's classics says, 'Let every Mormon maiden marry one of God's chosen ones; if she marries an infidel, she commits a mortal sin.
'!Yes, that's what the scriptures say. Since you believe in the sacred teachings, you should not allow your daughter to destroy it."
John Ferrier did not answer, but only played with the riding crop in his hand.
Yang continued: "On this issue, I think you can test all your sincerity. The Four Saints Association has decided this. This girl is still young. We will not let her marry an old man, and of course we will not
Maybe let her choose. As elders, we already have many "heifers."
(the word used when talking about a hundred wives). But our children are still in need. Stangerson has a son, and Drip also has a son. They are very happy to marry your daughter into their family. Call your daughter here
Choose one of the two, they are both young and rich, and both believe in our Orthodox religion. Do you have anything else to say about this matter?"
John Ferrier could only use a delaying tactic. He said that his daughter was still too young and had not reached the age of marriage, but the big shot just said coldly: "I will give her a month to choose."
When Brigham Young left, John Ferrell almost fell on his chair. He didn't know how to tell his daughter the news. Suddenly, a soft little hand held his hand. He
Looking up, he saw his daughter standing next to him, her face full of paleness and fear. He knew that she had heard everything.
…………
John Ferrier is still the upright and brave explorer he was. He is an unyielding man, but time is ruthless. He knows that he no longer has the ability to fight against the huge forces lurking in the dark.
The day after Jan left, little Dreiber and Stangerson came to the door. Stangerson was a gloomy young man, while Dreiber was thick, ugly and arrogant. They sat in the living room with their feet up.
Standing high, it feels like you are at home.
Stangerson said: "We are here to propose to your daughter on the instructions of our father. Please take a look at you and your daughter. Among the two of us, who do you like? As for me, there are only four."
Wife, but there are already seven Zibo brothers. Therefore, I think my needs are greater than his."
Driber shouted: "No, no! Brother Stangerson, the question is not how many wives we have, but how much we can support you and me. My father has given me his mill now, so,
I am richer than you."
They also said many things, but they had no other effect than to make their characters appear dirtier and dirtier. John Ferrier drove them out with a whip, which was the only way to vent his anger.
When Ferrier got up the next morning, he saw that his quilter had pinned a piece of paper to his chest, with a line of thick words written on it: "You are limited to twenty-nine days."
If you correct your evil ways and return to the right ways, when the time comes—"
He didn't know how that terrifying force entered his house, and he didn't even know what the unfinished threats meant. He only knew that he had been forced into a desperate situation.
From then on, a number would appear in the house every day, sometimes on the ceiling, sometimes on the door panel, sometimes on the garden door or railing. The terrifying shadow became deeper and deeper, constantly destroying the old man and his daughter.
body and mind.
Finally, when the number "2" appeared, Ferrier collapsed. That night, he sat alone in the house. In the past month, he exchanged almost all the properties that could be sold into jewelry that could be carried around.
, has already packed everything and is ready to escape with her daughter.
But he really couldn't figure out how to leave under such heavy siege...
In the complete silence, he heard a slight crawling sound. Ferrell held his breath and rushed forward with a shotgun. Unexpectedly, when he opened the door, he saw a black thing rolling into the room quickly.
Inside, when he took a closer look, the man crawling on the ground was actually Jefferson Hope!
"Oh my God!" John Ferrier exclaimed, "You scared me. Why did you come in like this?"
"Give me something to eat quickly." Hou Bo said hoarsely: "I haven't had time to eat a bite for two days and two nights." He grabbed the cold meat on the table and wolfed down the bread: "How is Lucy?
"
"That's good, she didn't know about the dangers," the father replied.
"That's good. The area around this house has been monitored by people. These people are pretty powerful, but they still have a long way to go if they want to catch a hunter from Lake Wasiu." Hope explained why.
He climbed in by himself.
It turned out that on the morning after the prophet visited Ferrell, he went to Salt Lake City, where Ferrell found a friend who planned to go to the Nevada Mountains and handed him a letter written to Jefferson Hope.
, the letter stated the imminent danger and asked him to come back as soon as possible.
That night, their escape began. This was their last chance to escape...
…………
They ran away day and night without stopping. They passed through rugged mountain roads, crossed towering mountains, advanced among rocks, and walked through the narrow Eagle Valley canyon, but they did not dare to stop for even a step, because they knew that every time
Taking one step forward is one step away from the tyranny they just escaped from.
On the second day of their escape, around noon, they saw that their food rations were almost gone. However, this did not faze Hope. In the mountains, any bird or animal could satisfy the hunter's hunger. He chose a hidden place and picked up the food.
Some dry sticks were used to light a fire to keep his companions warm. They were now on a mountain five thousand feet above sea level, and the air was bone-chillingly cold.
He picked up the rifle and went out to try his luck and pack some things. After tying up the mules and horses, he turned around and saw the old man and the girl warming themselves around the fire. He smiled with relief. It seemed that they had escaped tracking.
In a few days, you can set foot on a free land.
Hope walked over the mountains and ridges for more than two miles, but found nothing. The farther he went, the farther he went. Finally, he hunted a beast. Because the carcass was huge, he only cut off part of the meat and put it in his pocket.
Returned fully loaded.
But as soon as Hope was about to take a step, he found himself in trouble. He had gone too far and lost his way...
The sky turned gray, like a dark cloud hanging over Hope's heart. However, before the sky turned completely dark, he finally found a familiar trail and finally regained the path. After working for a long time, he was exhausted both mentally and physically and felt tired.
Attacked, but he persisted and headed back.
When Hope arrived at the mouth of the familiar valley, an inexplicable feeling of fear surged into his heart. It was almost an instinct. He hurried forward and threw the meat of the beast on the ground.
Just where the fire was lit, Hope saw a mound of earth, and his hair stood on end. A wooden stick was inserted into the mound, and a piece of paper was sandwiched between the cracks of the stick. On the paper, several words were scrawled.
One word: "John Ferrell lived in Salt Lake City and died on August 4, 1860."
Less than half a day after he left, the sturdy old man died, and these words became his epitaph. Jefferson Hope looked around to see if there was a second grave, but there was none! Look!
Lucy has been taken back by these terrible pursuers to face her destined fate, to become the concubine of the elder's son...
Hope did not give up. He was not a person who would give up by nature. He stoked the fire that was about to go out, retrieved his lost animal meat, roasted it and tied it into a package. Although he was extremely exhausted, he still
Follow the footsteps of these avenging angels through the mountains, and follow the only traces step by step.
A few days later, he saw the city again. On the cliff, he looked at the fields and homes of the Mormons below him, waving his fist angrily. At this time, Hope was already broken and haggard.
He saw some of the main streets hung with flags and other holiday signs, and as he was guessing the reason for this, he happened to see a man riding toward him. Hope recognized him as a Mormon named Cowboy.
He had helped him before, so he stopped Cobb: "I am Jefferson Hope, do you remember me?"
Kaobo looked at him with undisguised surprise: "Are you crazy? How dare you come here. If anyone sees me talking to you, even my life will be lost. The Four Saints have given orders.
You are wanted, so you’d better run away quickly.”
Hope said sincerely: "I'm not afraid of their arrest. Cobb, you must know the whole thing. We are friends. You have to answer me truthfully. How is Miss Lucy Ferrier now?"
"She got married to Uncle Zibo yesterday. Stand firm. Hey! You need to stand firmer. Why are you so distracted?"
"Leave me alone." Hope said weakly. His lips turned white and he slumped to the ground: "You said you were married?"
"I got married yesterday. The flags hanging on the new house are for this. Who should marry her? There was a dispute between Dzeiber and Stangerson about who should marry her. Both of them went after the two fathers.
Stangerson also shot and killed her father, so he had more reasons to ask for her. However, when they had a dispute at the meeting of the Four Saints, because of the power of Zibo's faction, the prophet took her
Lucy was given to Drizzt, but no matter who owns her, I don't think it will last long. When I saw her yesterday, she had a dead look on her face. She didn't look like a woman at all. She was simply a ghost.
.What? Are you leaving?"
"Yes, I'm leaving." Jefferson Hope had already stood up when he said this. His face was as if it were carved from marble, his expression was stern and resolute, and his eyes were shining fiercely.
