A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle
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their figures stood out against the skyline . the young man who had first given the alarm was leading them . suddenly his followers saw him throw up his hands, as_though overcome with astonishment, and on joining him they were affected in_the same way by_the sight which met their eyes .

on_the little plateau which crowned the barren hill there stood a single giant boulder, and against this boulder there lay a tall man, long- bearded and hard- featured, but of an excessive thinness . his placid face and regular breathing showed that he_was fast asleep . beside him lay a little child, with her round white arms encircling his brown sinewy neck, and her golden haired head resting upon_the breast of_his velveteen tunic . her rosy lips were parted, showing the regular line of snow- white teeth within, and a playful smile played over her infantile features . her plump little white legs terminating in white socks and neat shoes with shining buckles, offered a strange contrast to_the long shrivelled members of her companion . on_the ledge of rock above this strange couple there stood three solemn buzzards, who, at_the sight of_the new comers uttered raucous screams of disappointment and flapped sullenly away .

the cries of_the foul birds awoke the two sleepers who stared about {20} them in bewilderment . the man staggered to_his feet and looked down upon_the plain which had_been so desolate when sleep had overtaken him, and which_was now traversed by_this enormous body of men and of beasts . his face assumed an expression of incredulity as he gazed, and he passed his boney hand over his eyes ." this_is what they call delirium, I guess," he muttered . the child stood beside him, holding on to_the skirt of_his coat, and said nothing but looked all round her with_the wondering questioning gaze of childhood .

the rescuing party were speedily able to_convince the two castaways that their appearance was no delusion . one_of_them seized the little girl, and hoisted her upon his shoulder, while two others supported her gaunt companion, and assisted him towards the waggons .

" my name is John Ferrier," the wanderer explained; " me and_that little un are all that's left o' twenty- one people . the rest is all dead o' thirst and hunger away down in_the south ."

" is she your child ? " asked someone .

"I guess she_is now," the other cried, defiantly; " she's mine ' cause I saved her . no man will take her from me . she's Lucy Ferrier from_this day on . who_are you, though ? " he continued, glancing with curiosity at his stalwart, sunburned rescuers; " there seems_to_be a powerful lot of ye ."

" nigh upon ten thousand," said one_of_the young men; " we_are the persecuted children of god -- the chosen of_the angel Merona ."

"I never heard tell on him," said the wanderer ." he appears to_have chosen a fair crowd of ye ."

" do_not jest at_that which_is sacred," said the other sternly ." we_are of_those who believe in those sacred writings, drawn in Egyptian letters on plates of beaten gold, which were handed unto the holy Joseph smith at Palmyra . we_have come from Nauvoo, in_the state of Illinois, where we had founded our temple . we_have come to seek a refuge from_the violent man and from_the godless, even though it be the heart of_the desert ."

the name of Nauvoo evidently recalled recollections to John Ferrier ." I_see," he_said, " you_are the Mormons ."

" we_are the Mormons," answered his companions with one voice .

" and where are_you going ? "

" we_do_not know . the hand of god is leading us under the person of_our prophet . you_must come before him . he shall say what_is to_be_done with_you ."

they had reached the base of_the hill by_this_time, and were surrounded by crowds of_the pilgrims -- pale- faced meek- looking women, strong laughing children, and anxious earnest- eyed men . many were the cries of astonishment and of commiseration which arose from_them when_they perceived the youth of one_of_the strangers and_the destitution of_the other . their escort did_not halt, however, but pushed on, followed by a great crowd of Mormons, until they reached awaggon, which_was conspicuous for its great size and for_the gaudiness and smartness of_its appearance .Six horses were yoked to_it, whereas the others were furnished with two, or, at most, four a- piece . beside the driver there sat a man who_could_not have_been more than thirty years_of_age, but whose massive head and resolute expression marked him as a leader . he_was reading a brown-backed volume, but as_the crowd approached he laid it aside, and listened attentively to an account of_the episode . then he turned to_the two castaways .

" if_we take you with_us," he_said, in solemn words, " it can only be as believers in_our own creed . we_shall_have no wolves in_our fold . better far that your bones should bleach in_this wilderness than that you_should prove to_be that little speck of decay which in_time corrupts the whole fruit . will_you come with_us on_these terms ? "

" guess I'll come with_you on any terms," said Ferrier, with_such emphasis that_the grave Elders could_not restrain a smile . the leader alone retained his stern, impressive expression .

" take him, brother Stangerson," he_said, " give him food and drink, and_the child likewise . let it be your task also to teach him our holy creed . we_have delayed long enough . forward ! on, on to Zion ! "

" on, on to Zion ! " cried the crowd of Mormons, and_the words rippled down the long caravan, passing from mouth to mouth until they died away in a dull murmur in_the far distance . with acracking of whips and acreaking of wheels the great waggons got into motion, and soon the whole caravan was winding along once more . the elder to whose care the two waifs had_been committed, led them to_his waggon, where a meal was already awaiting them .

" you shall remain here," he_said ." in_a_few_days you_will_have recovered from your fatigues . in_the meantime, remember that now and for ever you_are of_our religion . Brigham young has said it, and he has spoken with_the voice of Joseph smith, which_is the voice of god ."

chapter II .

the flower of Utah .

this_is_not the place to commemorate the trials and privations endured by_the immigrant Mormons before_they came to_their final haven . from_the shores of_the Mississippi to_the western slopes of_the rocky Mountains they had struggled on with a constancy almost unparalleled in history . the savage man, and_the savage beast, hunger, thirst, fatigue, and disease -- every impediment which nature could place in_the way, had all been overcome with Anglo-Saxon tenacity . yet the long journey and_the accumulated terrors had shaken the hearts of_the stoutest among them . there_was not one who did_not sink upon his knees in heartfelt prayer when_they saw the broad valley of Utah bathed in_the sunlight beneath them, and learned from_the lips of_their leader that_this was_the promised land, and that_these virgin acres were to_be theirs for evermore .

young speedily proved himself to_be askilful administrator as_well as a resolute chief .Maps were drawn and charts prepared, in_which_the future city was sketched out . all around farms were apportioned and allotted in proportion to_the standing of each individual . the tradesman was put to_his trade and_the artisan to_his calling . in_the town streets and squares sprang up, as_if by magic . in_the country there_was draining and hedging, planting and clearing, until the next summer saw the whole country golden with_the wheat crop . everything prospered in_the strange settlement . above all, the great temple which they had erected in_the centre of_the city grew ever taller and larger . from_the first blush of dawn until the closing of_the twilight, the clatter of_the hammer and_the rasp of_the saw was never absent from_the monument which the immigrants erected to him who had led them safe through many dangers .

the two castaways, John Ferrier and_the little girl who had shared his fortunes and had_been adopted as his daughter, accompanied the Mormons to_the end of_their great pilgrimage . little Lucy Ferrier was borne along pleasantly enough in elder Stangerson's waggon, a retreat which she shared with_the Mormon's three wives and with_his son, a headstrong forward boy of twelve .Having rallied, with_the elasticity of childhood, from_the shock caused by her mother's death, she soon became a pet with_the women, and reconciled herself to_this new life in her moving canvas- covered home . in_the meantime Ferrier having recovered from_his privations, distinguished himself as a useful guide and an indefatigable hunter . so rapidly did he gain the esteem of_his new companions, that when_they reached the end of_their wanderings, it_was unanimously agreed that he_should_be provided with as large and as fertile a tract of land as any of_the settlers, with_the exception of young himself, and of Stangerson, Kemball, Johnston, and Drebber, who were the four principal Elders .

on_the farm thus acquired John Ferrier built himself a substantial log- house, which received so_many additions in succeeding years that_it grew into a roomy villa . he_was a man of a practical turn of mind, keen in_his dealings and skilful with_his hands . his iron constitution enabled him to work morning and evening at improving and tilling his lands . hence it came about_that his farm and all that belonged to him prospered exceedingly . in three years he_was better off than his neighbours, in six he_was well- to- do, in nine he_was rich, and in twelve there were_not half a dozen men in_the whole of Salt_Lake_City who_could compare with_him . from_the great inland sea to_the distant Wahsatch Mountains there_was no name better known than that of John Ferrier .

there_was one_way and only_one in_which he offended the susceptibilities of_his co-religionists . no argument or persuasion could ever induce him to set up a female establishment after_the manner of_his companions . he never gave reasons for_this persistent refusal, but contented himself by resolutely and inflexibly adhering to_his determination . there were some who accused him of lukewarmness in_his adopted religion, and others who put it down to greed of wealth and reluctance to incur expense .Others, again, spoke of some early love affair, and of a fair-haired girl who had pined away on_the shores of_the Atlantic . whatever the reason, Ferrier remained strictly celibate . in every_other respect he conformed to_the religion of_the young settlement, and gained the name of being an orthodox and straight-walking man .

Lucy Ferrier grew up within_the log- house, and assisted her adopted father in all his undertakings . the keen air of_the mountains and_the balsamic odour of_the pine trees took the place of nurse and mother to_the young girl . as year succeeded to year she grew taller and stronger, her cheek more rudy, and her step more elastic . many a wayfarer upon_the high road which ran by Ferrier's farm felt long- forgotten thoughts revive in their mind as_they watched her lithe girlish figure tripping through_the wheatfields, or met her mounted upon her father's mustang, and managing it with all the ease and grace of a true child of_the west . so the bud blossomed into a flower, and_the year which saw her father the richest of_the farmers left her as fair a specimen of American girlhood as could_be found in_the whole pacific slope .

it_was not the father, however, who first discovered that_the child had developed into_the woman . it seldom is in_such cases . that mysterious change is too subtle and too gradual to_be measured by dates . least of all does the maiden herself know it until the tone of a voice or the touch of a hand sets her heart thrilling within her, and she learns, with a mixture of pride and of fear, that a new and a larger nature has awoken within her . there_are few who_cannot recall that day and remember the one little incident which heralded the dawn of a new life . in_the case of Lucy Ferrier the occasion was serious enough in itself, apart from its future influence on her destiny and_that of many besides .

it_was a warm June morning, and_the latter day Saints were as busy as_the bees whose hive they_have chosen for their emblem . in_the fields and in_the streets rose the same hum of human industry . down the dusty high roads defiled long streams of heavily- laden mules, all heading to_the west, for_the gold fever had broken out in California, and_the overland route lay through_the city of_the elect . there, too, were droves of sheep and bullocks coming in from_the outlying pasture lands, and trains of tired immigrants, men and horses equally weary of_their interminable journey . through all this motley assemblage, threading her way with_the skill of an accomplished rider, there galloped Lucy Ferrier, her fair face flushed with_the exercise and her long chestnut hair floating out behind her . she had a commission from her father in_the city, and was dashing in as she had done many a time before, with all the fearlessness of youth, thinking only of her task and how it_was to_be performed . the travel- stained adventurers gazed after her in astonishment, and even the unemotional Indians, journeying in with their pelties, relaxed their accustomed stoicism as_they marvelled at_the beauty of_the pale- faced maiden .

she had reached the outskirts of_the city when she found the road blocked by a great drove of cattle, driven by a half- dozen wild- looking herdsmen from_the plains . in her impatience she endeavoured to_pass this obstacle by pushing her horse into what appeared to_be a gap . scarcely had she got fairly into_it, however, before_the beasts closed in behind her, and she found herself completely imbedded in_the moving stream of fierce- eyed, long- horned bullocks . accustomed as she was to deal with cattle, she was not alarmed at her situation, but

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