Этюд в багровых тонах
The Flower of Utah.
YoungJeffersonHoperodeonwithhiscompanions,gloomyandtaciturn. HeandtheyhadbeenamongtheNevadaMountainsprospectingforsilver,andwerereturningtoSaltLakeCityinthehopeofraisingcapitalenoughtoworksomelodeswhichtheyhaddiscovered. Hehadbeenaskeenasanyofthemuponthebusinessuntilthissuddenincidenthaddrawnhisthoughtsintoanotherchannel. Thesightofthefairyounggirl,asfrankandwholesomeastheSierrabreezes,hadstirredhisvolcanic,untamedhearttoitsverydepths. Whenshehadvanishedfromhissight,herealizedthatacrisishadcomeinhislife,andthatneithersilverspeculationsnoranyotherquestionscouldeverbeofsuchimportancetohimasthisnewandall-absorbingone. Thelovewhichhadsprungupinhisheartwasnotthesudden,changeablefancyofaboy,butratherthewild,fiercepassionofamanofstrongwillandimperioustemper. Hehadbeenaccustomedtosucceedinallthatheundertook. Hesworeinhisheartthathewouldnotfailinthisifhumaneffortandhumanperseverancecouldrenderhimsuccessful.
HecalledonJohnFerrierthatnight,andmanytimesagain,untilhisfacewasafamiliaroneatthefarm-house. John,coopedupinthevalley,andabsorbedinhiswork,hadhadlittlechanceoflearningthenewsoftheoutsideworldduringthelasttwelveyears. AllthisJeffersonHopewasabletotellhim,andinastylewhichinterestedLucyaswellasherfather.
