Этюд в багровых тонах
The Avenging Angels.
Alittlewayononesideofthecampwasalow-lyingheapofreddishsoil,whichhadassuredlynotbeentherebefore. Therewasnomistakingitforanythingbutanewly-duggrave. Astheyounghunterapproachedit,heperceivedthatastickhadbeenplantedonit,withasheetofpaperstuckinthecleftforkofit. Theinscriptionuponthepaperwasbrief,buttothepoint:
JOHNFERRIER,
FORMERLYOFSALTLAKECITY,22
DiedAugust4th,1860.
Thesturdyoldman,whomhehadleftsoshortatimebefore,wasgone,then,andthiswasallhisepitaph. JeffersonHopelookedwildlyroundtoseeiftherewasasecondgrave,buttherewasnosignofone. Lucyhadbeencarriedbackbytheirterriblepursuerstofulfilheroriginaldestiny,bybecomingoneoftheharemoftheElder’sson. Astheyoungfellowrealizedthecertaintyofherfate,andhisownpowerlessnesstopreventit,hewishedthathe,too,waslyingwiththeoldfarmerinhislastsilentresting-place.
Again,however,hisactivespiritshookoffthelethargywhichspringsfromdespair. Iftherewasnothingelselefttohim,hecouldatleastdevotehislifetorevenge. Withindomitablepatienceandperseverance,JeffersonHopepossessedalsoapowerofsustainedvindictiveness,whichhemayhavelearnedfromtheIndiansamongstwhomhehadlived. Ashestoodbythedesolatefire,hefeltthattheonlyonethingwhichcouldassuagehisgriefwouldbethoroughandcompleteretribution,broughtbyhisownhanduponhisenemies.
