Book 2 chapter 5 of a study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle. This LibriVox recording is in
the public domain. Book 2 chapter 5, the avenging
angels. All night, their course, lay
through intricate defiles and over irregular and rock-strewn
paths more than once, they lost their way.
But hopes intimate, knowledge of the mountains and able and to
regain the track once more, when morning, broke a scene of
marvelous, those Savage Beauty lay before them in every
direction, the great snow-capped Peaks hem them in peeping over
each other's shoulders to the far Horizon.
So steep with a rocky banks on either side of But the launch
and the Pines seem to be suspended over their heads and
to need only a gust of wind to come hurtling down upon them,
nor was the fear entirely an illusion for the barren.
Valley was thickly strewn with trees and boulders, which had
fallen in a similar manner, even as they passed.
A great Rock. Came sundering down with a horse
rattle, which woke The Echoes In The Silent, gorges and startled.
The weary horses into a gallop. As the sun rose slowly above the
Eastern Horizon, the Caps of the great mountains lit up.
One after the other like lamps at a festival until they were
already and glowing. The Magnificent spectacle
cheered, the hearts of the Three Fugitives and gave them fresh
energy at a wild torrent, which swept out of a ravine.
They called a halt and watered their horses while they partook
of a hasty breakfast. Lucy and her father would Fain
have rested longer but Jefferson Hope was inexorable.
They will be upon our Track. By this time.
He said, everything depends upon our speed.
Once safe in Carson. We may rest for the remainder of
Our Lives. During the whole of that day.
They struggled on through the defiles.
And by evening. They calculated that they were
more than 30 miles from their enemies.
At night time. They chose the base of a
beetling Crag where the Rocks, offered some protection from the
chill wind and their huddle together for warmth.
They enjoyed a few hours sleep before Daybreak.
However, they were up. And on their way, once more.
They had seen no signs of any pursuers, and Jefferson.
Hope began to think that they were The Out Of Reach of the
terrible organization, whose enmity they had incurred.
He little knew how far that iron grass could reach or how soon it
was to close upon them and crush them.
About the middle of the second day of their flight is scanty
store of Provisions. Began to run out.
This gave the hunter little uneasiness.
However, for there was game to be had among the mountains and
he had frequently before had to depend upon his rifle for the
needs of life. Choosing a sheltered Nook.
He piled together a few dried branches and made of blazing
fire at which his companions might warm themselves for.
They were now, nearly 5,000 feet above sea level and the air was
bitter and Keen having tethered the horses and bade, Lucy a Jew.
He threw his gun over his shoulder and set out in search
of whatever chance might throw in his way.
Looking back. He saw the old man and the young
girl crouching over the blazing fire.
While the three animals stood Motionless in the background.
Then the intervening rocks. Hit them from his view.
He walked for a couple of Miles through one Ravine after
another. Without success though, from the
marks upon the bark of the trees and other indications.
He judged that there were numerous bears in the vicinity
at last after two or three hours, fruitless search.
He was thinking of turning back into Spare when casting his eyes
upwards. He saw a sight which sent a
thrill of pleasure through his heart on the edge of a jutting,
pinnacle three or four hundred feet above him.
There stood a creature somewhat resembling, a sheep in
appearance, but armed with a pair of gigantic horns the
Bighorn for so it is called was acting probably as a guardian
over A Flock, which were invisible to the hunter, but
fortunately it was heading in the opposite.
That direction and had not perceived him lying on his face.
He rested his rifle upon a rock and took a long and Steady Aim
before drawing the trigger. The animal sprang into the air
tated for a moment upon the edge of the precipice, and then came
crashing down into the valley beneath.
The creature was too unwieldy to lift.
So the hunter contented himself with cutting away, one haunch
and part of the flank with his trophy over his shoulder.
He hastened to retrace his steps for the evening was already
drawing in. He had hardly started.
However, before he realized the difficulty which faced him in
his eagerness. He had wandered far past The
Ravines which were known to him and it was no, easy matter to
pick out the path which he had taken the valley.
Which he found himself divided and subdivided into many Gorges,
which was so like each other, that it was impossible to
distinguish one from the other. He followed one for a mile or
more until he came to a mountain torrent which he was sure that
he had never seen before convinced.
That he had taken the wrong turn.
He tried another but with the same result night was coming on
rapidly, and it was almost dark before he at last found himself
in a defile which was familiar to him.
Even then it was no easy matter to keep to the right track for
the moon. Had not yet.
Risen and the high Cliffs on either side.
Made the Purity more profound weighed down with his burden and
weary from his exertions. He stumbled along keeping up his
heart by the reflection. That every step brought him
nearer to Lucy and that he carried with him enough to
ensure them food for the remainder of their Journey.
He had now come to the mouth of the very defile in which he had
left them, even in the darkness. He could recognize the outline
of the cliffs, which bounded it. They must be reflected, be
awaiting him, anxiously for, he'd been absent nearly five
hours in the gladness of his heart.
He put his hands to his mouth and made the Glen re-echo to a
loud halloo as a signal that he was coming.
He paused and listen for an answer.
Nan Kane. Save his own cry which clattered
up the dreary silent Ravines and was born back to his ears in.
Countless repetitions again, he shouted even louder than before
and again, no, whisper. Came back from the friends whom
he had left such a short time ago.
A vague nameless dread came over him and he hurried onwards
frantically dropping the precious food in his agitation.
When he turned the corner, he came full in sight of the spot
where the fire had been lit. There was still a glowing pile
of wood ashes there, but it had evidently not been tendered
since his departure. The same Dead Silence still
reigned all round, with his fears, all change to
convictions. He hurried on.
There was no living creature near.
The remains of the fire animals, man.
Maiden all were gone. It was only too clear, that some
sudden and terrible disaster. Had occurred during his absence.
I disaster which had embraced them all and yet had left no
traces behind it. Bewildered and stunned by this
blow Jefferson. Hope felt his head spin round
and had to lean upon his rifle to save himself from falling.
He was essentially a man of action, however, and speedily
recovered from his temporary impotence.
Seizing a half consumed piece of wood from the smoldering fire.
He blew it into a flame and proceeded with its help to
examine the little Camp. The ground was all stamped down
by the feet of horses. Showing that a large party of
mounted men had overtaken, the fugitives and the direction of
their tracks, prove that they had afterwards turned back to
Salt Lake City. Had They Carried back both of
his companions with them. Jefferson hope at Almost
Persuaded himself that they must have done.
So when his eye fell upon an object which made every nerve of
his body tingle within him, a little way on one side of the
camp was a low-lying heap of reddish soil, which had assured
Lee not been there before. There was no mistaking it for
anything but a newly dug grave. As the young Hunter approached
it, he perceived that a stick had been planted on it with a
sheet of paper. Stuck in the cleft Fork of it.
The inscription upon the paper was brief, but to the point John
Ferrier formerly of Salt Lake City died, August 4th, 1860 the
sturdy old man whom he had left. So short, a time before was gone
then and this With all his epitaph.
Jefferson hope looked wildly round to see if there was a
second grave but there was no sign of one.
Lucy had been carried back by their terrible pursuers to
fulfill her original Destiny by becoming one of the Harem of the
elders, son, as the young fellow realize the certainty of her
fate and his own powerlessness to prevent it.
He wished that he too was lying with the old farmer in his last
silent resting place. Again, however, his active
Spirit shook off the Liturgy, which Springs from despair.
It was nothing else left to him. He could at least devote his
life to Revenge with indomitable patience and perseverance.
Jefferson. Hope possessed.
Also, a power of sustained vindictiveness, which he may
have learned from the Indians amongst whom he had lived.
As he stood by the desolate fire, he felt that the only one
thing which could assuage his grief would be thorough and
complete retribution brought by his own hand upon his enemies.
His strong will and untiring, energy should be determined be
devoted to that one end with a grim white face.
He retraced his steps to where he had dropped the food and
having stirred up the smoldering fire.
He cooked enough to last. For a few days this he made up
into a bundle and tired as he was, he set himself to walk back
through the mountains upon the track of the avenging.
Angels. For five days, he toiled
footsore and weary through the defiles, which he had already
traversed on Horseback at night. He flung himself down, among the
rocks and snatched a few hours of sleep.
But before Daybreak, he was always well on his way.
On the sixth day. He reached the Eagle Canyon from
which they had commenced their ill-fated flight.
Thence. He could look down upon the home
of the Saints, Warren and exhausted.
He leaned upon his rifle and shook, his gaunt hand, fiercely
at the silent, widespread City Beneath him as he looked at it.
He observed that there were Flags in some of the principal
streets and other signs of festivity.
He was still speculating as to what this might mean when he
heard the clatter of horses, hooves, and saw a mounted man
riding towards him. As he approached, he recognized
him as a Mormon named Cowper to whom he had rendered services at
different times. He therefore accosted him when
he got up to him with the object of finding out what Lucy Ferrier
has fate had been. I am Jefferson.
Hope. He said, you remember me?
The Mormon looked at him with in undisguised astonishment.
Indeed. It was difficult to recognize in
his tattered. Unkempt, Wanderer with ghastly
white face. And fierce wild eyes.
The spruce young Hunter of former days having however, at
last satisfied himself. As to his identity, the man
surprise change to consternation.
You are mad to come here. He cried.
It is as much as my own life is worth to be seen talking with
you. There is a warrant against you
from the holy for for assisting. The farriers away.
I don't fear them or their warrant.
Hope said earnestly. You must know.
Something of this matter Cowper. I conjure You by everything.
You hold dear to answer a few questions.
We've always been friends for God's sake.
Don't refuse to answer me. What is it?
The Mormon asked uneasily, be quick, the very rocks have ears
and the trees eyes, what has become a Lucy Ferrier.
She was married yesterday too young driver.
Hold up man. Hold up.
You have no life left in you. Don't mind.
Me said, hope faintly. He was white to the very lips
and had sunk down on the stone against, which he had been
leaning marriage. You say, marriage yesterday.
That's what those flags are for. On the endowment house.
There was some words between young drebber and young
stangerson as to, which was to have her, they both been in the
party that followed them and stangerson.
Had shot her Father, which seemed to give him the best
claim when they argued it out in Council.
Drivers party was the strongest. So the prophet gave her over to
him. No one won't have a very long
though for I saw death in her face yesterday.
She is more like a ghost and a woman.
Are you off then? Yes, I am off.
Said Jefferson. Hope who had risen from his
seat. His face might have been
chiseled out of marble so hard and set was its expression while
its eyes glowed with a baleful light.
Where are you going? Never mind.
He answered and slinging his weapon over his shoulder.
Strode off down the gorge and so away Into the Heart of the
mountains to the haunts of the wild beasts.
Amongst them all. There was none.
So Fierce and so dangerous as himself.
The prediction of the Mormon was only too well fulfilled.
Whether it was a terrible death of a father or the effects of
the hateful marriage into which she had been forced.
Poor, Lucy, never held up her head again, but pined away and
died within a month. Her sottish husband who had
married her principally for the sake of John.
Farias property did not affect any great grief at his
bereavement but is otherwise mourned over her.
And sat out with her the night before, the burial as is the
Mormon custom. They were grouped around the
beer in the early hours of the morning, when to their
inexpressible, fear and astonishment.
The door was flung open and a Savage looking weather-beaten
man. In tattered garments strode into
the room. Without a glance or a word to
the cowering women. He walked up to the white silent
figure which had once contained, a pure soul of Lucy, Ferrier
stooping over her. He pressed his lips reverently
to her cold forehead and then snatching up her hand.
He took the wedding ring from her finger.
She shall not be buried in that he cried with a fierce snarl and
before an alarm could be raised sprang down the stairs and was
gone. So strange and so brief was the
episode that the Watchers might have, found it hard to believe
it themselves or persuade other people of it.
Had it not been for the undeniable fact that the circlet
of gold, which marked her as having been a bride had
disappeared. For some months, Jefferson.
Hope lingered among the mountains leading a strange Wild
Life. And nursing in his heart, the
fierce desire for vengeance, which possessed him Tales were
told in the city of the weird figure, which was seen prowling
about the suburbs. And which haunted the Lonely
Mountain. Gorges, once a bullet whistled
through Stanga Sands window and flattened itself upon the wall
within a foot of him. On another occasion as driver
passed under a cliff a great Boulder crashed down on him and
he only escaped a terrible death by throwing himself upon his
face. The two young Mormons were not
long in discovering. The reason of these attempts
upon their lives and led repeated Expeditions into the
mountains, in the hope of capturing or killing their
enemy, but always without success, Then they adopted the
precaution of never going out alone or after Nightfall and of
having their houses guarded. After a time.
They were able to relax these measures for nothing was either
heard or seen of their opponent and they hope that time had
cooled his vindictiveness. Far from doing so it had if
anything augmented it. The hunters mind was of a hard
unyielding nature. And the predominant idea of
Revenge had taken such complete possession of it, that there was
no room for any other emotion. He was however, Above All Things
practical, he soon realized that even his iron Constitution,
could not stand the incessant strain, which he was putting
upon it. Exposure and want of wholesome
food were wearing him out if he died like a dog.
Among the mountains, what was to become of his revenge then and
yet such a death was sure to overtake him if he persisted.
He felt that that was to play his enemies game.
So he reluctantly returned to the old Nevada mines there, to
recruit his health, and to amass money enough to allow him to
pursue his object without privation.
His intention had been to be absent a year at the most, but a
combination of unforeseen circumstances, prevented his
leaving, the mines for nearly five.
At the end of that time, however, his memory of his
wrongs and his craving, for Revenge, were quite as Keen as
on that memorable night, when he had stood by John farriers,
grave. Disguised and under an assumed
name he returned to Salt Lake City careless.
What became of his own life as long as he obtained, what he
knew to be Justice, there. He found evil Tidings awaiting
him. There had been a Schism among
the chosen people a few months before, some of the younger
members of the church having rebelled against the authority
of the elders, and the result had been, those secession of a
certain number of the malcontents who had left.
Utah and become gentiles. Among these have been drebber
and stangerson and no one knew whither.
They had gone. Rumor reported, the driver had
managed to convert a large part of his property into money and
that he had departed a wealthy man, while His companion
stangerson was comparatively, poor.
There was no clue at all. However, as to their
whereabouts, many a man, however, vindictive would have
abandoned all thought of Revenge in the face of such a
difficulty. But Jefferson hope never
faltered for a moment with a small competence.
He possessed eked out by such employment as he could pick up.
He traveled from town to town through the United States.
In quest of his enemies year passed into year, his black hair
turn drizzled, but still, he wondered on a human Bloodhound
with his mind. Holy set upon the one object
upon, which he had devoted. His life at last.
His perseverance was rewarded. it was, but a glance of a face
in a window, but that one glance told him that Cleveland in Ohio
possessed, the men whom he was in pursuit of, He returned to
his miserable lodgings with his plan of Vengeance, all arranged
it chanced. However, that driver looking
from his window had recognized the vagrant in the street and
had red murder in his eyes. He heard before a Justice of the
Peace accompanied by stangerson who had become his private
secretary and represented to him that they were in danger of
their lives from the jealousy and hatred of an old rival.
That evening Jefferson Hope was taken into custody and not being
able to find sureties was detained for some weeks.
When at last he was liberated, it was only to find that drivers
house was deserted and that he and his secretary had departed
for Europe. Again.
The Avenger had been foiled and again, his concentrated hatred
urged him to continue. The pursuit funds were wanting.
However, and for some time, he had to return to work saving
every dollar for his approaching Journey.
I lost having collected enough to keep life in him.
He departed for Europe and tracked, his enemies from City
to City, working his way in any menial capacity, but never
overtaking the fugitives. When he reached st.
Petersburg, they had departed for Paris and when he followed
them there he learned that they had just set off for Copenhagen
at the Danish Capital. He was again a few days late for
they had journeyed on to London, where he at last succeeded in
running them to Earth as to what occurred there.
We cannot do better than quote. The old Hunters own account as
duly recorded in dr. Watson's To which we are already
under. Such obligations.
End of book. 2 chapter 5.