Part 24 (1/2)

Then, as she describes her visit to the Twenty-fifth Ward meeting, and Oliver Livingston's treatment of her after his discovery that she is the daughter of a polygamist, he mutters sadly: ”To see you married to Livingston--a man of your own rank and place in New York society--has been the hope of my old age!”

Here the girl astonishes him. She answers: ”Had you been the greatest saint this earth has ever seen, Oliver Livingston would never have had me for his wife. Besides”--and she laughs airily--”I could have Mr.

Ollie back at my side in a week. He loves my million well enough to take me for it.”

”Then bring him back!”

”Never!”

”Never! Why not?” This last almost savagely.

”Because _I_ will not marry _him_!”

There is an enthusiasm and determination in the girl's manner that makes this gentleman--who is well accustomed to reading men, and perhaps has had some experience, in his plural marriages, of women--suddenly cry out: ”No, you will not wed Livingston because you love another!”

”Who is that?” says the girl, attempting a laugh, but her face becoming very red in the dim light of flickering tallow and kerosene oil.

”Harry Lawrence, who hates Bishop Tranyon of Salt Lake so much that I hardly think he will marry the daughter of Ralph Travenion of New York!”

returns her father easily.

But Erma does not answer this. She has turned away to the window, and is looking down the hill and over the alkaline plains, and her blushes are only seen by a jack-rabbit who peers at her from behind a sage bush.

Then she faces her father and cries: ”No matter what comes, you shall do justice to Harry Lawrence! You shall withdraw your claim to his property!”

”Oh ho!” laughs the Mormon. ”Give up what I am on the point of winning?

Bishop Tranyon of Salt Lake will never do that. That is not his style.”

”No,” cries the girl; ”but my father, Ralph Travenion, of New York, who was once worthy the love of all who knew him, will do justice to a wronged man, because he still loves the daughter who has travelled over two thousand miles to meet him here, and who he says has brought peril upon herself, for love of him!” And looking on him, her eyes grow soft and tender as they used to gaze at him when she was proud of him at party and _fete_ in far-away New York, as she murmurs: ”What will Ralph Travenion do for his daughter?”

”For his daughter's sake, Ralph Travenion will do anything!” mutters the old man; then says pathetically, almost brokenly: ”For G.o.d's sake, give me one kiss of your own will! You have spoken to me an hour, and as yet no daughter's kiss!”

With that the girl comes to him, puts her arms about him, and kisses him, as she used to when she was a child, and before she knew he was a Mormon and a polygamist.

”Do with me what you will!” he continues. ”What do you want for this young man, who I can see is getting the first place in your heart?”

”Justice!” cries Erma. ”I want you to telegraph your lawyer to stipulate that the injunction on his mine be removed.”

”And what more?”

”Resign your claim to his property.”

”But Kruger also owns stock in the Zion Co-operative Mining Inst.i.tution.”

”Buy his stock!”

”Very well, though you are robbing yourself!” mutters the man. ”I'll do it!--if--if you'll forgive me.”

”I'll forgive you, if you'll let me lead you away from this awful place--away from sin!” cries Erma.

But here he astonishes and horrifies her, for he whispers to her: ”_Yes, if we can get away alive!_”