"Yes, yer daddy has gone, and the Utah Central stock that belonged to the Mormon Church has gone with him, an' the sheriff here thinks it's in yer possession, and has sworn out a warrant agin ye, an' is here to execute it. An' I come along with him to make it as light for ye, as possible. He thought ye'd got clean away from him, but heerd the train was stopped here by snow, an' so he come on to get ye. But before he takes ye, I want to tell ye a few little things. Come out!" Then hearing the noise of the moving bolt in Erma's door, Kruger says to the men with him: "Just step back a leetle into the smoking-room, while I talk to the girl." "All right, bishop!" answers the sheriff, who seems entirely under Lot's domination. The men withdraw as Erma comes out and stands before Bishop Kruger, her beauty perhaps at this moment appealing to him more than it ever did--for excitement has added a lustre to her eye, and she seems so helpless, and so much in his power. He mutters, his eyes blinking a little at the radiance that is before him: "Now, Ermie, ye can make everything quite easy for yerself!" "Indeed--how?" She tries very hard to conceal it, but some scorn will get into her voice. "By givin' up the stock quiet!" "Ah! then you will let me go?" "Oh, no! The sheriff wouldn't do that; but when he takes ye back to Utah, I'll go bail for ye, an' I'll take ye down to my home in Kammas Prairie, where ye'll be nice an' comfortable, an' I'll look after ye." "You are always very good to me," says the girl with a sneer, though he doesn't detect it, and replies: "Yes, I'll be better to ye than ye know!" And she, trying to act her part, to prevent any suspicion in his mind, thanks him with so much apparent heartiness that the old satyr loses his head, and chuckles: "Now, that's the right kind o' talk. Now yer lookin' beautiful as one o' the angels of Zion. I've been havin' my eye on ye, an' I'm goin' to exalt ye, an' take ye into my family." "Take me into your family--as a _daughter_?" "No, as a _wife_, for I love ye!" And looking to her like an ogre, he would advance to her, whispering: "By this kiss of peace, I take ye into my family!" But she has forgotten to act now, and scorn is in her eye, hatred in her voice, and loathing in her shudder. She says hoarsely: "BACK! don't dare to sully me by the touch of your finger! I loathe you as I do your iniquitous church!" "Ye blasphemer!" he cries. "This is the second time. I'll be hard on ye now, an' bring ye down from yer high horse. Where's that stock of the Utah Central?" "Find it!" jeers Erma. "I will!" he answers, "and then I'll make ye sorry ye turned yer nose up at Lot Kruger!" Raising his voice, he shouts: "Sheriff, come in an' take yer prisoner, an' make a search of her baggage! She's got the stolen goods with her, I reckon!" A second later the girl is placed under arrest.