"Well--one of these Mormons was the husband of the girl, or rather _ought_ to have been--since they were married just at starting. It appears that the young woman was against the marriage--for she loved some one more to her choice--but her father had forced her to it; and some quarrel happening just at the time with the favourite lover, she had consented--from pique, _sin duda_--to accept the Mormon." "She did accept him?" "Yes--but now comes the strange part of the story. All I have told you is but a common tale, and the like occurs every day in the year." "Go on!" "When she married the Mormon, she did not know he _was_ a Mormon; and it appears that these _hereticos_ have a name among your people worse than the very _Judios_. It was only after the caravan had got out into the plains, that the girl made this discovery. Another circumstance equally unpleasant soon came to her knowledge; and that was: that the man who pretended to be her husband was after all no husband--that he did not act to her as a husband should do--in short, that the marriage had been a sham--the ceremony having been performed by some Mormon brother, in the disguise of a _clerico_!" "Was the girl's father aware of this deception!" "Don Jose could not tell. He may have known that the man was a Mormon; but Don Jose was of opinion that the father himself was betrayed by the false marriage--though he was present at it, and actually bestowed the bride!" "Strange!" "Perhaps, _cavallero_! the strangest is yet to come. For what purpose, do you suppose, was this deception practised upon the poor girl?" "I cannot guess--go on!" "_Carrai_! it was a hellish purpose; but you shall hear it. These Mormons have at their head a great chief priest--_una propheta_, as they call him. He is a polygamist--a perfect Turco--and keeps a harem of beautiful _ninas_, who pass under the name of `spiritual wives.' It was only after the young Americana had got far out upon the plains--indeed, to the Big Timbers, where she escaped from him--that she found out the terrible fate for which her false husband had designed her. She learnt it from the other women who accompanied the caravan; and who, base wretches that they were! rather envied her the _honour_ by which she was to be distinguished! _Por Dios_! a terrible fate for a young creature innocent and virtuous like her!" "Her fate? Quick--tell me! for what had the villain destined her?" "_Virgen Santa_! for the harem of the Mormon prophet!" "_Mira_!" exclaimed the Mexican, almost in the same breath--"_Mira_! the signal-smoke of Wa-ka-ra! To horse! to horse! _mueran los Arapahoes_!" It was not the signal that called from my lips a convulsive exclamation. It was wrung from my agony, ere the smoke had been descried. It was drowned amidst the shouts of the savage warriors, as they crowded forward out of the chasm. Leaping down from the ledge, and flinging myself on the back of my horse, I mingled in the melee.