Sherlock Holmes Complete Works 1

Chapter 13 Research on Scarlet Characters 13
Except for those vultures, no one saw this strange scene.Kneeling side by side on that narrow fur-sheet were two drifters: an innocent little girl and a rough and brave adventurer.Her chubby face and his haggard and thin face looked up at the cloudless sky at the same time, praying devoutly to the gods.Two voices - one crisp and thin, one deep and rough - prayed together for God's mercy and forgiveness.After praying, they sat down again in the shadow of the rock.Leaning against the broad chest of her protector, the little girl slowly fell asleep.He silently looked at her sleeping appearance. After watching for a while, he couldn't resist the attack of drowsiness. He hadn't slept for three days and three nights.Slowly, he also tightly closed his tired eyes.His head fell gradually to his chest, and his gray beard mingled with the little girl's golden curls.Both of them fell into a drowsy sleep.

If the tramp went to bed half an hour later, he would see a strange sight.A cloud of dust rose from the far end of the wasteland, so far away that at first it was difficult to distinguish it from the distant mist.But gradually the cloud of dust grew taller and wider until it became a thick, sharply defined cloud.The thick clouds were obviously flying dust rolled up by the marching troops and rushed into the sky.If it is in an area with fertile land, it can be concluded that a large herd of cattle is rushing here.But it is impossible to have a large herd of cattle in this barren field.The billowing smoke and dust pushed towards the cliff where the two victims slept, and the silhouette of the canvas-roofed caravan and the figure of the armed knight gradually appeared in the smoke and dust.It turned out that this was a huge westbound convoy.What a majestic convoy!The car in front has already reached the foot of the mountain, while the car behind still has the distant horizon.Over the boundless wilderness moved the scattered procession, in wagons and open carriages, on horseback and on foot.Countless women staggered with heavy luggage on their backs, some children walked beside the car with unsteady steps, and some poked their heads out of the white roof of the car to look out.This is obviously not an ordinary immigrant team, but like a nomadic people forced by the environment and had to find a new home.The smoky air echoed with the noisy and noisy voices of this army of horses, people shouting and horses neighing, and the wheels rolled.However loud as the noise was, it failed to wake the two weary wanderers on the hill.

More than 20 men with serious expressions and firm beliefs rode in front of the team.They were all dressed in dark homespun clothes and carried rifles on their shoulders.They stopped at the foot of the mountain and discussed briefly for a while.

"Guys, go north and there's a well," said a man with ruddy lips, a shaved beard, and grizzled hair.

Another said: "Take the right side of the Monte Blanca and we'll get to the Rio Grande."

The third said loudly, "Don't worry about running out of water. The water god drawn from the rock will never abandon his servants."

"Amen!" Several people said in unison.

Just when they were about to continue on the road, a young man with sharp eyes pointed at the towering cliff above and yelled.It turned out that he found a pink thing floating on the top of the mountain. Against the gray cliffs, the little pink thing looked very special at first glance.Hearing his cry, the riders quickly reined in their horses, guns in hand.Moreover, more rider support came later.All they could hear was shouting together: "Indians."

"There will be no Indians here," said an old chief. "We have passed the Pawnee Indians, and there will be no other tribes until we have crossed the hill ahead."

One of them said, "Shall I go up and have a look, brother Sturt Jason?"

"I'll go too, I'll go too." More than a dozen people asked for instructions.

"Okay, leave the horses here, we'll wait for you down there."

As soon as the words were finished, several young men dismounted from their horses. After the horses were tied, they slowly climbed along the steep hillside towards the target that had aroused their vigilance.

They climbed swiftly and silently, with battle-tested dexterity and dexterity.People saw them climbing and jumping among the rocks, as if walking on flat ground, until they reached the top of the mountain.The young man who first discovered the situation walked in the front.The people walking behind him suddenly saw him raising both hands, as if they were very surprised.Everyone hurried forward to take a look, and were all stunned by the sight in front of them.

There is a big rock on the top of the mountain in this wasteland. On a flat ground under the rock, there is a burly man lying. He has long beard and hair, and his face is stern and haggard.Judging from his relaxed face and even breathing, he was in a deep sleep.There was a little girl sleeping next to him. The child's small white and fat hands were around the adult's dark, thin and dirty neck, and her little head with blond hair was leaning against the man's broad chest.There was a moving smile on her face, her small mouth was slightly opened, her lips were red, revealing her white and neat teeth.On her plump little legs were beautiful shoes with shiny buckles, showing white socks.All of these are in stark contrast to the man's dark thinness and growth.On the rock above the two people, there were three ferocious giant eagles. Seeing so many people coming, they cried a few times in disappointment and flew away.

The cry woke up two people who had fallen asleep due to hunger, thirst and exhaustion. They looked blankly at the people in front of them. The man stood up shaking and looked down the mountain. Just before he fell asleep, a desolate wasteland miraculously appeared. After seeing many people and horses, his face was full of surprise.He rubbed his eyes with his bony hands, and murmured to himself: "This is probably insanity." The little girl stood beside him, tightly holding the hem of his clothes, with a dazed expression on her face.

The actions of the people around him immediately woke up the man: this is not insanity.One was holding the little girl, and the other were supporting the weak man, and they walked towards the team together.

The vagabond called himself John Ferrier, and there were twenty of them, but he and the little girl were the only ones left who died of starvation.

Someone asked if the little guy was his daughter.He said that it should be his child now, because he saved her and no one could hurt her, and she was called Lucy Ferrier from then on.He then asked who the people who rescued them were.

A young man said: "We are the persecuted children of God, the sons chosen by the angel Moroni. There are almost 1 people."

"I've never heard of this angel," said the Drifter. "He seems to have picked a bunch of good guys."

Another said gravely, "Don't joke about sacred things. We all believe in the holy scriptures written in Egyptian script on gold leaf. We come from Nauvoo, Illinois. We built our church there, And now, to escape those thugs and godless people, I would be willing to go to the desert without human habitation."

The place name Nauvoo apparently made John?Ferrevar understood.He said, "I see, you're Mormons."

"You're right." The people around said in unison.

"Where are you going?"

"We don't know ourselves. God sent a prophet to show us the way. You have to go to our prophet and let him decide what to do with you."

At this time they had come to the foot of the hill, and a large group of people surrounded them.Among them were gentle women with pale faces, healthy and lively children, and men with sincere eyes.They could not help marveling with pity at the two strangers, at how small the child was, and how thin the man was.But the escort did not stop. Instead, he pushed aside the onlookers and continued to walk forward. Followed by a large group of Mormons, he came to a carriage.This carriage is different from other carriages, it is very tall, and it is also very beautifully decorated, so it is particularly eye-catching.This cart had six horses, while the other carts had only two, and at most four.Beside the driver sat a man not more than thirty years old, but whose large head and resolute expression made him a leader.He was reading a book with a brown cover, but when he saw the crowd approaching, he put the book aside and listened carefully to his subordinate's report.Then, he turned his head and looked at the two victims seriously.

He said solemnly: "If we take you two, you must believe in our teachings. Otherwise, you will have to find your own way. It is not our fault. We must not let wolves infiltrate our flock Rather than discovering that you are rotten spots that destroy the whole fruit in the future, it is better to leave your bones in this wilderness now, to be blown by wind and rain. Will you accept these conditions and go with us?"

"No matter what the conditions are, I am willing to go with you." Ferrier's emphatic tone made those prudent elders couldn't help laughing.Only the Prophet still maintained a solemn expression.

The Prophet said: "In that case, well. Brother Ster Jason, you take him in and give him food and drink. The same goes for the boy. You are also responsible for imparting to him our holy teachings. We have long delayed Here we go! Go to Mount Anxi!"

"Forward, for Mount Annecy!" the Mormons yelled in unison.The sound passed from one man to another in the long caravan like a wave, until at last it disappeared into the distance.With the crackling of whips and the rattling of wheels, the great covered wagons began to move, and soon the whole convoy began to snake and squirm.The elder who was in charge of the care of the two drifters led them to his caravan, where food had been prepared for them.

The elder said: "You just live here, and you will be able to get rid of your fatigue in a few days. At the same time, you must remember that you are our believers from now on. Brigham Young said so, he is Joseph ? Smith's spokesman, and Joseph Smith is God's spokesman."

(End of this chapter)