"Spoken like a soldier. But, friend Stevens, I want you to enlighten these gentlemen. Excuse me, gentlemen, I desire Captain Stevens, who has so recently come from the Valley, to tell you officers how cordial and friendly his President is."
Stevens' smile was very grim as he answered:
"President Brigham Young is always cordial to his friends."
"And always generous, even to his enemies, hey, Stevens?"
"He is just to every one."
The Governor hastened to cover the slight confusion he felt at his failure to draw happy assurances of peace from the mountaineer. At that moment a slim, dark, handsome young officer, whom Stevens recognized with a flash of his keen eye and quick memory, stepped jauntily out of the group beside the Governor and said lightly:
"My good man, why does your rebel leader court death and extinction in this defiant fashion?"
John strode towards the insulting speaker, and at that moment the Governor of the new Territory realized that he had more than a war of two belligerent forces; he had a religious as well as a sociological problem on his hands. He felt his own powerlessness, even to prevent sudden conflict between these two rash youths.
Suddenly an orderly entered and after saluting he announced:
"Governor Powell and Major McCulloch."