Number Six

Chapter 6-XXXXXX

         After demolishing the pie, Nate leaned back in his chair and groaned in pleasure.  Josephine stood and asked if he wanted to come into the parlor while the other women cleaned up.  “Can I help?” Nate asked half-heartedly. “Some other time, perhaps.  I need to talk with you before you go out tomorrow.” Josephine led the way across the front hallway. 

         They sat facing, she seemed a bit unsure where to begin. After taking a deep breath, she began. “First of all, my name is Josephine Smith Young. I am a widow, I was married to a distant relative of Brigham Young, his name was John.”  Nate started to ask a question, but Josephine held up a hand to stop him. “I need to get this out of the way. I am telling you this so that you know that when I provide the information and instructions that I have for you, you’ll be sure that I am legitimate. John and I were married 5 years ago, President Young sent us East to do the very same thing that you were asked to do.  When we settled in the capital city, John began to work for a sympathetic senator.  He eased his way into his good graces and began to meet with other staff members who were close to the enemy as part of his work.  One of their inner circle overheard his last name and they happened to see him meet with a known Mormon. They put two and two together and decided that he might be on to them.  One evening, John was killed on his way home from work by a ‘robber’. Brother Taylor helped me with the arrangements. Then, he sent me back to Salt Lake with a bodyguard.  President Young asked me if I would carry on John’s work, and when I agreed, he sent me to my parents house here. I was to run it as a safe house. By the way, Mother’s name is not Young, it is Smith, Francis Smith, no relation to Joseph.” Nate jumped in, “So where does Carmen fit in? She seems to be in on everything.”  “Carmen’s people were travelling from the gold fields to work on the railroad.  Some rowdy’s beat her father and mother to death, luckily Carmen hid and was found later by some Saints who lived nearby. My mother volunteered to take her in.  She has been with us since she was a little girl.  She is trustworthy.  Besides, folks tend to overlook her, so she hears things that would never be spoken of in front of me.”  Josephine explained.  She continued, “We mostly take in boarders or guests if you will, who are like you.  Engaged on some errand for the Lord…or Brigham Young, it makes no difference to us.  My father was with Brother Joseph from the early days, he was spiritually ‘adopted’ by the Prophet, and later by Pres. Young.  He remained faithful until his death, Mother as well; he taught me, from the days when I first learned to read, that I should follow the Prophet. What about you Ephraim?”

         Nate saw that she was sincere about her faith, and her sincerity branded him.  He was continuing his mission purely for personal reasons.  The beating that the Sergeant Major inflicted on him had shamed him and caused his heart and mind to burn with the need to avenge his ‘manly honor’ upon that demon and his devil boss, the Colonel. He had to answer her, so he flippantly said, “Actually, my name is Nathan, Nathan Nephi Thomas.  My father is an ‘adopted’ son of President Young as well.”  And here he stopped, he didn’t want to discuss his motivations or his private vendetta that he had sworn to himself that he would fulfill.  So, he turned the conversation back on her, and asked, “I guess you are the person that was to fill me in on the details of this latest “errand” that President Young has sent me on?”

           “Nathan? Your name is Nathan.  Yes, I am that person. Are you surprised, Ephraim? Oh, I mean Nathan.” Josephine acted confused about his name, but Nate was wondering if it was really an act. She already knew who he was, when he was due at her house, and now it appeared that she knew what was next on his ‘to do’ list.  “She’s playing games with me now.” he growled to himself. He decided to play along, “I think that ‘Ephraim’ will be my name while I am here.  Anything else will be confusing to our friends and may alert our enemies that something is up.”  Josephine smiled; it irritated him that she was in this position of power over him.  She composed herself and got down to business, “There is a packet of instructions for you, I will get them in a little while, and I also have some news for you. Your old boss, the Colonel is in the area, usually around Carson City, sometimes Sacramento.  He is not in the Army any more but he still uses the ‘Colonel’ title to gain access to important people.  Predictably, the Sergeant Major is here too, you saw the sign to his establishment on your walk up the street from the stage station.”

         Nate’s face darkened in anger and his eyes squinted dangerously as the news of his mortal enemies nearness sank in.  She paused, as she saw the obvious rage at this revelation showing on his face.  His intensity caused her to wonder if he could put his anger aside and finish this mission.  She continued, “Ephraim, please listen to me. If you can’t set your feelings for those two aside, and I understand…I will recommend that President Young send someone else to do this.”  Nate put his hand to his forehead, squeezing his temples and covering his eyes. “I promised myself, I promised!  Those two will die!” he said silently.  His hand squeezed tighter, he grimaced behind his hand and wondered what he could say that might satisfy her for the time being.  Josephine waited patiently, watching the inner struggle he waged to master his feelings, his body shook with the effort.  Finally, he released his breath in a sharp gust and released his head from the tight grip. 

         Slowly, he raised his eyes to meet her steady gaze. His normally blue eyes were almost black with the hate he felt for these evil men. It frightened her a little. If she hadn’t been told of his ordeal and had President Young’s vouch-safe of him, she might have had him moved to a different house. Nate spoke slowly and emphatically as he answered her challenge, “I…have…made…promises! I…will…keep…them! My…promise…to…the…Prophet,…I…will…keep…first!  He paused, then, “After that, I make no promises to him or to you.”

         Josephine nodded, satisfied, she said, “Fair enough.  Now, in the packet of papers there will be information about the activities of the man you found in Washington, you know his name, right?” Nate nodded, “One of them, at least. Assistant Secretary Buford Underhill Tollman.”  She smiled grimly, “He’s using that name out here too. When you reported that, Brother Taylor investigated and found that he was not who he said he was.  In fact, he was well known to Brother Taylor, he was Alpheus Simeon Strong, the Apostate. This man had been in Nauvoo.  He made up to Joseph, tried to impress everyone with his piety. But Joseph wasn’t fooled.  He discovered that “Brother Tollman” was taking advantage of his association with ‘The Prophet’ to seduce women and collect ‘tithes’ from any Gentile business trading with the Saints. After confronting him with his falsehoods, seductions, and treasons, Joseph sent him packing. When Joseph was martyred, he resurfaced and claimed that Joseph wanted him to be the Prophet.  When the elders pointed out that he had been excommunicated and they knew why, and if he knew what was good for him he would not pretend to be a prophet, he fled, changed his name and vowed to make the destruction of the church and Brigham Young, his one mission in life.”

         Nate added, “I saw that in Washington, he would hold forth in one of the taverns down the street from the War Department and tell stories about ‘ol Brig’. How he had 100 wives like one of those Eastern Potentates in one big harem. How all of the Mormons would jump if ‘Brig’ hollered frog. Once he said that he had seen him with his hair slicked back and there had been horns on his head.  Folks there believed everything that Mr. Assistant Secretary had to say. I found out that he had told even bigger lies to President Lincoln and had made friends of those who wanted Nevada carved out of Deseret. They planned to make claim to all of the mineral rights that were not already claimed. He had something to do with General Connor invading Deseret, too. I saw the letter on Colonel Morgan’s desk. What does President Young want me to do about Bufo…Alpheus, I mean?” Josephine shook her head, “I don’t know exactly. The instructions weren’t all that clear. Maybe they will make sense to you.” Nate didn’t care if they made sense or not tonight.  Between the big supper, the let down after his rage at Colonel Morgan, and the long day, he was dead tired. So he said to Josephine, “If you’ll get me the packet and excuse me, I’ll look at them before I go out tomorrow. I think I’m ready to turn in.” She made a show of looking at the clock on the mantel, then, with a quirky look, said, “So early?”