nty Miles an Hour.

During the night of the 5-6th December, the train kept in a
south-easterly direction for about fifty miles, and then went up in a
north-east course towards Salt Lake.

About nine o'clock in the morning, Passe-partout went out upon the
platform to get a breath of fresh air. The weather was cold and the
sky was dull, but there was no snow falling then. The sun in the mist
looked like an enormous disc of gold, and Passe-partout was
calculating what it would be worth in English money, when he was
disturbed by the appearance of a very curious personage.

This individual, who had got into the train at Elko, was tall and of
dark complexion, had a black moustache, wore black stockings, and
black hat and clothes, except his necktie, which was white, and his
gloves, which were dog-skin. He looked like a minister. He went the
whole length of the train, and fastened a small notice-bill on the
door of every car. Passe-partout read one of these "posters," and
learnt that the Honourable Elder William Hitch, Mormon Missionary,
would take advantage of the occasion to deliver a lecture upon
Mormonism, in car No. 117, at eleven o'clock in the fore-noon till
twelve noon, and invited all those who wished to learn something about
the "Latter-day Saints" to attend the lecture.

"Faith, I'll go," muttered Passe-partout, who knew nothing about
Mormonism, except the plurality of wives.

The news spread rapidly amongst the passengers, and about thirty out
of the hundred travellers were attracted to car No. 117. Passe-partout
took a front seat. Neither his master nor Fix troubled themselves
about the matter.

At the hour named the elder William Hitch got up, and in a somewhat
irritable manner, as if he had been already contradicted, cried out:

"I tell you that Joe Smith is a martyr, and his brother Hiram is
another, and the way the Government is persecuting Brigham Young will
make him a martyr also. Now who dares say anything to the contrary?"

No one ventured to contradict him, and his vehemence certainly
contrasted strangely with his calm features. But no doubt his anger
was kindled by the indignities to which the Mormons had been actually
exposed. The United States Government had certainly had a great deal
of trouble to bring these fanatics to reason. It was now master of
Utah, after having imprisoned Brigham Young on the charges of
rebellion and polygamy. Since that time the followers of the prophet
had redou