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WILLIAM HAYS BANION

To MARGARET WINGATE,

Fort Hall, in Oregon

For an hour Molly sat, and the sun sank The light of the whole world

died

The other letter rested unopened until later, when she broke the seal

and read by the light of a sagebrush fire, she frowned Could it be that

in the providence of God she once had been within one deliberate step of

Samuel Payson Woodhull?

MY DARLING MOLLY: This I hope finds you well after the hard journey

froer to Hall

They call it Cruel to keep a Secret froh only in Poor pay for your Cruelty to me I have

had a Secret--and this is it: I have left for California froon I have learned of Gold in the

State of California, and have departed to that State in the hope

of early Success in Achieving a Fortune So far as I know, I am the