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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. After dinner with Lassiter and Jane, Venters says he must leave. Why?

2. After the visit from the Bishop, what does Lassiter tell Jane about her employees?

3. When Venters gets into the oval valley, who does he leave to watch his horse?

4. Lassiter comes to Jane to inform her that he found her white herd. Jane changes and goes to mount her horse. How does she mount her horse?

5. When Venters goes to find the red herd, how far does he travel in three hours?

Short Essay Questions

1. Venters goes every day to Deception Pass and practices with his guns. Before the opening incident with Tull, who did he think was after him? Why did he feel the need to practice with his guns?

2. When Venters carries Bess up the pass to the hidden valley, he experiences a new strength. What is this strength? What is the source of Venters strength?

3. As Bess tells Venters of her relationship with Oldring, does she seem haunted? What about her past does not match with the girl that Venters is getting to know? Is Venters having trouble seeing both sides of Bess? Are there two sides to Bess?

4. Why does Jane keep Milly's grave overgrown and hidden?

5. In Utah the Mormons are usually prosperous, while the Gentiles barely make enough to eat. Do you think Jane's father made his money in a way that hurt or used Gentiles in the area?

6. Jane wonders aloud if Lassiter was Milly's husband. Why would this be important? Would this mean that Lassiter was a Mormon?

7. When Venters returns from hunting, Bess is sitting up in bed and wants to be lifted down. What does this moment signify in their relationship? How are they judging each other at this point in the story?

8. How does Venters find the openings to the canyons? How does he find Oldring's den?

9. Venters sees Oldring and the Masked Rider ride across the edge of Jane's land. Why is this ominous? What do the people know about Oldring?

10. Describe Tull's campaign to pressure Jane into marriage. How does he manipulate other Mormon and non-Mormons to help him with his campaign.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Is the character of Oldring good or bad? Describe the stories about Oldring that are bad. Describe the stories about Oldring that are good. In the end, how do you feel about this character? Can you imagine this story without him? Why? Why not?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the final showdown between Oldring and Venters. What does this scene tell the reader about Bess? Is the connection between Bess and Lassiter and Jane made clear at this point? When does it become clear to the reader who Bess is and where she comes from?

Essay Topic 3

During the race between Venters and Jerry Card, several pieces of chivalry and honor are used as a guideline to a code of conduct of which both men are aware. When this story was first published, do you think more people understood the rules of engagement for an event such as this? Do we understand it today? How are these rules different and the same as today?

(see the answer keys)

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