1902. Henry's historical novel of the Mormons and the settlement of Utah begins: Carissa Graham had grown from girlhood to womanhood under purely masculine guardianship. Later this fact was recalled in explanation of her singular course. At the time of this story, however, when she was just completing her eighteenth year, the outcome promised to disarm adverse criticism. For the shrinking, shy unformed child, who had brought the burden of a recent sorrow into her uncle's great house and had found there no feminine arms to receive her, and no motherly voice to comfort her, was, by some process, transformed into a trusting, sweet-faced, generous-hearted girl, who had won her way into the affectionate admiration of all.