▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁novel ▁his ▁question able ▁financial ▁behaviour ▁receives ▁an ▁investigation ▁from ▁Rome . ▁Lat our , ▁again ▁presented ▁fav ou rab ly , ▁never theless ▁does ▁operate ▁with ▁a ▁view ▁to ▁politics : ▁he ▁successfully ▁can v ass es ▁don ations ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁Roman es que ▁c athedral ▁in ▁Santa ▁Fe ▁according ▁to ▁his ▁own ▁des ires ▁( he ▁cho oses ▁the ▁stone ▁and ▁brings ▁the ▁architect ▁Mol ny ▁from ▁France ▁to ▁complete ▁it ), ▁and ▁b ides ▁his ▁time ▁to ▁remove ▁diss ent ing ▁pri ests ▁and ▁help ▁ ▁a ▁poor ▁Mexican ▁slave - w oman ▁named ▁S ada ▁until ▁he ▁is ▁in ▁a ▁position ▁of ▁political ▁strength ▁( his ▁help ▁of ▁S ada ▁is ▁never ▁described ▁in ▁the ▁novel ). ▁The ▁novel ▁ends ▁with ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁( ret ired ) ▁Arch bishop ▁Lat our ▁in ▁Santa ▁Fe : ▁Va ill ant ▁has ▁pre - de ce ased ▁Lat our ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁Bishop ▁of ▁Colorado ▁after ▁the ▁Colorado ▁gold ▁r ush ▁( in ▁reality ▁Mach eb e uf ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁Bishop ▁of ▁Den ver ). ▁ ▁Near ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁novel , ▁Lat our ▁and ▁Va ill ant ▁are ▁saved ▁from ▁being ▁murder ed ▁by ▁the ▁villa in ous ▁Buck ▁S cal es ▁( at ▁whose ▁house ▁they ▁have ▁sought ▁shelter ▁for ▁the ▁night ) ▁by ▁S cal es ' s ▁ab used ▁wife ▁Mag dal ena . ▁All ▁three ▁escape , ▁and ▁S cal es ▁is ▁h anged ▁for ▁the ▁murder