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Show THE MORMON LION He looked at the lady with magiste~al severity and said: "Woman, take off your v~1l. His tone and the trembling of Cora s hands as she removed the veil reawakened my apprehenswns. When I saw her face, my anxiety deel?ened to dread. Her beautiful cheeks were marred w1th the hnes _of long-continued anguish ; her sunken eyes were miserable with remorse and desp~ur. . . Brigham tapped the offiCial document w1th h1s blunt forefinger. . . " I have here the findings of the Counc1l of H1gh Priests," he said. "They have duly consider~d the case of Brother David Ford and S1ster Cora Clulcott. Acting UJ?On the co~fession of Sister Cora, th~y have decided 1t 1s mev1tably necessary to conv1ct the accused pair of the sin of adultery. They counsel the guilty parties to seek salvat10~ by the only means of atonement for their deadly sm. The gmlty parties are counselled to ask that their blood be spilled upon the earth--" . " Stop! " I burst out, unable to restram my r~ge and terror. " This is a hoax I a dastardly hoax! Chilcott's powerful arms gripped me about the middle and held me fast in my chair, with my arms down. "No violence, Brother Ford," he warned. " Violence? " I panted. " I've atteml?ted none. I've only denounced this hoax! No do~pt 1t's a great joke- to you! But to me- t<;> her-. - I Brigham struck the desk wtth h1s fist. "No, Brother Ford. It ain't no joke .. It ain't ~o joke It's the solemn findings of the H1gh Counctl. You;ve got your afpeal to the First Pres~dency. That's me ; for I'l take upon myself t~ d1spense with Heber and }eddy- unless you or S1ster Cora want them." · d He looked inquiringly at Cora. She s1ghed an shook her head hopelessly. I rallied as best I c~uld from the sudden stunning blow of our cond~mnatl?,n. "No, we do not want them, Brother Bngham, I THE MORMON LION 259 replied. "We do not need them. You are the Prophet, the mouthpiece of God. From you the truth cannot be hid. You will render justice." "You don't ask for mercy?" he queried with an undertone of surprise. "No. All I ask is that judgment be put to the line and nghteousness to the plummet." "Land's sake, Dave ! " cried Amanda. "Now you have done for yourself! " "I have asked for justice without mercy," I replied. " That is all I want- all that either of us needs, to be cleared of this false, malicious charge." " How about Sister Cora's confession? " asked Brigham. " How are you going to meet Brother Chilcott's statement, given under oath? " "_If he did not pequre himself," I rejoined, "he testified to three facts, and three only-first, as to the regard with which I have been honoured by the lady; secondly, as to my promise to marry her 1f she should be divorced from her present husband · and thirdly, her statement to him that last January she came alone to my room at night." A~anda groaned, and Cora drooped her head, blushmg scarlet. " That's enough, I figure, to prove the case " said Chilcott, over my shoulder. ' " Is it all that you charged? " I demanded. " Yes. The Council found it enough, and I figure--" " I'm asking for the judgment of the Prophet Seer and Revelator," I interrupted. "Take out my ~erringer and rele~se me. Brother ~righam knows I m not suc.h an 1diot as to attempt VIOlence, even if I had the shghtest cause-which I have not." Brigham nodded. Chilcott disarrned me and stood up, w1th the pistol muzzle pointed at my back. I smiled and proceeded to argue my own and Cora's case- " Brother Chilcott admits that the three facts I have named constitute the entire basis of his accusation." |