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Show THE MORMON LION " Do you admit them ? " interrogated Brigham. "Brother Brigham," I replied, " the lady and I have been tried and condemned by ex parte proceedings. We were not called before the Council, and I was not even informed of the accusation against me." " Your guilty conscience ought to've told you," he rejoined. "My innocent conscience did not." " Then you claim you're innocent? Are you prepared to swear that Brother Chilcott lied? " ' First let me ask if the accusation against us implies an act-a deed? " Amanda raised her veil and lilted her hand in denunciation. " It is Scripture, Brother Brigham. ' He that looketh upon a woman to lust after her has committed adultery.' " " Give the right reading," I corrected. "The verse ends: 'has committed adultery with her in his heart.' Are we on trial for that, Brother Brigham? Would that of itself condemn us? " He squinted slyly at Chilcott. "Well, hardly!" he chuckled. "If we held to that construction, there'd be a mighty sudden dep,opulation of the Kingdom." ' Then the sin must be a deed, not a mere thought? " I queried. II Yes." " Then the lady's confession of her regard for me does not of itself prove the charge? " "Well, no- not of itself." " Nor my offer to marry her if she should be divorced? ' "Well-it makes things look pretty squally lor you, just the same." "Mere corroborative evidence, which of course your wisdom sees is of no value except in support of direct evidence," I replied. " There remains the lady's statement that she came alone to my room at night. With respect to that, I wish first to mention THE MORMON LION 26! Brother Chilc<?_tt's custom of driving his spirituals to desperation .. 1 Jus lady 1s not the first who has been mduced by Ius treatment to seek a release from him " '.'What's that got to do with the case? " put in Ch1lcott. , . "Very much. It explains why the lady was wilhng to charge herself w1th any cnme or sin. You set a trap lor her by intimating that you would release her 1! she charged herself with a m1sdeed." ::That so, Bill? " queried Brigham. Substantially. I don't deny that I trapped her. The pomt 1s, she confessed." "To what? " I argued. " Only to having come to my room. The Council condemned me on that bare statement. There might be a dozen explanations other than the one inferred." " Hold on a minute," ordered Brigham and he pointed his ~nger at Cora, " Why did y~u go to Brother Fords room that mght? Out w1th it!" She drooped her head lower, her face again scarlet w1th shame. :: Must I tell ? " she implored. Yes, 1f you want to escape eternal damnation." She cowered under his look, with her hands before her face. "No, no! Not that- not that! I will tell! I went there because he- my husband- had spurned me scorned me, and I- I--" ' ::Well? "queried Brigham as she faltered. I was mad- beside myself-- No! I confess th;, whole truth! I am a wicked, evil woman! " . You confess that you sinned? " interrogated Bngham. , " In my heart, yes .. I am a wicked, wicked woman! As a man thinketh m his heart, so is he '! I am gmlty m the s1ght of God! Punish me! " Bnghan;t, looked at me and asked in a tone of final1ty: Well, what you got to say now, Brother Ford?. Better own up, too, hadn't you? Stand u hke a little man and tell the straight facts." p |