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Show THE MORMON LION a pretty good case in answer. There ain't any proof they sinned in fact. I apprehend Br?thcr Ford acted with commendable dtscrebon. You re to regard him as still in fellowship, Bill, unless I notify you to the contrary." " I don't know that I'm sorry-now," admitted Chilcott. "Well, I'll talk with him farther, after you go," said Brigham. He laid the document on the table and gazed at Cora with a sombre look. She trembled and clasped her hands. After a few moments she left her chair to kneel before him and appeal to him in a remorseful murmur. Twice he shook his head. But she was insistent. At last he signed assent and spoke to Chilcott- " This woman persists in saying she has sinned in the sight of God, but that she repents the wrong she has done you and wants you to forgive and save her. I counsel you to take her back with you and forgive her, and, if she still holds to it, let it be unto her even as she willeth." A hush seemed to fall on the others. Yet I was dull. I failed to understand the meaning of that counsel. Chilcott started towards the door with Amanda. Cora rose to follow him. She gave me a glance that should have made all clear to me, so full was it of ecstatic despair. The shadow in her soft eyes was the shadow of Death-- Yet I did not see. She drew down her veil and passed from the room after the others. Brigham sat for several moments staring at the door with that sombre look still in his eyes. A slight movement of my foot roused him from his gloomy abstraction. He frowned and said : " That was an almighty narrow squeak for you, Brother Ford." " Had the matter not come before you-yes," I admitted. " As it was, I had merely to pomt out our innocence. You were quick to see the truth." THE MORMON LION "Mebbe, mebbe," he qualifted. "You're slick, Dave. You kept the discussion to that one night when Amandy caught you. There's all these months since. That wasn't the only time you was alone with Sister Cora- now was it ? " " I swear to you, we did not sin, either then or afterwards." " Shoo! " he incredulously replied. " Beats all how some men'll lie to shield a woman. Well, we didn't prove it on you- this time. But if it hadn't 'a' been for her wanting to save you, she'd have confessed clean out." It was only too evident that the Prophet really believed us guilty. "We did no wrong!" I cried. "I'd do anything to Rrove her innocence! '' You would ? " he caught me up. " How about another mission? '' My heart leaped into my throat. What kind of a missiOn did he mean? I looked at him, unable to speak. "Well?" he demanded. " Anything! " I exclaimed. " Anything I just so you'll believe her innocent." "That's a bargain," he said, and for the first time he smiled at me in his usual friendly manner. " I wanted to test you, Dave. It ain't much this time. I'm going to send you and Bill agin to Californy." " California? " I muttered, unable to believe my own ears. " Yes. But only far's San Bernardino this time. You're to carry orders to the Stake there to break up and come home for the defence of Zion. We'll soon now have over twelve hundred militiamen in the field, but it won't hurt to have more. Besides, we don't want that Stake snuffed out by them Californy desP-eradoes." ' That's true. About starting-! could get off this evening." "I've told Bill to-morrow morning'll do. You'll |
