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Show When she did speak, she was d the smiling. This irritated Ben. for ."You're very persuasive. You ought to consider becoming a ithAfe lawyer," she said, ohnl "Don't change the subject," he eon&! answered. "We were talking about ark your hypocrisy, not my future Jesse! profession." nes 10. "You are more persuasive than randt David Butler- Have you ever thought about becoming an attorney?" at-torney?" "Outlaws don't go to law school," "jhe said sarcastically. "You and "Cyour monogamous friends, in trying "I to shove your views on marriage V"down the throats of the Mormons, f hve made me an outlaw." "And a magnificent one at that," ' she said. Ben couldn't figure out why she jwouldn't argue with him. Maybe J5he wanted something from him. t "What do you want?" he asked. "I don't want to argue with you anymore." 4rt "I got you into a corner, didn't I? jJ So now you don't want to continue p,ite '.he discussion." 600 oi "I'm not so sure you have me cornered," she said. "I suppose I could bring up Priscilla's situation, a 15-year-old girl being married to an old man. She'll be a widow by the time she's 25. I suppose it could be argued that that is a form of tying a child to the grave." "But..." Ben began. Nellie cut him off. "I don't want to argue with you anymore." "I wasn't aware there was any other way to communicate with you," Ben said. "If you don't want to argue, what do you want to do?" "Just talk." "Why the sudden change?" he asked, softening. "Seeing that boy tied to a grave," she began slowly, "left there to die. People shouldn't treat each other like that." "What about the people who made three pregnant women spend this past winter in a cabin away from their husbands and families?" "That's wrong too." She. pulled the Indian child closer to her, stroking the top of his head as if he were a kitten or a puppy. "People are too easily hurt," she said. "There's not enough kindness, not enough caring for others. Too many people are hurting each other as though life isn't worth anything." "You're sounding like Jesus," Ben said, not intending to be funny. "I feel sad," she said. "So sad I can hardly keep from crying. Like if I don't do something to help stop the meanness in the world, I'll shrivel up and die." "I feel sad too," Ben said, "but I also feel mad. Mormons aren't getting a fair shake. There is no justice for them. I want to fight back...." Still walking backwards, Ben suddenly tripped on a rock and fell on his back. Nellie began to laugh, and Ben threw a handful of sand at her. The boy awakened, beginning to cry. Nellie held him close, trying to comfort him, as Ben picked up the reins and resumed leading the horse down the wash, this time facing forward, so he could see where he was going. (To be continued) |