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Show While the exchange of information in-formation was taking place, Nellie was sitting close to Ben. Sam noticed that their shoulders were touching. "Everything is sad these days," """ Moroni said, "with Church leaders on the underground and hundreds of 1 polygamists in jail. The U.S. Marshal even has a 'for rent' sign s on the turtle." "The turtle?" Nellie asked. "Tabernacle," Sam explained. "Where the Mormons meet on j Temple Square. The roof is shaped ; like a turtle." J "Why does the marshal have j anything to do with the taber-i taber-i nacle?" Ben asked, i "The new Edmunds-Tucker law i has made the old Edmunds law enforceaeble - the part about a church that teaches polygamy not being allowed to have more than ' $50,000 in assets. In addition to the tabernacle and the entire temple block, Marshal Dyer has confiscated con-fiscated the historian's office, the general tithing office, President Taylor's home, the Guardo house and about 30,000 sheep belonging to the Church." "They can't just take all that," Ben protested. "It's not right." "But it's legal," Moroni responded. "What about all the meetinghouses?" Nellie asked. "Church acted fast and got most of the titles transferred into the names of various Church leaders," Moroni explained. "What are the leaders going to do about it? "Ben asked. "They're in hiding, dodging the law and not doing much of anything i except keeping out of jail," Sam explained. "President Taylor married nimself a new wife in December," Moroni asked, a slight chuckle in his voicce. "You're joking," Nelie said. "He must be 70 years old." "Seventy-eight," Moroni said. "That's disgusting," Nellie responded. "That depends on your point of view," Moroni argued. "To a man my age it is anything but disgusting, but to a young woman on the outside - I can see why you might feel that way." "What should we do?" Ben asked, changing the subject. "Let's eat," Moroni said. "What should we do about this whole mess?" Ben persisted. "I don't know," Sam said. "Can't stay here," Ben said. "Now that they know about the place, deputies could be dropping in at any time." "Dad's still in Canada. We could go there," Sam suggested. "Some are going to Mexico," Moroni added. "You could go back to Salt Lake and turn yourselves in," Nellie said. All three men looked at her soberly. "If I was sent back to that cold prison in Detroit, I'd never return home alive," Moroni said, a coldness cold-ness in his voice that hadn't been there before. "You have broken the law," Nellie said, her voice cold too. "You have a debt to pay." "If caring for the women who married me and bore my children is breaking the law," he said, "then I am indeed a criminal. But I have done no wrong." "Breaking the law is wrong," Nellie insisted. "Trying to crush a people for trying to live their religion is wrong!" Moroni shouted. "Your arguing is a waste of time," Sam interrupted. "What you are talking about has been discussed and rediscussed until it makes me sick. Everything's been said and resaid a thousand times. The question is no longer if polygamy is right or wrong. The Mormons believe in it. The rest of the United States doesn't. Any further discussion is a waste of time and energy." "So what do we do?" Nellie asked nastily. "Now you've hit upon it," Sam said, "as Ben did a few minutes ago. What do we do?" (To be continued) |