Pillar of Light

by Gerald N. Lund

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  He nodded, then leaned forward. “Jennifer Jo says I can only stay a few minutes. Will and Nathan will both be coming over too, and then with this trip this afternoon, she doesn’t want you getting too tired.”

  “Oh, I won’t get tired. I’ll be so excited by this afternoon, maybe I’ll just walk right outside to meet you.”

  He smiled, understanding what it cost her to say that. “So,” he said again, “how are you doing?”

  “Look at my hand,” she said, under control again now.

  He looked down to where her arm and hand lay in her lap. As he watched, she began to drum her fingers on the blanket. “I just did this last night for the first time.”

  Suddenly Joshua had to look away. “That’s great,” he finally said, his voice cracking just a little. “Just great.” When he turned back, he was blinking quickly.

  She smiled brightly, deeply touched and cheered that he would respond in such a manner. “It doesn’t look like much, but then I never was a big one for overdoing myself.”

  “But you’re doing it, Kathryn,” he said, his voice low. “You’re doing it.”

  “Yes,” she said simply. “It was two weeks ago today. When I first woke up, I could barely move the tip of one finger.”

  “What about your feet?”

  Now it was her reserve that broke. She turned her face toward the wall. “Nothing.”

  “I’ve come to ask you a question,” he said, as if she were still looking at him.

  She turned back slowly. “All right.”

  “Notice anything different about me?” he asked, smiling now.

  That wasn’t what she had expected and she was struck by the oddity of it, but she answered immediately. “Your beard.”

  His hand came up to his face. “No, no. That comes off this afternoon. What else?”

  She looked at him again, letting her eyes go up and down his frame. “I don’t know.”

  “Take a closer look.” Now he was teasing her with his eyes.

  Again she looked him up and down. After a moment, there was a slight shake of her head. “I’m sorry, Uncle Joshua. I don’t notice anything.”

  “No cane,” he said.

  She looked at him for a second or two, not comprehending.

  His smile broadened. “When was the last time you saw me using my cane?”

  “I . . . I don’t remember.” She was still puzzled by this.

  Now he took her hand in both of his. “Kathryn, you were there. It was in your mother’s house in Missouri, just about three and a half years ago now. Remember? I had just regained consciousness. And then I learned that my one leg was paralyzed from that ball I took through the back.”

  Her eyes widened noticeably. “Yes,” she breathed, seeing now what he was thinking.

  “You were there when Matthew made me that awful, horrible crutch.”

  “Yes.”

  “You watched me hobble around your yard, dragging that no-good foot after me like it was a bag of wheat seed.”

  Tears were flowing again now, only not for the same reason. “I remember.”

  He stood up and bent down to kiss her forehead. “And now, Miss Kathryn McIntire, I don’t even use a cane anymore. Haven’t for more than a year.” He reached down and punched softly at her chin. “So every time you start getting discouraged, you just remember your Uncle Joshua. No matter how long it takes, Kathryn, just remember. No more crutches. No more cane.”

  He took out his handkerchief and wiped her cheeks again as she smiled up at him. “Thank you,” was all she was able to get out.

  And then he said a most strange thing. “Why couldn’t that stubborn son of mine have fallen in love with a young woman like you?”

  Kathryn laughed in spite of herself. “Me and Will?” And then instantly her own eyes were teasing. “A Mormon? Why, Uncle Joshua, I am shocked.”

  He grinned. And then with a spontaneous move, he bent down and put his arms around her. “Promise not to tell,” he whispered into her ear, “but in your case, I’d make an exception.”

  Chapter 25

  The doctor’s office of John C. Bennett was on the back of his house. There was a walkway and a side door so that one did not have to go through the house to reach his office. The previous evening he had specifically warned Joshua not to stop at the front of the house but to use the side door. As Joshua passed the front entrance and came down the walkway he understood why. There was a nearby shed which blocked most of the view of this entrance from the street.

  Joshua was not in a very pleasant mood as he reached the side door and knocked. After two weeks of sleeping on the ground or on the hardness of the raft’s deck, he had expected that when he got into a real bed again he would simply float away in sleep. Instead, the soft feather mattress made him feel as if he were wrapped in a cocoon. And through the night he had numerous second thoughts about making his agreement with Caroline. He had meant it as a way to prepare her for the coming shock of what he would have to tell her. But she saw no threat at all, only a chance to lift his opposition to her being baptized. This morning he had come downstairs to find her singing and humming to herself as she prepared him breakfast.

  He heard the sound of footsteps, then the door opened slightly. Through the narrow slit he saw part of the face of a man he didn’t recognize. “Steed?” a guttural voice demanded.

  “That’s right,” he growled right back.

  The door opened and the man moved back. Joshua stepped inside and the man shut the door again quickly, locking it behind him. “Follow me.”

  He led him through the office and down a hallway that led into the main part of the house. John C. Bennett was standing at the end of it, waiting. “Ah, Joshua,” he said. He came forward swiftly, holding out his hand. Joshua took it briefly, noting that even though the grip was firm and confident, the palm was slightly damp and quite cold. Was the man nervous? he wondered.

  “Everyone else is here. Come in.”

  Joshua stepped in. There were three other men in the room, all standing now. Behind them, there were also three women seated in a small semicircle. As one of them looked up, he saw that her face was heavily veiled.

  “Do you know everyone? You’ve met Robert Foster already.” The man who had ushered him in stepped around and shook hands. “And these are the Higbee boys, Chauncey and Francis. You probably know their father, Judge Elias Higbee.”

  “How do you do, Mr. Steed.”

  As he shook each hand he looked the brothers squarely in the eye. “Your father is a man of integrity. As I recall, he’s a good friend and confidant of Joseph Smith.”

  The younger of the two started and turned to Bennett, his small mouth twisting into a pout. “You said he could be trusted to be discreet.”

  Bennett just laughed, seeing that Joshua was toying with them. He turned to the third man. “And this is Gustavus Hills.”

  Joshua gave him a curt nod. Hills didn’t move to shake hands with him.

  “Come in and sit down, Joshua.” Bennett turned to Foster. “Did you lock the door?”

  “The outside one, yes.”

  “Shut this one too,” he commanded. Joshua took the proffered chair. The others sat around the room but each where they could watch him.

  “I’m sorry that we have to rush into this,” Bennett said, “but when I got word that you would be leaving again Monday, I knew we could not delay any further.”

  Joshua inclined his head slightly to acknowledge that he understood.

  “Have you talked to your brother-in-law?”

  “No, not yet. I’m meeting him at noon.”

  “Good. He’s been very thorough.” There was a fleeting frown. “Perhaps too thorough. I fear that he has listened to those who would protect Joseph no matter what the cost.”

  “I trust Carl’s objectivity in this.”

  “Oh, of course,” Bennett said hastily. “He seems to be a fair-minded man.”

  “So,�
� Joshua said, suddenly impatient. “Let’s get on with it. What do you have?”

  Bennett held out his hands in a gesture of frustration. “Knowing that our time is limited and”—he stressed the word with faint sarcasm—“that you had some doubts about the story that I told you in January, I have asked these people to come and confirm my accusations. These are eyewitnesses, Joshua. What they have to say is firsthand, not just hearsay.”

  Joshua kept his face impassive, but inside he felt great distaste. He respected Joseph Smith and considered him a friend now, though it had not always been that way. But he needed to hear this directly from those who were making the accusations. “Well, let’s hear it, then.”

  “Mind you,” Bennett continued, rubbing his hands in satisfaction, “this is testimony concerning only a small portion of what is happening among us. But with the time restrictions—”

  “Yes, yes!” Joshua snapped.

  “All right. When we talked in January, I admitted to you then that I had been indiscreet with some women, even one that was married, but that it came about because Joseph taught me that it was all right. You clearly doubted my word.”

  He looked to where the women were watching and nodded. One of them stood and came slowly forward. “Here is one of those women. I should like you to hear it from her own mouth.”

  “Who is this?” Joshua demanded.

  The woman looked confused and turned to Bennett. He turned to Joshua. “I gave my word that she would not have to reveal herself.”

  Joshua considered that, saw her trembling hands. “All right,” he said, “go on.”

  But it was Bennett who spoke. “Well, after this sister and I had . . . uh . . . consummated our relationship, Joseph came to me. He said he wanted her to become one of his seraglio and—”

  “Seraglio?” Joshua cut in. “What’s that?”

  “His harem, his collection of wives. He determined that she would be one of his spiritual wives. He told me the Lord had given her to him and asked if I would intercede in his behalf.”

  Joshua leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. “And you were married?” he asked the woman.

  She nodded. He noted that her fingers were twisting at her dress now. “My husband was gone at the time.” When she spoke, her voice was still very soft and Joshua had to lean forward to hear her. “When Doctor Bennett told me what Joseph said, I thought he was lying. I said that unless I heard it from Joseph’s own lips, I would not believe it. Doctor Bennett told me that Joseph’s true motives would soon be revealed.” There was a moment’s hesitation. “And so they were. When John—uh, Doctor Bennett—refused to be his intermediary, Brother Joseph came directly to me.”

  “With the purpose of securing you as one of his wives?”

  “Yes. He said that the Lord had revealed it to him. I was to be his spiritual wife.”

  “Just what does that mean?” Joshua asked. “Why spiritual wife?”

  “It means that even though I was married in this life I was to be his wife in the next.”

  “Only in the next?”

  She ducked her head. “Well, he said that we should act as husband and wife here, but that would all be in secret.”

  “And what did you say to that?” He wanted to be angry, but the quiet sorrow in the woman’s voice held him back. He wasn’t convinced yet, but he couldn’t lash out at her as he had at Bennett.

  “I was outraged. I told him I would consider no such thing.”

  Now he couldn’t help it. “Even though you had succumbed to Mr. Bennett here before?”

  Her head came up. “I was in error and I repented of that. I was determined that I would not fall again.”

  Now Bennett jumped in. “When he could not persuade her, Joseph came to me again. He begged me to represent his wishes to her. Finally, I relented. He was the Prophet, I decided, and so I must follow his wishes. So we came back to this sister’s home.”

  She was nodding. “That only enraged me all the more. I told him he must immediately desist or I would tell my husband. At that point, the Prophet backed down. He begged me not to expose him, and I finally agreed to that if he would make no further advances toward me.”

  Bennett nodded and she backed away before Joshua could say anything more.

  “That man must be brought to justice,” Robert Foster burst out. “This is a crime of the most heinous sort, and we must act against it. The man has a wife already,” he said bitterly. “Let him be satisfied with her.”

  “I don’t need the dramatics,” Joshua said tightly to Bennett. “What else?”

  Bennett raised his hand and snapped his finger. Another of the women stood and came forth. She planted her feet, raised her veil, and stood defiantly before the two of them.

  “Joshua, this is Melissa Schindle. Tell him your story, Melissa.”

  Her eyes were hard and cold and contemptuous. “There’s not much to tell. Joseph Smith tried to take me to his bed. And I know personally of another woman with whom he was in bed.” Joshua felt sick. This was far worse than he had ever imagined. “What is this other woman’s name?” he asked softly.

  “I cannot say unless she gives her permission, but if you wish, I shall speak to her.”

  He shook his head. “No, not now.”

  Bennett motioned and the third woman came and stood beside Schindle. She too lifted her veil, but then she let it drop again. “My name is Martha Brotherton.”

  Joshua caught the accent. “Are you one of the British Saints?”

  “Yes. My family and I came across on the same ship as Joseph Fielding last fall.”

  “All right.”

  “Martha has a little different story to tell,” Bennett explained, “but it shows clearly that this isn’t just limited to Joseph anymore. It is spreading among the leaders of the Church. Tell him, Sister Martha.”

  She started to twist her hands as she spoke, as if highly agitated, but her voice was flat and emotionless and had none of the hesitation that the first woman’s had exhibited. “One night

  Heber C. Kimball and Brigham Young came for me. They asked if I would accompany them to a different house. This was at night. They were Apostles, members of the Twelve, and so I immediately agreed. I thought it might have something to do with my family, who are now staying down in Warsaw. But when we reached the house, they took me into a room and locked the door. Then they told me that the Prophet had received a special revelation from God permitting a man to have more than one wife. I laughed at them, thinking that surely they were joking. That angered them. They said this was the word of God and that I must submit.”

  “They wanted you to be one of their wives?” Joshua asked slowly. “So it wasn’t for Joseph now?”

  “That’s right. When I realized they meant it and this wasn’t just some kind of sick joke or some kind of test of my faith, I was angry. Like Sister—” She caught herself. “Like this other sister here, I couldn’t believe what they were saying, so I told them to get out, to leave me alone.” There was a derisive laugh. “They left, all right, but they locked me in the room. They just left me there. The next day they came back with some other Apostles and Hyrum Smith. They labored with me for hours trying to convince me that this principle was from God and that if I did not accept it I would be damned. I steadfastly refused. So again they left me. On the next day they finally brought Joseph himself in to try and convince me. He also told me it was from God and that I must accept.”

  “But you steadfastly refused?” Joshua asked with a faint touch of irony. Somehow this was a little too incredible.

  She missed it entirely. “That’s right,” she exclaimed. “When they finally failed to sway me from my determination to do right, they made me swear that I wouldn’t tell anyone, and finally let me go.”

  Robert Foster swore. “Isn’t that enough for you, Steed? How many witnesses does it take?”

  Joshua didn’t even turn to look at him. He sat back in his chair, lost in thought. Brotherton and Schindle watched him for a mom
ent; then when they saw he was done with them, they walked over to join the other sister. Bennett waved them away and the three of them quietly filed out of the room.

  “Well?” he asked Joshua when the door closed again. “I told you I had others who would verify what I told you.”

  Joshua stood. His face was creased with deep lines as he considered what he had heard. “What I have listened to today is troubling, John. I can’t deny that. And I have listened carefully. But I am not ready to make a decision about what to do. I want to talk with Carl and hear what he has to say.”

  They all stood now too. “He’ll verify every word,” Chauncey Higbee said. “He’s interviewed these same good sisters and some of us as well.”

  “Then I shall speak with him.” Joshua looked around at the circle of them. “As I said before, if this proves to be true, you shall have an ally in putting this terrible thing down. But I leave for St. Louis on Monday. Other than my hearing Carl’s report, this will have to wait until I return.” He looked at Bennett. “But I’ll say it again, John. If this isn’t true, it won’t just be Joseph Smith you need to worry about.”

  “You must not tell Joseph,” Bennett exclaimed. “Not yet. If he learns of what we are doing at this stage, he will make every effort to cover his tracks, make sure that no one can prove anything against him.”

  “If what you say is true,” Joshua said sharply, “then it’s far too late for that.”

  He turned and left them, wanting to get out of this dim and gloomy house with its terrible stories and depressing testimony. He did not go back down the hall and out through the offices. He went straight to the front door, unlocked it, and went outside.

  When the door slammed shut again, Bennett turned to the others. “Well, I think we’ve got him.”

  Foster shook his head. “It’s hard to tell. He’s a crafty one, that’s for sure.”

  “Don’t worry,” Bennett soothed them, “Steed’s got an ax he wants sharpened here, and we’re the grindstone.”

  “What ax?” Francis asked.

  “His wife wants to join the Church and Steed violently opposes it. Now I hear that his son wants to do the same thing. This is exactly what he’s looking for. Once they hear this, they’ll never want to join the Church.”