"You have heard what this poor woman told you!" he cried. "You have heard how this man, this Forsythe, took advantage of her. Remember, her sisters are as unfortunate as she. Shall this lecher, this monster, go unpunished?"
Before he could say more, Lois was on her feet.
"Mr. Truggles, wait!" she exclaimed. "You told me you were going to try to get Blan to give up polygamy. I wouldn't have come here and helped you if I'd known you were going to try to arouse his friends against him!"
"My poor child, it's too late," answered Truggles loudly. "I tried to persuade the man to give up his life of sin, and his heart was as stone. He must feel the lash of just retribution!"
She stared at him, her eyes widening in slow realization. Then she burst into tears and ran from the stage. She fled down the aisle and out of the auditorium.
"Do you see?" cried Truggles to his audience. His blue eyes flashed and his voice rang like a trumpet. "Even now she cannot break his devilish hold on her! Think! Are your daughters safe from him? Are your wives, even? Do you know that the wife of his best friend, Dr. Allison, admits that her child is the child of this man, this monster?"
For five minutes, he shouted, he wept, he shook his fists, he raised his hands to heaven. Then, striding to the edge of the platform, he demanded in a low, compelling tone:
"Who will take up the sword of righteousness and go with me to drive this creature from our midst?"
For a moment, there was dead silence. Then a young man stood up in the middle of the auditorium.
"By God, I will!" he shouted.