ad finished reading his statement, he sat down and the Valley
Council began to discuss it. Many objected to it; others wished to have
it modified; still others agreed that it should be published as he had
read it. In the end, he had his way. But in the hubbub of the
discussion, Laura Van Dorn, sitting near him, asked:

"Grant, why do you take all this on your shoulders? It is not fair, and
it is not true--for that matter."

He answered finally: "Well, that's what I propose to do."

He was haggard and careworn and he stared at the woman beside him with
determination in his eyes. But she would not give up. Again she
insisted: "The people are inflamed--terribly inflamed and in the morning
they will be in no mood for this. It may put you in jail--put you where
you are powerless."

He turned upon her the stubborn, emotional face that she rarely had seen
but had always dreaded. He answered her:

"If anything were to be gained for the comrades by waiting--I'd wait."
Then his jaws closed in decision as he said: "Laura, that deed was done
in blind rage by one who once risked his life to save mine. Then he
acted not blindly but in the light of a radiance from the Holy Ghost in
his heart! If I can help him now--can even share his shame with him--I
should do it. And in this case--I think it will help the cause to make a
fair confession of our weakness."

"But, Grant," cried the woman, "Grant--can't you see that the murder of
these boys--these Harvey boys, the boys whose mothers and fathers and
sweethearts and young wives and children are going about the streets as
hourly witnesses against you and our fellow-workers here--will arouse a
mob spirit that is dangerous?"

"Yes--I see that. But if anything can quell the mob spirit, frank,
open-hearted confession will do it." He brushed aside her further
protests and in another instant was on his feet defending his statement
to the Valley Council. Ten minutes later the reporters had it.

At six o'clock in the morning posters covered South Harvey and the whole
district proclaiming martial law. They were signed by Joseph Calvin,
Jr., provost marshal, and they denied the right of assembly, except upon
written order of the provost marshal, declared that incendiary speech
would be stopped, forbade parades except under the provost marshal's
inspection, and said that offenders would be tried by court-martial for
all disobediences to the orders of the proclamation. The proclamation
was un