rass, and soon where there was once a man is only the dumb indifference
of Nature.

The only safe course is the open road of truth. Lies once begun, pile
up; and lies require lies to bolster them.

Mrs. Tilton had made a written confession to her husband, but this she
repudiated in court, declaring it was given "in terrorem." Now she had
only words of praise and vindication for Beecher.

Mrs. Beecher sat by her husband's side all through the long trial. For a
man to leave the woman with whom he has lived a lifetime, and who is the
mother of his children, is out of the question. What if she does lack
intellect and spirituality! He has endured her; aye! he has even been
happy with her at times--the relationship has been endurable--'twere
imbecility, and death for both, to break it.

Beecher and his wife would stand together.

Mrs. Tilton's lips had been sanctified by love, and were sealed, though
her heart did break.

The jury stood nine for Beecher and three against. Major Pond, the
astute, construed this into a vindication--Beecher was not guilty!

The first lecture after the trial was given at Alexandria Bay. Pond had
sold out for five hundred dollars. Beecher said it was rank robbery--no
one would be there. The lecture was to be in the grove at three o'clock
in the afternoon. In the forenoon, boats were seen coming from east and
west and north--excursion-boats laden with pilgrims; sailboats,
rowboats, skiffs, and even birch-bark canoes bearing red men. The people
came also in carts and wagons, and on horseback. An audience of five
thousand confronted the lecturer.

The man who had planned the affair had banked on his knowledge of
humanity--the people wanted to see and hear the individual who had been
whipped naked at the cart's tail, and who still lived to face the world
smilingly, bravely, undauntedly.

Major Pond was paid the five hundred dollars as agreed. The enterprise
had netted its manager over a thousand dollars--he was a rich man
anyway--things had turned out as he had prophesied, and in the
exuberance of his success he that night handed Mr. Beecher a check for
two hundred fifty dollars, saying, "This is for you with my love--it is
outside of any arrangement made with Major Pond." After they had retired
to their rooms, Beecher handed the check to Pond, and said, as his blue
eyes filled with tears, "Major, you know what to do with this?" And
Major Pond said, "Yes."

Tilton went to Europe, leaving h