ake Brewer to
bring up a note explaining that she could not take part in the Christmas
doings.

The sound of moving feet told her the time had arrived for opening the
meeting. If she thought at all of the absence of the female members of
the church, she sought for no other reason than the steadily increasing
blizzard.

One by one she heard the men take their places. Then, the pastor cleared
his throat loudly and began to pray. Perfect silence save for his
droning voice filled the small chapel. Tess heard him praying for the
members of the congregation, for the mothers at home with their
children, and as usual for all earthly sinners.

"And particularly, dear Lord," continued the deep voice, "may thy tender
mercy and loving kindness visit the heart of our sinning sister here
present and soften it, making her obedient to these thy servants, to
whom Thou hast committed the government of thy church."

Why! What had he said? "Sinning sister ... here present." Why, they were
all men but her! The pastor finished his prayer with a resounding
"Amen," in which the elders joined reverently. Confused, Tessibel sat
back in the pew, puzzled and frightened.

"I have before me here on my desk," Griggs announced, "a letter from
Deforrest Young. In answer to a letter from the church, asking him to be
with us this afternoon, he has requested that Brother Ebenezer
Waldstricker be instructed to vote in his name.... I do so instruct you,
Brother Waldstricker."

Ebenezer moved in his seat as if in consent.

"It's a delicate matter which we have to consider," observed the
minister, looking from pale face to pale face.

Tessibel glanced at the speaker. He, too, was ashen in the dim afternoon
light.

"Come to the point, please," commanded Waldstricker, curtly.

The minister bowed his head in silent prayer.

"Tessibel Skinner," he said, "I ask you to stand up."

The girl got up obediently, but sank down again, her trembling legs
refused to support her. She did not, however, turn her startled brown
eyes from her pastor's face.

"It is charged against you, Tessibel Skinner," he read from a paper
before him, "that you have broken the laws of God and violated the
discipline of this church; that you, an unmarried woman, are now
pregnant. Are you guilty or not guilty?"

As the accusing voice ceased, the stern eyes of the dark-faced men, who
had watched her closely during the reading, seemed to pierce her through
and through, ... to l