"David had his Absalom, Lehi, his Laman, and this my brother, my father's darling son, seems destined to wring my father's heart, as they did theirs. Oh! why is it, that those formed in the very prodigality of nature--endowed with a heaven-born intelligence-- genius--must be cursed with a doubting, rebellious spirit that weighs down all their better parts, and wrecks the hopes, built on what their talents promise? Oh, that some good angel would my brother meet, as was my father met, shake off his doubting fears, and give him back to us converted to the truth and pledged to its maintenance, as was my father! Then how would shine that master power within him which overawes men's minds or bends them to his purpose! Brother, flout me, resist me how you will; I'll follow you through all your fortunes good or ill, and win you yet to God and truth!" With these words on his lips, and this pious purpose in his heart, Shiblon, the son of Alma the Priest, directed his steps to the council chamber. CHAPTER FOUR. IN THE HALL OF JUSTICE. The next morning the sun shone more brightly than on the day before. Through the night a terrific storm had raged. Black clouds burdened with moisture had been split by vivid flashes of lightning, and poured down all their floods. But with the approach of light the storm ceased, the clouds parted and drifted into great cumulous heaps lightened to snowy whiteness by the glorious morning sun. The air was fresh and pure, the electric storm having dispelled the mists and fogs so common to the tropics. Long before the sun had reached midway between his rising and high noon, the open square before the Hall of Justice was filled with groups of men, some boisterously disputing the rightfulness of Korihor's treatment, and others with equal warmth defending the action of the authorities of Gideon. The Hall of Justice was crowded to overflowing with men anxious to see and hear the man, who had by a few leaps and bounds sprung into notoriety. The hall within was circular in form, with tiers of stone seats rising one above the other, their regularity broken only by three promenades extending three-fourths of the way around the building. The entrance was through two wide double doors in the south, along a walk leading into a circular space, around which ranged the first row of seats, and from which ran flights of steps leading to the seats and promenades above. On the west side was a spacious platform with two seats well to the back of it, raised on a dais, evidently intended for the high officials of the state.