“Angel,” she said gently, “stop praying and listen to me.  If you can command the devil in the name of our Lord, why don’t you do that to poor Newell Knight?” She felt strong sympathy for the young man; she was moved almost to tears to think they were taking the wrong way with him.

“I have tried and failed.  We have sent for Joseph Smith.  My faith is not strong enough,” he added humbly.  “This cometh not forth but by prayer and by fasting.  Look!  I am even now unfaithful to my charge because I love thee, friend, more, I fear, than the work of the Lord.”

They were left alone because Halsey in passing out had left the door of the sick room open to the eager neighbours.  Now reluctantly he went back to his task of guarding the patient, and Susannah, after assuring his anxious soul that she felt no ill effects whatever from the dire proximity, went home again across the dark frozen fields with her lantern.  She sat half the night watching and waiting.

It was in the darkest hour before the dawn that she heard Halsey’s step and crept down through the black house to unlock the door for him.  When they had come again into the room she saw that he was greatly excited, filled with apparent calm of an exalted mood.

“We have beheld a most glorious victory, friend; and truly we have been shown signs and wonders, and a very great miracle has been wrought.  I wish thou couldst have seen with thine own eyes, and yet—­”

She thought that he had been going to say that her lack of faith had made it more expedient for her to be away, but that he had checked in himself even the thought that he was more worthy of privilege than she.

It seemed that Joseph Smith, having been preaching the evening before at a place some twenty miles away, had not been able to reach Knight’s house until nearly two in the morning.

“He rode all night,” said Halsey, “and lost not a moment in coming to the inner room; it was like him.”

“Yes,” said Susannah, “it was like him; he is very kind.”

Halsey went on.  “He spread his hands over Newell and commanded the devils to come out of him.”

“And did they come?”

“They left him.  Joseph said that it was given to him to see that there were three of them; but they departed, going out into the darkness.”

The wind moaned against the window near which Susannah sat.

“They left Newell very weak, but at peace like an infant sleeping.  But at first I feared that he was as one dead, for I could not see him breathe; but Joseph’s faith was strong, for he lifted up his voice and began to give praise, and he took Newell by the hand and bade him rise, but his hand fell back as if there was no life in it.  Then Joseph Smith knelt with us upon the floor, and Newell lay smiling, but his eyes were closed, and he seemed dead to this world, although the body was warm.  Afterwards he told us that at the time he was seeing a vision of unspeakable light and glory.  And then, as we watched him, I fearing because my faith was weak, a marvel happened as a sign and seal to our faith that Joseph is indeed called to be a great prophet.  I wish that thou couldst have seen it, Susannah, for the miracle has given me a great uplifting in spirit, but I am come to bear witness to it, that thou, too, mayest rejoice in the marvel.”