The men had wet, dirty clothes, which smelt
badly. They spat tobacco every other second, swore with every word.
Those women, who were to struggle with them, spoke of their happiness.

How brave that little army was! Ah, is it not beautiful to be brave?
Is it not something to be proud of to have God on one's side? It
was not worth while to laugh at them in their big hats. It was most
probable that they would conquer the hard hands, the cruel faces,
the blaspheming lips.

"Sing with us!" cried the Salvation Army soldiers; "sing with us!
It is good to sing." They started a well-known melody. They struck
their guitars and repeated the same verse over and over. They got
one or two of those sitting nearest to join in, but now sounded
down by the door a light street song. Notes struggled against
notes, words against words, guitar against whistle. The women's
strong, trained voices contested with the boys' hoarse falsetto,
with the men's growling bass. When the street song was almost
conquered, they began to stamp and whistle down by the door. The
Salvation Army song sank like a wounded warrior. The noise was
terrifying. The women fell on their knees.

They knelt as if powerless. Their eyes were closed. Their bodies
rocked in silent pain. The noise died down. The Salvation Army
captain began instantly: "Lord, all these Thou wilt make Thine own.
We thank Thee, Lord, that Thou wilt lead them all into Thy host! We
thank Thee, Lord, that it is granted to us to lead them to Thee!"

The crowd hissed, howled, screamed. It was as if all those throats
had been tickled by a sharp knife. It was as if the people had been
afraid to be won over, as if they had forgotten that they had come
there of their own will.

But the woman continued, and it was her sharp, piercing voice which
conquered. They had to hear.

"You shout and scream; the old serpent within you is twisting and
raging. But that is just the sign. Blessings on the old serpent's
roarings! It shows that he is tortured, that he is afraid. Laugh at
us! Break our windows! Drive us away from the platform! To-morrow
you will belong to us. We shall possess the earth. How can you
withstand us? How can you withstand God?"

Then the captain commanded one of her comrades to come forward and
make her confession. She came smiling. She stood brave and undaunted
and told the story of her sin and her conversion to the mockers.
Where had that kitchen-girl learned to stand smiling under al