* * * * *

Long-forgotten was the enemy when it came the second time. On a dark
night when Five Points lay heavy in its slumbers, it bore down upon the
north side of the town. Some sensitive sleeper, troubled in his dreams,
awoke to see the dreadful red tongues cutting across the darkness like
crimson banners. His cries aroused the town. All the fathers rushed out
against the enemy. The mothers dressed their children and packed best
things in valises ready to flee when there was no longer any hope.

For three days and three nights the enemy raged, leaping in to eat up
one house, two houses, beaten back and back, creeping up in another
place, beaten back again. The school boys took beaters and screamed at
the enemy as they beat.

The older ones remembered the first coming of the enemy. They said, "It
was a warning!" They prayed while fear shook their aching arms. The Life
of the town writhed and gleams of colour came out of its writhings and a
whiteness as if the red tongues were cleansing away impurities.

The mill managers brought their men to fight the enemy. "We mustn't let
it go," they said. Mr. Stillman had his two sons helping him. He talked
to them while they fought the enemy together. He spoke of punishment for
sin. His sons listened while the lust of fighting held their bodies.

Helen Barton knelt at her father's feet where he was fighting the enemy
and swore she would never see Dr. Smelter again. She knew he was a bad
man and could never bring her happiness.

Lyda, eldest daughter in the Shelton family, gathered her little sisters
about her, quieting their clamours while her mother wrung her hands and
said over and over again, "To happen when your papa was getting on so
nicely!" Lyda resolved that she would put all thoughts of marrying out
of her head. She would have to stop keeping company with Ned Backus,
the hardware man's son. It was not fair to keep company with a man you
did not intend to marry. She would stay for ever with her mother and
help care for the children so that her father would have a peaceful home
life and not be tempted.

All about, wherever they were, people prayed. They prayed until there
was nothing left in their hearts but prayer as there was nothing left in
their bodies but a great tiredness.

Then a heavy rain came and the red tongues drank greedily until they
were slaked and became little short red flickers of light on a soaked
black groun