ment that when she had left this place
she might still correspond with Smith if he desired it. If it was part
of his eccentricity to be willing to listen to her, why should she not
be willing to speak, and thus keep his madness under control?

Smith, regarding her, caught the gracious look upon her face which had
opposed to him so often only a mask of reserve. His imaginative hopes
were always ready to magnify by many dimensions the smallest fact which
favoured them. His unsteady mind was fired by the presumption of some
triumph.

"Have not I, even the prophet of this great people, waited with great
patience? As the apostle saith, 'Let patience have her perfect work.'"

Susannah started and wondered.

"For behold I did not desire that our dear brother, Angel Halsey, should
go into the forefront of the battle, nor would I trouble the first grief
of thy widowhood, but behold I have waited."

"For what?" Her question came sharply. His tone had changed her mood
suddenly; a memory flashed on her of the ill-written letter which Emma
had shown her of the phrases concerning the spiritual "bride" or "guide"
who, even if all licence were denied to humbler folk, was to be a
prophet's special perquisite. "What have you been waiting for, Mr.
Smith?

"Nay, but I have waited, sister, until, having eyes, you should see, and
ears, you should hear, till you should understand that, going in and out
before this great people, it is necessary for me to seek wisdom in
counsel, and, above all, of a woman who hath a finer sense than man. And
it has been revealed to me, sister, that this may only be if thou
shouldst give the counsels of thy mind and the smile of thy beauty to me
alone and to none other, for that which is divided is not to be accepted
for the building up of the Church."

"You would have me believe that you have waited many years with the
virtue of patience before you say this? Understand yourself better. It
was not patience; it was fear. You have known perfectly well always that
I would never have listened to such a proposal for a moment. It has been
fear and prudence that have hitherto kept you silent. What is it that
has made you speak now?"

With sharp decisive tones she chid him as children are chidden in anger,
but childish as he often was, he had yet other elements in his
character; his blue eyes gave an answering flash that was ominous; the
droop of his attitude stiffened.

"That which is ordained by the Lord is