“Let him go,” he said briefly; and there was that in the tone that caused the astonished old man to loose his hold, and stand gazing in awe and amaze at the youthful face, kindling with its strange look of resolve and authoritative power.

It seemed as though the possessed boy felt the power himself; for though his open eyes took in no answering impression from the scenes around him, his arms fell suddenly to his side.  The struggles ceased, he made no attempt to move; whilst Raymond laid the crucifix against his brow, and said in a low voice: 

“In the Name of the Holy Son of God, in the Name of the Blessed Jesus, I forbid you to go.  Awake from that unhallowed sleep!  Call upon the Name of all names.  He will hear you —­ He will save you.”

His eyes were fixed upon the trembling boy; his face was shining with the light of his own implicit faith; his strong will braced itself to the fulfilment of the task set him to do.  Confident that what the Father bid him accomplish, that he could and must fulfil, Raymond did indeed resemble some pictured saint on painted window, engaged in conflict with the Evil One; and when with a sudden start and cry the boy woke suddenly to the sense of passing things, perhaps it was small wonder that he sank at Raymond’s feet, clasping him round the knees and sobbing wildly his broken and incoherent words: 

“O blessed Saint George —­ blessed and glorious victor! thou hast come to me a second time to strengthen and to save.  Ah, leave me not!  To thee I give myself; help, O help me to escape out of this snare, which is more cruel than that of death itself!  I will serve thee ever, blessed saint.  I will be thine in life and death!  Only fight my battle with the devil and his host, and take me for thine own for ever and ever.”

Raymond kindly lifted him up, and laid him upon the bed again.

“I am no saint,” he said, a little shamefacedly; “I am but a youth like thyself.  Thou must not pray to me.  But I will help thee all I may, and perchance some day, when this yoke be broken from off thy neck, we will ride forth into the world together, and do some service there for those who are yet oppressed and in darkness.”

“I will follow thee to the world’s end, be thou who thou mayest!” exclaimed the boy ecstatically, clasping his thin hands together, whilst a look of infinite peace came into his weary eyes.  “If thou wouldest watch beside my bed, then might I sleep in peace.  He will not dare to come nigh me; his messengers must stand afar off, fearing to approach when they see by whom I am guarded.”

It was plainly useless to try to disabuse Roger of the impression that his visitor was other than a supernatural one, and Raymond saw that with the boy’s mind so enfeebled and unhinged he had better let him think what he would.  He simply held the crucifix over him once again, and said, with a calm authority that surprised even himself: