Halsey was disturbed.  “Thou canst not really have such a desire,” he said severely.

“Why not?  A great deal that he preaches is just the same as what you preach, Angel.”

He saw that she was in a turbulent mood, and that grieved him; but as for her request, he could not believe it to be serious.

“Thou art speaking idle words,” he said with a sigh, and he rose to go out.

“You have not answered me.  Why shouldn’t I hear him when you agree that much that he says is true?”

“He is in the camp of those whom Satan has stirred up to do us injury.  That which thou callest truth in his mouth is but the form of godliness, for it is clear that if God be with those who fight against us he cannot be with us.”

Something in the expression of her face brought him now a more distinct feeling of alarm.  His nature was singularly direct.  He had scarcely finished his meditative argument ere he sought to clinch its purport, and, stepping near, he laid his hand gently upon her shoulder.

“Dost thou doubt, Susannah, that God is with us?”

The crimson colour mounted from her cheeks and spread over her white brow.  It was as if Angel had asked what he never had asked, whether she loved him or not, whether all her thoughts and feelings were loyal.  She knew that for him there was no line of separation between life and love, and love and religion.  She was careful for him always, as a mother is for a delicate child, as a sick nurse is for a patient.  She could not have endured to give him the pain of hearing her denial, even if such denial would have expressed her attitude truly.

“Indeed, Angel, I—­I know that you—­” she faltered.

The trouble in his face was growing.  “Has not God made the signs of his presence clear to us, and even visible before our eyes?  If thou shouldst deny the outward signs, is it not by his grace that we live?  Susannah, dost thou think that it is in me by nature to bear with the infirmities and murmurings of our people as I bear with them daily—­babes as they are, learning, but not yet having learned, to live at peace with one another?  Or dost thou think that it is in me to forgive daily the outrageous acts and words of our enemies, trying as they do to injure our innocent brothers, or even our prophet himself?  Yet, Susannah” (his voice was stirred with emotion), “I would bear witness to thee that every day, as I pray, the anger is taken out of my heart, and I can deal with these very men in the spirit of love.”

Standing erect before him, confused and distressed, she made another effort to soothe, even taking his hand from her shoulder and trying to caress it between her own, but so tense was the question in his mind that his fingers were limp and unresponsive to her touch.

“I know all that you would say, Angel; I know that you are good; I know that our people, although they have many faults, are trying to do right, and I believe that the people in other sects around us are far more wicked, but—­Mr. Finney is not like that.”