"Even so; for our learned Christopher sayeth, and I agree with him, that a newer, better order will follow. The comet seemeth again to be moving toward the sun as if to effect conjunction with it in the middle line. This foretelleth that the comet, the evil, shall be swallowed up by the sun, the source of light and life. Thus the darkness of sin shall disappear from the face of the earth and the light of His grace, and mercy shall shine forever from the hearts of men." "Even so, Lord, let it be," said our leader most solemnly, "let thy kingdom come quickly." To which we all responded in equal solemnity, "Amen." And then just as we were about to take our way back to our _Kammers_, there arose without the slightest warning such a savage, blood-freezing, wailing cry from the woods hard by us, that by one accord each gripped the other by the arm as if in the presence of some awful, common danger, my poor Sonnlein rushing into mine arms almost speechless with terror. In truth, each for the time was paralyzed with that cry that sounded like the wail of a soul in the torments of the damned. Finally, Brother Gabriel whispered, his teeth chattering so that he could scarcely utter a word, "'Twas the Evil One, he knoweth his end is nigh." "Doth not Revelation say Satan is to be bound and thrust into the bottomless pit?" gasped Brother Beissel. "Heard ye not the clanking of the chains?" whispered Brother Onesimus. "What was't, _Vaterchen_?" whispered Sonnlein, who was still shivering in my embrace. "Some wild beast that hath strayed nigh;" for in my hermit days I had more than once heard the panther's terrifying howl, in the darkness of the night. "Was't an Indian, _Vaterchen_?" "Nay, my son," replied Brother Enoch for me, "the Indians are at peace with us. 'Twas no human voice." "Was't some wild beast, thinkest thou?" asked Brother Gabriel. "Nay, it sounded not so to me; I know not what it was. It is a great mystery to me," replied Brother Enoch slowly, which was a great deal for our clear-headed brother to admit. "'Twas the cry of the Evil One, naught else," declared Brother Jephune. "And in this I agree with thee," solemnly spake our leader; "great and gracious is our Lord to show us these marvelous signs of his coming. Let us go to our rest in peace and gladness, and await the dawn of his kingdom in the earth." And so we went full of such devout hopes to our narrow cells; but somehow I could not shake from my mind that the cry came from our old enemy, the witch. CHAPTER XVI A FAR JOURNEY With God--over the sea; Without him--not over the threshold. --Russian Proverb.