friend to me. I have no friends because of the way they persecute
Joseph."

Susannah turned in incredulous wrath and tramped, young and haughty, to
the outer door. The first drops of a heavy shower were falling; she
hesitated.

"But tell her about the witnesses, Emmar." Old Lucy stood half-way
between the bed and the door, making nods and becks in her excited
desire that Susannah should be impressed. "For when the dear Lord saw
that folks wouldn't b'lieve Joseph, He didn't leave him without
witnesses."

Susannah, stopped by the weather, felt more willing to conciliate. She
returned gloomily within the sound of Emma's gentle voice.

"It was Mr. Cowdery and Mr. Whitmer and Mr. Harris," Emma said. "Mr.
Cowdery and Mr. Whitmer saw the gold plates held in the air, as it were
by hands they couldn't see, but Martin Harris he had to withdraw himself
because he couldn't see the vision, and he went away by himself and
sobbed and cried. But Joseph went and put his arm around him and prayed
that his faith might be strengthened, and then he saw it. So they three
have written their testimony in the front of the book that's being
printed."

A storm had now broken upon the house in torrents. The door was shut.
Emma wrapped her child closer in her shawl. Susannah sat sulky and
disconsolate. She had a vague idea that the vengeance of heaven was
overtaking her for merely listening to such heresy. Over against this
was a shadowy doubt whether it might not be true, roused by Emma's