For, among the whirling of forms, fists striking, bodies hurled right and left, Virginia, bold of heart as she was, and used to brutal scenes in the Rectangle in years past, was in deep peril. Stanton cleared a circle about her. It closed up again. By the use of tremendous strength, he defended her again and again from mad rushes that would have hurled her to the ground. He put his arm around her, and with one word and look, she understood her great peril and his necessary act.

Indeed, it is probably true that Virginia, during that tremendous week she had known Stanton, had come so fast along the path of her affection and feeling for Mr. Maxwell’s assistant, that Stanton’s protection at this unexpected crisis came like a culmination of weeks rather than days of acquaintance. At that moment, it seemed to Virginia that she had always known Stanton. And as his arm encircled her and she felt his tremendous strength and courage exerted all for herself, a perfect thrill of pride and joy in him possessed her.

Once he staggered and almost fell. She cried out and pulled at him with both hands. Blood was flowing over his face, and his coat had been torn off. The mob was fighting for its life regardless of any one. Infuriated, trampling, and roaring, it swept up and down and around in great eddying circles of fury.

And then, when even Stanton, with all his courage, had despaired of safety for Virginia and himself, a voice came over the multitude, resonant, commanding, and calm. It rose clear and distinct, deeply fascinating, seeming to catch up and enclose all the savage clamor and rage of the people.

It was the voice of Jesus. Stanton wiped the blood out of his eyes and looked. He stood near the place where the woman had held up the little blind girl. He was now holding the child in his own arms, and on his face was a look of perfect triumph as he spoke to the multitude.

And as Stanton looked in amazement, he saw arms and fists that had been raised and striking, suddenly dropped. The roar of the mob died away. The wild rushing of bodies was stilled. Men glared at one another but no longer fought.

What had the voice said? “Peace! Be still!” Once he had said it as they waked him out of his needed sleep in the little boat on the wind-swept waves of Galilee. Now he was saying it here. And the mob was awed and stilled! What manner of man is this that can quiet a senseless mob of infuriated people?

In the struggle of the past minutes, Stanton and Virginia had been flung up within a few feet of him. He looked out over the multitude and smiled. Then he looked at Virginia and Stanton, and they felt in an instant that all love’s mystery, all their seemingly mutual appeal to each other, so brief in time but so deep and eternal, were fully comprehended and approved by him.