l you what the play was, my
brain was in such a whirl. But I laughed and talked and Guy was
satisfied."

She sighed wearily as she laid aside her ornaments, and the tempter ever
ready to take advantage, whispered to Agnes, "_She_ suffers for her
brother's sake, but _you_ will not."

"No, not even for Guy, if it displeases the Lord. I must not let this
move me," was the quick response.

There was no more said by the sisters that night. Agnes longed to help
Ruth back to peace of mind, but Ruth did not seem disposed to enter into
conversation, so there was only one way in which to do it, and her
sister's case was given over to the One who alone can ease the burdened
conscience, and Agnes slept undisturbed.

Ruth knelt as usual before retiring, but she could not reach up through
faith to grasp the blessed promises; something kept her down and widened
the distance between her and the Saviour. No sweet assurance came, for
there had been other thoughts before those of pleasing Him. She had
acted according to her own judgment and pursued the course she thought
best. She had not the comfort of knowing that He directed her paths,
because she had not in all her ways acknowledged Him.

"I think it is the hardest thing I have to overcome, Ruth," said Agnes,
as she came down quite late and found breakfast ready. She felt
condemned and dissatisfied with herself, not knowing what to do, having
prayed about it so often.

"How do you pray?" inquired Ruth, rather amused at her sister's
distress.

"Why, I ask the Lord in faith to help me to get up."

"That is, you expect the Lord to set you right out on the floor?"

"O, Ruth, you are making fun."

"Indeed, I am in earnest; that seems to be what you expect. Now if I
prayed about it, I should ask that I might have my senses about me when
I was called, so that I might think what I ought to do, and _do_ it.
That is about as much as the Lord will do, and then if we fail, the
fault is our own."

"Will you call me to-morrow whenever you waken, Ruth? I must have been
making a mistake all along."

After that there was no more difficulty, and Ruth told her she was to be
envied, having overcome her last failing.

"I wish I had," was the earnest reply, "but I have any number of faults
that you do not see."

"Then I should not call them by such a hard name, if they were modest
enough not to thrust themselves out to public gaze."

"You would not? It is only grace that keeps them with