espair, who had now put in his
appearance with suggestions to give up all, go back into sin, quit
professing, and be an open sinner.

"Why try it any longer?" said Despair. "You can never face your
neighbors again. Give up. Give up. You have tried, and you have
failed. You are a failure. Your reputation is gone. You can never live
for Christ in this neighborhood. Get even with Newbys."

No sooner did Robert resolve, with holy determination, to defeat
Despair and pray, than he got upon his knees. And there, at the
doorway of his future home, he poured out his heart before Almighty
God, and vowed he would not go back any farther than he was, and that
he would strive, with all his heart, to do God's will.

As the sun began to go down behind the hills to the west of him,
Robert started home. Flecks of cloudlets began to redden, and the
denser strata of clouds took on a deep purple, as the western sky
blazed out in a marvel of beauty. And Robert thought, truly, that
"the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his
handiwork"; why could not man glorify Him better?

Mary saw at once that Robert wore a troubled expression on his face.
Robert saw that Mary sensed that something was wrong. As soon as he
could, he went in and sat by Mary's side.

"Mary, dear, I know that you will be ashamed of me, when I tell you
what I have done," said Robert.

"My, Robert, what have you done?" cried Mary, "you look so troubled
and gloomy."

"Mary, I am sorry to tell you what I have done, but I will hide
nothing and will tell you all about it," said he. "You remember that
chickenhouse we prevented Jake from moving that day? Well, he met me
at the place today and called me a liar and said that I had insulted
his father. Before I hardly knew what I was doing I hit Jake and we
had a fight. I finally beat him, and he promised to behave. I felt
just like giving up, Mary, and never trying to serve the Lord any
more. But I promise you, dear, that I will not go back." And great big
tears of hearty contrition rolled down Robert's face, and Mary, all
tears too, lovingly wiped his tears away.

"I do not know if you can have confidence in me or not, Mary, after
this, but I expect to rise above it, God helping me," said Robert,
when he could speak.

"I recognize that I have done wrong," he continued. "What shall I do
about it?"

"You must forgive Jake, and Mr. Newby too, Robert," said Mary. "The
Scriptures are plain: 'But if