better company, you may leave, but you cannot expect me to accompany
you on so thorny and rough a path as this which you have so foolishly
proposed."

Strengthened by the remnants of Christian virtue yet within her, she
sprang to her feet and was about to execute her noble purpose of leaving
him. But a number of Mr. World's friends quickly rallied and
complimented Miss Church-Member on the good she had already done. "Mr.
World is a better man since he has known you," said one. "If you will
continue walking with him on his own level, no one can estimate the
amount of good you will yet do for him," hopefully spoke another.

These unexpected testimonies aroused anew her missionary spirit and
changed her thoughts to these yielding sentences:

"No sacrifice is too great, if victory but comes at last. If there is
hope that Mr. World will cease deceiving me and walk in the path of
truth, I will consent to be his companion still a little farther."

"There is every hope of that," smilingly returned Mr. World as he
suavely bowed to her and to the little group of companions who had
given him such timely help.

As I saw Mr. World and Miss Church-Member moving on, in closer
fellowship than ever, I waxed warm with indignation, and addressed
Blackana who was still lying at my side as motionless as the strata
of the rock-ribbed earth:

"Will you explain to me this folly of Miss Church-Member, who has not
only disgraced her cause before the fiendish Mr. World, but who also