“No; I had an awful struggle with my conscience last night, after my talk with Inez and with the poor captain, but the evil triumphed in me, despite all I could do. The fight was still going on, being renewed this morning, and I had about yielded to Satan, when she came and spoke to me. That,” said Fred Sanders, with a compression of the lips, “has settled it forever. I am now your friend, and I am ready to give up my life for the safety of you and her, hoping that heaven will take it, with my repentance, as some atonement for the many sins I have committed.”
CHAPTER XXXIII
THE PURSUIT
There are two angels within us forever struggling for the mastery: One is the angel of darkness, and the other of light––of evil and of good.
They had waged their battle in the heart of Fred Sanders for a long time, and too often did the restraining spirit fold her hands over her face and withdraw in sorrow at the triumph of the other. But the final struggle––the decisive warfare––was now ended, and the beauteous countenance of the good angel was radiant with hope and courage, for a soul had been saved.
Abram Storms smiled with pleasure as he looked upon the manly young fellow, and he was filled with delight at the resolution shown by him.
“There is no shrinking or trembling there,” said Storms to himself. “He means every word he says, and he will stick to the end.”