"Sit down, my boy," he said kindly; "your father has told us everything you wished us to know. You must have been very unhappy lately, with so much on your mind. But you are going to turn over a new leaf. You have been on the wrong road. Thank God you can retrace your footsteps and start afresh—not in your own strength this time." Gerald cast a grateful glance at his uncle, who during supper did his very best to keep up the conversation which, however, in spite of his efforts, continually flagged. Mr. Willis looked depressed, and very different from his usually cheery self; Angel had great difficulty in restraining her tears; whilst Gerald was fully conscious that he had quite spoilt the happiness and pleasure of his father and uncle's home-coming. The following morning Mr. Willis gave his son the money to pay all he owed to Reginald Hope, so he was able to free himself from debt at last, and returned home from school with a lighter heart than he had had for many weeks. He had another cause for which to be thankful—Tom Mickle had told him that Dora was much better, and able to rise from bed. In the course of a few days she was about again, and by the time the summer holidays arrived, had regained her health and strength. Angel and Gerald had one long talk together concerning his delinquencies; he confided in her how he had been led into the path of deception and lies, and promised her to speak the truth and act honourably for the future. Angel thought he meant to keep his word, and she was right. He knew it would be some time before his relatives and friends would regain their faith in him, and the thought that they were unable to trust him was very bitter and humiliating. The poor boy was learning by experience that evil-doing always brings its own punishment, and that we are bound to bear the consequences of our sins, even though we have repented and obtained forgiveness. Hitherto, Gerald had always thought of himself first, but now he was endeavouring to be thoughtful for others, especially with the sister who had borne with him so long. The Mickle children said amongst themselves that Gerald Willis was much nicer than he used to be, and accordingly treated him with far more geniality than they had done in the days when they had constantly been brought face to face with his selfishness and his determination to insure his own comfort and pleasure at any cost. Gerald had a hard battle to fight in the new path he had solemnly vowed to himself to tread; his old associates at school were not easily dropped, and the new ones he tried to make were shy of his advances. Many were the temptations that beset him; but those who loved him knew that he would not fall by the way, for he had gone for assistance to the one Friend who never fails us: he had found Jesus, and no longer stood alone. CHAPTER XXVII Five Months Later