Amer found it a much pleasanter occupation to listen to them than to the warnings of the stranger. But he did not know that as he talked, the expression of his face gradually altered, and the light from the Radiant City became dimmed to him. He was now full of himself, and talked freely about his experiences on the road; and the enemies which followed him just out of sight, but near enough to throw their darts through the chinks of his armour, which was beginning to hang about him loosely, laughed to themselves. The rule, which they always looked at before they started forth to warfare, "Get the man to talk of himself," had been most successfully obeyed. As the pilgrims turned a corner of the road they came in sight of a child sitting alone, and crying. A short time ago Amer would have gone to his aid at once and befriended him, for was he not one of the Brothers of Assistance? But now he looked around and at his glance one of the company took the matter in hand. "It is as well," thought Amer. "That is a work anyone can do, it does not require talent nor any special capability to attend to or help a child. Anyhow it is not my work, as it would be a waste of my powers. My business is to lead others: all these people are hanging on my words and I must not disappoint them." The people who thronged around Amer were not all of the same position of life. Some of them wore more costly garments than others, and their manner and conversation proved them to be superior in culture and intellect. An enemy with whom Amer had had to do while staying in Achshaph, took advantage of this fact to tempt him. "It will be to your advantage," he whispered, "to make much of these influential people." Amer did not recognize the voice of the enemy, so his sword lay idle in its scabbard, and he began to pay more attention to the cultured pilgrims than to the humbler ones among them. But at times he felt uneasy, and certain words he had read in the Guide Book recurred again and again to his mind: "'My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.'" "But," whispered the enemy, when he found Amer thinking of these words, "to be popular with these influential people means that you will attract a crowd to hear your good advice, and so it will help rather than hinder the King's work." And so, for awhile, Amer was noticed to spend much of his time with them, to the neglect of the poorer among the pilgrims, and so well did his enemies do their work, that he was quite unconscious that the Radiant City was growing dim to his eyes. But the young girl who had stayed to succour the child was before long seen hurrying after him with a face full of joy.