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 ye forgive not men their trespasses,
neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses' (Matt.
6:15). Can you forgive them?"

"Yes, by God's help, I forgive them. I do," said Robert.

"Should you not also make confession to Jake Newby for fighting him?"
asked Mary. "And then give him that chickenhouse if he still demands
it. 'Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give
him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head'
(Romans 12:20). And to break the power of the grudge, why not obey
Matt. 5:23, 24: 'Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and
there remember that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there
thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy
brother, and then come and offer thy gift.'"

"Well, Jake is not a brother, Mary," said Robert, "but the Scriptures
point out the best way to recover. I feel so ashamed, Mary, after
standing up for a holy life and then failing this way. But I feel that
following the Word of truth will be the quickest way to recovery. It