"It is quite surprising to me, James, that you cannot readily explain
this part of the Bible, for you have done little else all your life
but study the Bible. At any rate, let it rest for to-night; you will,
no doubt, get the right thought more readily after a good night's
sleep."

The pastor rather reluctantly followed his wife out of the room and
up stairs. He would have preferred to solve this knotty problem before
retiring. He lay awake a long time thinking deeply, and the more he
thought the more firmly he believed that Walter was right in his
conclusions that the first narrative was the true one. Then the thought
came; if this is correct, it will turn the whole world into confusion,
for everybody believes in the dust man; in fact, every clergyman I
know of is preaching the gospel from this standpoint.

It was after midnight before he finally went to sleep.

Walter, also, lay awake some time, but he was not trying to solve the
question of which was the true narrative; he had fully satisfied himself
in regard to this. What he was trying to do was to think of some way
to convince his father and mother in regard to it.




CHAPTER VIII

THE THIRD LESSON