bushes and asked God to protect you. Do you remember it?'

"'As if it had been yesterday,' said the minister. 'But, my good
friend-what do you know about it?'

"'Far more than you do,' said the sick man sadly. _I heard that prayer_.
I was crouching among the bushes nearby, with my rifle pointed at your
heart. I had planned to kill you, take the money, and ride away on your
pony. But while you were praying something passed between us; I did not
know what it was, but I believed that God had sent it to protect you. I
sat in those bushes, too weak to pull the trigger, and watched you ride
away--perfectly helpless to do any harm to you. But it has haunted me
ever since--the thought of what I wanted to do, and what I should have
done if God had not answered your prayer. I could not meet God without
telling you all this. Can you forgive me?'

"Again William grasped the hand of the dying man, saying in a husky
voice, 'My friend, as God has forgiven my sins, I freely forgive you.
Ask now for God's forgiveness, and be at peace.'

"The minister stayed with the man for some time, talking and praying
with him; until at last the light shone in his dark soul, and God forgave
his sins.

"He died soon after that, and William Sutherland was asked to preach his
funeral sermon. He chose as his text those words from the book of Proverbs:
'Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy
paths.'"