“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 is my ambition to be an example of God’s keeping power.  I wish to so live that holiness may be established as truth in this community.  I want my life to tell for Jesus.”

Robert decided that the sooner he went the better it would be; so he drove to Jake’s house at once.  Jake was greatly surprised to see Robert drive up and greeted him very surlily.

“Jake, I have come over to ask your forgiveness for striking and fighting you this afternoon.  I did wrong.  Pardon me.  I am sorry I gave way, Jake.  And say, Jake, if you want that chickenhouse, just come and get it.  It is too small for the number of chickens Mary intends to raise, anyway.  You can have it, Jake, freely, gladly.  What’s a chickenhouse between friends?

“The Lord made me feel very guilty over this affair, Jake,” continued Robert.  “At first I thought I would give up entirely, but Jake, I cannot do that.  The Lord has done too much for me and my wife, and—­well, others are counting on me.  I want to make everything right; so you will feel perfectly free to visit me any time you wish.  Praise God!  I feel better, Jake.  Will you forgive me?” And Robert stretched out his hand toward Jake.  Jake took it, and there, in that happy twilight hour, a grudge and a sin were laid in a grave of oblivion, never to be resurrected.

CHAPTER NINE

THE GOOD RESULTS OF AN HONEST CONFESSION

The confession of Robert Davis to Jake Newby set Jake’s household all agog.  They had never heard of such a thing before.  When Jake had arrived home from his encounter he had told Kate, his wife, all about it, coloring it in his own favor.