William sat opposite to the tempter, but did not once raise his eyes to meet those he felt were resting upon him.  He trembled.  It was almost beyond the power of childish resolution to resist the dark power that was ready to impose a bond which would have sealed his ruin; but he had learned too much of the true wisdom taught in the Bible to surrender willingly to the influence of evil.  He felt the weakness of his own heart, but knew also from whence only help could come.  He continued to work in silence at the shoe he was making, but at the same time he lifted up his heart in prayer:  “Heavenly Father, suffer me not to be led into temptation,” was the fervent petition which issued from the secret chamber of the inner shrine; and He who seeth in secret heard and answered.

Jem Taylor, mistaking his silence for assent, went on:  “You have it harder than any ’prentice boy I ever saw.  Not a chap in all New York would put up with such victuals as you get; and then to be rated and called a thief because you stole a drop of milk for the poor kitten, was too outrageous!  Such people as these deserve nothing better than to have lies told them every hour in the day; and, besides, I would help myself to whatever I could find in the cupboard,—­pay yourself, boy, for the money the old woman borrows.”

“O my dear mother!” thought William, “when you so often told me of the temptations I should meet with in the world, I could hardly believe it; but now I know what it is to be tempted, and that if left to myself I must fall.”

Finding he still did not answer, Jem, nowise discouraged, went on:  “A day or two since, when the old woman went to market, she forgot the key of the cupboard and left it in the lock, and the door swung most invitingly open.  There was a cut pie and a plate of cakes.  I told you to go quickly and help yourself, for no one would see you, and I would not tell.  It was but fair you should take the worth of your money; but you were too great a blockhead.  You looked at the good things there, and came away empty-handed.  Strange, you would steal milk for the cat, and scruple to take a cake (which, I am sure, you earn hardly enough) for yourself.”

William now raised his eyes, and as he looked straight into the face of Jem Taylor, the latter could not bear the bright and radiant holy expression lent them by the influence of truth, with which his soul was filled.  It was now his turn to look down and work in silence, while the boy was speaking.

“Jem,” said he, “I did not steal the milk; I told Mrs. Burton about the kitten, and she gave it to me.  And when you wanted me to take the cakes, you did say that no one would see me, and that you would not tell.  I steal, Jem!  No, I could not steal if I were starving; for although assured that no man saw me, where could I go to escape the searching eye of God?  I saw the closet open, and the way clear, but I felt no wish to take what was not my own; I was hungry, and the pie tempting, but my conscience, like a strong man, held me back.  No, Jem, my mother told me that our heavenly Father numbers every hair of our heads, and I will never run away, lie, nor steal; and no distress shall make me willingly wander from the right path; living or dying, I will try to keep all his commandments, and leave all my affairs to Him who cannot do wrong.”