m truly glad he
made his escape."

"If you treat burglars in that way, this place will be overrun with them
before next winter."

"Of course I don't like the idea of having strange men prowling around
the house in the night; but there is nothing here for them to steal, and
I am certain they couldn't be wicked enough to hurt a poor old woman
like me. Instead of harbouring revengeful thoughts, we should endeavour
to do good to those who would injure us, remembering the words spoken on
the Mount, 'That ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on
the right cheek, turn to him the other also.'"

"If a feller went 'round doin' anything like that, I reckon he'd soon be
in worse shape than I am. Do you mean, aunt Dorcas, that I ought to have
stood still an' let that burglar have fun with me?"

"I can't think it was intended we should take the words literally; but
they certainly were meant that we should be forgiving,--that we should
love our enemies so heartily as to lead them from their evil ways. The
man who beat you so cruelly will never be brought into a better life by
harsh words. Now, I am going to put some arnica on these bruises; it
will hurt, but you must try to bear the pain manfully."

"Don't be afraid of me, aunt Dorcas. You couldn't do anything that would
make me yip."

The little woman treated Joe's wounds with such simple remedies as she
had near at hand, and then proceeded to bandage his head, until but
little more than his eyes and mouth could be seen, striving, meanwhile,
to show him how much better the world would be for his having lived in
it, if he would govern himself strictly by the Golden Rule.

During all the while she was putting the many bandages in place, Joe was
saying to himself that now was come the time when he should make that
confession he had decided upon, and, although aunt Dorcas had said so
much concerning the blessedness of forgiving those who have done us an
injury, he did not believe she would so far carry her precepts into
practice as to be willing to shelter one who appeared to be as great a
criminal as himself.

"I believe, Joseph, I have done all that is possible to-night," the
little woman finally said, as she fastened in place the last bandage.
"You are not to get up in the morning until after I have made certain
you are in no danger of a fever. Now, go to your room, and if you think
George may disturb you, I'll put him in the spare chamber."

"Wait a minute, au