"And the other day he hurt poor pussy's ears."
The little voice whispered,—"And the other day, when you were sick, he stayed away from the nutting party, and showed you pictures, and read to you;" and as fast as Nannie told of an unkind act, the little voice whispered of a kind one. But Nannie could not listen to-day to the friendly voice which had so often helped her out of her troubles.
After supper Jack said again, "Come, Nannie, let us be friends, won't you?"
Nannie had let the angry thoughts have dominion so long, that although she felt almost inclined to make it up with Jack, pride conquered, and she turned away without a word.
Poor Jack! he really loved his little sister very much, and had felt very sorry about the quarrel. It had cost a good deal of effort to go so far towards making it up, even though he knew he was to blame. But now, instead of being sorry, he was only angry, and turned away, saying, "Well, I can stand it as long as you can."
That night, as Nannie lay awake, the little voice that Nannie had neglected so long kept whispering, "Let not the sun go down upon thy wrath." She tried to think of something else, but it kept whispering, whispering.
"I don't see," she said, "why I need trouble myself so about it. Belle wouldn't mind it a bit."
When morning came, she felt better, and determined to think no more about it. But at prayers Dr. Merry read the sixth chapter of Matthew: "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses."
As her father read these verses, the little voice whispered once more, "Listen, listen;" and this time Nannie did listen; and when they all joined in the Lord's Prayer, it was with a trembling voice she said, "Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those that trespass against us."
That morning, as Jack started for school, Nannie ran after him, and overtook him just as he stepped into the wood-shed to find his knife, which as usual was missing.