Perry Morse stood a little apart during this talk, and as Mr. Wynn moved away he said, following him—
"Sir, I didn't go to church last night. I wasn't well this morning. That's how I was late."
"Never mind. I was a little worried over a missing letter, and spoke a little sharper than I intended. But how is it that you didn't go to church? Aren't you one of them?"
"No, sir."
"Ah, better go with the rest, Perry. Little as I approve of what are called revival meetings, I would not for the world hinder any one from becoming a Christian."
"You've hindered me," thought Perry as he went forward to show the laces to a wealthy customer.
And so Perry Morse drew back. His father wondered why it was that in this ingathering his son was left out, and as months went by, Mr. Wynn complained of Perry's dissipated habits, and neither of them dreamed how near he had come to the gate of the kingdom, nor suspected that they had helped to turn him back to indifference and sin.
[CHAPTER XVIII.]
TROUBLES.
"I dared not look on the long way before;
I dared not look on the dark way behind."