"Don't let anything keep you from Christ."
And finally he resolved, hard as it would be, that he would go to Mr. Wynn the first thing in the morning and tell him the story and accept the consequences. Now it never occurred to him that as a Christian man, Mr. Wynn was bound to forgive a repenting brother, and unite his own prayers with his for the forgiveness of a holy God. Of course it didn't! Mr. Wynn's life was not calculated to awaken any such thought. A man to whom business and religion are entirely distinct affairs is likely to have a great deal of the one and very little of the other, and to be the last person who would kneel down in his private office and pray for an erring clerk. So Perry made up his mind to face his anger; at least he thought he made it up; but he forgot to plead with Christ for help that his steps should not falter, that his courage might not fail, that Satan might be restrained from throwing any further hindrances in his path.
He went down to breakfast and drank his coffee in silence, until Mr. Morse addressed him—
"Perry, have you ever spoken to any one about that black horse that I sold to Davis? I mean about any defect in him."
"No, sir, I think not," replied Perry, wondering.
Mrs. Morse laughed as she said—
"I don't think you needed to ask that question. Did you ever in your life know Perry to acknowledge that anything he had an interest in was not quite perfect?"
"I know he is a great boaster of his own perfections," replied the father. "I shouldn't wonder though if somebody might find a flaw or two in him if they looked sharp. Eh, Perry! But about the horse. It will be just as well if you don't know anything about it. Understand?"
"Not quite. Why?"
"Nothing, only Davis threatens to sue for damages, so I hear. He asked no questions about the horse, and I wasn't bound to tell all I knew unless asked. That's what Lawyer Bradford says. Davis had known the horse longer than I had. It was raised within two or three miles of his place. If he should make a fuss, it would be as well if you know nothing about it."