I will"--
Oh, Tip Lewis! God forgive you for the way in which you in your blind
rage have finished that sentence,--for the use which you have made of
that great Name, which above all others you profess to reverence and
fear! The awful word, once spoken, recalled him to himself: he
clapped both hands over his face and ran wildly up the hill, then
down out of sight.
The boys had all heard it. Howard, Ellis, Will Bailey, and a half-dozen
others, were just behind him.
Ellis Holbrook's pride rose high.
"There's your wonderful boy," he said, "who was so changed, and has
taken it upon himself to preach so many sermons to _me_. I'm sure I
never finished any of my angry speeches with an oath, if I _am_ so far
below him."
What an afternoon that was to Tip! he will _never_ forget it. He went
no farther than the great tree, which was budding out in spring
green. Down he sat on a stone, and once more covered his face with
his hands, and such a storm of rage and pain swept over him as he had
never known before.
How could he, how _could_ he have said that word?
Ever since he had learned to pray, he had been afraid of that
sin,--afraid he might forget, and go back to his old habits, and he had
watched and guarded his lips with such care and prayer.
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