The Witness, Grace Livingston Hill Lutz [the little red hen ebook .TXT] 📗

How Could Anybody Forgive All I've Done! You Don't

Know Anything About Such Things"--Half Contemptuously.--"You've Always

Been Goody-Good! I Can See It In Your Look. You Don't Know What It Is To

Have Men Making Fools Of Themselves Over You! You Don't Know All I've

Done! I've Been What They Call A Sinner! I Sent Away The Only Man I Ever

Loved Because I Was _Jealous Of God_! I Broke The Heart Of The Man Who

Loved Me Because I Got Tired Of Him And His Everlasting Perfection! I

Hated The Idea Of Being A Mother,  And When My Child Came I Deserted Her!

I Would Have Killed Her If I Had Dared! I Went Away With A Bad Man! And

When I Got Tired Of Him I Took The First Way That Opened To Get Away

From Him! God Doesn't Forgive Things Like That! I Didn't Expect He Would

When I Did Them. But It Wasn't Fair Not To Let Me Live Out My Life! I'm

Too Young To Die! And I'm Afraid! I'm Afraid!"

 

"Yes. God Forgives All Those Things! There Was A Woman Once Who Had Been

Like That,  And Jesus Forgave Her. He Will Forgive You If You Ask Him.

But He Can't Forgive You Unless You Are Sorry And Really Want Him To. He

Says,  'Though Your Sins Be As Scarlet They Shall Be As White As Snow;

And Though They Be Red Like Crimson,  They Shall Be As Wool,' But You

Have To Be Sorry First That You Sinned. He Can't Forgive You If You

Aren't Sorry."

 

"Sorry! _Sorry!_" Gila's Laugh Rang Out Mirthlessly And Echoed In The

High,  White Room. "Oh,  I'm _Sorry_,  All Right! What Do You Think I Am?

Do You Think I've Been _Happy_? Don't You Know That I've Suffered

Torments? Everything Has Turned To Ashes That I've Touched! I've Gone

Everywhere And Done Everything To Try To Forget Myself,  But Always There

Was That Awful Presence Chasing Me! Standing In My Way Everywhere I

Turned! Driving Me! Always Driving Me Toward Hell! I've Tried Drowning

My Thoughts With Cocktails And Dope,  But Always When It Wore Off There

Would Be The Presence Of God Pursuing Me! Do You Mean To Tell Me There

Is Forgiveness For Me With Him?"

 

Her Breath Was Coming In Painful Gasps As She Screamed Out The Words As

The Nurse Leaned Over And Gave Her A Quieting Draught.

 

Bonnie,  In A Low,  Clear Voice,  Began To Repeat Bible Verses:

 

     "The Blood Of Jesus Christ His Son Cleanseth Us From _All_

     Sin!

 

     "As Far As The East Is From The West,  So Far Hath He Removed

     Our Transgressions From Us.

 

     "I,  Even I,  Am He That Blotteth Out Thy Transgressions For

     Mine Own Sake,  And Will Not Remember Thy Sins.

 

     "If We Confess Our Sins He Is Faithful And Just To Forgive

     Us Our Sins And To Cleanse Us From All Unrighteousness."

 

Gila Listened With Wondering,  Incredulous Eyes,  Like The Eyes Of A

Frightened,  Naughty Child Who Scarcely Understood What Was Being Said

And Was In A Frenzy Of Fear.

 

"Oh,  If Paul Courtland Were Here He Would Tell Me If This Is True!" Gila

Cried At Last.

 

Instantly,  From Out The Shadow Of The Doorway,  Stepped Courtland,  And

Stood At The Foot Of The Bed Where She Could See Him,  Looking Steadily

At The Dying Girl For A Moment,  And Then Lifting His Eyes,  As If To One

Who Stood Just Beside Her:

 

"O Jesus Christ! Who Came To Save,  Come Close To This Poor Little

Wandering Child Of Thine And Show Her That She Is Forgiven! Take Her

Gently By The Hand And Help Her To See Thee,  How Loving Thou Art! Help

Her To Understand How Thou Didst Come To Earth And Die To Take Her Place

Of Punishment So That She Might Be Forgiven! Open Her Eyes To Comprehend

What Love Like That Can Be!"

 

Gila Turned Startled Eyes On Courtland As She Heard His Voice,  Strong,

Beseeching,  Tender,  Intimate With God! She Lay Listening,  Watching His

Illumined Face As He Prayed. Watched And Listened As One Who Suddenly

Sees A Ray Of Light Where All Was Darkness; Till Gradually The Tenseness

And Pain Faded From Her Face And A Surprised Calm Came To Take Its

Place.

 

The Strong Voice Went On,  Talking With The Saviour About What He Had

Done For This Poor Erring One,  Till With A Sigh,  Like A Tired Child,  The

Eyelids Dropped Over Her Frightened Eyes And A Look Of Peace Began To

Dawn.

 

While The Prayer Had Been Going On,  Tennelly,  With His Little Girl In

His Arms,  Had Slipped Silently Into The Room And Stood With Bowed Head

Looking With Anguished Eyes At The Wreck Of The Beautiful Girl Who Was

Once His Wife.

 

Suddenly,  As If Alive To Subtle Influences,  Gila Opened Her Great Eyes

Again And Looked Straight At Tennelly And The Baby! A Dart Of

Consciousness Came Into Her Gaze And Something Like A Wave Of Anguish

Passed Over Her Face. She Made A Piteous,  Helpless Movement With The

Little Jeweled Hands That Lay Limply On The Coverlet,  And Murmured One

Word,  With Pleading In Her Eyes:

 

"Forgive!"

 

Courtland Had Ceased Praying And The Room Was Very Still Till Bonnie,

Just Outside The Door,  Began To Sing,  Softly:

 

     "Rock Of Ages,  Cleft For Me,

      Let Me Hide Myself In Thee!

      Let The Water And The Blood

      From Thy Riven Side Which Flowed

      Be Of Sin The Double Cure,

      Save Me From Its Guilt And Power!"

Chapter 35 Pg 198

Suddenly Little Doris,  Who Had Been Looking Down,  With Wondering Baby

Solemnity On The Strange Scene,  Leaned Forward And Pointed To The Bed.

 

"Pitty Mamma Dawn As'eep!" She Said,  Softly; And With A Groan Tennelly

Sank With Her To His Knees Beside The Bed. Courtland,  Kneeling A Little

Way Off,  Spoke Out Once More:

 

"Lord Jesus,  The Saviour Of The World,  We Leave Her With Thy Tender

Mercy!"

 

As If A Visible Sign Of Assent Had Been Asked,  The Setting Sun Suddenly

Dropped Lower,  Touching Into Blazing Glory The Golden Cross On The

Church,  And Threw Its Reflection Upon The Wall At The Head Of The Bed

Just Over The White Face Of The Dead.

 

The Baby Saw And Pointed Once Again. "Pitty! Pitty! Papa,  See!"

 

The Sorrowing Father Lifted His Eyes To The Golden Symbol Of Salvation,

And Courtland,  Standing At The Foot Of The Bed,  Said,  Softly:

 

"I Am The Resurrection And The Life: He That Believeth In Me,  Though He

Were Dead,  Yet Shall He Live."

 

 

 

 

The End

 

 

 

 

 

 

"_The Books You Like To Read At The Price You Like To Pay_"

 

 

 

 

_There Are Two Sides To Everything_--

 

     --Including The Wrapper Which Covers Every Grosset & Dunlap

     Book. When You Feel In The Mood For A Good Romance,  Refer To

     The Carefully Selected List Of Modern Fiction Comprising

     Most Of The Successes By Prominent Writers Of The Day Which

     Is Printed On The Back Of Every Grosset & Dunlap Book

     Wrapper.

 

     You Will Find More Than Five Hundred Titles To Choose

     From--Books For Every Mood And Every Taste And Every

     Pocket-Book.

 

     _Don't Forget The Other Side,  But In Case The Wrapper Is

     Lost,  Write To The Publishers For A Complete Catalog._

 

Chapter 35 Pg 199

     _There Is A Grosset & Dunlap Book For Every Mood And For

     Every Taste_

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edgar Rice Burrough's Novels

 

     May Be Had Wherever Books Are Sold. Ask For Grosset & Dunlap's List.

 

 

 

 

Tarzan The Untamed

 

Tells Of Tarzan's Return To The Life Of The Ape-Man In His Search For

Vengeance On Those Who Took From Him His Wife And Home.

 

 

 

 

Jungle Tales Of Tarzan

 

Records The Many Wonderful Exploits By Which Tarzan Proves His Right To

Ape Kingship.

 

 

 

 

A Princess Of Mars

 

Forty-Three Million Miles From The Earth--A Succession Of The Weirdest

And Most Astounding Adventures In Fiction. John Carter,  American,  Finds

Himself On The Planet Mars,  Battling For A Beautiful Woman,  With The

Green Men Of Mars,  Terrible Creatures Fifteen Feet High,  Mounted On

Horses Like Dragons.

 

 

 

 

The Gods Of Mars

 

Continuing John Carter's Adventures On The Planet Mars,  In Which He Does

Battle Against The Ferocious "Plant Men," Creatures Whose Mighty Tails

Swished Their Victims To Instant Death,  And Defies Issus,  The Terrible

Goddess Of Death,  Whom All Mars Worships And Reveres.

 

 

 

 

The Warlord Of Mars

 

Old Acquaintances,  Made In The Two Other Stories,  Reappear,  Tars Tarkas,

Tardos Mors And Others. There Is A Happy Ending To The Story In The

Union Of The Warlord,  The Title Conferred Upon John Carter,  With Dejah

Thoris.

 

 

 

 

Thuvia,  Maid Of Mars

 

The Fourth Volume Of The Series. The Story Centers Around The Adventures

Of Carthoris,  The Son Of John Carter And Thuvia,  Daughter Of A Martian

Emperor.

 

Grosset & Dunlap. Publishers,  New York

 

 

 

 

 

 

James Oliver Curwood's Stories Of Adventure

 

     May Be Had Wherever Books Are Sold. Ask For Grosset & Dunlap's List.

 

 

 

 

The River's End

 

A Story Of The Royal Mounted Police.

 

 

 

 

The Golden Snare

 

Thrilling Adventures In The Far Northland.

 

 

 

 

Nomads Of The North

 

The Story Of A Bear-Cub And A Dog.

 

 

 

 

Kazan

 

Chapter 35 Pg 200

The Tale Of A "Quarter-Strain Wolf And Three-Quarters Husky" Torn

Between The Call Of The Human And His Wild Mate.

 

 

 

 

Baree,  Son Of Kazan

 

The Story Of The Son Of The Blind Grey Wolf And The Gallant Part He

Played In The Lives Of A Man And A Woman.

 

 

 

 

The Courage Of Captain Plum

 

The Story Of The King Of Beaver Island,  A Mormon Colony,  And His Battle

With Captain Plum.

 

 

 

 

The Danger Trail

 

A Tale Of Love,  Indian Vengeance,  And A Mystery Of The North.

 

 

 

 

The Hunted Woman

 

A Tale Of A Great Fight In The "Valley Of Gold" For A Woman.

 

 

 

 

The Flower Of The North

 

The Story Of Fort O' God,  Where The Wild Flavor Of The Wilderness Is

Blended With The Courtly Atmosphere Of France.

 

 

 

 

The Grizzly King

 

The Story Of Thor,  The Big Grizzly.

 

 

 

 

Isobel

 

A Love Story Of The Far North.

 

 

 

 

The Wolf Hunters

 

A Thrilling Tale Of Adventure In The Canadian Wilderness.

 

 

 

 

The Gold Hunters

 

The Story Of Adventure In The Hudson Bay Wilds.

 

 

 

 

The Courage Of Marge O'doone

 

Filled With Exciting Incidents In The Land Of Strong Men And Women.

 

 

 

 

Back To God's Country

 

A Thrilling Story Of The Far North. The Great Photoplay Was Made From

This Book.

 

Grosset & Dunlap,  Publishers,  New York

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zane Grey's Novels

 

     May Be Had Wherever Books Are Sold. Ask For Grosset & Dunlap's List.

 

 

 

 

     The Man Of The Forest

     The Desert Of Wheat

     The U.P. Trail

     Wildfire

     The Border Legion

     The Rainbow Trail

     The Heritage Of The Desert

     Riders Of The Purple Sage

     The Light Of