. Who did this dreadful thing? Whose is
the sin?"

Ivan gazed at the noble face of his dying father and was silent. His
heart was too full for utterance.

"In the presence of God," the old man continued, "whose is the sin?"

It was only now that the truth began to dawn upon Ivan's mind, and that
he realized how foolish he had acted. He sobbed bitterly, and fell on
his knees before his father, and, crying like a child, said:

"My dear father, forgive me, for Christ's sake, for I am guilty before
God and before you!"

The old man transferred the lighted candle from his right hand to the
left, and, raising the former to his forehead, tried to make the sign of
the cross, but owing to weakness was unable to do so.

"Glory to Thee, O Lord! Glory to Thee!" he exclaimed; and turning his
dim eyes toward his son, he said: "See here, Ivanushka! Ivanushka, my
dear son!"

"What, my dear father?" Ivan asked.

"What are you going to do," replied the old man, "now that you have no
home?"

Ivan cried and said: "I do not know how we shall live now."

The old man closed his eyes and made a movement with his lips, as if
gathering his feeble strength for a final effort. Slowly opening his
eyes, he whispered:

"Should you live according to God's commands you will be happy and
prosperous again."

The old man was now silent for awhile and then, smiling sadly, he
continued:

"See here, Ivanushka, keep silent concerning this trouble, and do not
tell who set the village on fire. Forgive one sin of your neighbor's,
and God will forgive two of yours."

Grasping the candle with both hands, Ivan's father heaved a deep sigh,
and, stretching himself out on his back, yielded up the ghost.

*****

Ivan for once accepted his father's advice. He did not betray Gavryl,
and no one ever learned the origin of the fire.

Ivan's heart became more kindly disposed toward his old enemy, feeling
that much of the fault in connection with this sad affair rested with
himself.

Gavryl was greatly surprised that Ivan did not denounce him before all
the villagers, and at first he stood in much fear of him, but he soon
afterward overcame this feeling.

The two peasants ceased to quarrel, and their families followed their
example. While they were building new houses, both families lived
beneath the same roof, and when they moved into their respective homes,
Ivan and Gavryl lived on as good terms as their fathers had done before
them.

Ivan remem