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dled　every　day　that　resolute　mouth　frightened　her　more。　　She　was　quite　aware　that　Erica's　steady；　courageous　honesty　would　unsparingly　condemn　all　her　small　weaknesses　and　little　expedients。

Erica；　when　told　of　the　invitation；　was　not　particularly　anxious　to　go；　for　she　and　Rose　had　been　planning　a　cozy　evening　at　home　over　a　new　novel　upon　which　their　tastes　really　agreed。　　However；　Rose　assured　her　that　Lady　Caroline's　parties　were　always　delightful；　and　hunted　her　off　to　dress　at　least　an　hour　before　there　was　any　necessity。　　Rose　was　a　great　authority　on　dress　and；　when　her　cousin　returned；　began　to　study　her　attire　critically。

She　wore　a　very　simply　made　dress　of　moss…green　velveteen；　high　to　the　throat；　and　relieved　by　a　deep　falling　collar　of　old　point。　　Elspeth　had　brought　her　a　spray　of　white　banksia　roses；　but　otherwise　she　wore　no　ornament。　　Her　style　was　very　different　from　her　cousin's；　but　Rose　could　not　help　approving　of　it；　its　severity　suited　Erica。

〃You　look　lovely！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃Lady　Caroline　will　quite　lose　her　heart　to　you！　　I　think　you　should　have　that　dress　cut　low　in　front；　though。　It　is　a　shame　not　to　show　such　a　pretty　neck　as　you　must　have。〃

〃Oh；　no！〃　said　Erica；　quickly；　〃father　can't　endure　low　dresses。〃

〃One　can't　always　dress　to　please　one's　father；〃　said　Rose。　　〃For　the　matter　of　that；　I　believe　papa　doesn't　like　them；　but　I　always　wear　them。　　You　see　it　is　more　economical；　one　must　dress　much　more　expensively　if　one　goes　in　for　high　dresses。　　A　little　display　of　neck　and　arms；　and　any　old　rag　will　look　dressy　and　fashionable；　and　though　I　don't　care　about　economy；　mamma　does。〃

〃You　don't　have　an　allowance；　then？〃

〃No；　papa　declared　I　ought　to　dress　on　eighty　pounds　a　year；　but　I　never　could　make　both　ends　meet；　and　I　got　a　tiresome　long　bill　at　Langdon's；　and　that　vexed　him；　so　now　I　get　what　I　like　and　mamma　pays。〃

Erica　made　no　comment；　but　was　not　a　little　amazed。　　Presently　Mrs。　Fane…Smith　came　in；　and　seemed　well　pleased　with　her　niece's　appearance。

〃You　have　the　old　point！〃　she　exclaimed。

〃Aunt　Jean　gave　it　to　me；〃　said　Erica。　　〃She　never　would　part　with　it　because　it　was　grandmamma's　at　least；　she　did　sell　it　once；　when　father　was　ill　years　ago；　and　we　were　at　our　wit's　end　for　money；　but　she　got　it　back　again　before　the　end　of　the　year。〃

Mrs。　Fane…Smith　colored　deeply；　partly　at　the　idea　of　her　mother's　lace　being　taken　to　a　pawnbroker's；　partly　to　hear　that　her　brother　and　sister　had　ever　been　reduced　to　such　straits。　　She　made　an　excuse　to　take　Erica　away　to　her　room；　and　there　questioned　her　more　than　she　had　yet　done　about　her　home。

〃I　thought　your　father　was　so　strong；〃　she　said。　　〃Yet　you　speak　as　if　he　had　had　several　illnesses。〃

〃He　has；〃　　replied　Erica。　　〃Twice　I　can　remember　the　time　when　they　thought　him　dying；　besides　after　the　riot　last　year。　　Yes；　he　is　strong；　but；　you　see；　he　has　such　a　hard　life。　　It　is　bad　enough　now；　and　I　doubt　if　any　one　knows　how　fearfully　he　overworked　himself　during　the　year　in　America。　　The　other　day　I　had　to　look　something　up　in　his　diary　for　him；　and　not　till　then　did　I　find　out　how　terribly　he　must　have　taxed　his　strength。　　On　an　average　he　got　one　night's　rest　in　the　week；　on　the　others　he　slept　as　well　as　he　could　in　the　long　cars；　which　are　wretchedly　uncomfortable；　the　sleeping　cars　being　expensive；　he　wouldn't　go　in　them。〃

Mrs。　Fane…Smith　sighed。　　Her　brother　was　becoming　more　of　a　living　reality　to　her；　she　thought　of　him　less　as　a　type　of　wickedness。　　The　recollection；　too；　that　she　had　been　all　her　life　enjoying　the　money　which　he　and　her　sister　Jean　had　forfeited　by　their　opinions；　made　her　grieve　the　more　over　the　little　details　of　poverty　and　privation。　　Old　Mr。　Raeburn　had　left　all　his　money　to　her；　bequeathing　to　his　other　daughter　and　his　reprobate　son　the　sum　of　one　shilling；　with　the　hope　that　Heaven　would　bring　them　to　a　better　mind。　　It　was　some　comfort　to　learn　from　Erica　that　at　last　the　terrible　load　of　debt　had　been　cleared　off；　and　that　they　were　comparatively　free　from　trouble　just　at　present。　　

With　these　thoughts　in　her　mind；　Mrs。　Fane…Smith　found　herself　on　her　way　to　Lady　Caroline's；　but　her　developing　breadth　of　view　was　destined　to　receive　a　severe　shock。　　They　were　the　last　guests　to　arrive；　and　at　the　very　moment　of　their　entrance　Lady　Caroline　was　talking　in　her　most　vivacious　way　to　Mr。　Cuthbert；　a　young　clergyman；　the　vicar　of　one　of　the　Greyshot　churches。

〃I　am　going　to　give　you　a　treat；　Mr。　Cuthbert；〃　she　said　laughingly。　　〃I　know　you　are　artistic；　and　so　I　intend　you　to　take　down　that　charming　niece　of　Mrs。　Fane…Smith's。　　I　assure　you　she　is　like　a　Burne…Jones　angel！〃

Mr。　Cuthbert　smiled　a　quietly　superior　smile；　and　coolly　surveyed　Erica　as　she　came　in。　　Dinner　was　announced　almost　immediately；　and　it　was　not　until　Mrs。　Fane…Smith　had　been　taken　down　that　Lady　Caroline　brought　Mr。　Cuthbert　to　Erica's　side　to　introduce　him。〃Why；　your　aunt　has　never　told　me　your　name；〃　she　said；　smiling。

〃My　name　is　Erica　Raeburn；〃　said　Erica；　quite　unconscious　that　this　was　a　revelation　to　every　one；　and　that　her　aunt　had　purposely　spoken　of　her　everywhere　as　〃my　niece。〃

Lady　Caroline　gave　a　scarcely　perceptible　start　of　surprise；　and　there　was　a　curious　touch　of　doubt　and　constraint　in　her　voice　as　she　pronounced　the　〃Mr。　Cuthbert　Miss　Raeburn。〃　　Undoubtedly　that　name　sounded　rather　strangely　in　her　drawing　room；　and　awoke　uncomfortable　suggestions。。

〃Raeburn！　　Erica　Raeburn！〃　thought　Mr。　Cuthbert　to　himself。　　〃Uncommon　name　in　England。　　Connection；　I　wonder！　　Aunt　hadn't　given　her　name！　　That　looks　odd。　　I'll　see　if　she　has　a　Scotch　accent。〃

〃Are　you　staying　in　Greyshot？〃　he　asked　as　they　went　down　the　broad　staircase；　with　its　double　border　of　flowering　plants。

〃Yes；〃　said　Erica；　〃I　came　last　week。　　What　lovely　country　it　is　about　here！〃

〃Country；〃　with　its　thrilled　〃r；〃　betrayed　her　nationality；　though　her　accent　was　of　the　slightest。　　Mr。　Cuthbert　chuckled　to　himself；　for　he　thought　he　had　caught　Mrs。　Fane…Smith　tripping；　and　he　was　a　man　who　derived　an　immense　amount　of　pleasure　from　making　other　people　uncomfortable。　　As　a　child；　he　had　been　a　tease；　as　a　big　boy；　he　had　been　a　bully；　as　a　man；　he　had　become　a　malicious　gossip　monger。　　Tonight　he　thought　he　saw　a　chance　of　good　sport；　and　directly　he　had　said　grace；　in　the　momentary　pause　which　usually　follows；　he　turned　to　Erica　with　an　abrupt；　though　outwardly　courteous　question；　carried　off　with　a　little　laugh。

〃I　hope　you　are　no　relation　to　that　despicable　infidel　who　bears　your　name；　Miss　Raeburn？〃

Erica's　color　deepened；　she　almost　annihilated　him　with　a　flash　from　her　bright　indignant　eyes。

〃I　am　Luke　Raeburn's　daughter；〃　she　said；　in　her　clearest　voice；　and　with　a　dignity　which；　for　the　time；　spoiled　Mr。　Cuthbert's　enjoyment。

Many　people　had　heard　the　vicar's　question　during　the　pause；　and　not　a　few　listened　curiously　for　the　answer　which；　though　quietly　spoken；　reached　many　ears；　for　nothing　gives　so　much　penetrating　power　to　words　as　concentrated　will　and　keen　indignation。　　Before　long　every　one　in　the　room　knew　that　Mrs。　Fane…Smith's　pretty　niece　was　actually　the　daughter　of　〃that　evil　and　notorious　Raeburn。〃

Mr。　Cuthbert　had　certainly　got　his　malicious　wish；　he　had　succeeded　in　making　Mrs。　Fane…Smith　　miserable；　in　making　his　hostess　furious；　in　putting　his　little　neighbor　into　the　most　uncomfortable　of　　positions。　　Of　course　he　was　not　going　to　demean　himself　by　talking　to　〃that　atheist's　daughter。〃　He　enjoyed　the　general　discomfiture　to　his　heart's　content；　and　then　devoted　himself　to　the　lady　on　his　other　side。

As　for　Erica　her　blood　was　up。　Forced　to　sit　still；　forced　even　to　eat　at　a　table　where　she　was　an　unwelcome　guest；　her　anger　got　the　mastery　of　her　for　the　time。　　She　was　indignant　at　the　insult　to　her　father；　indignant；　too；　that　her　aunt　had　ever　allowed　her　to　get　into　such　a　false　position。　　The　very　constraint　she　was　forced　to　put　upon　herself　made　her　wrath　all　the　deeper。　　She　was　no　angel　yet；　though　Mr。　Burne…Jones　might　have　taken　her　for　a　model。　　She　was　a　quick…tempered　little　piece　of　humanity；　her　passions　burned　with　Highland　intensity；　her　sense　of　indignation　was　strong　and　keen；　and　the　atmosphere　of　her　home；　the　hard　struggle　against　intolerable　bigotry　and　malicious　persecution　had　from　her　very　babyhood　tended　to　increase　this。　　She　had　inherited　all　her　father's　passion　for　justice　and　much　of　his　excessive　pride；　while　her　delicate　physical　frame　made　her　far　more　sensitive。　　Moreover；　though　since　that　June　morning　in　the　museum　she　had　gained　a　peace　and　happiness　of　which　in　the　old　days　she　had　never　dreamed；　yet　the　entire　change　had　in　many　ways　increased　the　difficulties　of　her　life。　　Such　a　wrench；　such　an　upheaval　as　it　had　involved；　could　not　but　tell　upon　her　immensely。　　And；　besides；　she　had　in　every　way　for　the　last　three　months　been　living　at　high　pressure。

The　grief；　the　disapproval；　the　contemptuous　pity　of　her　secularist　friends　had　taxed　her　strength　to　the　utmost；　but　she　had　stood　firm；　and　had　indeed　been　living　on　the　heights。

Now　the　months　of　Charles　Osmond's　careful　preparation　were　over；　her　baptism　was　over；　and　a　little　weary　and　overdone　with　all　that　she　had　lived　through　that　summer；　she　had　come　down　to　Greyshot　expecting　rest；　and　behold；　fresh　vexations　had　awaited　her！

A　nice　Christian　world！　　A　nice　type　of　a　clergyman！　　she　thought　to　herself；　as　bitterly　as　in　the　old　days；　and　with　a　touch　of　sorrow　added。　　The　old　lines　from　〃Hiawatha；〃　which　had　been　so　often　on　her　lips；　now　rang　in　her　head：

〃For　his　heart　was　hot　within　him；　　Like　a　living　coal　his　heart　was。〃

She　longed　to　get　up　and　go；　but　that　would　have　put　her　aunt　in　a　yet　more　painful　position；　and　might　have　annoyed　Lady　Caroline　even　more　than　her　presence。　She　would　have　given　anything　to　have　fainted　after　the　convenient　fashion　of　the　heroines　of　romance；　but　never　had　she　felt　so　completely　strung　up；　so　conscious　of　intense　vitality。　　There　was　nothing　for　it　but　endurance。　　And　for　two　mortal　hours　she　had　to　sit　and　endure！　　Mr。　Cuthbert　never　spoke　to　her；　her　neighbor　on　the　other　side　glanced　at　her　furtively　from　t