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led to them。 Presently Sir Algernon ceased to kick； his struggles grew fainter。 Brian let his right arm pause then； and with his left flung his foe into the corner as if he had been a mere chattel。
〃There！〃 he exclaimed； 〃summons me for that when you please。〃 And； handing his card to one of Sir Algernon's companions； he strode out of the hall。
By the time he reached Guilford Square he was almost himself again； a little paler than usual but outwardly quite calm。 He went at once to No。 16。 The Raeburns had now been settled in their new quarters for some weeks； and the house was familiar enough to him； he went up to the drawing room or； as it was usually called； the green room。 The gas was not lighted； but a little reading lamp stood upon a table in one of the windows； and the fire light made the paneled walls shine here and there though the corners and recesses were all in dusky shadow。 Erica had made this the most home…like room in the house； it had the most beguiling easy chairs； it had all Mr。 Woodward's best pictures； it had fascinating little tables； and a tempting set of books。 There was something in the sight of the familiar room which made Brian's wrath flame up once more。 Erica's guileless life seemed to rise before him the years of patient study； the beautiful filial love； the pathetic endeavor to restrain her child…like impatience of conventionalities lest scandalmongers should have even a shadow of excuse for slandering Luke Raeburn's daughter。 The brutality of the insult struck him more than ever。 Erica； glancing up from her writing table； saw that his face again bore that look of intolerable pain which had so greatly startled her in Westminster Hall。
She had more than half dreaded his arrival； had been wondering how they should meet after the strange revelation of the afternoon； had been thinking of the most trite and commonplace remark with which she might greet him。 But when it actually came to the point； she could not say a word； only looked up at him with eyes full of anxious questioning。
〃It is all right；〃 he said； answering the mute question； a great joy thrilling him as he saw that she had been anxious about him。 〃You should not have been afraid。〃
〃I couldn't help it；〃 she said； coloring； 〃he is such a hateful man！ A man who might do anything。 Tell me what happened。〃
〃I gave him a thrashing which he'll not soon forget；〃 said Brian。 〃But don't let us speak of him any more。〃
〃Perhaps he'll summons you！〃 said Erica。
〃He won't dare to。 He knows that he deserved it。 What are you writing？ You ought to be resting。〃
〃Only copying out my article。 The boy will be here before long。〃
〃I am your doctor；〃 he said； feeling her pulse； and again assuming his authoritative manner； 〃I shall order you to rest on your couch at once。 I will copy this for you。 What is it on？〃
〃Cremation；〃 said Erica； smiling a little。 〃A nice funereal subject for a dreary day。 Generally； if I'm in wild spirits； Mr。 Bircham sends me the very gloomiest subject to write on； and if I'm particularly blue； he asks for a bright； lively article。〃
〃Oh！ He tells you what to write on？〃
〃Yes； did you think I had the luxury of choosing for myself？ Every day； about eleven o'clock a small boy brings me my fate on a slip of paper。 Let me dictate this to you。 I'm sure you can't read that penciled scribble。〃
〃Yes； I can；〃 said Brian。 〃You go and rest。〃
She obeyed him； thankful enough to have a moment's pause in which to think out the questions that came crowding into her mind。 She hardly dared to think what Brian might be to her； for just now she needed him so sorely as friend and adviser； that to admit that other perception； which made her feel shy and constrained with him； would have left her still in her isolation。 After all； he was a seven years' friend； no mere acquaintance； but an actual friend to whom she was her unreserved and perfectly natural self。
〃Brian；〃 she said presently when he had finished her copying； 〃you don't think I'm bound to tell my father about this afternoon； do you？〃
A burning； painful blush； the sort of blush that she never ought to have known； never could have known but for that shameful slander； spread over her face and neck as she spoke。
〃Perhaps not；〃 said Brian； 〃since the man has been properly punished。〃
〃I think I hope it need never get round to him in any other way；〃 said Erica。 〃He would be so fearfully angry； and just now scarcely a day passes without bringing him some fresh worry。〃
〃When will the Pogson affair come on？〃
〃Oh！ I don't know。 Not just yet； I'm afraid。 Things in the legal world always move at the rate of a fly in a glue pot。〃
〃What sort of man is Mr。 Pogson？〃
〃He was in court today； a little； sleek； narrow…headed man with cold； gray eyes。 I have been trying to put myself in his place； and realize the view he takes of things； but it is very； very hard。 You don't know what it is to live in this house and see the awful harm his intolerance is bringing about。〃
〃In what way did you specially mean？〃
〃Oh！ In a thousand ways。 It is bringing Christianity into discredit； it is making them more bitter against it； and who can wonder。 It is bringing hundreds of men to atheism； it is enormously increasing the demand for all my father's books； and already even in these few months it has doubled the sale of the 'Idol…Breakers。' In old times that would have been my consolation。 Oh！ It is heart…breaking to see how religious people injure their own cause。 Surely they might have learned by this time that punishment for opinion is never right； that it brings only bitterness； and misery； and more error！ How is one to believe that this is right that God means all this bigotry and injustice to go on producing evil？〃
〃Surely it will teach the sharp lesson that all pain teaches；〃 said Brian。 〃We Christians have broken His order； have lost the true idea of brotherly love； and from this arises pain and evil； which at last； when it touches our own selfish natures； will rouse us； wake us up sharply； drive us back of necessity to the true Christ…following。 Then persecution and injustice will die。 But we are so terribly asleep that the evil must grow desperate before we become conscious of it。 It seems to me that bigotry has at least one mortal foe； though。 You are always here； you must show them by your life what the Father is THAT is being a Christian！〃
〃I know；〃 said Erica； a look of almost passionate longing dawning in her eyes。 〃Oh！ What a thing it is to be crammed full of faults that hinder one from serving！ And all these worries do try one's temper fearfully。 If they had but a Donovan to live with them now！ But； as for me； I can't do much； except love them。〃
Brian loved her too truly to speak words of praise and commendation at such a time。
〃Is not the love the crux of the whole？〃 he said quietly。
〃I suppose it is；〃 said Erica； pushing back her hair from her forehead in the way she always did when anything perplexed her。 〃But just at present my life is a sort of fugue on Browning's line
'How very hard it is to be a Christian？'
Sometimes I can't help laughing to think that there was a time when I thought the teaching of Christ unpractical！ Do you mind ringing the bell for me； the others will be in directly； and will be glad of tea after that headachy place。〃
〃Is there nothing else I can do for you？〃 asked Brian。
〃Yes； one thing more help me to remember the levers of the second order。 It's my physiology class tonight； and I feel； as Tom would express it； like a 'boiled owl。'〃
〃Let me take the class for you。〃
〃Oh； no； thank you；〃 she replied。 〃I wouldn't miss it for the world。〃
It was not till Brian had left that Erica； taking up the article on cremation； was struck by some resemblance in the handwriting。 She must have seen Brian's writing before； but only this afternoon did she make that fresh discovery。 Crossing the room she took from one of the book shelves a dark blue morocco volume； and compared the writing on the fly leaf with her MS。
〃From another admirer of 'Hiawatha。'〃 There could be no doubt that Brian had written that。 Had he cared for her so long？ Had he indeed loved her all these years？ She was interrupted by the maid bringing in the tea。
〃Mr。 Bircham's boy is here； miss； and if you please； can cook speak to you a minute？〃
Erica put down the Longfellow and rolled up 〃Cremation。〃
〃I'm sure she's going to give warning！〃 she thought to herself。 〃What a day to choose for it！ That's what I call an anti…climax。〃
Her forebodings proved all too true。 In a minute more in walked the cook； with the sort of conscious dignity of bearing which means 〃I am no longer in your service。〃
〃If you please； miss； I wish to leave this day month。〃
〃I shall be sorry to lose you；〃 said Erica； 〃what are your reasons for leaving？〃
〃I've not been used； miss； to families as is in the law courts。 I've been used to the best West End private families。〃
〃I don't see how it can affect you；〃 said Erica； feeling； in spite of her annoyance； much inclined to laugh。
〃Indeed； miss； and it do。 There's not a tradesman's boy but has his joke or his word about Mr。 Raeburn；〃 said