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en。

〃What；　you　too；　Friskie；〃　she　said　to　herself；　〃are　even　you　glad　to　keep　away　from　me？〃

She　hid　her　face　in　her　hands；　desolate　and　miserable　as　she　had　been　before；　she　now　felt　more　completely　alone。

In　a　few　minutes　something　warm　touching　her　feet　made　her　look　up；　and　with　one　bound　Friskarina　sprung　into　her　lap；　carrying　in　her　mouth　a　young　kitten。　　She　purred　contentedly；　looking　first　at　her　child　and　then　at　her　mistress；　saying　as　plainly　as　if　she　had　spoken：

〃Will　this　comfort　you？〃

Erica　stroked　and　kissed　both　cat　and　kitten；　and　for　the　first　time　since　her　trouble　a　feeling　of　warmth　came　to　her　frozen　heart。


CHAPTER　IX。　Rose

A　life　of　unalloyed　content；　A　life　like　that　of　land…locked　seas。　　J。　R。　Lowell

〃Elspeth；　you　really　must　tell　me；　I'm　dying　of　curiosity；　and　I　can　see　by　your　face　you　know　all　about　it！　　How　is　it　that　grandpapa's　name　is　in　the　papers　when　he　has　been　dead　all　these　years？　　I　tell　you　I　saw　it；　a　little　paragraph　in　today's　paper；　headed；　'Mr。　Luke　Raeburn。'　　Is　this　another　namesake　who　has　something　to　do　with　him？〃

The　speaker　was　a　tall；　bright…looking　girl　of　eighteen；　a　blue…eyed；　flaxen…haired　blond；　with　a　saucy　little　mouth；　about　which　there　now　lurked　an　expression　of　undisguised　curiosity。　　Rose；　for　that　was　her　name；　was　something　of　a　coax；　and　all　her　life　long　she　had　managed　to　get　her　own　way；　she　was　an　only　child；　and　had　been　not　a　little　spoiled；　but　in　spite　of　many　faults　she　was　lovable；　and　beneath　her　outer　shell　of　vanity　and　self…satisfaction　there　lay　a　sterling　little　heart。

Her　companion；　Elspeth；　was　a　wrinkled　old　woman；　whose　smooth　gray　hair　was　almost　hidden　by　a　huge　mob…cap；　which；　in　defiance　of　modern　custom；　she　wore　tied　under　her　chin。　　She　had　nursed　Rose　and　her　mother　before　her　and　had　now　become　more　like　a　family　friend　than　a　servant。

〃Miss　Rose；〃　she　replied；　looking　up　from　her　work；　〃if　you　go　on　chatter…magging　away　like　this；　there'll　be　no　frock　ready　for　you　tonight；〃　and　with　a　most　uncommunicative　air；　the　old　woman　turned　away；　and　gave　a　little　impressive　shake　to　the　billowy　mass　of　white　tarletan　to　which　she　was　putting　the　finishing　touches。

〃The　white　lilies　just　at　the　side；〃　said　Rose；　her　attention　diverted　for　a　moment。　　〃Won't　it　be　lovely！　　The　prettiest　dress　in　the　room；　I'm　sure。〃　　Then；　her　curiosity　returning；　〃But；　Elspeth；　I　sha'nt　enjoy　the　dance　a　bit　unless　you　tell　me　what　Mr。　Luke　Raeburn　has　to　do　with　us？　　Listen；　and　I'll　tell　you　how　I　found　out。　　Papa　brought　the　paper　up　to　Mamma；　and　said；　'Did　you　see　this？'　　And　then　mamma　read　it；　and　the　color　came　all　over　her　face；　and　she　did　not　say　a　word；　but　went　out　of　the　room　pretty　soon。　　And　then　I　took　up　the　paper；　and　looked　at　the　page　she　had　been　reading；　and　saw　grandpapa's　name。〃

〃What　was　it　about？〃　asked　old　Elspeth。

〃That's　just　what　I　couldn't　understand；　it　was　all　about　secularists。　　What　are　secularists？　　But　it　seems　that　this　Luke　Raeburn；　whoever　he　is；　has　lost　his　wife。　　While　he　was　lecturing　at　Birmingham　on　the　soul；　it　is　said；　his　wife　died；　and　this　paragraph　said　it　seemed　like　a　judgment；　which　was　rather　cool；　I　think。〃

〃Poor　laddie！〃　signed　old　Elspeth。

〃Elspeth；〃　cried　Rose；　〃do　you　know　who　the　man　is？〃

〃Miss　Rose；〃　said　the　old　woman　severely；　〃in　my　young　days　there　was　a　saying　that　you'd　do　well　to　lay　to　heart；　'Ask　no　questions；　and　you'll　be　told　no　stories。'〃

〃It　isn't　your　young　days　now；　it's　your　old　days；　Elsie；〃　said　the　imperturbable　Rose。　　〃I　will　ask　you　questions　as　much　as　I　please；　and　you'll　tell　me　what　this　mystery　means；　there's　a　dear　old　nurse！　　Have　I　not　a　right　to　know　about　my　own　relations？〃

〃Oh；　bairn；　bairn！　　If　it　were　anything　you'd　like　to　hear；　but　why　should　you　know　what　is　all　sad　and　gloomful？　　No；　no；　go　to　your　balls；　and　think　of　your　fine　dresses　and　gran'　partners；　though；　for　the　matter　of　that；　it　is　but　vanity　of　vanities〃

〃Oh；　if　you're　going　to　quote　Ecclesiastes；　I　shall　go！〃　said　Rose；　pouting。　　〃I　wish　that　book　wasn't　in　the　Bible！　　I'm　sure　such　an　old　grumbler　ought　to　have　been　in　the　Apocrypha。〃

Elspeth　shook　her　head；　and　muttered　something　about　judgment　and　trouble。　　Rose　began　to　be　doubly　curious。

〃Trouble；　sadness；　a　mysteryperhaps　a　tragedy！　　Rose　had　read　of　such　things　in　books；　were　there　such　things　actually　in　the　family；　and　she　had　never　known　of　them？　　A　few　hours　ago　and　she　had　been　unable　to　think　of　anything　but　her　first　ball；　her　new　dress；　her　flowers；　but　she　was　seized　now　with　the　most　intense　desire　to　fathom　this　mystery。　　That　it　bid　fair　to　be　a　sad　mystery　only　made　her　more　eager　and　curious。　　She　was　so　young；　so　ignorant；　there　was　still　a　halo　of　romance　about　those　unknown　things；　trouble　and　sadness。

〃Elspeth；　you　treat　me　like　a　child！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃it's　really　too　bad　of　you。〃

〃Maybe　you're　right；　bairn；〃　said　the　old　nurse；　〃but　it's　no　doing　of　mine。　　But　look　here；　Miss　Rose；　you　be　persuaded　by　me；　go　straight　to　your　mamma　and　ask　her　yourself。　　Maybe　there　is　a　doubt　whether　you　oughtn't　to　know；　　but　there　is　no　doubt　that　I　mustn't　tell　you。〃

Rose　hesitated；　but　presently　her　curiosity　overpowered　her　reluctance。

Mrs。　Fane…Smith；　or；　as　she　had　been　called　in　her　maiden　days；　Isabel　Raeburn；　was　remarkably　like　her　daughter　in　so　far　as　features　and　coloring　were　concerned；　but　she　was　exceedingly　unlike　her　in　character；　for　whereas　Rose　was　vain　and　self…confident；　and　had　a　decided　will　of　her　own；　her　mother　was　diffident　and　exaggeratedly　humble。　　She　was　a　kind…hearted　and　a　good　woman；　but　she　was　in　danger　of　harassing　herself　with　the　question；　〃What　will　people　say？〃

She　looked　up　apprehensively　as　her　daughter　came　into　the　room。　　Rose　felt　sure　she　had　been　crying；　her　curiosity　was　still　further　stimulated；　and　with　all　the　persuasiveness　at　her　command；　she　urged　her　mother　to　tell　her　the　meaning　of　the　mysterious　paragraph。

〃I　am　sorry　you　have　asked　me；〃　said　Mrs。　Fane…Smith；　〃but；　perhaps；　since　you　are　no　longer　a　child；　you　had　better　know。　　It　is　a　sad　story；　however；　Rose；　and　I　should　not　have　chosen　to　tell　it　to　you　today　of　all　days。〃

〃But　I　want　to　hear；　mamma；〃　said　Rose；　decidedly。　　〃Please　begin。　　Who　is　this　Mr。　Raeburn？〃

〃He　is　my　brother；〃　said　Mrs。　Fane…Smith；　with　a　little　quiver　in　her　voice。

〃Your　brother！　　My　uncle！〃　cried　Rose；　in　amazement。

〃Luke　was　the　oldest　of　us；〃　said　Mrs。　Fane…Smith；　〃then　came　Jean；　and　I　was　the　youngest　of　all；　at　least　of　those　who　lived。〃

〃Then　I　have　an　aunt；　too；　an　Aunt　Jean？〃　exclaimed　Rose。

〃You　shall　hear　the　whole　story；〃　replied　her　mother。　　She　thought　for　a　minute；　then　in　rather　a　low　voice　she　began：　〃Luke　and　Jean　were　always　the　clever　ones；　Luke　especially；　your　grandfather　had　set　his　heart　on　his　being　a　clergyman；　and　you　can　fancy　the　grief　it　was　to　us　when　he　threw　up　the　whole　idea；　and　declared　that　he　could　never　take　Orders。　　He　was　only　nineteen　when　he　renounced　religion　altogether；　he　and　my　father　had　a　great　dispute；　and　the　end　of　it　was　that　Luke　was　sent　away　from　home；　and　I　never　have　seen　him　since。　　He　has　become　a　very　notorious　infidel　lecturer。　　Jean　was　very　much　unsettled　by　his　change　of　views；　and　I　believe　her　real　reason　for　marrying　old　Mr。　Craigie　was　that　she　had　made　him　promise　to　let　her　see　Luke　again。　　She　married　young　and　settled　down　in　London；　and　when；　in　a　few　years；　her　husband　died；　she　too；　renounced　Christianity。〃

To　tell　the　truth；　Rose　was　not　deeply　interested　in　the　story；　it　fell　a　little　flat　after　her　expectations　of　a　tragedy。　　It　had；　moreover；　a　sort　of　missionary　flavor；　and　she　had　till　the　last　few　months　lived　in　India；　and　had　grown　heartily　tired　of　the　details　of　mission　work；　in　which　both　her　father　and　mother　had　been　interested。　　Conversions；　relapses；　heathenism；　belief　and　unbelief　were　words　which　had　sounded　so　often　in　her　ears　that　now　they　bored　her；　as　they　were　the　merest　words　to　her　it　could　hardly　be　otherwise。　　But　Rose's　best　point　was　her　loyalty　to　her　own　family；　she　had　the　〃clan〃　feeling　very　strongly；　and　she　could　not　understand　how　her　mother　could　have　allowed　such　a　complete　estrangement　to　grow　up　between　her　and　her　nearest　relations。

〃Mamma；〃　she　said；　quickly；　〃I　should　have　gone　to　see　Uncle　Luke　if　I　had　been　you。〃

〃It　is　impossible；　dear；〃　replied　Mrs。　Fane…Smith。　　〃Your　father　would　not　allow　it　for　one　thing；　and　then　only　think　what　people　would　say！　　This　is　partly　my　reason　for　telling　you；　Rose；　I　want　to　put　you　upon　your　guard。　　We　heard　little　or　nothing　of　your　uncle　when　we　were　in　India；　but　you　will　find　it　very　different　here。　　He　is　one　of　the　most　notorious　men　in　England；　you　must　never　mention　his　name；　never　allude　to　him；　do　you　understand　me？〃

〃Is　he　then　so　wicked？〃

〃My　dear；　consider　what　his　teaching　is；　that　is　sufficient；　I　would　not　for　the　whole　world　allow　our　Greyshot　friends　to　guess　that　we　are　connected　with　him　in　any　way。　　It　might　ruin　all　your　prospects　in　life。〃

〃Mamma；〃　said　Rose；　〃I　don't　think　Mr。　Raeburn　will　injure　my　prospectsof　course　you　mean　prospects　of　marrying。