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urn；　but　she　wrote　and　worked　indefatigably；　proving　a　very　useful　second　to　her　brother。　　A　hard；　wearing　life；　however；　had　told　a　good　deal　upon　her；　and　trouble　had　somewhat　imbittered　her　nature。　　She　had　not　the　vein　of　humor　which　had　stood　Raeburn　in　such　good　stead。　　Severely　mater…of…fact；　and　almost　despising　those　who　had　any　poetry　in　their　nature；　she　did　not　always　agree　very　well　with　Erica。　　The　two　loved　each　other　sincerely；　and　were　far　too　loyal　both　to　clan　and　creed　to　allow　their　differences　really　to　separate　them；　but　there　was；　undoubtedly；　something　in　their　natures　which　jarred。　　Even　Tom　found　it　hard　at　times　to　bear　the　strong　infusion　of　bitter　criticism　which　his　mother　introduced　into　the　home　atmosphere。　　He　was　something　of　a　philosopher；　however；　and　knowing　that　she　had　been　through　great　trouble；　and　had　had　much　to　try　her；　he　made　up　his　mind　that　it　was　natural　therefore　inevitable　therefore　to　be　borne

The　home　life　was　not　without　its　frets　and　petty　trials；　but　on　one　point　there　was　perfect　accord。　　All　were　devoted　to　the　head　of　the　house　would　have　sacrificed　anything　to　bring　him　a　few　minutes'　peace。

As　for　Raeburn；　when　not　occupied　in　actual　conflict；　he　lived　in　a　sort　of　serene　atmosphere　of　thought　and　study；　far　removed　from　all　the　small　differences　and　little　cares　of　his　household。　　They　invariably　smoothed　down　all　such　roughnesses　in　his　presence；　and　probably　in　any　case　he　would　have　been　unable　to　see　such　microscopic　grievances；　unless；　indeed；　they　left　any　shade　of　annoyance　on　Erica's　face；　and　then　his　fatherhood　detected　at　once　what　was　wrong。

It　would　be　tedious；　however；　to　follow　the　course　of　Erica's　life　for　the　next　three　years；　for；　though　the　time　was　that　of　her　chief　mental　growth；　her　days　were　of　the　quietest。　　Not　till　she　was　two…and…twenty　did　she　fully　recover　from　the　effects　of　her　sudden　sorrow　and　the　subsequent　overwork。　　In　the　meantime；　her　father's　influence　steadily　deepened　and　spread　throughout　the　country；　and　troubles　multiplied。


CHAPTER　XVI。　Hyde　Park

Who　spouts　his　message　to　the　wilderness；　Lightens　his　soul　and　feels　one　burden　less；　But　to　the　people　preach；　and　you　will　find　They'll　pay　you　back　with　thanks　ill　to　your　mind。　Goethe。　Translated　by　J。S。B。

Hyde　Park　is　a　truly　national　property；　and　it　is　amusing　and　perhaps　edifying　to　note　the　various　uses　to　which　it　is　often　put。　　In　the　morning　it　is　the　rendevous　of　nurses　and　children；　in　the　afternoon　of　a　fashionable　throng；　on　Sunday　evenings　it　is　the　resort　of　hard…working　men　and　women；　who　have　to　content　themselves　with　getting　a　breath　of　fresh　air　once　a　week。　　But；　above　all；　the　park　is　the　meeting　place　of　the　people；　the　place　for　mass　meetings　and　monster　demonstrations。

On　a　bright　day　in　June；　when　the　trees　were　still　in　their　freshest　green；　the　crowd　of　wealth　and　fashion　had　beaten　an　ignominious　retreat　before　a　great　political　demonstration　to　be　held　that　afternoon。

Every　one　knew　that　the　meeting　would　be　a　very　stormy　one；　for　it　related　to　the　most　burning　question　of　the　day；　a　question　which　was　hourly　growing　more　and　more　momentous；　and　which　for　the　time　had　divided　England　into　two　bitterly　opposed　factions。

These　years　which　Erica　had　passed　so　quietly　had　been　eventful　years　for　the　country；　years　of　strife　and　bloodshed；　years　of　reckless　expenditure；　years　which　deluded　some　and　enraged　others；　provoking　most　bitter　animosity　between　the　opposing　parties。　　The　question　was　not　a　class　question；　and　a　certain　number　of　the　working　classes　and　a　large　number　of　the　London　roughs　warmly　espoused　the　cause　of　that　party　which　appealed　to　their　love　of　power　and　to　a　selfish　patriotism。　　The　Hyde　Park　meeting　would　inevitably　be　a　turbulent　one。　　Those　who　wished　to　run　no　risk　remained　at　home；　Rotten　Row　was　deserted；　the　carriage　road　almost　empty；　while　from　the　gateways　there　poured　in　a　never　ending　stream　of　people　some　serious…looking；　some　eager　and　excited；　some　with　a　dangerously　vindictive　look；　some　merely　curious。　　Every　now　and　then　the　more　motley　and　disorderly　crowd　was　reinforced　by　a　club　with　its　brass　band　and　banners；　and　gradually　the　mass　of　human　beings　grew　from　hundreds　to　a　thousand；　from　one　thousand　to　many　thousands；　until；　indeed；　it　became　almost　impossible　to　form　any　idea　of　the　actual　numbers；　so　enormous　was　the　gathering。

〃We　shall　have　a　bad　time　of　it　today；〃　remarked　Raeburn　to　Brian；　as　they　forced　their　way　on。　〃If　I'm　not　very　much　mistaken；　too；　we　are　vastly　outnumbered。〃

He　looked　round　the　huge　assembly　from　his　vantage　ground　of　six　foot　four；　his　cool　intrepidity　not　one　whit　shaken　by　the　knowledge　that；　by　what　he　was　about　to　say；　he　should　draw　down　on　his　own　head　all　the　wrath　of　the　roughest　portion　of　the　crowd。

〃'Twill　be　against　fearful　odds！〃　said　Tom；　elbowing　vigorously　to　keep　up　with　his　companion。

〃We　fear　nae　foe！〃　said　Raeburn；　quoting　his　favorite　motto。　　〃And；　after　all；　it　were　no　bad　end　to　die　protesting　against　wicked　rapacity；　needless　bloodshed。〃

His　eye　kindled　as　he　thought　of　the　protest　he　hoped　to　make；　his　heart　beat　high　as　he　looked　round　upon　the　throng　so　largely　composed　of　those　hostile　to　himself。　　Was　there　not　a　demand　for　his　superabundant　energy？　A　demand　for　the　tremendous　powers　of　endurance；　of　influence；　of　devotion　which　were　stored　up　within　him？　　As　an　athlete　joys　in　trying　a　difficult　feat；　as　an　artist　joys　in　attempting　a　lofty　subject；　so　Raeburn　in　his　consciousness　of　power；　in　his　absolute　conviction　of　truth；　joyed　in　the　prospect　of　a　most　dangerous　conflict。

Brian；　watching　him　presently　from　a　little　distance；　could　not　wonder　at　the　immense　influence　he　had　gained　in　the　country。　　The　mere　physique　of　the　man　was　wonderfully　impressive　the　strong；　rugged　Scottish　face；　the　latent　power　conveyed　in　his　whole　bearing。　　He　was　no　demagogue；　he　never　flattered　the　people；　he　preached　indeed　a　somewhat　severe　creed；　but；　even　in　his　sternest　mood；　the　hold　he　got　over　the　people；　the　power　he　had　of　raising　the　most　degraded　to　a　higher　level　was　marvelous。　　It　was　not　likely；　however；　that　his　protest　of　today　would　lead　to　anything　but　a　free　fight。　　If　he　could　make　himself　effectually　heard；　he　cared　very　little　for　what　followed。　　It　was　necessary　that　a　protest　should　be　made；　and　he　was　the　right　man　to　make　it；　therefore　come　ill　or　well；　he　would　go　through　with　it；　and；　if　he　escaped　with　his　life　so　much　the　better！

The　meeting　began。　　A　moderate　speaker　was　heard　without　interruption；　but　the　instant　Raeburn　stood　up；　a　chorus　of　yells　arose。　　For　several　minutes　he　made　no　attempt　to　speak；　but　his　dignity　seemed　to　grow　in　proportion　with　the　indignities　offered　him。　　He　stood　there　towering　above　the　crowd　like　a　rock　of　strength；　scanning　the　thousands　of　faces　with　the　steady　gaze　of　one　who；　in　thinking　of　the　progress　of　the　race；　had　lost　all　consciousness　of　his　own　personality。　　He　had　come　there　to　protest　against　injustice；　to　use　his　vast　strength　for　others；　to　spend　and　be　spent　for　millions；　to　die　if　need　be！　　Raeburn　was　made　of　the　stuff　of　which　martyrs　are　made；　standing　there　face　to　face　with　an　angry　crowd；　which　might　at　any　moment　break　loose　and　trample　him　to　death　or　tear　him　to　pieces；　his　heart　was　nevertheless　all　aglow　with　the　righteousness　of　　his　cause；　with　the　burning　desire　to　make　an　availing　protest　against　an　evil　which　was　desolating　thousands　of　homes。

The　majesty　of　his　calmness　began　to　influence　the　mob；　the　hisses　and　groans　died　away　into　silence；　such　comparative　silence；　that　is；　as　was　compatible　with　the　greatness　of　the　assembly。　　Then　Raeburn　braced　himself　up；　dignified　before；　he　now　seemed　even　more　erect　and　stately。　　The　knowledge　that　for　the　moment　he　had　that　huge　crowd　entirely　under　control　was　stimulating　in　the　highest　degree。　　In　a　minute　his　stentorian　voice　was　ringing　out　fearlessly　into　the　vast　arena；　thousands　of　hearts　were　vibrating　to　his　impassioned　appeal。　　To　each　one　it　seemed　as　if　he　individually　were　addressed。

〃You　who　call　yourselves　Englishmen；　I　come　to　appeal　to　you　today！　　You；　who　call　yourselves　freemen；　I　come　to　tell　you　that　you　are　acting　like　slaves。〃

Then　with　rare　tact；　he　alluded　to　the　strongest　points　of　the　British　character；　touching　with　consummate　skill　the　vulnerable　parts　of　his　audience。　　He　took　for　granted　that　their　aims　were　pure；　their　standard　lofty；　and　by　the　very　supposition　raised　for　a　time　the　most　abject　of　his　hearers；　inspired　them　with　his　own　enthusiasm。

Presently；　when　he　felt　secure　enough　to　venture　it；　when　the　crowd　was　hanging　on　his　words　with　breathless　attention；　he　appealed　no　longer　directly　to　the　people；　but　drew；　in　graphic　language；　the　picture　of　the　desolations　brought　by　war。　　The　simplicity　of　his　phrases；　his　entire　absence　of　showiness　or　bombast；　made　his　influence　indescribably　deep　and　powerful。　　A　mere　ranter；　a　frothy　mob　orator；　would　have　been　silenced　long　before。

But　this　man　had　somehow　got　hold　of　the　great　assembly；　had　conquered　them　by　sheer　force　of　will；　in　a　battle　of　one　will　against　thousands　the　one　h