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elf…reliant　characters；　he　liked　in　all　things　to　have　his　own　way；　and　being　in　truth　a　first…rate　organizer；　he　had　scant　patience　with　other　people's　schemes。　　Erica　was　very　glad　that　he　had　made　the　proposal　to　Tom　for；　though　regretting　that　he　should　give　his　life　to　the　furtherance　of　work；　much　of　which　she　strongly　disapproved；　she　could　not　but　be　relieved　at　anything　which　would　save　her　father　in　some　degree　from　the　immense　strain　of　work　and　anxiety；　which　were　now　altogether　beyond　the　endurance　of　a　single　man；　and　bid　fair　to　overtax　even　Raeburn's　giant　strength。

Both　Charles　Osmond　and　Brian　appeared　as　voluntary　witnesses　on　behalf　of　the　plaintiff；　and　naturally　the　first　few　days　of　the　trial　were　endurable　enough。　　But　on　the　Friday　the　defense　began；　and　it　became　evident　that　the　most　bitter　spirit　would　pervade　the　rest　of　the　proceedings。　　Mr。　Pogson　had　spared　neither　trouble　nor　expense；　he　had　brought　witnesses　from　all　the　ends　of　the　earth　to　swear　that；　in　some　cases　twenty　years　ago；　they　had　heard　the　plaintiff　speak　such　and　such　words；　or　seen　him　do　such　and　such　deeds。　　The　array　of　witnesses　appeared　endless；　there　seemed　no　reason　why　the　trial　ever　should　come　to　an　end。　　It　bid　fair　to　be　a　CAUSE　CELEBRE；　while　inevitably　Raeburn's　notoriety　made　the　public　take　a　great　interest　in　the　proceedings。　　It　became　the　topic　of　the　day。　　Erica　rarely　went　in　any　public　conveyance　without　hearing　it　discussed。

One　day　she　heard　the　following　cheering　sentiment：

〃Oh；　of　course　you　know　the　jury　will　never　give　a　verdict　for　such　a　fellow　as　Raeburn。〃

〃I　suppose　they　can't　help　being　rather　prejudiced　against　him　because　of　his　views；　but；　upon　my　word；　it　seems　a　confounded　shame。〃　〃Oh；　I　don't　see　that；〃　replied　the　first　speaker。　　〃If　he　holds　such　views；　he　must　expect　to　suffer　for　them。〃

Day　after　day　passed　and　still　the　case　dragged　on。　　Erica　became　so　accustomed　to　spending　the　day　in　court　that　at　last　it　seemed　to　her　that　she　had　never　done　anything　else　all　her　life。　　Every　day　she　hoped　that　she　might　be　called；　longing　to　get　the　hateful　piece　of　work　over。　　But　days　and　weeks　passed；　and　still　Mr。　Cringer　and　his　learned　friends　examined　other　witnesses；　but　kept　her　in　reserve。　　Mr。　Bircham　had　been　exceedingly　kind　to　her；　and　in　the　〃Daily　Review〃　office；　where　Erica　was　treated　as　a　sort　of　queen；　great　indignation　had　been　caused　by　Mr。　Pogson；'s　malice。　　〃Our　little　lady〃　（her　sobriquet　there）　received　the　hearty　support　and　sympathy　of　every　man　in　the　place　from　the　editor　himself　to　the　printer's　devil。　　Every　morning　the　office　boy　brought　her　in　court　the　allotted　work　for　the　day；　which　she　wrote　as　well　as　she　could　during　the　proceedings　or　at　luncheon　time；　with　the　happy　consciousness　that　all　her　short　comings　would　be　set　right　by　the　little　Irish　sub…editor　who　worshipped　the　ground　she　trod　on　and　was　always　ready　with　courteous　and　unofficious　help。

There　were　many　little　pieces　of　kindness　which　served　to　heighten　that　dreary　summer　for　Mr。　Pogson's　ill…advised　zeal　had　stimulated　all　lovers　of　justice　into　a　protest　against　a　most　glaring　instance　of　bigotry　and　unfair　treatment。　　Many　clergymen　spoke　out　bravely　and　denounced　the　defendant's　intolerance；　many　non…conformist　ministers　risked　giving　dire　offense　to　their　congregations　by　saying　a　good　word　for　the　plaintiff。　　Each　protest　did　its　modicum　of　good；　but　still　the　weary　case　dragged　on；　and　every　day　the　bitterness　on　either　side　seemed　to　increase。

Mr。　Pogson　had；　by　fair　means　or　foul；　induced　an　enormous　number　of　witnesses　to　come　forward　and　prove　the　truth　of　his　statement；　and　day　after　day　there　were　the　most　wearisome　references　to　old　diaries；　to　reports　of　meetings　held　in　obscure　places；　perhaps　more　than　a　dozen　years　ago；　or　to　some　hashed　and　mangled　report　of　a　debate　which；　incredible　though　such　meanness　seems；　had　been　specially　constructed　by　some　unscrupulous　opponent　in　such　a　way　as　to　alter　the　entire　meaning　of　Raeburn's　wordsa　process　which　may　very　easily　be　effected　by　a　judicious　omission　of　contexts。　　Raeburn　was　cheered　and　encouraged；　however；　in　spite　of　all　the　thousand　cares　and　annoyances　of　that　time　by　the　rapidly　increasing　number　of　his　followers；　and　by　many　tokens　of　most　touching　devotion　from　the　people　for　whom；　however　mistakenly；　he　had　labored　with　unwearying　patience　and　zeal。　　Erica　saw　only　too　plainly　that　Mr。　Pogson　was；　in　truth；　fighting　against　Christianity；　and　every　day　brought　fresh　proofs　of　the　injury　done　to　Christ's　cause　by　this　modern　instance　of　injustice　and　religious　intolerance。

It　was　a　terribly　trying　position；　and　any　one　a　degree　less　brave　and　sincere　would　probably　have　lost　all　faith；　but　the　one　visible　good　effected　by　that　miserable　struggle　was　the　strange　influence　it　exerted　in　developing　her　character。　　She　was　one　of　those　who　seem　to　grow　exactly　in　proportion　to　the　trouble　they　have　had　to　bear。　　And　so　it　came　to　pass　that；　while　evil　was　wrought　in　many　quarters；　in　this　one　good　resulted　good　not　in　the　least　understood　by　Raeburn；　or　Aunt　Jean；　or　Tom；　who　merely　knew　that　Erica　was　less　hot　and　hasty　than　in　former　times；　and　found　it　more　of　a　relief　than　ever　to　come　home　to　her　loving　sympathy。

〃After　all；〃　they　used　to　say；　〃the　miserable　delusion　hasn't　been　able　to　spoil　her。〃

One　day；　just　after　the　court　had　reassembled　in　the　afternoon；　Erica　was　putting　the　finishing　touches　to　a　very　sprightly　criticism　on　a　certain　political　speech；　when　suddenly　she　heard　the　name；　for　which　she　had　waited　so　long；　called　in　the　clerk's　most　sonorous　tones　〃Erica　Raeburn！〃

She　was　conscious　of　a　sudden　white　flash　as　every　face　in　the　crowded　court　turned　towards　her；　but　more　conscious　of　a　strong　Presence　which　seemed　to　wrap　her　in　a　calm　so　perfect　that　the　disagreeable　surroundings　became　a　matter　of　very　slight　import。　　Here　were　hostile　eyes；　indeed；　but　she　was　strong　enough　to　face　all　the　powers　of　evil　at　once。　　A　sort　of　murmur　ran　through　the　court　as　she　entered　the　witness　box；　but　she　did　not　heed　it　any　more　than　she　would　have　heeded　the　murmur　of　the　summer　wind　without。　　She　just　stood　there；　strong　in　her　truth　and　purity；　able；　if　need　be；　to　set　a　whole　world　at　defiance。

〃Pogson's　made　a　mistake　in　calling　her；〃　said　a　briefless　barrister　to　one　of　his　companions　in　adversity；　they　both　spent　their　lives　in　hanging　about　the　courts；　thankful　when　they　could　get　a　bit　of　〃deviling。〃

〃Right　you　are！〃　replied　the　other；　putting　up　his　eyeglass　to　look　at　Erica；　and　letting　it　drop　after　a　brief　survey。　　〃I'd　bet　twenty　to　one　that　girl　loses　him　his　case。　　And　I'm　hanged　if　he　doesn't　deserve　to。〃

〃Well；　it　is　rather　a　brutal　thing　to　make　a　man's　own　child　give　evidence　against　him。　　Halloo！　　Just　look　at　Raeburn！　　That　man's　either　a　consummate　actor；　or　else　a　living　impersonation　of　righteous　anger。〃

〃No　acting　there；〃　replied　the　other；　putting　up　his　eyeglass　again。　　〃It's　lucky　dueling　is　a　thing　of　the　past　or　I　expect　Pogson　would　have　a　bullet　in　his　heart　before　the　day　was　over。　　I　don't　wonder　he's　furious；　poor　fellow！　　Now；　then　here's　old　Cringer　working　himself　up　into　his　very　worst　temper！〃

The　whispered　dialogue　was　interrupted　for　a　few　minutes　but　was　continued　at　intervals。

〃By　Jove；　what　a　voice　she's　got！　　The　jury　will　be　flints　if　they　are　not　influenced　by　it。　　Ah；　you　great　brute！　　I　wouldn't　have　asked　her　that　question　for　a　thousand　pounds！　　How　lovely　she　looks　when　she　blushes！　　He'll　confuse　her；　though；　as　sure　as　fate。　　No；　not　a　bit　of　it！　　That　was　dignified；　wasn't　it？　　How　the　words　rang；　'Of　course　not！'　　I　say；　Jack；　this　will　be　as　good　as　a　lesson　in　elocution　for　us！〃

〃Raeburn　looks　up　at　that　for　the　first　time。　　Well；　poor　devil！　　However　much　baited；　he　can；　at　any　rate；　feel　proud　of　his　daughter。〃

Then　came　a　long　pause。　　For　the　fire　of　questions　was　so　sharp　that　the　two　would　not　break　the　thread　by　speaking。　　Once　or　twice　some　particularly　irritating　question　was　ruled　by　the　judge　to　be　inadmissible；　upon　which　Mr。　Cringer　looked；　in　a　hesitatingly　courteous　manner；　toward　him；　and　obeyed　orders　with　a　smiling　deference；　then；　facing　round　upon　Erica；　with　a　little　additional　venom；　he　visited　his　annoyance　upon　her　by　exerting　all　his　unrivaled　skill　in　endeavoring　to　make　her　contradict　herself。

〃You'll　make　nothing　of　this　one；　Cringer；〃　one　of　his　friends　had　said　to　him　at　the　beginning　of　Erica's　evidence。　　And　he　had　smiled　confidently　by　way　of　reply。　　All　the　more　was　he　now　determined　not　to　be　worsted　by　a　young　girl　whom　he　ought　to　be　able　to　put　out　of　countenance　in　ten　minutes。

The　result　of　this　was　that；　in　the　words　of　the　newspaper　reports；　〃the　witness's　evidence　was　not　concluded　when　the　court　rose。〃　　This　was　perhaps　the　greatest　part　of　the　trial　to　Erica。　　She　had　hoped；　not　only　for　her　own；　but　for　her　father's　sake；　that　her　evidence　might　all　be　taken　in　one　day；　and　Mr。　Cringer；　while　really　harming　his　own　cause　by　prolonging　her　evidence；　inflicted　no　slight　punishment　on　the　most　troublesome　witness　he　had　ever　had　to　deal　with。

The　next　morn