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　Mr。　Tulliver　that　it's　a　'puzzling　world。'〃

〃The　fact　is；〃　said　Charles　Osmond；　〃that　you　consent　patiently　enough　to　share　God's　pain　over　those　who　don't　believe　in　Him；　but　you　grumble　sorely　at　finding　a　lack　of　charity　in　the　world；　yet　that　pain　is　God's　too。〃

〃Yes；〃　sighed　Erica；　〃but　somehow　from　Christians　it　seems　so　hard！〃

〃Quite　true；　child；〃　he　replied；　half　absently。　　〃It　is　hard　most　hard。　　But　don't　let　it　make　you　uncharitable；　Erica。　　You　are　sharing　God；'s　pain；　but　remember　it　is　only　His　perfect　love　which　makes　that　pain　bearable。〃

〃I　do　find　it　hard　to　love　bigots；〃　said　Erica；　sighing。　　〃They！　　What　do　they　know　about　the　thousand　difficulties　which　have　driven　people　into　secularism？　　If　they　could　but　see　that　they　and　their　narrow　theories　and　their　false　distortions　of　Christ's　Gospel　are　the　real　cause　of　it　all；　there　would　be　some　hope！　　But　they　either　can't　see　it　or　won't。〃

〃My　dear；　we're　all　a　lot　of　blind　puppies　together；〃　said　Charles　Osmond。　　〃We　tumble　up　against　each　other　just　for　want　of　eyes。　　We　shall　see　when　we　get　to　the　end　of　the　nine　days；　you　know。〃

〃You　see　now；〃　said　Erica；　〃you　never　hurt　us；　and　rub　us　the　wrong　way。〃

〃Perhaps　not；〃　he　replied；　laughing。　　〃But　Mr。　Roberts　and　some　of　my　other　brethren　would　tell　a　different　tale。　　By　the　bye；　would　you　care　to　help　another　befogged　mortal　who　is　in　the　region　　you　are　safely　out　of？　　The　evolution　theory　is　the　difficulty；　and；　if　you　have　time　to　enter　into　his　trouble；　I　think　you　could　help　him　much　better　than　I　can。　　If　I　could　see　him；　I　might　tackle　him；　but　I　can't　do　it　on　paper。　　You　could；　I　think；　and；　as　the　fellow　lives　at　the　other　side　of　the　world；　one　can　do　nothing　except　by　correspondence。〃

Erica　was　delighted　to　undertake　the　task；　and　she　was　particularly　well　fitted　for　it。　　Perhaps　no　one　is　really　qualified　for　the　post　of　a　clearer　of　doubts　who　has　not　himself　faced　and　conquered　doubts　of　a　similar　nature。

So　there　was　a　new　interest　for　her　on　that　long；　lonely　evening；　and；　as　she　waited　for　her　father's　return；　she　had　time　to　think　out　quietly　the　various　points　which　she　would　first　take　up。　　By　and　by　she　slept　a　little；　and　then；　in　the　silence　of　the　night；　crept　down　to　the　lower　regions　to　add　something　to　the　tempting　little　supper　which　she　had　ready　in　the　green　room。　　But　time　crept　on；　and　in　the　silence　she　could　hear　dozens　of　clocks　telling　each　hour；　and　the　train　had　been　long　due；　and　still　her　father　did　not　come。

At　last　she　became　too　anxious　to　read　or　think　to　any　purpose；　she　drew　aside　the　curtain；　and；　in　spite　of　the　cold；　curled　herself　upon　the　window　seat　with　her　face　pressed　close　to　the　glass。　　Watching；　in　a　literal　sense；　was　impossible；　for　there　was　a　dense　fog；　if　possible；　worse　than　the　fog　of　the　preceding　Saturday；　but　she　had　the　feeling　that　to　be　by　the　window　made　her　in　some　unaccountable　way　nearer　to　her　father；　and　it　certainly　had　the　effect　of　showing　her　that　there　was　a　very　good　reason　for　unpunctuality。

The　old　square　was　as　quiet　as　death。　　Once　a　policeman　raised　her　hopes　for　a　minute　by　pacing　slowly　up　the　pavement；　but　he　passed　on；　and　all　was　still　once　more　except　that　every　now　and　then　the　furniture　in　the　room　creaked；　making　the　eerie　stillness　all　the　more　noticeable。　　Erica　began　to　shiver　a　little；　more　from　apprehension　than　from　cold。　　She　wished　the　telegram　had　come　from　any　other　town　in　England；　and　tried　in　vain　not　to　conjure　up　a　hundred　horrible　visions　of　possible　catastrophes。　　At　length　she　heard　steps　in　the　distance；　and　straining　her　eyes　to　penetrate　the　thick　darkness　of　the　murky　night；　was　able　to　make　out　just　beneath　the　window　a　sort　of　yellow　glare。　　She　ran　downstairs　at　full　speed　to　open　the　door；　and　there　upon　the　step　stood　a　link…boy；　the　tawny　light　from　his　torch　showing　up　to　perfection　the　magnificent　proportions　of　the　man　in　a　shaggy　brown　Inverness；　who　stood　beside　him；　and　bringing　into　strong　relief　the　masses　of　white　hair　and　the　rugged　Scottish　face　which；　spite　of　cold　and　great　weariness；　bore　its　usual　expression　of　philosophic　calm。

〃I　thought　you　were　never　coming；〃　said　Erica。　　〃Why；　you　must　be　half　frozen！　　What　a　night　it　is！〃

〃We've　been　more　than　an　hour　groping　our　way　from　the　station；〃　said　Raeburn；　〃and　cabs　were　unattainable。〃　　Then；　turning　to　the　link…boy；　〃Come　in；　you　are　as　cold　and　hungry　as　I　am。　　Have　you　got　something　hot；　Eric？〃

〃Soup　and　coffee；〃　said　Erica。　　〃Which　would　he　like　best？〃

The　boy　gave　his　vote　for　soup；　and；　having　seen　him　thoroughly　satisfied　and　well　paid；　they　sent　him　home；　and　to　his　dying　day　he　was　proud　to　tell　the　story　of　the　foggy　night　when　the　people's　tribune　had　given　him　half　of　his　own　supper。　　The　father　and　daughter　were　soon　comfortably　installed　beside　the　green　room　fire；　Raeburn　making　a　hearty　meal　though　it　was　past　three　o'clock。

〃I　never　dreamed　of　finding　you　up；　little　son　Eric；〃　he　said　when　the　warmth　and　the　food　had　revived　him。　　〃I　only　telegraphed　for　fear　you　should　lock　up　for　the　night　and　leave　me　to　shiver　unknown　on　the　doorstep。〃

〃But　what　happened？〃　asked　Erica。　　〃Why　couldn't　you　lecture？〃

〃Ashborough　had　worked　itself　up　into　one　of　its　tumults；　and　the　fools　of　authorities　thought　it　would　excite　a　breach　of　the　peace；　which　was　excited　quite　as　much　and　probably　more　by　my　not　lecturing。　　But　I'm　not　going　to　be　beaten！　　I　shall　go　down　there　again　in　a　few　weeks。〃

〃Was　there　any　rioting？〃

〃Well；　there　was　a　roughish　mob；　who　prevented　my　eating　my　dinner　in　peace；　and　pursued　me　even　into　my　bedroom；　and　some　of　the　Ashborough　lambs　were　kind　enough　to　overturn　my　cab　as　I　was　going　to　the　station。　　But；　having　escaped　with　nothing　worse　than　a　shaking；　I'll　forgive　them　for　that。　　The　fact　is　they　had　burned　me　in　effigy　on　the　5th　and　had　so　much　enjoyed　the　ceremony　that；　when　the　original　turned　up；　they　really　couldn't　be　civil　to　him；　it　would　have　been　so　very　tame。　　I'm　told　the　effigy　was　such　a　fearful…looking　monster　that　it　frightened　the　bairnies　out　of　their　wits；　specially　as　it　was　first　carried　all　round　the　place　on　a　parish　coffin！〃

〃What　a　hateful　plan　that　effigy…burning　is！〃　said　Erica。　〃Were　you　not　really　hurt　at　all　when　they　upset　your　cab？〃

〃Perhaps　a　little　bruised；〃　said　Raeburn；　〃and　somewhat　angry　with　my　charitable　opponents。　　I　didn't　so　much　mind　being　overturned；　but　I　hate　being　balked。　　They　shall　have　the　lecture；　however；　before　long；　I'm　not　going　to　be　beaten。　　On　the　whole；　they　couldn't　have　chosen　a　worse　night　for　their　little　game。　　I　seriously　thought　we　should　never　grope　our　way　home　through　that　fog。　　It　has　quite　taken　me　back　to　my　young　days　when　this　sort　of　thing　met　one　on　every　hand；　and　there　was　no　little　daughter　to　cheer　me　up　then；　and　very　often　no　supper　either！〃

〃That　was　when　you　were　living　in　Blank　Street？〃

〃Yes；　in　a　room　about　the　size　of　a　sentry　box。　　It　was　bearable　all　except　the　black　beetles！　　I've　never　seen　such　beetles　before　or　since　twice　the　size　of　the　ordinary　ones。　　I　couldn't　convince　the　landlady　that　they　even　existed；　she　always　maintained　that　they　never　rose　to　the　attics；　but　one　night　I　armed　myself　with　Cruden's　Concordance　and；　thanks　to　its　weight　and　my　good　aim；　killed　six　at　a　time；　and　produced　the　corpses　as　evidence。　　I　shall　never　forget　the　good　lady's　face！　　'You　see；　sir；'　she　said；　'they　never　come　by　day；　they　'ates　the　light　because　their　deeds　is　evil。'〃

〃Were　the　beetles　banished　after　that？〃　asked　Erica；　laughing。

〃No；　they　went　on　to　the　bitter　end；〃　said　Raeburn　with　one　of　his　bright；　humorous　looks。　〃And　I　believe　the　landlady　put　it　all　down　to　my　atheistical　views　a　just　retribution　for　harboring　such　a　notorious　fellow　in　her　house！　　But　there；　my　child；　we　mustn't　sit　up　any　longer　gossiping；　run　off　to　bed。　　I'll　see　that　the　lights　are　all　out。〃


CHAPTER　XXXVII。　Dreeing　Out　the　Inch

Skepticism　for　that　century　we　must　consider　as　the　decay　of　old　ways　of　believing；　the　preparation　afar　off　for　new；　better；　and　wider　ways　an　inevitable　thing。　　We　will　not　blame　men　for　it；　we　will　lament　their　hard　fate。　　We　will　understand　that　destruction　of　old　forms　is　not　destruction　of　everlasting　substances；　that　skepticism；　as　sorrowful　and　hateful　as　we　see　it；　is　not　an　end　but　a　beginning。　　Carlyle

One　June　evening；　an　elderly　man　with　closely　cropped　iron…gray　hair；　might　have　been　seen　in　a　certain　railway　carriage　as　the　Folkestone　train　reached　its　destination。　　The　Cannon　Street　platform　was；　as　usual；　the　scene　of　bustle　and　confusion；　most　of　the　passengers　were　met　by　friends　or　relatives；　others　formed　a　complete　party　in　themselves；　and；　with　the　exception　of　the　elderly　man；　there　was　scarcely　a　unit　among　them。　　The　fact　of　his　loneliness　would　not；　of　course；　have　been　specially　remarkable　had　it　not　been　that　he　was　evidently　in　the　last　stage　of　some　painful　illness；　he　was　also　a　foreigner　and；　not　being　accustomed　to　the　English　luggage　system；　he　had　failed　to　secure　a　porter　as　the　train　drew　up　and　so；　while　the　others　were　fighting　their　way　to　the　van；　he；　who　needed　assistance