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〃Perhaps　you'll　just　drop　that　in　the　pillar　on　your　way　home；〃　he　said　to　Brian。　　〃I　want　Jackson　to　get　it　by　the　first　post。　　If　you　will　look　in　later　on；　I　should　be　glad　to　have　a　talk　with　you。　　At　present　I'm　too　tired　to　be　overhauled。〃

Then；　as　Brian　left　the　room；　he　turned　to　Erica。

〃I　am　sorry　to　have　given　you　a　fright；　my　child；　but　don't　worry　about　me；　I　am　only　a　little　overdone。〃

Again　that　fatal　admission；　which　from　Raeburn's　lips　was　more　alarming　than　a　long　catalogue　of　dangerous　symptoms　from　other　men！

There　followed　a　disturbed　night　and　a　long　day　in　a　crowded　law　court；　then　one　of　the　most　terrible　hours　they　had　ever　had　to　endure　while　waiting　for　the　verdict　which　would　either　consign　Raeburn　to　prison　or　leave　him　to　peace　and　freedom。　　So　horrible　was　the　suspense　that　to　draw　each　breath　was　to　Erica　a　painful　effort。　　Even　Raeburn's　composure　was　a　little　shaken　as　those　eternal　minutes　dragged　on。

The　foreman　returned。　　The　court　seemed　to　throb　with　excitement。　　Raeburn　lifted　a　calm；　stern　face　to　hear　his　fate。　　He　knew　what　no　one　else　in　the　court　knew；　that　this　was　to　him　a　matter　of　life　and　death。

〃Are　you　agreed；　gentlemen？〃

〃Yes；〃

People　listened　breathlessly。

〃Do　you　find　the　defendant　guilty；　or　not？〃

〃Not　guilty。〃

The　reaction　was　so　sharp　as　to　be　almost　overpowering。　　But　poor　Erica's　joy　was　but　short…lived。　　She　looked　at　her　father's　face　and　knew　that；　although　one　anxiety　was　ended；　another　was　already　begun。


CHAPTER　XXXVIII。　Halcyon　Days

There　is　a　sweetness　in　autumnal　days；　Which　many　a　lip　doth　praise；　When　the　earth；　tired　a　little；　and　grown　mute　Of　song；　and　having　borne　its　fruit；　Rests　for　a　little　ere　the　winter　come。　It　is　not　sad　to　turn　the　face　toward　home；　Even　though　it　show　the　journey　nearly　done；　It　is　not　sad　to　mark　the　westering　sun；　Even　though　we　know　the　night　doth　come；　Silence　there　is；　indeed；　for　song；　Twilight　for　noon；　But　for　the　steadfast　soul　and　strong　Life's　autumn　is　as　June。　　From　the　〃Ode　of　Life〃

〃Anything　in　the　papers　this　evening？〃　asked　a　young　clergyman；　who　was　in　one　of　the　carriages　of　the　Metropolitan　Railway　late　in　the　afternoon　of　an　August　day。

〃Nothing　of　much　interest；〃　replied　his　wife；　handing　him　the　newspaper　she　had　been　glancing　through。　　〃I　see　that　wretched　Raeburn　is　ill。　　I　wish　he'd　die。〃

〃Oh！　　Broken　down　at　last；　has　he？〃　said　the　other。　　〃Where　is　it？　　Oh；　yes；　I　see。　　Ordered　to　take　immediate　and　entire　rest。　　Will　be　paralyzed　in　a　week　if　he　doesn't。　　Pleasant　alternative　that！　　Result　of　excessive　overwork。　　Fancy　calling　this　blasphemous　teaching　work！　　I　could　hang　that　man　with　my　own　hands！〃

Erica　had　had　a　long　and　harassing　day。　　She　was　returning　from　the　city　where　she　had　gone　to　obtain　leave　of　absence　from　Mr。　Bircham；　for　her　father　was　to　go　into　the　quietest　country　place　that　could　be　found；　and　she　of　course　was　to　accompany　him。　　At　the　〃Daily　Review〃　office　she　had　met　with　the　greatest　kindness；　and　she　might　have　gone　home　cheered　and　comforted　had　it　not　been　her　lot　to　overhear　this　conversation。　　Tom　was　with　her。　　She　saw　him　hastily　transcribing　the　uncharitable　remarks；　and　knew　that　the　incident　would　figure　in　next　week's　〃Idol…Breaker。〃　　It　was　only　a　traceable　instance　of　the　harm　done　by　all　such　words。

〃Will　you　change　carriages？〃　asked　Tom。

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　and　as　she　rose　to　go　she　quietly　handed　her　card　to　the　lady；　who；　it　is　to　be　hoped；　learned　a　lesson　thereby。

But　it　would　be　unjust　to　show　only　the　dark　side　of　the　picture。　　Great　sympathy　and　kindness　was　shown　them　at　that　time　by　many　earnest　and　orthodox　Christians；　and　though　Raeburn　used　to　accept　this　sympathy　with　the　remark：　〃You　see；　humanity　overcomes　the　baleful　influences　of　religion　in　the　long　run；〃　yet　he　was　always　touched　and　pleased　by　the　smallest　signs　of　friendliness；　while　to　Erica　such　considerateness　was　an　inestimable　help。　　The　haste　and　confusion　of　those　days；　added　to　the　anxiety；　told　severely　on　her　strength；　but　there　is　this　amount　of　good　in　a　trying　bit　of　〃hurrying　life；〃　the　rest；　when　it　comes；　is　doubly　restful。

It　was　about　six　o'clock　on　an　August　evening　when　Raeburn　and　Erica　reached　the　little　country　town　of　Firdale。　　They　were　to　take　up　their　abode　for　the　next　six　weeks　at　a　village　about　three　miles　off；　one　of　the　few　remaining　places　in　England　which　maintained　its　primitive　simplicity；　its　peaceful　quiet　having　never　been　disturbed　by　shriek　of　whistle　or　snort　of　engine。

The　journey　from　town　had　been　short　and　easy；　but　Raeburn　was　terribly　exhausted　by　it；　he　complained　of　such　severe　headache　that　they　made　up　their　minds　to　stay　that　night　at　Firdale；　and　were　soon　comfortably　established　in　the　most　charming　old　inn；　which　in　coaching　days　had　been　a　place　of　note。　　Here　they　dined；　and　afterward　Raeburn　fell　asleep　on　a　big　old…fashioned　sofa；　while　Erica　sat　by　the　open　window；　able　in　spite　of　her　anxiety　to　take　a　sort　of　restful　interest　in　watching　the　traffic　in　the　street　below。　　Such　a　quiet；　easy…going　life　these　Firdale　people　seemed　to　lead。　　They　moved　in　such　a　leisurely　way；　bustle　and　hurry　seemed　an　unknown　thing。　　And　yet　this　was　market　day；　as　was　evident　by　the　country　women　with　their　baskets；　and　by　occasional　processions　of　sheep　or　cattle。　　One　man　went　slowly　by　driving　a　huge　pig；　he　was　in　sight　for　quite　five　minutes；　dawdling　along；　and　allowing　the　pig　to　have　his　own　sweet　will　as　far　as　speed　was　concerned；　but　occasionally　giving　him　a　gentle　poke　with　a　stick　when　he　paused　to　burrow　his　nose　in　the　mud。　　Small　groups　of　men　stood　talking　at　the　corner　of　the　market　place；　a　big　family　went　by；　evidently　returning　from　a　country　walk；　presently　the　lamps　were　lighted；　and　then　immense　excitement　reigned　in　the　little　place　for　at　the　corner　where　the　two　main　streets　crossed　each　other　at　right　angles　a　cheap…jack　had　set　up　his　stall　and；　with　flaring　naptha　lamps　to　show　his　goods；　was　selling　by　auction　the　most　wonderful　clocks　at　the　very　lowest　prices　in　fact；　the　most　superior　glass；　china；　clothing；　and　furniture　that　the　people　of　Firdale　had　ever　had　the　privilege　of　seeing。　　Erica　listened　with　no　little　amusement　to　his　fervid　appeals　to　the　people　not　to　lose　this　golden　opportunity；　and　to　the　shy　responses　of　the　small　crowd　which　had　been　attracted　and　which　lingered　on；　tempted　yet　cautious；　until　the　cheap…jack　had　worked　himself　up　into　a　white　heat　of　energetic　oratory；　and　the　selling　became　brisk　and　lively。

By　and　by　the　silvery　moonlight　began　to　flood　the　street；　contrasting　strangely　with　the　orange　glare　of　the　lamps。　　Erica　still　leaned　her　head　against　the　window　frame；　still　looked　out　dreamily　at　the　Firdale　life；　while　the　soft　night　wind　lightly　lifted　the　hair　from　her　forehead　and　seemed　to　lull　the　pain　at　her　heart。

It　was　only　in　accordance　with　the　general　peacefulness　when　by　and　by　her　father　crossed　the　room；　looking　more　like　himself　than　he　had　done　for　some　days。

〃I　am　better；　Eric；〃　he　said　cheerfully　〃better　already。　　It　is　just　the　consciousness　that　there　is　nothing　that　need　be　done。　　I　feel　as　if　I　should　sleep　tonight。〃　　He　looked　out　at　the　moonlit　street。　　〃What　a　perfect　night　it　is！　He　exclaimed。　　〃What　do　you　say；　little　one；　shall　we　drive　over　to　this　rural　retreat　now？　　The　good　folks　were　told　to　have　everything　ready；　and　they　can　hardly　lock　up　before　ten。〃

She　was　so　glad　to　see　him　take　an　interest　in　anything；　and　so　greatly　relieved　by　his　recovery　of　strength　and　spirits；　that　she　gladly　fell　in　with　the　plan；　and　before　long　they　set　off　in　one　of　the　wagonettes　belonging　to　the　Shrub　Inn。

Firdale　wound　its　long　street　of　red…roofed　houses　along　a　sheltered　valley　in　between　fir…crowned　heights；　beyond　the　town　lay　rich；　fertile…looking　meadows；　and　a　winding　river　bordered　by　pollard　willows。　　Looking　across　these　meadows；　one　could　see　the　massive　tower　of　the　church；　its　white　pinnacles　standing　out　sharp　and　clear　in　the　moonlight。　　As　Raeburn　and　Erica　crossed　the　bridge　leading　out　of　the　town；　the　clock　in　the　tower　struck　nine；　and　the　old　chimes　began　to　play　the　tune　which　every　three　hours　fell　on　the　ears　of　the　inhabitants　of　Firdale。

〃'Life　let　us　cherish；'〃　said　Raeburn　with　a　smile。　　〃A　good　omen　for　us；　little　one。〃

And　whether　it　was　the　mere　fact　that　he　looked　so　much　more　cheerful　already；　or　whether　the　dear　old　tune；　with　its　resolute　good　humor　and　determination　to　make　the　best　of　things；　acted　upon　Erica's　sensitive　nature；　it　would　be　hard　to　say；　but　she　somehow　shook　off　all　her　cares　and　enjoyed　the　novelty　of　the　moonlight　drive　like　a　child。　　Before　long　they　were　among　the　fir　trees；　driving　along　the　sandy　road；　the　sweet　night　laden　with　the　delicious　scent　of　pine　needles；　and　to　the　overworked　Londoners　in　itself　the　most　delicious　refreshment。　　All　at　once　Raeburn　ordered　the　driver　to　stop　and；　getting　out；　stooped　down　by　the　roadside。

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Erica。

〃Heather！〃　he　exclaimed；　tearing　it　up　by　handfuls　and　returning　to　the　carriage　laden。　　〃There！　　Shut　your　eyes　and　bury　your　face　in　that；　and　you　can　almost　fancy