en persecuting innumerable people for hundreds of years； is false； worthless； rotten to the core。 Child！ Child！ Surely you can't believe in a God whose followers try to promote His glory by sheer brutality like this？〃
It was the first time he had spoken to her on this subject since their interview at Codrington。 They had resolved never to touch upon it again； but a sort of consciousness that some good must come to him through this new bitterness； a hope that it must and would reconvince his child； impelled Raeburn to break his resolution。
〃I could sooner doubt that you are standing here； father； with your arm round me；〃 said Erica； 〃than I could doubt the presence of your Father and mine the All…Father。〃
〃Even though his followers are such lying scoundrels as that Pogson？ What do you make of that？ What do you think of that？〃
〃I think；〃 she replied quietly； 〃that my father is too just a man to judge Christianity by the very worst specimen of a Christian to be met with。 Any one who does not judge secularism by its very best representatives； dead or living； is unfair and what is unfair in one case is unfair in another。〃
〃Well； if I judged it by you； perhaps I might take a different view of it；〃 said Raeburn。 〃But then you had the advantage of some years of secularism。〃
〃Not by me！〃 cried Erica。 〃How can it seem anything but very faulty when you judge it only by faulty people？ Why not judge it by the life and character of Christ？〃
Raeburn turned away with a gesture of impatience。
〃A myth！ A poetic creation long ago distorted out of its true proportions！ There； child； I see we must stop。 I only pain you and torture myself by arguing the question。〃
〃One more thing；〃 said Erica； 〃before we go back to the old silence。 Father； if you would only write a life of Christ I mean； a really complete life； the one you wrote years ago was scarcely more than a pamphlet。〃
He smiled； knowing that she thought the deep study necessary for such an undertaking would lead to a change in his views。
〃My dear；〃 he said； 〃perhaps I would； but just see how I am overdone。 I couldn't write an elaborate thing now。 Besides； there is the book on the Pentateuch not half finished though it was promised months ago。 Perhaps a year or two hence when Pogson gives me time to draw a long breath； I'll attempt it； but I have an idea that one or other of us will have to be 'kilt intirely' before that happy time arrives。 Perhaps we shall mutually do for each other； and reenact the historical song。〃 And； with laughter in his eyes； he repeated：
〃There once were two cats of Kilkenny； Each thought there was one cat too many； So they quarreled and spit； and they scratched and they bit； Till； excepting their nails and the tips of their tails； Instead of two cats； there weren't any。〃
Erica smiled faintly； but sighed the next minute。
〃Well； there！ It's too grave a matter to jest about；〃 said Raeburn。 〃Oh； bairn！ If I could but save you from that brute's malice； I should care very little for the rest。〃
〃Since you only care about it for my sake； and I only for yours； I think we may as well give up caring at all；〃 said Erica； looking up at him with a brave smile。 〃And； after all； Mr。 Cringer； Q。 C。 can only keep me in purgatory for a few hours at the outside。 Don't you think； too； that such a cruel thing will damage Mr。 Pogson in the eyes of the jury？〃
〃Unfortunately； dear； juries are seldom inclined to show any delicate considerateness to an atheist；〃 said Raeburn。
And Erica knew that he spoke truly enough。
No more was said just then。 Raeburn began rapidly to run through his remaining correspondence a truly miscellaneous collection。 Legal letters； political letters； business letters requests for his autograph； for his help； for his advice a challenge from a Presbyterian minister in the north of Scotland to meet him in debate； the like from a Unitarian in Norfolk； a coffin and some insulting verses in a match box； and lastly an abrasive letter from a clergyman； holding him responsible for some articles by Mr。 Masterman； which he had nothing whatever to do with； and of which he in fact disapproved。
〃What would they think； Eric； if I insisted on holding the Bishop of London responsible for every utterance of every Christian in the diocese？〃 said Raeburn。
〃They would think you were a fool；〃 said Erica； cutting the coffin into little bits as she spoke。
Raeburn smiled and penciled a word or two on the letter the pith of a stinging reply。
CHAPTER XXXV。 Raeburn v。 Pogson
Oh； God of mountains； stars； and boundless spaces！ Oh； God of freedom and of joyous hearts！ When Thy face looketh forth from all men's faces There will be room enough in crowded marts。 Brood Thou around me； and the noise is o'er； Thy universe my closet with shut door。
Heart； heart； awake！ The love that loveth all Maketh a deeper calm than Horeb's cave。 God in thee； can His children's folly gall？ Love may be hurt； but shall not love be brave？ Thy holy silence sinks in dews of balm； Thou art my solitude； my mountain calm。 George MacDonald
When a particularly unpleasant event has long been hanging over one's head； sure to come at some time； though the precise date is unknown； people of a certain disposition find it quite possible to live on pretty comfortably through the waiting time。 But when at length the date is fixed； when you know that that which you dread will happen upon such and such a day； then the waiting begins all at once to seem intolerable。 The vague date had been awaited calmly； but the certain date is awaited with a wearing anxiety which tells fearfully on physical strength。 When Erica knew that the action for libel would begin in a fortnight's time； the comparative calmness of the nine months which had passed since the outset of the matter gave place to an agony of apprehension。 Night after night she had fearful dreams of being cross…examined by Mr。 Cringer； Q。C。； who always forced her to say exactly what she did not mean。 Night after night coldly curious eyes stared down at her from all parts of a crowded court； while her misery was completed by being perfectly conscious of what she ought to have said directly it was too late。
By day she was too wise to allow herself to dwell on the future； she worked doubly hard； laid in a stock of particularly interesting books； and threw herself as much as possible into the lives of others。 Happily； the Farrants were in town； and she was able to see a great deal of them； while on the very day before the trial came a substantial little bit of happiness。
She was sitting in the study doing some copying for her father when a brougham stopped at the door。 Erica； who never failed to recognize a horse if she had once seen it before； who even had favorites among the dozens of omnibus horses which she met daily in Oxford Street； at once knew that either Donovan or Gladys had come to see her。
She ran out into the hall to meet them； but had no sooner opened the study door than the tiniest of dogs trotted into the room and began sniffing cautiously at her father's clothes。
〃Tottie has made a very unceremonious entrance；〃 said a clear； mellow voice in the passage。 〃May we come in； or are you too busy today？〃
〃Oh； please come in。 Father is home； and I do so want you to meet；〃 said Erica。 〃You have brought Dolly； too！ That is delightful。 We are dreadfully in want of something young and happy to cheer us up。〃
The two men shook hands with the momentary keen glance into each other's eyes which those give who have heard much of one another but have never been personally acquainted。
〃As to Dolly；〃 said Donovan； 〃she requires no introduction to Mr。 Raeburn。〃
〃No；〃 said Erica； laughing； 〃she cried all over his coat two years ago。〃
Dolly did not often wait for introductions unless she disliked people。 And no child could have found it in its heart to dislike anything so big and kind and fatherly as Luke Raeburn。
〃We blought a little dog for Elica；〃 she said； in her silvery treble。
And the next moment she was established on Raeburn's knee； encouraged to thrust a little； dimpled hand into his pocket for certain Edinburgh dainties。
〃Dolly does not beat about the bush；〃 said Donovan； smiling。 〃Would you at all care to have this small animal？ I knew you were fond of dogs； and Gladys and I saw this little toy Esquimanx the other day and fell in love with him。 I find though that another dog rather hurts Waif's feelings； so you will be doing a kindness to him as well if you will accept 'Tottie。'〃
〃Oh； how delightful of you！ It was kind of you to think of it；〃 said Erica。 〃I have always so longed to have a dog of my own。 And this is such a little beauty！ Is it not a very rare breed？〃
〃I believe it is； and I think he's a loving little beggar； too；〃 replied Donovan。 〃He is making himself quite at home here； is he not？〃
And in truth the small dog seemed deeply interested in his new residence。 He was the tiniest of his kind； and was covered with long black hair which stood straight up on end； his pointed nose； bright brown eyes； and cunning little ears； set in the frame work of bushy hair； gave him a most sagacious appearance。 And just now he was brim