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ts　to　take　a　fair；　unprejudiced　view　of　true　Christ…following；　seems　to　me　to　be　the　great　need　of　today。〃

〃If　one　could！〃　said　Erica；　with　a　long…drawn　sigh。

〃If　any　one　can；　you　can；〃　he　replied。

She　looked　up　at　him　quickly；　awed　by　the　earnestness　of　his　tone。　　Was　she　a　young　girl；　conscious　of　so　many　faults　and　failings；　conscious　of　being　at　the　very　threshold　herself　to　dare　even　to　attempt　such　a　task？　　Yet　was　it　a　question　of　daring　to　attempt？　　Was　it　not　rather　the　bit　of　work　mapped　out　for　her；　to　undertake；　perhaps　to　fail　in；　but　still　bravely　to　attempt？　　He　heart　throbbed　with　eager　yearning；　as　the　vision　rose　before　her。　　What　was　mere　personal　pain？　　What　was　injustice？　　What　was　misunderstanding？　　Why；　in　such　a　cause　she　could　endure　anything。

〃I　would　die　to　help　on　that！〃　she　said　in　a　low　voice。

〃Will　you　live　for　it？〃　asked　Donovan；　with　his　rare；　beautiful　smile。　　〃Live；　and　do　something　more　than　endure　the　Lady　Carolines　and　Mr。　Cuthberts？〃

Few　things　are　more　inspiriting　that　the　realization　that　we　are　called　to　some　special　work　which　will　need　our　highest　faculties；　our　untiring　exertions　which　will　demand　all　that　is　good　in　us；　and　will　make　growth　in　good　imperative。　　With　the　peacefulness　of　that　country　Sunday　was　interwoven　a　delicious　perception　that　hard；　beautiful　work　lay　beyond。　　Erica　wandered　about　the　shady　Mountshire　woods　with　Gladys　and　the　children；　and　in　the　cool　restfulness；　in　the　stillness　and　beauty；　got　a　firm　hold　on　her　lofty　ideal；　and　rose　about　the　petty　vexations　and　small　frictions　which　had　been　spoiling　her　life　at　Greyshot。

The　manor　grounds　were　always　thrown　open　to　the　public　on　Sunday；　and　a　band　in　connection　with　one　of　the　temperance　societies　played　on　the　lawn。　　Donovan　had　been　much　persecuted　by　the　Sabbatarians　for　sanctioning　this；　but；　though　sorry　to　offend　any　one；　he　could　not　allow　what　he　considered　mistaken　scruples　to　interfere　with　such　a　boon　to　the　public。　　Crowds　of　workingmen　and　women　came　each　week　away　from　their　densely　packed　homes　into　the　pure　country；　the　place　was　for　the　time　given　up　to　them；　and　they　soon　learned　to　love　it；　to　look　upon　it　as　a　property　to　which　they　had　a　real　and　recognized　share。

Squire　Ward；　who　owned　the　neighboring　estate；　grumbled　a　good　deal　at　the　intrusion　of　what　he　called　the　〃rabble〃　into　quiet　Oakdene。

〃That's　the　worst　of　such　men　as　Farrant；〃　he　used　to　say。　　〃They　begin　by　rushing　to　one　extreme；　and　end　by　rushing　to　the　other。　　Such　a　want　of　steady　conservative　balance！　　He's　a　good　man；　but；　poor　fellow；　he'll　never　be　like　other　people；　never！〃

Mrs。　Ward　was　almost　inclined　to　think　that　he　had　been　less　obnoxious　in　the　old　times。　　As　a　professed　atheist；　he　could　be　shunned　and　ignored；　but　his　uncomfortably　practical　Christianity　had　a　way　of　shaking　up　the　sleepy　neighborhood；　and　the　neighborhood　did　not　at　all　like　being　shaken！


CHAPTER　XXIX。　Greyshot　Again

To　what　purpose　do　you　profess　to　believe　in　the　unity　of　the　human　race；　which　is　the　necessary　consequence　of　the　unity　of　God；　if　you　do　not　strive　to　verify　it　by　destroying　the　arbitrary　divisions　and　enmities　that　still　separate　the　different　tribes　of　humanity？　　Why　do　we　talk　of　fraternity　while　we　allow　any　of　our　brethren　to　be　trampled　on；　degraded　or　despised？　　The　earth　is　our　workshop。　　We　may　not　curse　it；　we　are　bound　to　sanctify　it。　。　。　　We　must　strive　to　make　of　humanity　one　single　family。　Mazzini

Erica's　appearance　at　Lady　Caroline's　dinner　party　had　caused　a　sort　of　storm　in　a　tea　cup；　the　small　world　of　Greyshot　was　in　a　state　of　ferment；　and　poor　Mrs。　Fane…Smith　suffered　a　good　deal　from　the　consciousness　that　she　and　her　family　were　the　subject　of　all　the　gossip　of　the　place。　　Her　little　expedients　had　failed；　and　she　began　to　reflect　ruefully　that　perfect　sincerity；　plain　honesty；　would　have　been　the　best　policy；　after　all。　　By　the　time　that　a　week　had　passed；　however；　censure　and　harsh　comments　began　to　give　place　to　curiosity；　and　the　result　of　this　was　that　on　Monday；　which　was　Mrs。　Fane…Smith's　〃at　home〃　day；　Greyshot　found　it　convenient　to　call　in　large　numbers。

Erica；　returning　from　Oakdene　in　the　afternoon；　found　her　work　awaiting　her。　　Her　heart　beat　rather　quickly　when；　on　entering　the　drawing　room　she　found　it　full　of　visitors；　she　half　smiled　to　herself　to　find　such　an　opportunity　of　beginning　Donovan's　work。　　And　very　bravely　she　set　about　it。　　Those　who　had　come　from　curiosity　not　unmixed　with　malice　were　won　in　spite　of　themselves；　even　Mr。　Cuthbert；　who　bore　down　upon　her　with　the　full　intention　of　making　her　uncomfortable；　found　himself　checkmated　as　effectually　as　at　Lady　Caroline's　dinner　table；　though　in　a　very　different　way。

〃I　think　I　saw　you　in　church　yesterday　morning！〃　he　remarked；　by　way　of　introducing　a　discordant　subject。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Erica；　〃I　have　been　staying　at　Oakdene　Manor；　and　had　a　most　delicious　time。〃

〃Sharing　Mr。　Farrant's　philanthropic　labors？〃　asked　Mr。　Cuthbert；　with　his　unpleasant　smile。

She　laughed。

〃No；　I　have　been　thoroughly　lazy；　and　September　is　their　holiday　month；　too。　　You　would　have　been　amused　to　see　us　the　other　evening　all　hard　at　work　making　paper　frogs　like　so　many　children。〃

〃Paper　frogs！〃　said　Mr。　Cuthbert；　with　an　intonation　that　suggested　sarcasm。

〃Yes；　have　you　ever　seen　them？〃　asked　Erica。　　〃I　don't　think　many　people　know　how　to　make　them。　　Feltrino　taught　me　when　I　was　a　little　girl　I'll　show　you；　if　you　like。〃

〃Did　you　ever　meet　Feltrino？〃　asked　Lady　Caroline。

She　knew　very　little　of　the　Italian　patriot。　　In　his　life　time　he　had　been　despised　and　rejected；　but　he　was　now　dead；　his　biography　a　well…written　one　was　in　all　the　circulating　libraries；　and　even　those　who　were　far　from　agreeing　with　his　political　views；　had　learned　something　of　the　nobility　of　his　character。　　So　there　was　both　surprise　and　envy　in　Lady　Caroline's　tone；　she　had　a　weakness　for　celebrities。

〃I　saw　him　once　when　I　was　seven　years　old；〃　said　Erica。　　〃He　knew　my　father；　and　one　day　we　were　overtaken　by　a　tremendous　shower；　and　happened　to　meet　Feltrino；　who　made　us　come　into　his　rooms　and　wait　till　it　was　over。　　And　while　they　talked　Italian　politics　I　sat　and　watched　him。　　He　had　the　most　wonderful　eyes　I　ever　saw；　and　presently；　looking　up　and　seeing　me；　he　laughed　and　took　me　on　his　knee；　saying　that　politics　must　not　spoil　my　holiday；　and　that　he　would　show　me　how　to　make　Japanese　frogs。　　Once；　when　he　was　imprisoned；　and　was　hardly　allowed　to　have　any　books；　the　making　of　those　frogs　kept　him　from　going　mad；　he　said。〃

While　she　spoke　she　had　been　deftly　folding　a　sheet　of　paper；　and　several　people　were　watching　curiously。　　〃Before　very　long；　the　frog　was　completed；　and　the　imitation　proved　so　clever　that　there　was　an　unanimous　chorus　of　approval　and　admiration。　　Every　one　wanted　to　learn　how　to　make　them；　the　Feltrino　frogs　became　the　topic　of　the　afternoon；　and　Erica　fairly　conquered　the　malicious　tongues。　　She　was　superintending　Lady　Caroline's　first　attempt　at　a　frog；　when　a　familiar　name　made　her　look　up。

〃Mr。　Cunningham　Mr。　Leslie　Cunningham。〃

〃I　thought　you　were　in　Switzerland！〃　she　exclaimed；　as　he　crossed　the　room　and　shook　hands　with　her。

〃I　never　got　further　than　Paris；〃　he　said；　smiling。　　〃〃My　brother　has　gone　instead；　and　I　am　going　to　follow　your　example　and　study　the　beauties　of　English　scenery。〃

Perhaps　Greyshot　opinion　was　more　conciliated　by　the　long　talk　with　Mr。　Leslie　Cunningham；　M。P。；　than　even　by　the　Feltrino　frogs。　　To　have　Luke　Raeburn's　daughter　suddenly　thrust　into　the　midst　of　their　select　society　at　Lady　Caroline's　dinner　was　one　thing　they　had　one　and　all　shunned　her。　　But　when　she　proved　to　be；　after　all；　clever　and　fascinating；　and　original；　when　they　knew　that　she　had　sat　on　Feltrino's　knee　as　a　little　child；　above　all；　when　they　saw　that　Leslie　Cunningham　was　talking　to　her　with　mingled　friendliness　and　deference；　they　veered　round。　　Politically；　they　hated　Sir　Michael　Cunningham；　but　in　society　they　were　pleased　enough　to　meet　him；　and　in　Greyshot；　naturally　enough；　his　son　was　a　〃lion。〃　　Greyshot　made　much　of　him　during　his　stay　at　Blachingbury；　and　he　found　it　very　convenient　just　then　to　be　made　much　of。

Hardly　a　day　of　that　week　passed　in　which　he　did　not　in　some　way　meet　Erica。　　He　met　her　in　the　park　with　her　aunt；　he　sat　next　to　her　at　an　evening　concert；　he　went　to　the　theater　and　watched　her　all　through　〃Hamlet；〃　and　came　to　the　Fane…Smith's　box　between　the　acts。　　Yet；　desperately　as　he　was　in　love；　he　could　not　delude　himself　with　the　belief　that　she　cared　for　him。　　She　was　always　bright；　talkative；　frank；　even　friendly；　but　that　was　all。　　Yet　her　unlikeness　to　the　monotonously　same　girls；　whom　he　was　in　the　habit　of　meeting；　fascinated　him　more　and　more　each　day。　　She　was　to　go　back　to　town　on　the　Monday；　on　Friday　it　so　happened　that　she　met　Leslie　Cunningham　at　a　great　flower　show；　and　with　perfect　unconsciousness　piqued　him　almost　beyond　endurance。　　Now　at　last　he　hoped　to　make　her　understand　his　admiration。　　They　discussed　〃Hamlet；〃　and　he　had　just　brought　the　conversation　adroitly　round　to　the　love　scene　in　the　third　act；　when　Erica　suddenly　dashed　his　hopes　to　the　ground。

〃Oh；　how　lovely！〃　she　exclaimed；　pausing　before　a　beautiful　exotic。　　〃Surely　that　must　be　an　orchid？〃

And　the　reluctant　Leslie　found　the　conversation　drifting　round　to　botany；　about　which　he　knew　little　and　cared　less。　　Once　more　his　hopes　were　raised　only　to　be　frustrated。　　He　was　sitting　besides　Mrs。　Fane…Smith　and　Erica；　and　had　managed　to　stem　the　tide　of　the　botany。　　The　band　was　playing。　　Erica；　half　listening　to　the　music　and　half　attending　to　his　talk；　looked　dreamily　peaceful；　surely　now　was　the　time！　　But　all　at　once　the　clear　eyes　looked　up　with　their　perfectly　wide…awake　interest；　and　she　exclaimed：

〃I　do　wish　the　Farrants　would　come！　　They　certainly　meant　to　be　here。　　I　can't　make　it　out。〃

Leslie　patiently　talked　about　the　member　for　Greyshot；　but；　just　when　he　hoped　he　was　quit　of　the　subject；　Erica　gave　an　exclamation　of　such　unfeigned　delight　that　a　consuming　envy　took　possession　of　him。

〃Oh；　there　he　is！　　And　Ralph　and　Dolly；　too！〃