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〃You　are　thinking　of　artesian　wells；　I　fancy；〃　he　said　in　his　kindly　voice；　and　he　began　to　give　her　a　brief　outline　of　Descartes'　philosophy；　which　it　is　to　be　feared　she　did　not　at　all　appreciate。　　She　was　not　sorry　when　Erica　appealed　to　him　for　some　disputed　fact；　in　which　they　all　seemed　most　extraordinarily　interested；　for　when　the　discussion　had　lasted　some　minutes；　Tom　went　off　in　the　middle　of　dinner　and　fetched　in　two　or　three　bulky　books　of　reference；　these　were　eagerly　seized　upon；　to　the　entire　disregard　of　the　pudding　which　was　allowed　to　get　cold。

Presently　the　very　informal　meal　was　ended　by　some　excellent　coffee　in　the　place　of　the　conventional　dessert；　after　which　came　a　hurried　dispersion　as　they　were　all　going　to　some　political　meeting　at　the　East　End。　　Cabs　were　unattainable　and；　having　secured　a　couple　of　link…boys；　they　set　off；　apparently　in　excellent　spirits。

〃Fancy　turning　out　on　such　a　night　as　this！〃　said　Rose；　putting　her　arm　within　Erica's。　　〃I　am　so　glad　you　are　not　going　for　now　we　can　really　have　a　cozy　talk。　　I've　ever　so　much　to　tell　you。〃

Erica　looked　rather　wistfully　after　the　torches　and　the　retreating　forms　as　they　made　their　way　down　the　steps；　she　was　much　disappointed　at　being　obliged　to　miss　this　particular　meeting；　but　luckily　Rose　was　not　in　the　least　likely　to　find　this　out　for　she　could　not　imagine　for　a　moment　that　any　one　really　cared　about　missing　a　political　meeting；　particularly　when　it　would　have　involved　turning　out　on　such　a　disagreeable　night。

Erica　had　persuaded　Rose　to　telegraph　both　to　her　friends　at　Sandgale　and　to　her　mother　to　tell　of　her　adventure　and　to　say　that　she　would　go　on　to　Sandgale　on　the　Monday。　　For；　unfortunately；　the　next　day　was　Sunday；　and　Rose　looked　so　aghast　at　the　very　idea　of　traveling　then　that　Erica　could　say　nothing　more　though　she　surmised　rightly　enough　that　Mr。　Fane…Smith　would　have　preferred　even　Sunday　traveling　to　a　Sunday　spent　in　Luke　Raeburn's　house。　　There　was　evidently；　however；　no　help　for　it。　　Rose　was　there；　and　there　she　must　stay；　all　that　Erica　could　do　was　to　keep　her　as　much　as　might　be　out　of　Tom's　way；　and　to　beg　the　others　not　to　discuss　any　subjects　bearing　on　their　anti…religious　work；　and　since　there　was　not　the　smallest　temptation　to　try　to　make　Rose　a　convert　to　secularism；　they　were　all　quite　willing　to　avoid　such　topics。

But；　in　spite　of　all　her　care；　Erica　failed　most　provokingly　that　day。　　To　begin　with；　Rose　pleaded　a　headache　and　would　not　go　with　her　to　the　early　service。　　Erica　was　disappointed；　but　when；　on　coming　home；　she　found　Rose　in　the　dining　room　comfortably　chatting　over　the　fire　to　Tom；　who　was　evidently　in　the　seventh　heaven　of　happiness；　she　felt　as　if　she　could　have　shaken　them　both。　　By　and　by　she　tried　to　give　Tom　a　hint；　which　he　did　not　take　at　all　kindly。

〃Women　never　like　to　see　another　woman　admired；〃　he　replied　with　a　sarcastic　smile。

〃But；　Tom；〃　she　pleaded；　〃her　father　would　be　so　dreadfully　angry　if　he　saw　the　way　you　go　on　with　her。〃

〃Oh；　shut　up；　do；　about　her　father！〃　said　Tom　crossly。　　〃You　have　crammed　him　down　our　throats　quite　enough。〃

It　was　of　no　use　to　say　more；　but　she　went　away　feeling　sore　and　ruffled。　　She　was　just　about　to　set　off　with　Rose　to　Charles　Osmond's　church　when　the　door　of　the　study　was　hastily　opened。

〃Have　you　seen　the　last　'Longstaff　Mercury'？〃　said　Raeburn　in　the　voice　which　meant　that　he　was　worried　and　much　pressed　for　time。

〃It　was　in　here　yesterday；〃　said　Erica。

〃Then；　Tom；　you　must　have　moved　it；〃　said　Raeburn　sharply。　　〃It's　a　most　provoking　thing；　I　specially　wanted　to　quote　from　it。〃

〃I've　not　touched　it；〃　said　Tom。　　〃It's　those　servants；　they　never　can　leave　the　papers　alone。〃

He　was　turning　over　the　contents　of　a　paper　rack；　evidently　not　in　the　best　of　tempers。　　Rose　sprang　forward。

〃Let　me　help；〃　she　said　with　one　of　her　irresistible　smiles。

Erica　felt　more　provoked　than　she　would　have　cared　to　own。　　It　was　very　clear　that　those　two　would　never　find　anything。

〃Look　here；　Erica；〃　said　Raeburn；　〃do　see　if　it　isn't　upstairs。　　Tom　is　a　terrible　hand　at　finding　things。〃

So　she　searched　in　every　nook　and　cranny　of　the　house　and　at　last　found　the　torn　remains　of　the　paper　in　the　house　maid's　cupboard。　　The　rest　of　it　had　been　used　for　lighting　a　fire。

Raeburn　was　a　good　deal　annoyed。

〃Surely；　my　dear；　such　things　might　be　prevented；〃　he　said；　not　crossly　but　in　the　sort　of　forbearing　expostulatory　tone　which　a　woman　dislikes　more　than　anything；　specially　if　she　happens　to　be　a　careful　housekeeper。

〃I　told　you　it　was　your　servants！〃　said　Tom　triumphantly。

〃They've　orders　again　and　again　not　to　touch　the　newspapers；〃　said　Erica。

〃Well；　come　along　Tom；〃　said　Raeburn；　taking　up　his　hat。　　〃We　are　very　late。〃

They　drove　off；　and　Erica　and　Rose　made　the　best　of　their　way　to　church；　to　find　the　service　begun；　and　seats　unattainable。　　Rose　was　very　good…natured；　however；　about　the　standing。　　She　began　faintly　to　perceive　that　Erica　did　not　lead　the　easiest　of　lives；　also　she　saw；　with　a　sort　of　wonder；　what　an　influence　she　was　in　the　house　and　how；　notwithstanding　their　difference　in　creed；　she　was　always　ready　to　meet　the　others　on　every　point　where　it　was　possible　to　do　so。　　Rose　could　not　help　thinking　of　a　certain　friend　of　hers　who；　having　become　a　ritualist；　never　lost　an　opportunity　of　emphasizing　the　difference　between　her　own　views　and　the　views　of　her　family；　and　of　Kate　Righton　at　Greyshot　who　had　adopted　the　most　rigid　evangelical　views；　and　treated　her　good　old　father　and　mother　as　〃worldly〃　and　〃unconverted〃　people。

In　the　afternoon　Tom　had　it　all　his　own　way。　　Raeburn　was　in　his　study　preparing　for　his　evening　lecture；　Mrs。　Craigie　had　a　Bible　class　at　the　East　End；　in　which　she　showed　up　the　difficulties　and　contradictions　of　the　Old　and　New　Testaments；　Erica　had　a　Bible　class　in　Charles　Osmond's　parish；　in　which　she　tried　to　explain　the　same　difficulties。　　Rose　was　therefore　alone　in　the　green　room　and　quite　ready　to　attract　Tom　and　keep　him　spellbound　for　the　afternoon。　　It　is　possible；　however；　that　no　great　harm　would　have　been　done　if　the　visit　had　come　to　a　natural　end　the　following　day；　Rose　would　certainly　have　thought　no　more　of　Tom；　and　Tom　might　very　possibly　have　come　to　his　senses　when　she　was　no　longer　there　to　fascinate　him。　　But　on　the　Sunday　evening　when　the　toils　of　the　day　were　over；　and　they　were　all　enjoying　the　restful　home　quiet　which　did　not　come　very　often　in　their　busy　lives；　Rose's　visit　was　brought　to　an　abrupt　close。

Looked　at　by　an　impartial　spectator；　the　green　room　would　surely　have　seemed　a　model　of　family　peace　and　even　of　Sunday　restfulness。　　Rose　was　sitting　at　the　piano　playing　Mendelssohn's　〃Christmas　Pieces；〃　and　giving　great　pleasure　to　every　one　for　art　was　in　this　house　somewhat　overshadowed　by　science；　and　it　did　not　very　often　happen　that　they　could　listen　to　such　playing　as　Rose's　which　was　for　that　reason　a　double　pleasure。　　Tom　was　sitting　near　her　looking　supremely　peaceful。　　On　one　side　of　the　fireplace　Mrs。　Craigie　and　Mrs。　MacNaughton　were　playing　their　weekly　game　of　chess。　　On　the　other　side　Raeburn　had　his　usual　Sunday　evening　recreation；　his　microscope。　　Erica　knelt　beside　him；　her　auburn　head　close　to　his　white　one　as　they　arranged　their　specimens　or　consulted　books　of　reference。　　The　professor；　who　had　looked　in　on　his　way　home　from　the　lecture　to　borrow　a　review；　was　browsing　contentedly　among　the　books　on　the　table　with　the　comfortable　sense　that　he　might　justifiably　read　in　a　desultory　holiday　fashion。

It　was　upon　this　peaceful　and　almost　Sabbatical　group　that　a　disturbing　element　entered　in　the　shape　of　Mr。　Fane…Smith。　　He　stood　for　an　instant　at　the　door；　taking　in　the　scene；　or　rather　taking　that　superficial　view　which　the　narrow…minded　usually　take。　　He　was　shocked　at　the　chessmen；　shocked　at　that　profane　microscope；　and　those　week…day　sections　of　plants；　shocked　at　the　music；　though　he　must　have　heard　it　played　as　a　voluntary　on　many　church　organs；　and　not　only　shocked；　but　furious；　at　finding　his　daughter　in　a　very　nest　of　secularists。

Every　one　seemed　a　little　taken　aback　when　he　entered。　　He　took　no　notice　whatever　of　Raeburn；　but　went　straight　up　to　Rose。

〃Go　and　put　on　your　things　at　once；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　come　to　take　you　home。〃

〃Oh；　papa；〃　began　Rose；　〃how　you〃

〃Not　a　word；　Rose。　　Go　and　dress；　and　don't　keep　me　waiting。〃

Erica；　with　a　vain　hope　of　making　Mr。　Fane…Smith　behave　at　least　civilly；　came　forward　and　shook　hands　with　him。

〃I　don't　think　you　have　met　my　father　before；〃　she　said。

Raeburn　had　come　a　few　steps　forward；　Mr。　Fane…Smith　inclined　his　about　a　quarter　of　an　inch；　Raeburn　bowed；　then　said　to　Erica：

〃Perhaps　Mr。　Fane…Smith　would　prefer　waiting　in　my　study。〃

〃Thanks；　I　will　wait　where　I　am；〃　said　Mr。　Fane…Smith；　pointedly；　ignoring　the　master　of　the　house　and　addressing　Erica。　　〃Thank　you；〃　as　she　offered　him　a　chair；　〃　I　prefer　to　stand。　　Have　the　goodness　to　see　that　Rose　is　quick。〃

〃Thinks　the　chair's　atheistical！〃　remarked　Tom　to　himself。

Raeburn；　looking　a　degree　more　stately　than　usual；　stood　on　the　hearth　rug　with　his　back　to　the　fire；　not　in　the