we two-第58章

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gray。

Her　heart　beat　so　fast　that　it　almost　choked　her；　but　still　she　forced　herself　to　talk　and　laugh；　though　every　moment　the　danger　drew　nearer。　　At　the　very　last　moment　an　inspiration　came　to　her。　　The　detectives　were　examining　the　next　carriage。

〃They　are　taking　things　in　the　most　leisurely　way　tonight！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃I'm　tired　of　waiting。　　I　shall　say　goodbye　to　you；　and　go　home；　I　think。

As　she　spoke；　she　opened　the　carriage　door　stepped　in；　and　demonstratively　kissed　her　silent　companion；　much　to　the　amusement　of　the　passengers；　who　had　been　a　good　deal　diverted　by　her　racy　conversation　and　the　grumpy　replies　of　the　traveler。　　There　was　a　smile　on　every　face　when　one　of　the　detectives　looked　in。　　He　glanced　to　the　other　side　of　the　carriage　and　saw　a　dark…haired　young　man　in　an　ulster；　and　a　pretty　girl　taking　leave　of　her　lover。　　Erica's　face　entirely　hid　Herr　Haeberlien's　from　view　and　the　man　passed　on　with　a　shrug　and　a　smile。　　She　had　contrived　to　readjust　his　wig；　and　with　many　last　words；　managed　to　spin　out　the　remaining　time；　till　at　last　the　welcome　signal　of　departure　was　given。

Haeberlein's　mouth　relaxed　into　a　benignant　smile；　as　he　nodded　a　farewell；　then　he　discreetly　composed　himself　into　a　sleeping　posture；　while　Erica　stood　on　the　platform　and　waved　her　handkerchief。

As　she　moved　away　the　two　detectives　passed　by　her。

〃Not　there！　At　any　rate；〃　she　heard　one　of　them　say。　　〃Maybe　they　got　him　by　the　nine　o'clock　at　Waterloo。〃

〃More　likely　trapped　him　in　Guilford　Terrace；〃　replied　the　other。

Erica；　shaking　with　suppressed　laughter；　saw　the　men　leave　the　station；　and　then；　springing　into　a　cab；　drove　to　a　street　in　the　neighborhood　of　Guildford　Square。

Now　that　her　work　was　over；　she　began　to　feel　what　a　terrible　strain　it　had　been。　　At　first　she　lay　back　in　the　corner　of　the　cab　in　a　state　of　dreamy　peace；　watching　the　gas…lighted　streets；　the　hurrying　passengers；　with　a　comfortable　sense　of　security　and　rest。　　But　when　she　was　set　down　near　Guilford　Square；　her　courage；　which　in　real　danger　had　never　failed　her；　suddenly　ebbed　away；　and　left　her　merely　a　young　girl；　with　aching　back　and　weary　limbs；　with　a　shrinking　dislike　of　walking　alone　so　late　in　the　evening。　　Worse　of　all；　her　old　childish　panic　had　taken　hold　of　her　once　more；　her　knees　trembled　beneath　her；　as　she　remembered　that　she　must　pass　the　spy；　who　would　assuredly　still　be　keeping　watch　in　Guilford　Terrace。　　The　dread　of　being　secretly　watched　had　always　been　a　torment　to　her。　　Spies；　sometimes　real；　sometimes　imaginary；　had　been　the　terror　of　her　childhood　had　taken　the　place　of　the　ghost　and　bogy　panics　which　assail　children　brought　up　in　other　creeds。

The　fact　was；　she　had　been　living　at　very　high　pressure；　and　she　was　too　much　exhausted　to　conquer　her　unreasonable　fright；　which　increased　every　moment；　until　she　was　on　the　point　of　going　to　the　Osmonds；　willing　to　frame　any　excuse　for　so　late　a　visit　if　only　she　could　get　one　of　them　to　walk　home　with　her。　　Honesty　and　shame　hindered　her；　however；　With　a　great　effort　of　will　she　forced　herself　to　pass　the　door；　horrified　to　find　how　nearly　selfish　cowardice　had　induced　her　to　draw　her　friends　into　suspicion。　　Echoes　of　the　hymns　sung　at　her　baptism；　and　at　the　subsequent　confirmation　rang　in　her　ears。　　She　walked　on　more　bravely。

By　the　time　she　reached　Guilford　Terrace；　she　had　herself　quite　in　hand。　　And　it　was　well；　for；　as　she　walked　down　the　dreary　little　alley；　a　dark　form　emerged　from　the　shadow；　and　suddenly　confronted　her。

Any　one　might　reasonably　be　a　little　startled　by　having　a　sudden　pause　made　before　them　by　an　unknown　person　on　a　dark　night。　　Erica　thought　she　could　exactly　sympathize　with　a　shying　horse；　she　felt　very　much　inclined　to　swerve　aside。　　Fortunately　she　betrayed　no　fear；　only　a　little　surprise；　as　she　lifted　her　head　and　looked　the　man　full　in　the　face；　then　moved　on　with　quiet　dignity。　　She　felt　him　follow　her　to　the　very　door；　and　purposely　she　took　out　her　latch　key　with　great　deliberation；　and　allowed　him；　if　he　pleased；　to　take　a　quiet　survey　of　the　passage　while　she　rubbed　her　boots　on　the　mat；　then；　with　a　delicious　sense　of　safety；　she　closed　the　door　on　the　unfriendly　gaze。。

In　the　meantime；　Raeburn　had　spent　a　miserably　anxious　evening；　regretting　his　rash　permission　for　Erica　to　go；　regretting　his　own　enforced　inaction；　regretting　his　well…known　and　undisguisable　face　and　form；　almost　regretting　that　his　friend　had　visited　him。　　Like　Erica；　he　was　only　personally　brave；　he　could　not　be　brave　for　other　people。　　Actual　risk　he　would　have　enjoyed；　but　this　anxious　waiting　was　to　him　the　keenest　torture。

When　at　length　the　age…long　hour　had　passed；　and　he　heard　the　front　door　close；　he　started　up　with　an　exclamation　of　relief；　and　hurried　out　into　the　passage。　　Erica　greeted　him　with　her　brightest　smile。

〃All　safe；〃　she　said；　following　him　into　the　study。　　〃He　is　well　on　his　way　to　Folkestone；　and　we　have　eluded　three　spies。〃

Then；　with　a　good　deal　of　humor；　she　related　the　whole　of　the　adventure；　at　the　same　time　taking　off　her　hat　and　gloves。

〃And　you　met　no　one　you　knew？〃　asked　Raeburn。

〃Only　the　bishop　who　baptized　and　confirmed　me　this　evening；　and　he　of　course　did　not　recognize　me。〃

As　she　spoke；　she　unbuttoned　her　ulster；　disclosing　beneath　it　her　white　serge　dress。

Raeburn　sighed。　　Words　and　sight　both　reawakened　a　grief　which　he　would　fain　have　put　from　him。

But　Erica　came　and　sat　down　on　the　hearth　rug；　and　nestled　up　to　him　just　as　usual。　〃I　am　so　tired；　padre　mio！〃　she　exclaimed。　　But　it　has　been　well　worth　it。〃

Raeburn　did　not　answer。　　She　looked　up　in　his　face。

〃What　are　you　thinking？〃

〃I　was　thinking　that　few　people　had　such　an　ending　to　their　confirmation　day；〃　said　Raeburn。　　

〃I　thank　God　for　it；〃　said　Erica。　　〃Oh；　father！　　There　is　so　much；　so　very　much　we　still　have　in　common！　　And　I　am　so　glad　this　happened　tonight　of　all　nights！〃

He　stroked　her　hair　caressingly；　but　did　not　speak。


CHAPTER　XXIV。　The　New　Relations

For　all　men　live　and　judge　amiss　Whose　talents　jump　not　just　with　his。　　Hudibras

Comfortable　moles；　whom　what　they　do　Teaches　the　limit　of　the　just　and　true。　（And　for　such　doing　they　require　not　eyes）。　　Matthew　Arnold

One　bright　afternoon　about　a　week　after　this；　Erica　found　herself　actually　in　the　train；　and　on　her　way　to　Greyshot。　　At　first　she　had　disliked　the　idea；　but　her　father　had　evidently　wished　her　to　accept　the　invitation；　and　a　hope　of　uniting　again　the　two　families　would　have　stimulated　her　to　a　much　more　formidable　undertaking　than　a　visit　of　a　few　weeks　to　perfect　strangers。　　She　knew　nothing　of　the　proposal　made　to　her　father；　her　own　letter　had　been　most　kind；　and　after　all；　though　she　did　not　like　the　actual　leaving　home；　she　could　not　but　look　forward　to　a　rest　and　change　after　the　long　summer　months　in　town。　Moreover；　Aunt　Jean　had　just　returned；　after　a　brief　holiday；　and　the　home　atmosphere　for　the　last　two　or　three　days　had　been　very　trying；　she　felt　as　if　a　change　would　make　her　better　able　to　bear　the　small　daily　frets　and　annoyances；　and　not　unnaturally　looked　forward　to　the　delicious　rest　of　unity。　　A　Christian　home　ought　to　be　delightful；　she　had　never　stayed　in　one；　and　had　a　high　ideal。

It　was　about　six　o'clock　by　the　time　she　reached　her　journey's　end；　and；　waiting　for　her　on　the　platform；　she　had　no　difficulty　in　recognizing　her　aunt；　a　taller　and　fairer　edition　of　Mrs。　Craigie；　who　received　her　with　a　kind；　nervous　diffident　greeting；　and　seemed　very　anxious　indeed　about　her　luggage；　which　was　speedily　brought　to　light　by　the　footman；　and　safely　conveyed　to　the　carriage。　　Erica；　used　to　complete　independence；　felt　as　if　she　were　being　transformed　into　a　sort　of　grown…up　baby；　as　she　was　relieved　of　her　bag　and　umbrella　and　guided　down　the　steps；　and　assisted　into　the　open　landau；　and　carefully　tucked　in　with　a　carriage　rug。

〃I　hope　you　are　not　overtired　with　the　journey？〃　inquired　her　aunt　with　an　air　of　the　kindest　and　most　anxious　solicitude。

Accustomed　to　a　really　hard　life　in　London；　Erica　almost　laughed　at　the　idea　of　being　overtired　by　such　a　short　journey。

〃Oh；　I　have　enjoyed　it；　thank