you'll not take this so dreadfully to heart.
I'll stand by you I will, indeed, even though I hate your cause. But
it sha'n't come between us any longer, the hateful delusion has spoiled
enough lives already. It sha'n't spoil ours."

"Oh, don't!" cried Erica, wounded anew by this.

"Well," said Tom, gulping down his longing to inveigh against
Christianity, "it goes hard with me not to say a word against the
religion that has brought us all our misery, but for your sake I'll try
not when talking with you. Now let us begin again on the old footing."

"Not quite on the old footing either," said Erica, who had conquered her
tears. "I love you a thousand times more, you dear old Tom."

And Tom, who was made of sterling stuff, did from that day forward stand
by her through everything, and checked himself when harsh words about
religious matters rose to his lips, and tried his best to smooth what
could not fail to be a rough bit of walking.

The first meeting between Charles Osmond and Erica, after her return
from Codrington, did not come about till the morning after her
conversation with Tom. They had each called on the other, but had
somehow managed to miss. When at length Erica was shown into the study,
connected in her mind with so many warm discussions, she found it empty.
She sat down in the great arm chair by the window, wondering if she were
indeed the same Erica who had sat there years before, on the day when
her "prophet" had foretold her illness. What changes had come about
since then!

But her "Prophet" was unchanged, his brisk, "Well Erica!" was exactly
what it had been when she had come to him in the days of her atheism.
It had always been full of welcome and sympathy, and now the only
difference was that a great happiness shone in his eyes as he came
forward with his soft, steady tread and took her hand in both his.

They sat silent for awhile, then talked a little but reservedly, for
both felt that the subject which filled their thoughts was at once too
sacred and too personal to be altogether put into words. Then by and
by they began to discuss the practical consequences of the change,
and especially the great difficulty as to Erica's means of supporting
herself.

"Could you not try teaching?" said Charles Osmond.

"The market is already overstocked."

"True, but I should think that your brains and certificates ought to
secure you work in spite of that."

"I should like it in many ways," said Eric