Haeberlein's. She found that in her absence the two had been discussing
matters again, for Haeberlein met her with another remonstrance.

"Liebe Erica," he began, "I yielded just now to thy generous proposal;
but I think it will not do. For myself I can be rash, but not for thee.
Thou art too frail and lovely, my little one, to get mixed up with the
grim realities of such a life as mine."

She only laughed. "Why, I have been mixed up with them ever since I was
a baby!"

"True; but now it is different. The world might judge thee harshly,
people might say things which would wound thee."

"They say! 'LET them say!'" quoted Erica, smiling, "mens conscia recti
will carry one through worse things than a little slander. No, no, you
must really let me have my own way. It is right, and there's an end of
it!"

Raeburn let things run their course; he agreed with Erica all the
time, though his heart impelled him to keep her at home. And as to Eric
Haeberlein, it would have needed a far stronger mind than that of the
sweet-tempered, quixotic German to resist the generous help offered by
such a lovely girl.

There was no time to lose; the latest train for the Continent left at
9:25, and before Haeberlein had adjusted his new disguise the clock
struck nine. Erica very carefully blackened his eyebrows and ruthlessly
sheared the long black wig to an ordinary and unnoticeable length, and,
when Tom's ulster and hat were added, the disguise was so perfect, and
made Haeberlein look so absurdly young, that Raeburn himself could not
possibly have recognized him.

In past years Raeburn had often risked a great deal for his friend. At
one time his house had been watched day and night in consequence of his
well-known friendship with the Republican Don Quixote. Unfortunately,
therefore, it was only too probable that Haeberlein in risking his visit
this evening might have run into a trap. If he were being searched for,
his friend's house would almost inevitably be watched.

They exchanged farewells, not without some show of emotion on each
side, and just at the last Raeburn hastily bent down and kissed Erica's
forehead, at his heart a sickening sense of anxiety. She too was
anxious, but she was very happy to have found on the evening of her
baptism so unusual a service to render to her father, and, besides, the
consciousness of danger always raised her spirits.

When, as they had half expected, they found the would-be natural-looking
de