nce on the other side of
the table, looked very white and wretched.

It is wonderful how rude people can be, even in good society, and the
looks of "blank amaze," "cold surprise," and "cool curiosity" which
Erica received would hardly be credited. A greater purgatory to a
sensitive girl, whose pride was by no means conquered, can hardly be
conceived.

She choked down a little food, unable to reject everything, but her
throat almost refused to swallow it. The glare of the lights, the
oppressive atmosphere, the babel of tongues seemed to beat upon her
brain, and a sick longing for home almost overmastered her. Oh, to get
away from these so-called Christians, with their cruel judgments, their
luxuries, their gayeties these hard, rich bigots, who yet belonged to
the body she had just joined, with who, in the eyes of her old friends,
she should be identified! Oh, for the dear old book-lined study at home!
For one moment with her father! One word from a being who loved and
trusted her! Tears started to her eyes, but the recollection that even
home was no longer a place of refuge checked them. There would be Aunt
Jean's wearing remonstrances and sarcastic remarks; there would be Mr.
Masterman's patronizing contempt, and Tom's studious avoidance of
the matters she had most at heart. Was it worse to be treated as a
well-meaning idiot, or as an outcast and semi-heretic? Never till now
had she so thoroughly realized her isolation, and she felt so bruised
and buffeted and weary that the realization at that particular time was
doubly trying.

Isolation is perhaps the greatest of all trials to a sensitive and
warm-hearted nature, and nothing but the truest and deepest love for
the whole race can possibly keep an isolated person from growing bitter.
Erica knew this, had known it ever since Brian had brought her
the message from her mother; "It is only love that can keep from
bitterness." All through these years she had been struggling hard, and
though there had been constant temptations, though the harshness of the
bigoted, the insults offered to her father in the name of religion,
the countless slights and slanders had tried her to the utmost, she had
still struggled upward, and in spite of all had grown in love. But
now, for the first time, she found herself completely isolated. The
injustice, the hardness of it proved too much for her. She forgot that
those who would be peace-makers reconcilers, must be content to receive
the t