inward sigh, turned to take leave of Erica.
She was bending over a basket in which was curled up the invalid fox
terrier. For a moment she left off stroking the white and tan head, and
held out her hand.

"Goodbye," she said frankly.

That was all. And yet it made Leslie's heart bound. Was he indeed to go
to Switzerland tomorrow? He MUST manage to get out of it somehow.

And all the way to Greyshot he listened to schemes for the work to be
done next session from the ardent sanitary reformer, though just then
the devastation of all England would scarcely have roused him so long as
he was assured of the safety of Luke Raeburn's daughter.

CHAPTER XXVIII. The Happiest of Weeks

He went in the strength of dependence
To tread where his Master trod,
To gather and knit together The Family of God.

With a conscience freed from burdens,
And a heart set free from care,
To minister to every one
Always and everywhere.
Author of Chronicles of the Schonberg Cotta Family

After this came a happy, uneventful week at the manor. Erica often
thought of the definition of happiness which Charles Osmond had once
given her "Perfect harmony with your surroundings." She had never been
so happy in her life. Waif, who was slowly recovering, grew pathetically
fond of his rescuer. The children were devoted to her, and she to them.
She learned to love Gladys very much, and from her she learned a good
deal which helped her to understand Donovan's past life. Then, too, it
was the first time in her life that she had ever been in a house where
there were little children, and probably Ralph and Dolly did more for
her than countless sermons or whole libraries of theology could have
done.

Above all, there was Donovan, and the friendship of such a man was a
thing which made life a sort of wordless thanksgiving. At times even
in those she loved best, even in her father or Charles Osmond, she was
conscious of something which jarred a little, but so perfect was her
sympathy with Donovan, so closely and strangely were their lives and
characters linked together, that never once was the restfulness of
perfect harmony broken Nature and circumstances had, as it were
turned them to each other. He could understand, as no one else could
understand, the reversal of thought and feeling which she had passed
through during the last few months.

He could understand the perplexities of her present position, suddenly