n't know how to let you go," said Gladys, "We have so much enjoyed
having you. I think you had much better stay here will Monday and leave
those two to take care of themselves at Ashborough."

"Oh, no," said Erica, smiling, "that would never do! You don't realize
what an event this is to me. It is the first time father has spoken
since his illness. Besides, I have not yet quite learned to think him
well enough to look after himself though, of course, he is getting quite
strong again."

"Well, since you will go, come and choose a book for your journey," said
Gladys.

"Oh, I should like that," said Erica; "a nice homish sort of book,
please, where the people lived in Arcadia and never heard of law
courts!"

Early in the afternoon they drove to Greyshot, stopping first of all at
the toy shop. Raeburn, who was in excellent spirits, fully entered
into the difficulties of Dolly's choice. At length a huge toy cat was
produced.

"Oh, I should like that one!" said Dolly, clapping her hands. "What a
'normous, gleat big cat it is!"

"I shouldn't have known what it was meant for," said Raeburn,
scrutinizing the rather shapeless furry quadruped. "How is it that you
can't make them more like cats than this?"

"I don't know, sir, how it is," said the shopwoman; "we get very good
dogs and rabbits, and donkeys, but they don't seem to have attained to
the making of cats."

This view of the matter so tickled Raeburn that he left Ralph and Dolly
to see the "'normous gleat big cat" wrapped up, and went out of the shop
laughing.

But just outside, a haggard, wild-looking man came up to him and began
to address him in excited tones.

"You are the vile atheist, Luke Raeburn!" he cried, "Oh, I know you well
enough. I tell you, you have lost my son's soul; do you hear, wretched
infidel, you destroyed my son's soul! His guilt is upon you! And I will
have vengeance! Vengeance!"

"My friend," said Raeburn quietly, "supposing your son had what you call
a soul, do you think that I, a man, should be able to destroy it?"

"You have made him what you are yourself," cried the man, "an accursed
infidel, an incarnate devil! But I tell you I will have vengeance,
vengeance!"

"Have the goodness not to come so near my daughter," said Raeburn for
the man was pushing up roughly against Erica, who had just come out of
the shop. The words were spoken in such an authoritative manner that the
man shrunk back awed, and in another minute the childre