yes, I
think I may say always--to work entirely for the good of Humanity. But
I am wretched about Erica. I do not see how the home can be a very happy
one for her when I am gone."

For a minute Brian hesitated; but it seemed to him when he thought out
the matter, that a father so loving as Raeburn would find no jealousy at
the thought that the love he had deemed exclusively his own might, after
all, have been given to another.

"I do not know whether I am right to tell you," he said. "Would it make
you happier to know that I love Erica that I have loved her for nearly
nine years?"

Raeburn gave an ejaculation of astonishment. There was a long silence;
for the idea, once suggested to him, he began to see what a likely thing
it was and to wonder that he had not thought of it before.

"I think you are well suited to each other," he said at last. "Now
I understand your visit to Florence. What took you away again so
suddenly?"

Brian told him all about the day at Fiesole. He seemed greatly touched;
all the little proofs and coincidences which had never struck him at
the time were so plain now. They were still discussing it when, at
about five o'clock, Erica returned. She was pale and sad, but the worn,
harassed, miserable look had quite gone. It was a strange time and place
for a betrothal.

"Brian has been telling me about the day at Fiesole," said Raeburn,
letting his weak, nerveless hands play about in her hair as she knelt
beside the bed. "You have been a leal bairn to me, Eric; I don't think
I could have spared you then even though Brian so well deserved you. But
now it makes me very happy to leave you to him; it takes away my only
care."

Erica had colored faintly, but there was an absence of responsiveness in
her manner which troubled Raeburn.

"You do still feel as you did at Fiesole?" he asked. "You are sure of
your own mind? You think you will be happy?"

"I love Brian," she said in a low voice. "But, oh, I can't think now
about being happy!" She broke off suddenly and hid her face in the bed
clothes.

There was silence in the room. In a minute she raised herself and turned
to Brian who stood beside her.

"You will understand," she said, looking right into his eyes. "There is
only one thing that I can feel just now. You do understand, I know."

With a sudden impulse she threw her arms round his neck and kissed him.

And Brian did understand. He knew, too, that she wanted to have her
father to hers