nd damages shall we
see! It is the most fiendish thing ever heard of!"

"Will the costs be very heavy?"

"Heavy! I should think they would indeed!" He named the probable sum; it
seemed a fearful addition to the already existing burden of debts.

A look of such pain and perplexity came over Erica's face that Raeburn
for the first time realizing what was passing in the room, drew her
toward him, his face softening, and the cold, angry light in his eyes
changing to sadness.

"Never mind, my child," he said, with a sigh. "'Tis a hard blow, but we
must bear up. Injustice won't triumph in the end."

There was something in his voice and look which made Erica feel
dreadfully inclined to cry; but that would have disgraced her forever in
the eyes of stoical Tom, so she only squeezed his hand hard and tried
to think of that far-distant future of which she had spoken to Charles
Osmond, when there would be no tiresome Christians and bigots and
lawsuits.

There was, however, one person in the house who was invariably the
recipient of all the troubled confidences of others. In a very few
minutes Erica had left the study and was curled up beside her
mother's couch, talking out unreservedly all her grief, and anger, and
perplexity.

Mrs. Raeburn, delicate and invalided as she was, had nevertheless a
great deal of influence, though perhaps neither Raeburn, nor Erica, nor
warm-hearted Tom Craigie understood how much she did for them all. She
was so unassuming, so little given to unnecessary speech, so reticent,
that her life made very little show, while it had become so entirely a
matter of course that every one should bring his private troubles to
her that it would have seemed extraordinary not to meet with exactly
the sympathy and counsel needed. Today, however, even Mrs. Raeburn was
almost too despondent to cheer the others. It comforted Erica to talk
to her, but she could not help feeling very miserable as she saw the
anxiety and sadness in her mother's face.

"What more can we do, mother?" she questioned. "I can't think of a
single thing we can give up."

"I really don't know, dear," said her mother with a sigh. "We have
nothing but the absolute necessaries of life now, except indeed your
education at the High School, and that is a very trifling expense, and
one which cannot be interfered with."

Erica was easily depressed, like most high-spirited persons; but she was
not used to seeing either her father or her mother de