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down Lady Caroline herself. Erica was just too far off to hear
what he said, and in another moment she was suddenly recalled to
Mr. Cuthbert. He was talking to the old gentleman on her left
hand, who had been silently surveying her at intervals as though he
fancied she could not be quite human.
Have you been following this Kellner trial? asked Mr. Cuthbert.
Disgraceful affair, isn't it?
Then followed references to Eric Haeberlein, and veiled hints about
his London friends and associates more dangerous to the country
than say foreigners, traitors, heady, highminded, etc., etc.
Such evildoers always managed to keep within the letter of the
law; but, for his part, he thought they deserved to be shut up,
more than most of those who get penal servitude for life.
Erica's wrath blazed up again. Of course the veiled hints were
intended to refer to her father, and the cruelty and insolence of
the speaker who knew that she understood his allusions scattered
all her better thoughts. It required a strong effort of will to
keep her anger and distress from becoming plainly visible. Her
unwillingness to give Mr. Cuthbert such a gratification could not
have strengthened her sufficiently, but love and loyalty to her
father and Eric Haeberlein had carried her through worse ordeals
than this.
She showed no trace of embarrassment, but moved a very little
further back in her chair, implying by a sort of quiet dignity of
manner, that she thought Mr. Cuthbert exceedingly illmannered to
talk across her.
Feeling that his malicious endeavor had entirely failed, and stung
by her dignified disapproval, Mr. Cuthbert struck out vindictively.
Breaking the silence he had maintained toward her, he suddenly
flashed round upon her with a question.
I suppose you are intimately acquainted with Eric Haeberlein?
He tried to make his tone casual and seemingly courteous, but
failed.
What makes you suppose that? asked Erica, in a cool, quiet voice.
Her perfect selfcontrol, and her exceedingly embarrassing
counterquestion, quite took him aback. At that very minute, too,
there was the pause, and the slight movement, and the glance from
Lady Caroline which reminded him that he was the only clergyman
present, and had to return thanks. He bent forward, and went
through the usual form of For what we have received, though all
the time he was thinking of the countercheck quarrelsome he had
received from his nextdoor neighbor. When he raised his head
again he found her awaiting his answer, her clear, steady eyes
quietly fixed on his face with a look which was at once sad,
indignant, and questioning.
His question had been an insulting one. He had meant it to prick
and sting, but it is one thing to be indirectly rude, and another

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