We Two [28]
to me."
"Come in and tell me all about it," said Charles Osmond; and there was something so irresistible in his manner that Erica at once allowed herself to be led into one of the tall, old-fashioned houses, and taken into a comfortable and roomy study, the nicest room she had ever been in. It was not luxurious; indeed the Turkey carpet was shabby and the furniture well worn, but it was home-like, and warm and cheerful, evidently a room which was dear to its owner. Charles Osmond made her sit down in a capacious arm chair close to the fire.
"Well, now, who was the bigot?" he said, in a voice that would have won the confidence of a flint.
Erica told as much of the story as she could bring herself to repeat, quite enough to show Charles Osmond the terrible harm which may be wrought by tactless modern Christianity. He looked down very sorrowfully at the eager, expressive face of the speaker; it was at once very white and very pink, for the child was sorely wounded as well as indignant. She was evidently, however, a little vexed with herself for feeling the insult so keenly.
"It is very stupid of me," she said laughing a little; "it is time I was used to it; but I never can help shaking in this silly way when any one is rude to us. Tom laughs at me, and says I am made on wire springs like a twelfth-cake butterfly! But it is rather hard, isn't it, to be shut out from everything, even from giving?"
"I think it is both hard and wrong," said Charles Osmond. "But we do not all shut you out."
"No," said Erica. "You have always been kind, you are not a bit like a Christian. Would you"--she hesitated a little--"would you take the flowers instead?"
It was said with a shy grace inexpressibly winning. Charles Osmond was touched and gratified.
"They will be a great treat to us," he said. "My mother is very fond of flowers. Will you come upstairs and see her? We shall find afternoon tea going on, I expect."
So the rejected flowers found a resting place in the clergyman's house; and Brian, coming in from his rounds, was greeted by a sight which made his heart beat at double time. In the drawing room beside his grandmother sat Erica, her little fur hat pushed back, her gloves off, busily arranging Christmas roses and red camellias. Her anger had died away, she was talking quite merrily. It seemed to Brian more like a beautiful dream than a bit of every-day life, to have her sitting there so naturally in his home; but the note of pain was struck before long.
"I must go home," she said. "This is my last day, you know. I am going to Paris tomorrow."
A sort of sadness seemed to fall on them at the words; only gentle Mrs. Osmond said, cheerfully:
"You will come to see us again when you come back, will you not?"
And then, with the privilege of the aged, she drew down the young, fresh face to hers and kissed it.
"You will let me see you home," said Brian. "It is getting dark."
Erica laughingly protested that she was well used to taking care of herself, but it ended in Brian's triumphing. So together they crossed the quiet square. Erica chattered away merrily enough, but as they reached the narrow entrance to Guilford Terrace a shadow stole over her face.
"Oh!" she exclaimed, "this is the last time I shall come home for two whole years."
"You go for so long," said Brian, stifling a sigh. "You won't forget your English friends?"
"Do you mean that you count yourself our friend?" asked Erica, smiling.
"If you will let me."
"That is a funny word to use," she replied, laughing. "You see we are treated as outlaws generally. I don't think any one ever said 'will you let' to me before. This is our house; thank you for seeing me home." Then with a roguish look in her eyes, she added demurely, but with a slight emphasis on the last word, "Good bye, my friend."
Brian turned away sadly enough; but he had not gone far when he heard flying footsteps, and looking back saw Erica once more.
"Oh, I just came to know whether by any chance you want a kitten," she said; "I have
"Come in and tell me all about it," said Charles Osmond; and there was something so irresistible in his manner that Erica at once allowed herself to be led into one of the tall, old-fashioned houses, and taken into a comfortable and roomy study, the nicest room she had ever been in. It was not luxurious; indeed the Turkey carpet was shabby and the furniture well worn, but it was home-like, and warm and cheerful, evidently a room which was dear to its owner. Charles Osmond made her sit down in a capacious arm chair close to the fire.
"Well, now, who was the bigot?" he said, in a voice that would have won the confidence of a flint.
Erica told as much of the story as she could bring herself to repeat, quite enough to show Charles Osmond the terrible harm which may be wrought by tactless modern Christianity. He looked down very sorrowfully at the eager, expressive face of the speaker; it was at once very white and very pink, for the child was sorely wounded as well as indignant. She was evidently, however, a little vexed with herself for feeling the insult so keenly.
"It is very stupid of me," she said laughing a little; "it is time I was used to it; but I never can help shaking in this silly way when any one is rude to us. Tom laughs at me, and says I am made on wire springs like a twelfth-cake butterfly! But it is rather hard, isn't it, to be shut out from everything, even from giving?"
"I think it is both hard and wrong," said Charles Osmond. "But we do not all shut you out."
"No," said Erica. "You have always been kind, you are not a bit like a Christian. Would you"--she hesitated a little--"would you take the flowers instead?"
It was said with a shy grace inexpressibly winning. Charles Osmond was touched and gratified.
"They will be a great treat to us," he said. "My mother is very fond of flowers. Will you come upstairs and see her? We shall find afternoon tea going on, I expect."
So the rejected flowers found a resting place in the clergyman's house; and Brian, coming in from his rounds, was greeted by a sight which made his heart beat at double time. In the drawing room beside his grandmother sat Erica, her little fur hat pushed back, her gloves off, busily arranging Christmas roses and red camellias. Her anger had died away, she was talking quite merrily. It seemed to Brian more like a beautiful dream than a bit of every-day life, to have her sitting there so naturally in his home; but the note of pain was struck before long.
"I must go home," she said. "This is my last day, you know. I am going to Paris tomorrow."
A sort of sadness seemed to fall on them at the words; only gentle Mrs. Osmond said, cheerfully:
"You will come to see us again when you come back, will you not?"
And then, with the privilege of the aged, she drew down the young, fresh face to hers and kissed it.
"You will let me see you home," said Brian. "It is getting dark."
Erica laughingly protested that she was well used to taking care of herself, but it ended in Brian's triumphing. So together they crossed the quiet square. Erica chattered away merrily enough, but as they reached the narrow entrance to Guilford Terrace a shadow stole over her face.
"Oh!" she exclaimed, "this is the last time I shall come home for two whole years."
"You go for so long," said Brian, stifling a sigh. "You won't forget your English friends?"
"Do you mean that you count yourself our friend?" asked Erica, smiling.
"If you will let me."
"That is a funny word to use," she replied, laughing. "You see we are treated as outlaws generally. I don't think any one ever said 'will you let' to me before. This is our house; thank you for seeing me home." Then with a roguish look in her eyes, she added demurely, but with a slight emphasis on the last word, "Good bye, my friend."
Brian turned away sadly enough; but he had not gone far when he heard flying footsteps, and looking back saw Erica once more.
"Oh, I just came to know whether by any chance you want a kitten," she said; "I have