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〃Why； we went round to tell the No。 16 people。 Tom waited outside； because he was so frightfully cut about； and I went int； and saw an old； old man a sort of Methusaleh who would ask my name； and whether I had anything to do with you。〃
〃What did you say to him？〃
〃I can't remember except that I asked him to let us pay for the glass by installments； and tried to assure him that secularists were not in the habit of smashing other people's property。 He was a very jolly old man； and of course he wouldn't let us pay for the glass though he frightened me dreadfully by muttering that he shouldn't wonder if the glass and the honesty combined cost him a pretty penny。〃
〃Did you ever see him again？〃
〃Not to speak to； but we always nodded to each other when we passed in the square。 I've not seen him for ages。 I thought he must be dead。〃
〃He is dead；〃 said Raeburn； 〃and he has left you three hundred pounds； and he has left me his furnished house； with the sole proviso that I live in it。〃
〃What a brick！〃 cried Tom and Erica； in a breath。 〃Now fancy； if we hadn't played at 'King of the Castle' that day！〃
〃And if Erica had not been such a zealous little Republican？〃 said Raeburn； smiling。
〃Why； father； the very greenhouse will belong to you； and such a nice piece of garden！ Oh； when can we go and see it； and choose a nice room for your study？〃
〃I will see Mr。 Woodward's executor tomorrow morning；〃 said Raeburn。 〃The sooner we move in the better for there are rocks ahead。〃
〃The 'we' refers only to you and Erica；〃 said Aunt Jean； who had joined them。 〃Tom and I shall of course stay on here。〃
〃Oh； no； auntie！〃 cried Erica in such genuine dismay that Aunt Jean was touched。
〃I don't want you to feel at all bound to have us；〃 she said。 〃Now that the worst of the poverty is over； there is no necessity for clubbing together。〃
〃And after you have shared all the discomforts with us； you think we should go off in such a dog…in…the…mangerish way as that！〃 cried Erica。 〃Besides； it really was chiefly owing to Tom； who was the one to get hurt into the bargain。 〃If you won't come； I shall〃 she paused to think of a threat terrible enough 〃I shall think again about living with the Fane…Smiths。〃
This led the conversation back to Greyshot； and they lingered so long round the fire talking that Raeburn was for once unpunctual； and kept an audience at least ten minutes waiting for him。
No。 16 Guilford Square proved to be much better inside than a casual passer in the street would have imagined。 Outside； it was certainly a grim…looking house； but within it was roomy and comfortable。 The lower rooms were wainscoted in a sort of yellowish…brown color； the upper wainscoted in olive…green。 There was no such thing as a wall paper in the whole house； and indeed it was hard to imagine； when once inside it； that you were in nineteenth…century London at all。
Raeburn； going over it with Erica the following evening； was a little amused to think of himself domiciled in such an old…world house。 Mr。 Woodward's housekeeper； who was still taking care of the place； assured them that one of the leaden pipes outside bore the date of the seventeenth century； though the two last figures were so illegible that they might very possibly have stood for 1699。
Erica was delighted with it all； and went on private voyages of discovery； while her father talked to the housekeeper； taking stock of the furniture； imagining how she would rearrange the rooms； and planning many purchases to be made with her three hundred pounds。 She was singing to herself for very lightness of heart when her father called her from below。 She rand down again； checking her inclination to sing as she remembered the old housekeeper； who had but recently lost her master。
〃I've rather set my affections on this room；〃 said Raeburn； leading her into what had formerly been the dining room。
〃The very place where I came in fear and trembling to make my confession；〃 said Erica； laughing。 〃This would make a capital study。〃
〃Yes； the good woman has gone to fetch an inch tape； I want to measure for the book shelves。 How many of my books could I comfortably house in here； do you think？〃
〃A good many。 The room is high； you see； and those two long； unbroken walls would take several hundred。 Ah！ Here is the measuring tape。 Now we can calculate。〃
They were hard at work measuring when the door bell rang； and Tom's voice was heard in the passage； asking for Raeburn。
〃This way； Tom！〃 called Erica。 〃Come and help us！〃
But a laughing reference to the day of their childish disaster died on her lips when she caught sight of him for she knew that something was wrong。 Accustomed all her life to live in the region of storms； she had learned to a nicety the tokens of rough weather。
〃Hazeldine wishes to speak to you；〃 said Tom； turning to Raeburn。 〃I brought him round here to save time。〃
〃Oh！ All right；〃 said Raeburn； too much absorbed in planning the arrangement of his treasures to notice the unusual graveness of Tom's face。 〃Ask him in here。 Good evening； Hazeldine。 You are the first to see us in our new quarters。〃
Hazeldine bore traces of having lived from his childhood a hard but sedentary life。 He was under…sized and narrow chested。 But the face was a very striking one； the forehead finely developed； the features clearly cut； and the bright； dark eyes looking out on the world with an almost defiant honesty； a clearness bordering on hardness。
Raeburn； entirely putting aside for the time his own affairs； and giving to his visitor his whole and undivided attention； saw in an instant that the man was in trouble。
〃Out of work again？〃 he asked。 〃Anything gone wrong？〃
〃No sir；〃 replied Hazeldine； 〃but I came round to ask if you'd seen that circular letter。 'Twas sent me this morning by a mate of mine who's lately gone to Longstaff； and he says that this Pogson is sowing them broadcast among the hands right through all the workshops in the place； and in all England； too； for aught he knows。 I wouldn't so much as touch the dirty thing； only I thought maybe you hadn't heard of it。〃
Without a word； Raeburn held out his hand for the printed letter。 Erica； standing at a little distance； watched the faces of the three men Tom； grave； yet somewhat flushed； Hazeldine； with a scornful glitter in his dark eyes； her father？ Last of all she looked at him and looking； learned the full gravity of this new trouble。 For； as he read； Raeburn grew white； with the marble whiteness which means that intense anger has interfered with the action of the heart。 As he hastily perused the lines； his eyes seemed to flash fire； the hand which still held the measuring tape was clinched so tightly that the knuckle looked like polished ivory。
Erica could not ask what was the matter； but she came close to him。 When he had finished reading； the first thing his eye fell upon was her face turned up to his with a mute appeal which； in spite of the anxiety in it； made her look almost like a child。 He shrank back as she held out her hand for the letter； it was so foul a libel that it seemed intolerable to him that his own child should so much as read a line