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Here the winding paths were bordered with golden moss； and sheltered by a tangled growth of bracken and bramble with now and then a little clump of heather or a patch of blue harebells。 Every nook of that place grew familiar to them and had its special associations。 There was the shady part under the beeches where they spent the hot days； and this was always associated with fragments of 〃Macbeth〃 and 〃Julius Caesar。〃 There was the cozy nook on the fir hill where in cool September they had read volume after volume of Walter Scott； Raeburn not being allowed to have anything but light literature； and caring too little for 〃society〃 novels to listen to them even now。 There was the prettiest part of all down below； the bit of sandy cliff riddled with nest holes by the sand martins； here they discovered a little spring； the natural basin scooped out in the rock； festooned with ivy and thickly coated with the pretty green liverwort。 Never surely was water so cold and clear as that which flowed into the basin with its ground of white sand； and overflowed into a little trickling stream； while in the distance was heard the roar of the river as it fell into a small waterfall。 There was the ford from which the place was named and which Erica associated with a long happy day when Brian had come down to see her father。 She remembered how they had watched the carts and horses splashing though the clear water； going in muddy on one side and coming out clean on the other。 She had just listened in silence to the talk between Brian and her father which happened to turn on Donovan Farrant。
They discussed the effect of early education and surroundings upon the generality of men； and Raeburn； while prophesying great things for Donovan's future and hoping that he might live to see his first Budget； rather surprised them both by what he said about his tolerable well…known early life。 He was a man who found it very difficult to make allowances for temptations he had never felt； he was convinced that under Donovan's circumstances he should have acted very differently； and he made the common mistake of judging others by himself。 His ruggedly honest nature and stern sense of justice could not get over those past failings。 However； this opinion about the past did not interfere with his present liking of the man。 He liked him much； and when； toward the end of their six weeks' stay at Milford； Donovan invited them to Oakdene； he was really pleased to accept the invitation。 He hoped to be well enough to speak at an important political meeting at Ashborough about the middle of October； and as Ashborough was not far from Oakdene； Donovan wrote to propose a visit there en route。
At length the last evening came。 Raeburn and Erica climbed Rocksbury for the last time； and in the cool of the evening walked slowly home。
〃I have always dreaded old age；〃 he said。 〃But I shall dread it no more。 This has been a foretaste of the autumn of life； and it has been very peaceful。 I don't see why the winter should not be the same if I have you with me； little one。〃
〃You shall have me as long as I am alive；〃 she said； giving his strong hand a little loving squeeze。
〃Truth to tell；〃 said Raeburn； 〃I thought a few weeks ago that it would be a case of 'Here lies Luke Raeburn； who died of litigation！' But； after all； to be able to work to the last is the happiest lot。 Tis an enviable thing to die in harness。〃
They were walking up a hill； a sort of ravine with steep high banks on either side； and stately pines stretching their blue…green foliage up against the evening sky。 A red glow of sunset made the dark stems look like fiery pillars； and presently as they reached the brow of the hill the great crimson globe was revealed to them。 They both stood in perfect silence watching till it sunk below the horizon。
And a great peace filled Erica's heart though at one time her father's wish would have made her sad and apprehensive。 In former times she had set her whole heart on his learning before death that he was teaching error。 Now she had learned to add to 〃Thy will be done；〃 the clause which it takes some of us a life time to say； 〃Not my will。〃
CHAPTER XXXIX。 Ashborough
There's a brave fellow！ There's a man of pluck！ A man who is not afraid to say his say； Though a whole town's against him。 Longfellow
A man's love is the measure of his fitness for good or bad company here or elsewhere。 Oliver Wendell Holmes。
The week at Oakdene proved in every way a success； Raeburn liked his host heartily； and the whole atmosphere of the house was a revelation to him。 The last morning there had been a little clouded for news had reached them of a terrible colliery accident in the north of England。 The calamity had a special gloom about it for it might very easily have been prevented； the owners having long known that the mine was unsafe。
〃I must say it is a little hard to see how such a horrible sin as carelessness of the lives of human beings can ever bring about the greater good which we believe evil to do；〃 said Erica； as she took her last walk in the wood with Donovan。
〃'Tis hard to see at the time；〃 he replied。 〃But I am convinced that it is so。 The sin is never good； never right； but when men will sin； then the result of the sin； however frightful； brings about more good that the perseverance in sin with no catastrophe would have done。 A longer…deferred good； of course； than the good which would have resulted by adhering from the first to the right； and so far inferior。〃
〃Of course；〃 said Erica； 〃I can see that a certain amount of immediate good may result from this disaster。 It will make the owners of other mines more careful。〃
〃And what of the hundred unseen workings that will result from it？〃 said Donovan； smiling。 〃In the first shock of horror one can not even glimpse the larger view； but later on〃
He paused for a minute； they were down in the valley close to the little church； he opened the gate and led the way to a bench under the great yew tree。 Sitting here； they could see the recumbent white cross with its ever…fresh crown of white flowers。 Erica knew something of the story it told。
〃Shall I tell you what turned me from an anti…theist to an atheist？〃 said Donovan。 〃It was the horror of knowing that a little child's life had been ruined by carelessness。 I had been taught to believe in a terrific phantom who was severely just； but when it seemed that the one quality of justice was gone； then I took refuge in the conviction that there could be no God at all。 That WAS a refuge for the time； for it is better to believe in no God than to believe in an immoral God and it was long years before a better refuge found me。 Yet； looking back now over these seven… and…twenty years； I see how that one little child's suffering has influenced countless lives！ How it was just the most beautiful thing that could have happened to her！〃
Erica did not speak for a moment； she read half dreamily the words engraved on the tombstone。 Nearly sixteen years since that short； uneventful life had passed into the unseen； and yet little Dot was at this moment influencing the world's history。
She was quite cheerful again as