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a　pity　you　are　interfering；〃　and　he　poured　out　a　large　glass　of

brandy。



〃Would　to　God　I　had　died　before　I　had　seen　this　day！〃　cried　Ida

in　a　tone　of　such　sharp　agony　that　all　turned　towards　her　in　a

questioning　surprise；　but　she　rushed　into　her　own　room　and　locked

the　door　after　her。



〃Things　have　gone　farther　between　her　and　Sibley　than　we　thought；〃

said　Stanton；　gloomily。



〃Well；　Ik；〃　said　Mr。　Mayhew　with　a　laugh　that　was　dreadful　to　hear；

〃you　had　better　cut　loose　from　us。　　We　are　all　going　to　the　devil

by　the　shortest　cut。〃



〃Would　to　heaven　I　had　never　seen　you！〃　cried　Mrs。　Mayhew；

hysterically。　　〃YOU　are　the　one　who　is　dragging　us　down。　　If　my

nephew　deserts　us；　I　will　brand　him　as　a　coward　and　no　gentleman。〃



〃I'll　not　desert　you　unless　you　desert　yourself；〃　said　Stanton；　with

a　gesture　of　disgust　and　impatience；　〃but　if　you　persist　in　going

down　into　the　deepest　quagmires　you　can　find；　you　cannot　expect　me

to　follow　you；〃　and　with　these　words　he　left　the　room。



Mr。　Mayhew　was　soon　sunk　in　the　deepest　lethargy；　and　his　wife

spent　the　afternoon　in　impotently　fretting　and　fuming　against　her

〃miserable　fate；〃　as　she　termed　it；　and　in　trying　to　devise　some

way　of　keeping　up　appearances。











Chapter　XXVIII。　　Rather　Volcanic。









Stanton　was　glad　to　escape　from　the　house　after　the　interview

described　in　the　previous　chapter；　and　observing　that　Van　Berg

was　reclining　under　a　tree　at　some　little　distance　from　the　hotel；

stolled　thither　and　threw　himself　down　on　the　grass　beside　him。

But　his　perturbation　was　so　evident　that　his　friend　remarked：



〃You　are　out　of　sorts；　Ik。　　What's　the　matter？〃



〃I've　been　settling　this　Sibley　business　with　my　aunt　and　cousin；〃

snarled　Stanton；　〃and　some　women　always　make　such　blasted　fools　of

themselves。　　But　they　won't　have　anything　more　to　do　with　him；　at

least；　I'm　sure　my　aunt　won't。　　As　for　Idabut　the　less　said　the

better。　　I'm　so　out　of　patience　with　her　folly　that　I　can't　trust

myself　to　speak　of　her。〃



〃Stanton；〃　said　Van　Berg；　gloomily；　〃you　have　no　idea　of　the　regret

and　disquiet　which　that　girl　has　caused　me　as　an　artist。　　I　have

seen　her　features　now　for　weeks；　and　I　cannot　help　looking　at　them；

for　they　almost　realize　my　idea　of　perfection。　　But　the　associations

of　this　beauty　are　beginning　to　irritate　me　beyond　endurance。〃



〃It　was　a　motley　crowd　that　I　was　the　means　of　bringing　to　your

table；〃　said　Stanton；　with　an　oath；　〃and　I've　no　doubt　you　have

wished　us　all　away　many　times。〃



Van　Berg　laid　his　hand　on　his　friend's　arm；　and　looked　into　his

eyes。



〃Ik；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃I　was　your　friend　when　I　came　hereI　am

your　friend　still。　　If　I　cannot　love　you　better　than　I　do　myself；

you　must　forgive　me。　　But　I　shall　never　take　one　unfair　advantage

of　you；　and　I　recognize　the　fact　that　you　have　equal　rights　with

myself。　　Ik；　let　us　be　frank　with　each　other　this　once　more；　and

then　the　future　must　settle　all　questions。　　The　woman　we　both　love

is　too　pure　and　good　for　either　of　us　to　do　a　mean　thing　to　win　her。

Do　your　best；　old　fellow。　　If　you　succeed；　I　will　congratulate　you

with　an　honest　heart　even　thought　it　be　a　heavy　one。　　I　shall　not

detract　from　you　in　the　slightest　degree；　or　cease　to　show　for　you

the　thorough　liking　and　respect　that　I　feel。　　It　shall　simply　be

a　maiden's　choice　between　us　two；　and　you　know　it　is　said　that　the

heart　makes　this　choice　for　reasons　inexplicable　even　to　itself。〃



〃Van；　you　are　a　noble；　generous　fellow；〃　said　the　impulsive　Stanton；

grasping　his　friend's　hand。　　〃I　must　admit　that　you　have　been　a

fair　and　considerate　rival。　　Even　my　jealousy　could　find　no　fault。〃

Then　he　added；　in　deep　despondency：　　〃But　it　is　of　no　use。　　You

have　virtually　won　her　already。〃



〃No；〃　said　Van　Berg；　thoughtfully；　〃I　wish　you　were　not　mistaken；

but　you　are。　　There　is　something　in　her　manner　towards　me　at　times

which　I　cannot　understand；　but　I　have　a　conviction　that　I　have　not

touched　her　heart。〃



〃She　does　not　avoid　you　as　she　does　me；〃　said　Stanton；　moodily。



〃No；　she　accepts　my　society　much　too　frankly　and　composedly；〃　answered

Van　Berg　with　a　shrug。　　〃I　fear　that　I　can　join　her　anywhere　and

at　any　time　without　quickening　her　pulse　or　deepening　the　color

in　her　cheeks。　　Now；　Ik；　we　understand　each　other。　　Happy　the　man

who　wins；　and　if　you　are　the　fortunate　one；　I'll　dance　at　your

wedding；　and　no　one　shall　see　that　I　carry　a　thousand　pounds　weight；

more　or　less；　in　my　heart。〃



〃I　can't　promise　to　do　as　much　for　you；　Van；〃　said　Stanton；　trying

to　smile。　　〃I　could　not　come　to　your　wedding。　　In　fact；　Van；　II

hardly　know　what　I　would　dowhat　I　will　do。　　A　few　weeks　since

and　the　world　was　abundantly　satisfactory。　　Now　it　is　becoming　a

vacuum。　　I　fear　I　haven't　a　ghost　of　a　chance；　and　IIdon't　like

to　think　of　the　future。　　Ye　gods！　　What　a　change　one　little　woman

can　make　in　a　man's　life！　　I　used　to　laugh　at　these　things；　and

for　the　past　few　years　thought　myself　invulnerable。　　And　yet；　Van；〃

he　added　with　sudden　energy；　〃I　think　the　better　of　myself　that　I

can　love　and　honor　that　woman。　　Did　I　regard　her　now　as　I　supposed

I　would　when　you　first　uttered　your　half…jesting　prophecy；　what　a

base；　soulless　anatomy　I　would　be…〃



〃SACRE！　here　comes　Sibley　and　others　of　the　same　ilk；　gabbling　like

the　unmitigated　fools　that　they　are。〃



Van　Berg　turned　his　back　upon　the　advancing　party　in　an　unmistakable

manner；　and　Stanton　smoked　with　a　stolid；　impassive　face　that　had

anything　but　welcome　in　it。　　Sibley　was　just　sufficiently　excited

by　wine　to　act　out　recklessly　his　evil　self。



〃What's　the　matter；　Stanton？〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Your　phiz　is　as　long

as　if　the　world　looked　black　and　blue　as　a　prize…fighter's　eye。　　Is

Sunday　an　off　day　in　your　flirtation？　　Does　the　little　school…ma'am

take　after　her　Puritan　daddies；　and　say　'Hold　thy　hand　till　Monday？'

Get　her　out　of　the　crowd；　and　you'll　find　it　all　a　pretence。〃



Stanton　rose　to　his　feet；　but　was　so　quiet　that　Sibley　did　not

realize　the　storm　he　was　raising。　　Van　Berg　remained　on　the　ground

with　his　back　to　the　party；　but　was　smoking　furiously。



By　an　effort　at　self…control　that　made　his　voice　harsh　and　constrained；

Stanton　said；　briefly：



〃Mr。　Sibley；　I　request　that　you　never　mention　that　lady's　name　to

me　again　in　any　circumstances。　　I　request　that　you　never　mention

her　name　to　any　one　else　except　in　tones　and　words　of　the　utmost

respect。　　I　make　these　requests　politely；　as　is　befitting　the　day

and　my　own　self…respect；　but　if　you　disregard　them　the　consequences

to　you　will　be　very　serious。〃



〃Good　Lord；　Stanton！　has　she　treated　you　so　badly！　　But　don't　take

it　to　heart。　　It's　all　Yankee　thrift；　designed　to　enhance　her　value。

We　are　all　men　of　the　world　here；　and　know　what　women　are。　　If　it

is　true　every　man　has　his　price；　every　woman　has　a　smaller…〃



Before　he　could　utter　another　word　a　blow　in　his　face　from　Stanton

sent　him　sprawling　to　the　earth。　　He　sprang　up　and　was　about　to

draw　a　concealed　weapon；　when　his　companions　interfered　and　held

him。



〃I　shall　settle　with　you　for　this；〃　he　half　shouted；　grinding　his

teeth。



〃You　shall　indeed；　sir；〃　said　Stanton；　〃and　as　early；　too；　as　the

light　will　permit　to…morrow。　　Here　is　my　friend　Mr。　Van　Berg；〃

pointing　to　the　artist　who　stood　beside　him；　〃and　you　have　your

friends　with　you。　　You　must　either　apologize；　or　meet　me　as　soon

as　Sunday　is　past。〃



〃I'll　meet　you　now；〃　cried　Sibley；　with　a　volley　of　oaths。　　〃I　want

no　cowardly　subterfuge　of　Sunday。〃



Stanton　hesitated　a　moment；　and　then　said　decidedly：



〃No；　I'm　not　a　blackguard　like　yourself；　and　out　of　respect　for　the

Sabbath　and　others　I　will　have　nothing　more　to　do　with　you　to…day；

but　I　will　meet　you　tomorrow　as　soon　as　it　is　light；〃　and　Stanton

turned　away　to　avoid　further　provocation。



Van　Berg　thus　far　had　stood　quietly　to　one　side；　but　his　face　had

that　white；　rigid　aspect　which　indicates　the　rare　but　dangerous

anger　of　men　usually　quiet　and　undemonstrative　in　their　natures。



〃Now　that　you　are　through；　Stanton；　I　have　something　to　say　concerning

this　affair；〃　he　began；　in　words　that　were　as　clean…cut　and　hard

as　steel。　　〃If　you　propose　to　give　this　fellow　a　dog's　whipping

to…morrow；　I　will　go　with　you　and　witness　the　well…deserved

chastisement。　　But　if　you　are　intending　a　conventional　duel；　I'll

have　nothing　to　do　with　it；　for　two　reasons。　　The　first　reason　this

fellow　will　not　understand。　　Dueling　is　against　my　principles；　and

he　knows　nothing　of　principle。　　But　even　if　I　accepted　the　old　and

barbarous　code；　I　should　insist　that　a　friend　of　mine　should　fight

with　a　gentleman；　and　not　a　low　blackguard。〃



〃You　use　that　epithet　again　at　your　peril；〃　hissed　Sibley；　advancing

a　step　towards　him。



Van　Berg　made　a　gesture　of　contempt　toward　the　speaker　as　he　turned

and　said：



〃You　unde