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should　irritate　me　so　greatly　because　of　its　incongruous　associations。〃



〃Not　at　all；〃　she　replied；　with　a　little　nod。　　〃I　was　not　long　in

discovering　that　you　were　a　pagan；　and　that　beauty　was　your　divinity。〃



〃Correct　in　all　respects　save　the　divinity；〃　he　answered　promptly；

and　he　would　have　said　more；　but　she　passed　into　the　parlor　among

the　other　guests。



Ida　found　herself　too　weak　and　unnerved　to　walk　far；　but　she

discovered　a　secluded　nook　into　which　the　sunlight　streamed　with　a

grateful　warmth；　for　although　the　day　was　warm；　she　shivered　with

cold　as　if　the　chill　in　her　heart　had　diffused　itself　even　to　her

hands　and　feet。　　Dense　shrubbery　hid　her　from　the　path　along　which

she　saw　Stanton　pass　in　his　fruitless　quest。



For　a　long　time　she　sat　in　dreary　apathy；　almost　as　motionless　as

the　mossy　rock　beneath　her；　and　was　conscious　only　of　her　throbbing

forehead　and　aching　heart。　　Gradually；　however；　nature's　vital

touch　began　to　revive　her。　　The　sunlight　warmed　and　tranquilized

the　exquisite　form　that　had　been　entering　its　shuddering　protest

against　the　chill　and　corruption　of　the　grave。　　The　south　wind；

laden　with　fresh　woodland　odors；　fanned　her　cheeks；　and　whispered

that　there　were　flowers　blooming　that　she　could　not　see；　and　that

the　future　also　might　reveal　joys　now　hidden　and　unknown；　if　she

would　only　be　patient。　　Every　rustling　leaf　that　fluttered　in　the

gale；　but　did　not　fall；　called　to　her　with　its　tiny　voice：　　〃Cling

to　your　place；　as　we　do；　till　the　frost　of　age　or　the　blight　of

disease　brings　the　end　in　God's　own　time　and　way。〃　A　partridge　with

her　brood　rustled　by　along　the　edge　of　the　forest；　and　the　poor

girl　imagined　she　saw　in　the　parent　bird；　as　she　led　forward　her

plump　little　bevy；　the　pride　and　complacency　of　a　happy　motherhood；

which　now　would　never　be　hers；　and　from　the　depths　of　her　woman's

heart　came　nature's　protest。　　Then　her　heavy　eyes　were　attracted

by　the　sport　of　two　gray　squirrels　that　were　racing　to　the　top　of

one　tree；　scrambling　down　another；　falling　and　catching　again；　and

tumbling　over　each　other　in　their　mad　excitement。　　She　felt　that；

at　her　age；　their　exuberant　life　and　enjoyment　should　be　a　type　of

her　own；　but　their　wild；　innocent　fun；　in　contrast　with　her　despair；

became　so　unendurable　that　she　sprang　up　and　frightened　them　away。



But　after　she　was　quiet　they　soon　returned；　barking　vociferously；

and　sporting　with　their　old　abandon。　　It　was　not　long　since　they

had　left　the　next　in　the　old　hemlock　tree；　and　they　were　still　like

Ida；　before　she　had　learned　that　there　was　anything　in　the　world

that　could　harm　her。　　Other　wild　creatures　flew　or　scampered　by；

some　stopping　to　look　at　her　with　their　bright　quick　eyes；　as　if

wondering　why　she　was　so　still　and　sad。　　the　woods　seemed　full　of

joyous　midsummer　life；　and　Ida　sighed：



〃Innocent；　happy　little　things；　but　if　they　knew　what　was　in　my

heart；　they　would　be　so　frightened　they　could　scarcely　creep　away

to　hide。〃



Then　with　a　sudden　rush　of　passionate　grief；　she　cried：



〃Oh；　why　cannot　I　life　and　be　happy；　too？〃　and　she　sobbed　till　she

lay　exhausted　on　the　mossy　rock。



Whether　she　had　swooned；　or　from　weakness　had　become　unconscious；

she　did　not　know；　when；　considerably　later；　she　roused　herself

from　what　seemed　like　a　heavy　and　unrefreshing　sleep。　　Her　dress

was　damp　with　dew；　the　sun　had　sunk　so　low　as　to　fill　the　forest

with　a　sombre　shade；　the　happy　life　that　had　sported　around　her

was　hushed　and　hidden；　and　the　wind　now　sighed　mournfully　through

the　trees。　　Gloom　and　darkening　shadows　had　taken　the　place　of　the

light　and　joyousness　she　first　had　seen。　　In　the　face　and　voices

of　nature；　as　in　those　of　earthly　friends；　the　changes　are　often

so　great　that　we　are　tempted　to　ask　in　dismay；　are　theycan　they

be　the　same？



She　was　stiff　and　cold　as　she　rose　from　her　rocky　couch；　but　she

wearily　turned　her　face　towards　the　hotel；　muttering；　as　she　plodded

heavily　along；



〃The　little　people　of　the　woods　are　happy　while　they　can　be；　as　I

was；　but　the　sportsman's　gun；　or　the　hawk；　or　winter's　cold；　will

soon　bring　to　them　bitter　pain；　and　death。　　their　brief　day　will

soon　be　over；　as　mine　is。〃



〃Ah；　the　sun　is　sinking　behind　that　cloud；〃　she　said；　in　a　low　tone；

as　she　came　out　into　the　open　fields。　　〃I　shall　not　see　it　again；

it　will　not　be　able　to　warm　me　to…morrow；〃　and　with　a　slight　gesture

of　farewell；　she　continued　on　her　way　with　bowed　head。











Chapter　XXXVIII。　　A　Good　Man　Speaks。









As　Ida　approached　the　hotel；　Van　Berg　and　Stanton　saw　her；　and　the

latter　hastened　down　the　steps　to　join　her。



〃Why；　Ida！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃where　have　you　been？　　I've　searched　for

you　high　and　low。〃



〃You　had　no　right　to　do　so；　sir；〃　she　said　coldly；　as　she　passed

on。



〃Wait　a　moment；　Ida；　please。　　I　wish　to　speak　with　youto　ask　your

pardonto　apologize　in　the　strongest　terms。〃



She　would　not　break　again　her　ominous　silence；　but　continued　on

with　bowed　head；　up　the　steps；　and　through　the　hall。　　Stanton；　to

save　appearances　before　the　guests　who　were　near；　walked　at　her

side；　but　her　manner　chilled　and　embarrassed　him　so　greatly；　that

only　as　she　was　about　to　enter　her　room　did　he　again　address　her；

and　now　entreatingly：



〃Ida；　won't　you　speak　to　me？〃



〃No！〃　was　her　stern；　brief　response；　and　she　locked　her　door　against

him。



〃Van；〃　said　Stanton　gloomily；　〃I'd　give　a　year's　income　if　I　had

not　spoken　to　my　cousin　as　I　did　last　night。　　She'll　never　forgive

me。　　It　seems　as　if　my　words　had　turned　her　into　ice；　she　is　so　cold

and　calm；　and　yet　her　eyes　were　red　with　weeping。　　I　have　strange

misgivings　about　the　girl。〃



〃Yes；　Ik；〃　said　the　artist；　gloomily；　〃we　have　both　made　an

unpardonable　blunder。　　If　Miss　Burton　cannot　thaw　her　out；　I　shall

not　dare　to　try。〃



〃With　her　usual　perversity；〃　replied　Stanton；　〃she　dislikes　Miss

Burton；　and　I　doubt　if　she　will　listen　to　her。〃



〃I　have　great　faith　in　her　tact　and　genuine　goodwill。　　It　was　wonderful

how　quickly　she　brought　Mr。　Mayhew　under　her　genial　spells。　　She

has　promised　to　see　your　cousin　this　evening。〃



〃I'm　sorry；〃　said　Stanton；　gloomily；　〃that　it　should　have　been

at　your　request　rather　than　mine。　　But　I　suppose　your　wishes　are

becoming　omnipotent　with　her。〃



〃No；　Ik；　I　regret　to　say　that　they　weigh　with　her　only　as　those　of

a　friend；〃　was　Van　Berg's　quiet　response。



〃Well；　well；　Van；　bear　with　me；　for　I'm　in　a　devil　of　a　scrape。〃



Even　Miss　Burton's　efforts　could　not　brighten　the　clouded　faces

that　gathered　at　the　supper…table。　　In　truth；　her　attempts　were

brief　and　fitful；　for　she　seemed　absorbed　in　thought　herself。　　She

heard　Mrs。　　Mayhew　whisper　to　Stanton；



〃If　I　were　a　perfect　stranger　she　could　not　keep　me　at　a　greater

distance。　　I　can　do　nothing　with　her　or　for　her。〃



To　their　surprise；　Ida　quietly　walked　in　and　took　her　place。　　Her

face　was　very　grave　and　very　pale；　the　traces　of　her　grief　were

still　apparent；　and　they　caused　in　Van　Berg　the　severest　compunction。

She　was　now　dressed　richly；　but　plainly　and　unobtrusively。　　Her

manner　was　quiet　and　self…possessed；　but　there　was　an　expression

of　desperate　trouble　in　her　eyes　that　soon　filled　Van　Berg　with　a

strong　and　increasing　uneasiness。　　She　returned　his　bow　politely；

but　distantly。　　Poor　Stanton　scarcely　dared　to　look　towards　her。　　At

supper；　on　the　previous　evening；　he　had　taken　no　pains　to　conceal

his　contempt　and　displeasure；　now　he　was　unable　to　hid　his

embarrassment　and　fear。　　As　in　the　parlor　on　the　previous　evening

so　now　again；　there　was　an　element　in　Ida　Mayhew's　appearance　or

in　herself　that　caused　deep　disquietude。



〃I'm　very　glad；　Ida；　you've　changed　your　mind　and　come　down；〃　began

Mrs。　Mayhew；　volubly。



〃I　have　not　changed　my　mind；〃　she　replied；　with　such　sad；　stern

emphasis　that　they　all　involuntarily　looked　at　her　for　a　moment。



Poor　Mrs。　Mayhew　was　so　quenched　and　depressed　that　she　did　not

venture　to　speak　again。



Only　Miss　Burton　was　able　to　maintain　her　self…possession　and　tact；

and　she　was　intently　but　unobtrusively　studying　Miss　Mayhew。　　Her

college…life　had　made　her　acquainted　with　so　many　strange　feminine

problems　that　she　had　the　nerve　and　experience　of　a　veteran；　but　she

could　not　penetrate　the　dark　mystery　in　which　Ida　had　now　shrouded

herself。　　Resolving；　however；　that　she　would　not　succumb　to　the

chill　and　restraint　that　paralyzed　the　others；　she　persisted　in

conversing　with　her　in　simple；　natural　tones。



Ida　replied　in　perfect　courtesy　and　not　with　unnecessary　brevity；

but　if　her　words　were　polished；　they　were　also　as　cold　and　hard

as　ice。　　Nothing　that　Miss　Burton　said　could　bring　the　glimmer　of

a　smile　athwart　her　features　that　were　growing　so　thin　and　transparent

that　even　an　approach　to　a　pleasant　thought　would　have　lighted　them

up　with　a　momentary　gleam。　　Miss　Bur