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acquaintance　increased　her　aversion；　then　he　must　believe　that

the　defects　in　her　character　were　radical；　inwrought　through　the

whole　web　and　woof　of　her　nature。　　He　could　not　assume　the　〃Sibley

style〃　if　he　would；　and　would　not　if　he　could；　were　her　beauty　a

hundred…fold　greater；　were　that　possible。



He　was　fast　coming　to　the　conclusion；　therefore；　that　he　must　abandon

the　project　which　had　so　fascinated　him；　and　whose　success　had　so

strongly　kindled　his　imagination。　　And　yet　he　did　so　reluctantly；

very　regretfully；　chafing　as　only　the　strong…willed　do；　when

confronted　and　thwarted　by　that　which　is　only　apparently　impossible；

and　which　they　still　feel　might　and　ought　to　be　accomplished。



〃I　feel　as　the　old　alchemists　must　have　done；〃　he　often　thought。

〃Here　is　a　base　metal。　　Why　can　I　not　transmute　it　into　gold？〃



But　as　the　conviction　of　his　impotence　grew　upon　him　he　felt　something

like　resentment　toward　the　one　who　had　thwarted　his　purpose；　and　so

it　naturally　happened　that　when　they　met　again　at　the　supper…table；

his　cool　and　indifferent　manner　corresponded　with　that　of　Miss　Mayhew

to　a　degree　that　gave　her　a　deeper　pain　than　she　could　understand。



〃Why　should　she　care？〃　she　asked　herself　a　hundred　times　that

evening。　　But　the　unpleasant　truth　hourly　grew　more　plain　to　her

that　she　did　care。



Stanton　and　her　mother　quietly　ignored　her　〃foolish　pique；〃　as

they　termed　it。　　In　truth　the　former　was　so　preoccupied　with　Miss

Burton；　and　with　jealousy　of　his　friend；　that　he　had　few　thoughts

for　anything　else。



He　admitted　to　himself　that　he　had　never　before　been　so　thoroughly

fascinated　and　awakened；　and　it　was　in　accordance　with　his

pleasure…loving；　self…indulgent　nature　to　drift　on　this　shining

tide　withersoever　it　might　carry　him。



But　with　a　growing　feeling　of　disquietude　he　saw　that　Van　Berg

also　was　deeply　interested　in　Miss　Burton；　and；　what　was　worse；　he

thought　he　detected　an　answering　interest　on　her　part。



Occasionally；　when　the　artist's　face　was　turned　away　so　that　she

obtained　a　good　profile　view　of　it；　Stanton　observed　her　looking

at　him　with　an　expression　which　both　puzzled　and　troubled　him。　　She

seemed　to　forget　everything　and　every　one；　and　to　gaze　for　a　moment

with　a　wistful；　longing　intensity　that　he　would　give　his　fortune

for　were　the　glance　directed　toward　himself。　　And　yet　when　Van　Berg

addressed　her；　sought　her　society；　met　her　suddenly；　there　was　no

heightening　of　color；　nor　a　trace　of　the　〃sweet　confusion〃　that　is

usually　inseparable　from　a　new　and　growing　affection　in　a　maiden's

heart。



Apart　from　this　occasion；　furtive；　and　wistful　look　during　which

her　cheeks　would　grow　pale　and　she　appear　for　the　moment　oblivious

of　present　surroundings；　her　manner　toward　the　artist　was　as　frank

and　natural　as　toward　any　one　else。　　It　was　evident　that　she　liked

and　respected　him；　but　even　his　jealousy　could　not　detect　the

certainty　of　anything　more。



But　what　was　the　tendency　of　Van　Berg's　mind　toward　her？　　That　was

the　question　which　troubled　him　more　and　more　every　day。　　From　the

time　of　their　parting　on　the　previous　Sabbath　evening　there　had

been　a　growing　reluctance　on　the　part　of　each　to　speak　of　one　who

so　largely　occupied　the　thoughts　of　both。　　The　old　jest　and　banter

about　the　〃school　ma'am〃　ceased　utterly；　and　they　mentioned　her　only

occasionally　as　〃Miss　Burton。〃　　The　old　frank　confidence　between

them　diminished　daily；　and　in　their　secret　consciousness　they　began

to　recognize　the　fact　that　they　might　soon　become　open　rivals。



The　attitude　of　Van　Berg　toward　the　young　stranger　who　had　so　deeply

interested　him　from　the　first　hour　of　their　meeting；　was　peculiar

but　characteristic。　　His　reason　approved　of　her。　　Never　before

had　he　met　a　woman　who　had　seemed　endowed　with　so　many　attractive

qualities。　　She　was　not　beautiful；a　cardinal　virtue　with　himbut

her　face　often　lighted　up　with　something　so　near　akin　to　beauty

as　to　leave　little　cause　to　regret　its　absence　and　the　conviction

grew　upon　him　that　the　spirit　enshrined　within　the　graceful　and

fragile　form　was　almost　perfection　itself。



It　became　clearer　to　him　every　day　that　some　deep　experience　or

sorrow　has　so　thoroughly　refined　away　the　dross　of　her　nature　as

to　make　her　seem　the　embodiment　of　truth　and　purity。　　What　though

she　still　maintained　complete　reticence　as　to　the　past；　avoiding

in　their　conversation　all　allusion　to　herself；　as　far　as　possible；

he　still；　in　his　inmost　soul；　knew　he　could　trust　her；　and　that

while　her　smiling　face；　like　the　sunlit　rippling　surface　of　mountain

lakes　not　far　away；　might　hide　dark；　silent　depths；　it　concealed

nothing　impure。



He　also　felt　that　there　was　no　occasion　to　imagine　any　deep　mystery

to　be　part　of　her　past　history。　　The　facts　that　she　was　poor　and

orphaned　suggested　all　the　explanations　needed；　and　he　felt　sure

that　the　sorrows　she　so　sacredly　and　unselfishly　shrouded　from　the

general　view　would　be　frankly　revealed　to　the　man　who　might　win

the　right　to　comfort　and　sustain　her。



Could　he　win　that　right？　　Did　he　wish　to　win　it？　　As　day　after　day

passed　he　felt　this　question　to　be　growing　more　and　more　vitally

important。



He　was　not　one　he　believed　who；　like　Stanton；　could　be　carried　away

by　a　sudden　and　absorbing　passion。　　In　any　and　every　case；　reason；

judgment；　and　taste　would　offer　their　counsel；　and　their　advice

would　be　carefully　weighed。　　With　increasing　distinctness；　this

cabinet　within　his　own　breast　urged　him　to　observe　this　maiden　well

lest　the　chief　opportunity　of　his　life　pass　beyond　recall。



And　he　did　study　her　character　carefully。　　Stanton；　with　the　keen

pain　of　jealousy；　and　Ida　Mayhew　with　a　disquiet　and　sinking　of

heart　that　she　could　not　understand；　noted　that　he　very　quietly

and　unobtrusively　sought　her　society。　　When　she　spoke；　he　listened。

When　it　was　possible　without　attracting　attention　his　eyes　followed

her；　and　yet　his　conduct　was　governed　so　thoroughly　by　good　taste

and　chivalric　regard　for　the　lady　herself；　that　only　eyes　rendered

penetrating　by　the　promptings　of　the　heart　would　have　seen　anything

more　than　the　general　friendliness　which　she　inspired　on　every

side。



Stanton；　on　the　contrary；　grew　more　undisguised　and　demonstrative

in　his　attentions；　although　he　aimed　to　conceal　his　feeling　under

the　humorous　and　bantering　style　of　address　that　was　habitual　with

him。　　The　guests　of　the　house　were　not　very　long　in　recognizing　in

him　an　admirer　of　Miss　Burton；　but　they　imagined　that　his　devotion

was　caused　more　by　a　wish　to　while　away　his　idle　hours　than　from

any　other　motive；　and　it　was　also　quite　evident　that　the　young　lady

herself　took　the　same　view。　　She　gave　a　light　and　humorous　aspect

to　everything　she　said；　and　permitted　him　scarcely　an　opportunity

for　a　solitary　〃tete…a…tete。〃　　In　vain　he　placed　his　bays　and　buggy

at　her　disposal。



〃I　am　social　and　gregarious　in　my　tastes；〃　she　would　reply；　〃and

need　the　exhilaration　of　a　party　to　enjoy　myself。〃



Thus　Stanton　was　led　to　a　course　of　action　decidedly　in　contrast

with　his　past　tendencies。　　He　would　attach　his　bays　to　a　roomy

carriage；　giving　her　a　〃carte…blanche〃　in　making　up　the　party　if

she　would　be　one　of　the　number。　　He　would　perspire　like　a　hero　in

any　boating　excursion　or　picnic　that　she　would　originate；　and　thus

the　fastidious　and　elegant　fellow　often　found　himself　in　unwonted

company；　for；　with　an　instinct　peculiarly　her　own；　she　soon　found

out　the　comparatively　poor　and　neglected　in　the　hotel；　and　appeared

to　derive　her　chief　pleasure　in　enlivening　their　dull　days。

Quick…witted　Stanton　early　learned　that　the　surest　way　to　winning

a　smile　from　her　was　to　be　polite　to　people　that；　hitherto；　he　had

habitually　ignored。　　To　Miss　Burton　herself　he　made　no　secret　of

the　fact　that　his　course　was　prompted　only　by　a　desire　to　please

her；　but　she　smiling　persisted　in　ascribing　it　all　to　his　good…nature

and　kindness　of　heart。











Chapter　XIX。　　Man's　Highest　Honor。









Van　Berg　had　not　been　very　long　in　discovering　that　Miss　Burton

had　a　ruling　passion；　and　it　seemed　to　him　a　rather　unique　one。

He　was　familiar　with　the　many　forms　of　self…seeking；　common　in

society；　he　knew　of　those　who　were　devoted　to　literature；　science；

or　some　favorite　calling；　as　he　was　to　his　art；　he　had　seen　a　few

who　apparently　so　abounded　in　genial　good…nature　that　they　rarely

lost　an　opportunity　of　performing　a　kind　act；　and　there　were　men

and　women　in　the　world　who；　he　believed；　had　fully　consecrated

themselves　to　the　work　of　doing　good　from　the　purest　and　divinest

motives：　　but　he　did　not　remember　of　ever　having　met　with　one　whose

whole　thought　appeared　bent　on　disseminating　immediate　sunshine。



And　yet　this　seemed　true　of　Miss　Burton。　　With　admirable　tact；

with　a　tireless　patience；　and　an　energy　out　of　proportion　in　one

so　fragile；　she　kept　herself　quietly　and　unobtrusively　busy　among

the　miscellaneous　people　of　the　house。　　Her　charity　was　wide　enough

for　all。　　Wherever　she　could　discover　gloom；　despondency；　dulness；

or　pain；　there　she　tried　to　shine　like　a　sunbeam；　as　if　that　were

the　primal　law　of　her　being。　　She　rarely　sought　to　〃do　good〃　in　the

ordinary　acceptance　of　the　term；　still　more　rarely　did　she　speak

of　her　own　personal　faith；　to　cheer　and　to　brighten　appeared　to

be　her　one　constant　impulse。　　It　was　evident　that　this　had　become

a　kind　of　second　nature　in　her　now；　but　the　thought　occurred　more

than　once　to　Van　Berg　that　she　had　adopted　this　course　at　first

to　escape　from　herself　and　her　own　unhappy　memories。　　Every　day

increased　the　conviction　that　sorrow　was　the　black；　heavy　soil　that

produced　this　constant　bloom　of　unselfish　deeds。



Before　the　week　was　over　she　gave　him　special　reason　to　believe

that　this　was　true。　　They　were　walking　up　and　down　the　piazza　one

evening　and　had　been　talking　with　much　animation　o