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once if you have any regard for my feelings and wishes。 As I have
told my story； your sympathetic face has been more eloquent than
any words； and leaves nothing to be said。 I refuse to see you or
speak to you again till you have fulfilled the only promise I ever
asked or wished you to make；〃 and she left him and quickly disappeared。
Ten minutes later Van Berg was being driven towards Mr。 Eltinge's
place； at a speed which threatened； in case of accident； to place
him beyond the use of crutches。 As he rode along in front of the
house he saw that Ida's old horse and low phaeton were still in the
shade of the trees； therefore； dismissing his driver； he hobbled
with singular alacrity across the lawn and suddenly presented
himself before Mr。 Eltinge and Ida； much to the surprise of the
latter； who hastily wiped her eyes and sought to hide the fact that
her thoughts had not been very cheerful。
〃Pardon me；〃 he said； 〃but I left my sketchbook here some days since；
and I especially wished to bid Mr。 Eltinge good…by and to thank
him with all the warmth and fulness that can be put into words。〃
Mr。 Eltinge was cordially and gravely kind in his reception； but
Ida kept her face averted； for she knew that the traces of grief
were too apparent。
After a few moments Mr。 Eltinge said： 〃Since this is your last
visit； I cannot think of letting either of you go back before dinner；
and； if you will excuse me for a little time； I soon can see that
our simple arrangements are made。〃
〃I shall be very glad to remain；〃 said Van Berg； so promptly that
Ida turned and looked at him with surprise。 She was still more
surprised when； as soon as they were alone； he hobbled to the rustic
seat and sat down beside her。
〃Miss Ida；〃 he said； 〃you have always given me such admirable advice
that I come to you again。 Miss Burton refuses me absolutely and
irrevocably； and in language that renders it impossible for me
ever to address her again on the subject。 You thus perceive what
a forlorn object is before youa rejected man and a cripple！〃
〃Miss Burton refused you！〃 exclaimed Ida in utter amazement。 〃You
were but a cold wooer； I imagine；〃 she added reproachfully； and
she rose from the seat and stood aloof from him。
〃You know well； Miss Ida；〃 he said earnestly； 〃that a falsehood
would be impossible in this place； and I assure you I honestly did
the best I could。 We have plighted our faith in a friendship that
will be a brother's love on my part； but she said solemnly that
she would regard offers of marriage from me； now or at any future
time； as an insult。 In brief； she has at last told me her story。
Her lover is dead； and it was because she detected certain resemblances
in my appearance to him that she looked at me sometimes in the
way you described。 I had surmised as much before； but at one time
hoped that this accidental resemblance might give me a vantage…ground
in winning her from a past that I knew must have been very sad
indeed。 My resemblance was only an outward one； the man himself
was immeasurably my superior； and on the principle of contrast alone
Jennie Burton could never think of me。 But her love for Harrold
Fleetwood is her life。 It is a strange； unearthly devotion that
time only increases。 I felt weeks since that I could worship her
as a saint far easier than I could love her as a woman； and I now
know the reason。 It would indeed be an insult for any man to speak
to her of love and marriage； if he knew what I have learned to…day。〃
〃Then poor Cousin Ik has no chance either；〃 said Ida； with tears
in her eyes。
〃No； I do not think he has； although she has learned to appreciate
him。 She spoke of him as a 'true； noble…hearted gentleman；' and
such terms from the lips of a woman like Jennie Burton are better
than a king's title。 As far as my complacent and deliberate wooing
of last summer is concerned； I believe that when it did not pain and
annoy her she was rather amused by it。 She had seen the genuine
thing； you know； and thus I was the only one imposed upon by a
sentiment which at the time received the unqualified approval of
my infallible reason and judgment。 The very superior Mr。 Harold
Van Berg once declined your acquaintance； as you may remember。 Take
your full revenge upon him now； for you see to what a battered and
dilapidated condition of body and mind he has been reduced。 He
has developed a genius for blundering and getting himself and other
people into trouble； that is quite sublime。 If ever a man needed
daily advice and counsel； he does； and the incalculable service
that you have rendered him in this respect leads him to come to
you again。〃
〃Indeed； sir；〃 said Ida； turning away with a crimson face； 〃I have
no further advice to give you。 Mr。 Eltinge will soon be back；
take him as your counsellor。 I'm going to gather some flowers for
dinner。〃
He at once was on his crutches and in close pursuit； but she
flitted away before him till in despair he returned to the rustic
seat。 Then she shyly and hesitatingly began to approach； apparently
absorbed in tying up her flowers。
〃Haven't you observed that I am a cripple？〃 he asked。
〃I have observed that you are a very nimble one。〃
〃I think you are very cruel to treat a helpless man in this style。〃
〃Indeed； sir； I have not taken away your crutches。 When you spoke
of a helpless man； to whom did you refer？〃
〃I thought you once said that mercy was 'twice bless'd。'〃
〃That's a truism that has become a little trite。 Don't you think
Mr。 Eltinge will like my bouquet？〃
〃Here is a flower that to me is worth all that ever bloomed。 Come
and tell me if you still recognize it；〃 and he took out the little
note…book in which was pressed the imperfect and emblematic rose…bud。
〃Poor little thing！〃 Ida sighed； looking over his shoulder； 〃how
faded it has become！〃
By a motion that was almost instantaneous he dropped the note…book
and caught her hand。 〃Yes； Ida；〃 he said eagerly； it is faded； but
it grows dearer to me daily； as you will long after the exquisite
color has faded from your face。 Ida Mayhew； the brook has stopped
now because it cannot help itself； nor will it ever go on again；
even in spring or summer； unless it bears you away with it。〃
She turned and looked him full in his eyes； in accordance with her
custom when she felt that she must know the innermost thoughts of
the speaker。
〃Mr。 Van Berg；〃 she said very gravely； 〃let that little emblem
there remind you that you are speaking to a very faulty and ignorant
girl。 I cannot regain in a few weeks what I have lost in a wasted
life。 You may regret…〃
〃Hush； Ida； for once I will not listen to you。 When I believed
myself dying my chief thought was of you； and when I heard sounds
near me； in my half unconscious state I called your name。〃
〃Oh； that it had been my privilege to answer；〃 she sighed。
〃You saved me when I was in far worse peril；〃 he resumed in words
that flowed like a torrent。 〃You saved my honor； my manhood； you
saved me from folly that would have blasted my life。 I owe far more
to you than to Jennie Burton； and I know at what cost to yourself。
Ida； I shall never hide anything from you。 I came back last Monday
for my sketch…book； and I heard you say： 'It would be easier for
me to die than give him up for your sake； Jennie Burton。' Then
only I learned your secret； then for the first I understood your
self…sacrifice for the sake of honor and duty。 Until then I thought
the struggle to forget would be on my part only。 From that moment
never did a man honor a woman more than I honor and reverence you。
My mother gave me this ring and told me never to part with it until
I found a woman that I could love and honor even more than her；
and I never shall part with it till I put it on your hand；〃 and
she had scarcely time to glance down； before she saw a diamond
glittering on her engagement finger。
〃I gave up that which was life to me for His sake； and thus soon He
gives back to me far more；〃 Ida murmured； and she rested her head
on Van Berg's shoulder with a look of infinite content。 A moment
later she added： 〃Oh； I'm so glad for father's sake。〃
〃Are you not a little glad for your own？〃
〃Oh； Harold！ compare thisGod's way out of trouble with the one
I chose！〃
〃The past has gone by forever； Ida； and you have received your
woman's soul in the good old…fashioned way。 In my heart of hearts
I have changed your name from Ida to Ideal。〃
They had not noticed that Mr。 Eltinge had come down the garden
walk to summon them to dinner。 The old gentleman discovered that
there had been a transformation scene in his absence； although
he took off his spectacles twice； and wiped them before he seemed
fully satisfied of its reality。
〃Ahem！ I fear our plain dinner will be a very prosaic interruption；
but…〃 he began。