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〃I am glad to see that you have so fully recovered； Miss Mayhew。
You prove again that you possess good strong nerves。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said the young lady； laconically； and with a sudden
accession of color。
〃Mr。 Van Berg；〃 began Mrs。 Mayhew with great animation； 〃I'm
excessively thankful that you happened to be on the road； and that
the stage overtook you this morning。 It was so fortunate that
I almost think it providential。 How dreadful it would have been
if Ida had been alone in such frightful peril！ I cannot tell you
also how delighted I am that my daughter behaved so beautifully。
Indeed； I must confess that I am agreeably surprised； for Ida was
never famous for her courage。 Your own manner must have inspired
confidence in her； and now that you have been so fortunately THROWN
TOGETHER； I trust you may be better friends in the future。〃
Miss Mayhew's rising color deepened into an intense scarlet； and；
as she turned away to hide her confusion； she could not forbear
shooting a wrathful glance at the artist。 He had sufficient
self…control not to change a muscle； or to appear in the slightest
degree aware of the embarrassment caused by her mother's words；
and especially the use of the phrasegrown to be most hateful from
its associationsthat so vividly recalled to the incensed maiden
the anomalous position in which she found herself at the end of
her perilous morning ride。
〃You ladies differ favorably from us men；〃 said Van Berg； quietly。
〃You rise to meet an emergency by an innate quality of your sex；
whereas； in our case； if our native strength is not equal to the
occasion we fall below it as a matter of course。〃
〃Oh； that accounts for Ida's coming off with such flying colorsshe
rose to meet the emergency。 I hope； however； she will EMBRACE
no more such opportunities of showing her couragewhy！ Ida； what
IS the matter？ what have I said？〃 but the young lady； with face
inflamed； vanished in the direction of her room。
〃Well； this IS strange；〃 remarked the lady with a sharp glance of
inquiry at the artist； who still managed to maintain an expression
of lamb…like innocence。 〃I do believe the poor child is ill； and；
now I think of it； she has not acted like herself for several days；〃
and she sought her daughter with hasty steps。
But the young lady did not go to her room； being well aware that
her mother would soon follow for the explanation which she could
not give。 Therefore； taking a side corridor； she joined some
acquaintances on another piazza。
Chapter XI。 A 〃Tableau Vivant。〃
〃Miss Mayhew； will you please step here？〃 said a very fashionably
dressed lady。
Turning； Ida saw near her the mother of the child that had been
rescued the previous day。 She； with her husband； had been talking
very earnestly to Mr。 Burleigh； the proprietor of the house； who
seemed in rather a dubious state of mind over some proposition of
theirs。
〃Miss Mayhew； we want your opinion in regard to a certain matter；〃
began the lady volubly。 〃Of course I and my husband feel very
grateful to the young woman who saved our child from your cousin's
horses yesterday。 Indeed； my husband feels so deeply indebted that
he wishes to make some return and I have suggested that he present
her with a check for five hundred dollars。 I learn from Mr。 Burleigh
that she is a teacher； and therefore； of course； she must be poor。
Now； in my view； if my husband or some other gentleman should present
this check in the parlor； with an appropriate little speech； it
would be a nice acknowledgment of her act。 Don't you think so？〃
〃I do not think I am qualified to give an opinion；〃 said Ida； 〃as
I have no acquaintance with the lady whatever。〃
〃I'm sure it will be just the thing to do；〃 said the lady； becoming
more infatuated with her project every moment。 〃Do you think your
cousin would be willing to make the speech？〃
At this suggestion Ida laughed outright。 〃The idea；〃 she said；
〃of my cousin making a speech of any kind； or in any circumstances！〃
〃Now I think of it；〃 persisted the lady； 〃Miss Burton and Mr。 Van
Berg sit at the same table； and he seems better acquainted with her
than any of the gentlemen。 He's the one to make the speech； only
I do not feel that I know him well enough to ask him。 Do you； Miss
Mayhew？〃
〃Indeed I do not；〃 said the young lady； decisively； 〃I am the last
one in the house to ask any favors of Mr。 Van Berg。〃
〃Well； then； Mr。 Burleigh can explain everything and ask him。〃
〃Really now； Mrs。 Chints〃for such was the lady's name〃I don't
quite believe that Mr。 Van Berg would approve of giving Miss Burton
money in public； and before anything further is done I would like
to ask his judgement。 It all may be eminently proper； as you
say； and I would not like to stand in the way of the young lady's
receiving so handsome a present； and would not for the world if I
thought it would be agreeable to her； but there is something about
her that…〃
〃I have it；〃 interrupted the positive…minded lady； unheeding and
scarcely hearing Mr。 Burleigh's dubious circumlocution； and she put
her finger to her forehead for a moment in an affected stage…like
manner； as if her ideas of the 〃eternal fitness of things〃 had
been obtained from the sensational drama。 〃I have it： the child
himself shall hand her the gift from his own little hand； and you；
Mr。 Chints； can say all that need be said。 It will be a pretty
scene； a 'tableau vivant。' Mr。 Chints； come with me before the
young woman leaves her present favorable position near the parlor
door。 Mr。 Burleigh； your scruples are sentimental and groundless。
Of course the young woman will be delighted to receive in one
evening as much； and perhaps more； than her whole year's salary
amounts to。 Come； Mr。 Chints； Mr。 Burleigh； if you wish； you may
group some of your friends near；〃 and away she rustled； sweeping
the floor with her silken train。
Mr。 Chints lumbered after her with a perplexed and martyr…like
expression。 He was a mighty man in Washington Market； but in a
matter like this he was as helpless as a stranded whale。 The gift
of five hundred dollars did not trouble him in the least； he could
soon make that up； but taking part in a 〃tableau vivant〃 under the
auspices of his dramatic wife was like being impaled。
〃Well；〃 said Mr。 Burleigh； shaking his head； 〃I wash my hands of
the whole matter。 Five hundred dollars is a snug sum； but I doubt
if that little woman takes it。 I'm more afraid she'll be offended
and hurt。 What do you think； Miss Mayhew？〃
〃I've no opinion to offer； Mr。 Burleigh。 These people are all
comparative strangers to me。 Mrs。 Chints is determined to have
her own way； and nothing that you or I can say would make any
difference。 My rule is to let people alone； and if they get into
scrapes it sometimes does them good；〃 and she left him that she
might witness the Chints' tableau。
〃That's just the difference between you and Miss Burton；〃 muttered
Mr。 Burleigh； nodding his head significantly after her。 〃She'd
help a fellow out of a scrape and you'd help him into one。 Well；
if the old saying's true； 'Handsome is that handsome does；' the
little school…teacher would be the girl for me were I looking for
my mate。〃
On her way to the entrance of the main parlor； Ida stopped a moment
at an open window near the corner where Stanton and Van Berg were
smoking。
〃Cousin Ik；〃 she said； 'sotto voce。'
He rose and joined her。
〃If you wish to see a rich scene； hover near the entrance of the
main parlor。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃I've learned that Mr。 and Mrs。 Chints； and possibly your favorite
new performer； Miss Burton； are going to act a little comedy
together： come and see；〃 and she vanished。
〃Van；〃 said Stanton in a vexed tone； 〃there's some mischief on foot；〃
and he mentioned what his cousin had said； adding： 〃Can Ida have
been putting that brassy Mrs。 Chints up to some absurd performance
that will hurt Miss Burton's feelings？〃
They rose and sauntered down the piazza； Van Berg trying to imagine
what was about to take place and how he could shield the young lady
from any annoyance。
She sat inside the entrance of the main parlor facing the open
windows； and a little group had gathered around her； including
the ladies who sat at her table； with whom she had already become
a favorite。 Ida had demurely entered by one of the open windows
and was apparently reading a novel under one of the gas jets not
far away。 Groups of people were chatting near or were seated around
card…tables； others were quietly promenading in the hall…ways and
on the piazza。 There was not an indication of any expected or
unexpected 〃scene。〃 Only Ida's conscious； observant expression
and the absence of Mrs。 Chints foreboded mischief。
〃What enormity can that odious family be abo