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trying to come down to her level； as he would accommodate his
language to a child。 No labored argument could have revealed her
ignorance to her so clearly； as her conscious inability to follow
him into his ordinary range of thought。 Unwittingly he had demonstrated
his superiority in a way that she could not deny； however much she
might be inclined to resent it。 And yet he treated her with a sort
of respect； and occasionally she saw that he bent his eyes upon
her face as if in search of something。
After a transient effort to ignore everything and talk in her usual
superficial manner； she became more and more silent and oppressed；
and； at last said； somewhat abruptly：
〃Mr。 Van Berg； I am weary； and I imagine you are too。 I think I
will say good…night。〃
〃I scarcely wonder that you are fatigued。 You have had a trying
day。〃
〃It has been a horrid day；〃 she said； emphatically。
〃It might have ended much worse； nevertheless。〃
〃Possibly；〃 she admitted with a shrug。
〃You have more reason to congratulate yourself than you imagine；
Miss Mayhew。 Even that disagreeable souvenir of our morning peril；
your lameness； has disappeared； and you might have been maimed for
life。〃
〃My lameness； like my courage； was chiefly a fraud to begin with；
and soon disappeared； but I have other souvenirs of that occasion
that I cannot get rid of so easily。〃
〃If I am one of them； you are right； Miss Mayhew； I shall hold you
to our agreement this morning。 You put me on my good behaviorhave
I not behaved well？〃
〃Yes； better than I have。 I was not referring to you personally；
but to certain memories。〃
〃We agreed to let by…gones be by…gones。〃
〃But others are not parties to this agreement； and every reference
to the affair is odious to me。〃
〃I shall make no further reference to it； and you must be fair
enough not to punish me for the acts of others。〃
〃You also despise me in your heart of my course towards Miss Burton
this evening。〃
〃If I despised you would I have sought your society this evening？〃
〃I do not know。 I don't understand you； if you will permit my
bluntness。〃
〃Possibly you don't understand yourself； Miss Mayhew。〃
〃I understand that I have had a miserable day； and I hope I may
never see another like it。 Good…night； sir。〃
Chapter XIII。 Nature's Broken Promise。
Van Berg had been left to himself but a little time before Stanton
and Mr。 Burleigh came out upon the piazza； and the three gentlemen
sat down for a quiet chat。
〃Well；〃 remarked mine host； with a sigh of relief such as a pilot
might heave after taking his ship round a perilous point； 〃well；
thanks to Miss Burton's good sense； the affair has ended without any
trouble。 In a house like this； 'Satan is finding mischief still'
whenever my back is turned； and sometimes he threatens to get up
a row right under my nose； as in this instance。 I was a 'blarsted
fool；' as our English friends have it； not to know that Mrs。
Chint's drama； although beginning in comedy； might end in tragedy
of my losing some good paying boarders。 Still further did
I demonstrate the length of my ears by even imagining it possible
that Miss Burton would take five hundred； or five hundred thousand
dollars in any such circumstances。 But the whole thing was done
in a jiffy； and Mrs。 Chints was possessed to have her 'tableau
vivant。' Lively picture wasn't it？ Still； if Miss Mayhew； when
appealed to by Mrs。 Chints； had confirmed my doubts； I would have
tried to stop the nonsense at any cost。〃
〃Did Miss Mayhew advise the step？〃 asked Stanton。
〃Oh； no！ She was non…committal。 She acted as if it were none of
her affair； save as it might afford her a little amusement。 But
these rows are no light matters to us poor publicans； who must
please every one and keep the whole menagerie in order。 Mr。 Chints
was swearing up and down his room that he had been made a fool of。
Mrs。 Chints was for leaving to…morrow morning； declaring that she
would not endure such airs from a school…teacher。 They are rich
and have a number of friends who are coming soon； and so my mind
was full of 'strange oaths' also； at my prospective loss； when this
blessed little woman appears； taps at their door； enters like the
angel into the lion's den； and shuts their mouths by some magic
all her own。 And now they're going to stay； Mr。 Chints will give
the five hundred to the Children's Aid Society； all is serene and
I'm happy； so much so that I'll smoke another of your good cigars；
Mr。 Stanton。〃
〃Certainly； half…a…dozen if you wish。 How do you imagine she
quieted the unruly beasts？〃
〃Oh； I suppose she got around them through the childsomewhat as
she won over my wife this afternoon by means of our cross baby。
It's teething； you knowand yet how should you young chaps know
anything about babies！ No matter； your time will come。 This
promenading the piazza with lovely creatures who have been half the
afternoon at their toilets is all very nice； but wait till you have
weathered innumerable squalls in the dead of nightthen you'll
learn that teething…time in a household is like going around Cape
Horn。 Well； to return from your future to my present。 When so
good…natured a man as I am gets into a sympathetic mood with old
King Herod； you can imagine what a state the mother's nerves must be
in who has to stand it night and day。 But as Miss Burton had been
commended to my care； I felt that I was in duty bound to introduce
her to my wife and show her some attention。 So I said to my wife；
this afternoon； 'I'm going to bring a young lady in to see you。'
'Do you think I'm in a condition to entertain company？' she asked；
with a faint suggestion of hard cider in her tone。 'Well； my
dear；' I expostulated； 'it was just the same yesterday； and will
be a little more so to…morrow； and I feel that I shall be remiss
if I delay any longer。' 'Oh； very well；' she said； as if it were
a tooth that must come out sooner or later； 'since the matter must
be attended to； let us have it over at once。' But bless you； it
wasn't over till supper…time。 As I brought the young lady in； the
baby waked out of a five…minutes' nap that had cost about an hour's
rocking； and I thought the roof would come off。 My wife looked
cross and worriedwell； it was prose； gentlemen； prosenot the
poetry of life； and I said to myself； 'I suppose I have about made
it certain that this young woman will live and die an old maid by
giving her this glimpse behind the scenes。 I thought the ladies
could get on better without me than with me； so I bowed myself out；
glad to escape the din； and I supposed Miss Burton would say a few
pleasant things in the direction of Mrs。 Burleigh； which she； poor
woman； might not be able to hear； and then she would bow herself
out； also glad to escape。 An hour and a half later I went back to
see if I could not coax my wife away for a drive； and what do you
suppose I saw？〃
〃The baby in convulsions；〃 said Stanton。
〃Give it up；〃 added Van Berg。
〃Sweet transformation scene； deep hush； my wife asleep in her
rocking…chair； the baby asleep in the arms of Miss Burton； who
held up a warning finger at me to be quiet。 But the mischief was
done； my wife started up and was mortified beyond measure that she
had treated her guest so rudely。 The good fairy； however； was so
genuinely delighted that she had quieted the baby and given the
tired mother a little rest； that we had to come to the conclusion
that she found pleasure in ways that are a trifle uncommon。 By
some miracle or other she kept the baby asleep； and then my wife
and I tried to entertain her a little； but we were the ones that
were entertained。 Before we knew it； the supper…bell rang； and
then I'm blessed if the little chap didn't wake up and grin at us
all。 To think then that I should reward her by letting Mr。 Chints
slap her face with a five…hundred…dollar check！ I guess we'll all
know better next time。〃
〃Did she tell you anything further about her history or her
connections？〃 asked Stanton。
Mr。 Burleigh stroked his beard and looked rather blank for a moment。
〃Now I think of it；〃 he ejaculated； 〃I be hanged if she said a word
about herself。 And now I think further of it； she somehow or other
got Mrs。 Burleigh and myself a…talking； and seemed so interested
in us and what we said； that I be hanged again if we didn't tell
her all we know about ourselves。〃
〃She impresses every one as being remarkably frank； and yet I
think it will be found that she is peculiarly reticent in regard
to herself；〃 remarked Van Berg musingly。 〃Well； it's not often I
take people on trust； but I have given this lady my entire respect
and confidence。〃
〃I assure you that there is no trust in this business；〃 said Mr。
Burleigh； emphatically。 〃I can't afford to indulge in se