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verse for？ You made her think of seeing her dead friends again；
and so she was in no mood to speak to us poor mortals who are still
plodding on in this 'vale of tears。' I'd give my ears for a quiet
chat with her to…night。 By Jove； I never was so stirred up before；
and could turn Christian； Mohammedan； Buddhist； or anything else；
if she asked me to。〃
〃In either case； Ik；〃 said Van Berg； 〃your worship would be the
same； I imagine； and would never rise higher than the priestess。〃
〃Curse it all；〃 exclaimed Stanton impetuously； 〃I feel to…night as
if that were higher than I can ever rise。 I never was afraid of
a woman before； but no 'divinity' ever 'hedged a king' like that
which fills me with an indescribable awe when I approach this
unassuming little woman who usually seems no more formidable than
a flickering sunbeam。 I agree with you now。 She has evidently
had some deep experience in the past that gives to her character
a power and depth that we only half understand。 I wish I knew her
better。〃
〃Good…night；〃 said Van Berg； a little abruptly； 〃I think that
after this evening's experience； neither of us is in the mood for
further talk。〃
Stanton looked after him with a lowering brow and muttered： 〃Is
he so sensitive on this subject？ By Jove。 I'm sorry！ I fear
we must become rivals； Van。 And yet；〃 he added with a despairing
gesture； 〃what chance would I have with him against me？〃
〃I could not hear distinctly；〃 Sibley had remarked as Ida took
his arm and walked away from her post of observation。 〃Were you
disgusted with his pious wail on general principles； or did something
in his theology offend you？〃
〃It's enough that I was not pleased；〃 she replied briefly。
〃Little wonder。 I'm surprised you stood it so long。 Van Berg and
Stanton are nice fellows to lead a conventicle。 I think I'll take
a hand at it myself next Sunday evening； and certainly would with
your support。 I'll say nothing of the singer； but if you will go
with me to the rustic seat in yonder shady walk； I'll sing you a
song that I know will be more to your taste than any you have heard
this evening。〃
〃Please excuse me； Mr。 Sibley； I'm afraid of the night air。〃
〃You are unusually prudent；〃 he said； a little tauntingly。
〃Which proves that I possess at least one good quality；〃 she replied。
〃Perhaps if Mr。 Van Berg asked you to go you would take the risk。〃
〃Perhaps I might；〃 she admitted； half unconsciously and from the
mere force of habit； giving the natural answer of a coquette。
〃He had better not cross my path；〃 said Sibley； with sudden
vindictiveness。
〃Come； come！〃 replied Miss Mayhew； with a careless laugh； 〃let's
have no high tragedy。 I'm in no mood for it to…night； and you
have no occasion for alarm。 If he crosses your path he will step
daintily over it at right angles。〃
At that moment Van Berg came out on the piazza。 Although he could
not hear her words； her laugh and tones jarred unpleasantly on his
ear。
〃Yonder is a genuine affinity；〃 he muttered； 〃which I was a fool
to think I could break up；〃 and with a slight contemptuous gesture
he turned on his heel and went to his room。
〃I cannot altogether understand you this evening； Miss Mayhew；〃
said Sibley； with some resentment in his tone。
〃You are not to blame for that； Mr。 Sibley； for I do not understand
myself。 I have not felt well to…day； and so had better say
good…night。〃
But before she could leave him he seized her hand and exclaimed；
in his soft； insinuating tones：
〃That then is the only trouble between us。 Next Saturday evening
I shall find you your old charming self？〃
〃Perhaps；〃 was her unsatisfactory answer。
With a step that grew slower and heavier every moment； she went
to her room； turned up the light； and looked fixedly at herself in
the glass；
〃I wish that outward beauty
Were the mirror of the heart；〃
she repeated inaudibly； and the her exquisite lip curled in
self…contempt。
〃Ida； what IS the matter with you？〃 drawled her mother； looking
through the open door…way of her adjacent room。 〃You act as if
you were demented。〃
〃Why did you make me what I am？〃 she exclaimed； turning upon her
mother in a sudden passion。
〃Good gracious！ what are you？〃 ejaculated that matter…of…fact lady。
〃I'm as good as you areas good as our set averages； I suppose；〃
she answered in a weary； careless tone。 〃Good night；〃 and she
closed and locked her door。
〃Oh； pshaw！〃 said Mrs。 Mayhew； petulantly； 〃those hymns have made
her out of sorts with herself and everything。 They used to stir
me up in the same way。 Why can't people learn to perform their
religious duties properly and then let the matter rest；〃 and with
a yawn she retired at peace with herself and all the world。
Ida threw herself on a lounge and looked straight before her with
that fixed； vacant stare which indicates that nothing is seen save
by the eye of the mind。
〃Father's drunk to…night；〃 she moaned； 〃I know it as surely as if
I saw him。 I also know that I'm in part to blame for it。 Could
outward beauty mask a blacker heart than mine？ It does not mask
it from him who sang those words；〃 and she buried her face in her
hands and sobbed； until； exhausted and disheartened； she sough such
poor rest and respite as a few hours of troubled sleep could bring。
Chapter XVIII。 Love Put to Work。
On the following day there was the usual bustle of change and
departure that is characteristic of a large summer resort on Monday
morning。 Stanton found Mrs。 Mayhew very ready to occupy the seats
he had obtained； and all the more so from his statement of the fact
that several others had spoken for them。
〃Ida； my dear；〃 called her mother； 〃come here； I've good news for
you。 Ik has got us out of that odious corner of the dining…room；
and secured seats for us at Mr。 Van Berg's table。〃
〃I wish no seat there；〃 she said decisively。
〃Oh； its all arranged； my dear； and a good many others want the
seats； but Ik was too prompt。〃
〃I'll stay where I am；〃 said Ida； sullenly。
〃And have every one in the house asking why？〃 added Stanton；
provokingly。 〃Mr。 Van Berg treats you as a gentleman should。 Why
cannot you act like a lady toward him？ If I were you I would not
carry my preferences for the Sibley style of fellows so far that
I could not be civil to a man like my friend。〃
〃You misjudge me；〃 cried Ida； passionately。
〃You have a strange way of proving it。 All that is asked of you is
to sit at the same table with a gentleman who has won the respect
and admiration of every one in the hotel； whose society is peculiarly
agreeable to your mother and myself； and who has also shown unusual
courtesy towards you ever since he learned who you were。 What
else can I thinkwhat else can others think； than that your taste
leans so decidedly to the Sibley style that you cannot even be
polite to a man of high culture and genuine worth？〃
〃You are too severe； Ik；〃 said Mrs。 Mayhew。 〃For some reason that
I cannot fathom； Ida does not like this artist； and yet I think
myself that she would subject herself to very unpleasant remarks
if she made any trouble about sitting at the same table with him。〃
〃Can you not see；〃 retorted Ida； irritably； 〃that Ik has not
considered us at all； but only himself？ He wishes to be near Miss
Burton； and without giving us any chance to object； has made all
the arrangements so that we must either comply or else be the talk
of the house。 It's just a piece of his selfishness；〃 she concluded
with tears of vexation in her eyes。
〃Oh； come Ida！〃 said her mother coaxingly； 〃I can see only a mole…hill
in this matter； and I wouldn't make a mountain out of it。 As far
as I am concerned； I should enjoy the change very much； and； as you
say； the affair has gone too far now to make objection。 I do not
intend that either you or myself shall be the subject of unpleasant
remark。〃
And so the matter was settled； but Ida's coldness and constraint；
when they all met at dinner； very clearly indicated that the change
had been made without her consent。 Van Berg addressed her affably
two or three times； but received brief and discouraging answers。
〃Your cousin evidently is not pleased with the new arrangement you
have brought about。 I cannot see what I have done of late to vex
her。〃
〃I'll tell you the trouble。 You offend her by not being the
counterpart of Mr。 Sibley；〃 said Stanton； irritably。
Van Berg's brow darkened。 〃Do you think；〃 he asked in a meaning
tone； 〃that she understands what kind of a man he is？〃
〃Oh； she knows that he can dance； flirt； and talk nonsense； and
she asks for nothing more and thinks of nothing further。 I'm out
of patience with her。〃
Stanton's words contained the most plausible explanation of I