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implicitly； even though she is so shrouded in mystery。 What the
mischief is the matter with my old water…logged heart that it should
be so heavy and dumpish？〃
But so it was。 Jennie Burton smiled on him and others as brightly
as ever； and yet he knew her heart was breaking； for she was growing
slighter and more spirit…like daily。 His desire to comfort her；
however； by a life…long effort ebbed away； till he was cursing himself
for a fickle； cold…blooded wretch。 〃I had better shut myself up
in my studio；〃 he said to himself。 〃I may make a painter； but I
never will anything else；〃 and early on Tuesday he went doggedly
to work on Mr。 Eltinge's picture。
His perplexed and jarring thoughts gradually ceased their discord
as he became absorbed in his loved and familiar tasks。 Sweet and
low at first； and in the faint； broken suggestion of his kindling
fancy； the symphonic poem he had heard in the garden began again；
but at last his imagination made it almost real。 He listened once
more to Ida's girlish； plaintive voice blending with the murmur of
the brook； the sighing wind and rustling leaves； and the occasional
trill of a bird。 He leaned back in his chair； and his eyes became
full of deep and dreamy pleasure。 Gradually a heavy frown contracted
his brow； and his face grew white and stern as he repeated words
that she once had spoken to him： 〃I meant to compel your respect；
and I thought there was no other way。〃
〃Pharisee； fool that I was！ If I had been kind and trustful at
the time her family wronged her； she would not now shrink from me
as if I summed up in my person the whole of that wretched experience。
Even Stanton appreciated my unutterable folly； for he said： 〃You
looked at her in a way that would have frozen even Jezebel herself；〃
and now whenever I glance towards her she is reminded of that
accursed stare。 Would it be possible； in painting her likeness
for Mr。 Eltinge； to make her face so noble； womanly； and pure； that
she would recognize my present estimate of her character； and so
forgive me in very truth？〃
The care and earnestness with which he filled in the outlines of
his sketch proved how zealously he would make the effort。 In the
afternoon he drove over to the garden again； and made a careful
drawing of the tree and of Mr。 Eltinge sitting beneath it； for Ida；
and he determined to go to the city the following day the he might
avail himself of the resources of his studio； and by the aid of this
hasty sketch make as fine a crayon picture as would be possible；
before her return on Saturday。
The old gentleman's heart was naturally warm towards his protege；
whom they both missed greatly； and he spoke of her often。 He could
not help noticing that the artist was ever an excellent listener
at such times and would even suspend his work for a moment that he
might not lose a word。 〃It seems to me he takes a wonderful deal
of interest in her for a man who is seeking to engage himself
to another lady；〃 mused Mr。 Eltinge。 〃I think the other lady had
better be looking after him。〃
As Van Berg approached the hotel； he saw Miss Burton mounting the
steps with a quantity of ferns in her hands。 She evidently was
returning from a long ramble； and when she came down to supper he
saw that she had not been able to remove wholly all traces of grief。
His conscience smote him sorely。 He hesitated in his purpose
of going to the city； and determined to speak of it frankly； and
abandon it； if she showed； even by the expression of her face；
that she would prefer he would remain； but he found himself both
surprised and relieved that； so far from manifesting the least
reluctance to have him go； she encouraged the plan。
〃You have a noble theme；〃 she said cordially； 〃and you can't do
it justice in the room of a summer hotel。 Besides I do think you
owe it to Miss Mayhew to make all the amends in your power； and
a fine picture of that emblematic tree； and her kind old friend
beneath it； may be of very great help to her in her new life。 I
hope you will take me to see Mr。 Eltinge on your return。〃
〃I'll wait over a day and take you there to…morrow；〃 he said
promptly。
〃No；〃 she replied decisively； 〃you have not enough time as it is；
before Saturday； to do justice to your work； and I want you to make
Miss Mayhew's friend look as if he were speaking to her。〃
〃Miss Jennie；〃 said the artist rather impulsively； 〃you haven't a
drop of selfish blood in your little body。〃
〃I am under the impression that Mr。 Van Berg's estimates of his lady
acquaintances are not always correct。 Not that I was any wiser；
but then such positive assertions seem hardly the thing from people
who have shown themselves so fallible。〃
〃I'm right for once；〃 Van Berg insisted。 〃Do you know that Miss
Mayhew and I nearly had a falling out。 Indeed she has been rather
cool towards me ever since； and you were the cause。 I believed
with absolute certainty that the new Ida Mayhew that I had learned
to know in Mr。 Eltinge's garden would gravitate towards you as
surely as two drops of dew run together when brought sufficiently
near； and I began to speak quite enthusiastically of what friends
you would surely become； when Miss Mayhew's manner taught me I had
better change the subject。 Oddly enough； she has never liked you；
and yet； in justice to her； I must add that she acted conscientiously；
and I have never heard one lady speak of another more favorably and
sincerely； than she spoke of you； though it seemingly cost her an
effort。〃
A sudden moisture came into Jennie Burton's eyes； and she said
under her breath： 〃Poor child！ that was noble and generous of her
to speak so of me。 Oh； how blind he is！〃 But with mock gravity
she answered him：
〃Your rather sentimental figure of speech； Mr。 Van Berg； shows
where your error lies。 Miss Mayhew and myself are not pellucid
drops of dew that you look through at a glance。 We are women： and
the one thing in this world which men never will learn to understand
is a woman。 I'm going to puzzle you still further。 I am learning
to have a very thorough respect for Miss Mayhew。 I am beginning to
admire her exceedingly； and to think that she is growing exquisitely
beautiful； and yet were she here this week you would find that I
would not seek her society。 Give your mind to your art； and never
hope to untangle the snarl of a woman's mind。 Men； in attempting
such folly； have become hopelessly entangled。 Take a woman's word
for itwhat you see you can't reason out。 I've no doubt but that
Miss Mayhew has excellent reasons for disliking me； and the fact
that you can't understand them is nothing against them。〃
〃Miss Jennie；〃 said Van Berg resolutely； 〃for once I cannot take
your word for it。 You two ladies have puzzled me all summer； and
I'll never be content till I solve the mysteries which so baffle
me。 My interest is not curiosity； but friendship； to say the
least； that I hope will last through life。 You will tell me some
day all your trouble； and you will feel the better for telling me。〃
She became very pale at these words； and said gravely： 〃I cannot
promise thatI doubt it。 You may have to trust me blindly till
you forget me。〃
〃I do not trust you blindly； I never will forget you；〃 he began；
impetuously。
〃Good…night； Mr。 Van Berg；〃 she said； and in a moment he was alone
on the piazza。
〃She is an angel of light； he muttered； 〃and not a woman。 I could
worship her； but I'm too earthy in my nature to lover her as I
ought。〃
He took the earliest train to New York； and so had a long afternoon
in his studio。 He was surprised to find how absorbed he soon became
in his work。 〃Miss Jennie is right；〃 he thought； 〃I'm an artist；
and not a reformer or a metaphysician； and I had better spend my
time here than in trying to solve feminine enigmas；〃 and he worked
like a beaver until the fading light compelled him to desist。
〃There；〃 he said； 〃that is a fair beginning。 Two or three more
days of work like this will secure me； I think； a friendlier glance
than Miss Ida gave me last。〃 From which words it might be gathered
that he was thinking of other rewards than mere success in his art。
In the evening the wand of Theodore Thomas had a spell which
he never thought of resisting； and it must be admitted that there
lurked in his mind the hope that Ida and her father might be drawn
to the concert garden also。 If so； he was sure he would pursue
his investigations。
He was rewarded； for Mr。 Mayhew and his daughter soon entered and
took seats in the main lobby； where he and Stanton had sat nearly
three months before。 Van Berg congratulated himself that he was
outside in the promenade； and so had not been observed； and he sought
a dusky seat from which he might seek some further knowledge of a
character that had won and retained a deepening interest from the
time