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for yourself。〃
But with the exception of a promptness to check all reference to
herself and the day's experiences； her manner was so different from
what Mrs。 Mayhew had been accustomed to； that she could not help
turning many perplexed and curious glances toward her daughter；
and was evidently no better able to understand the subtle and yet
real change than was the artist himself。
Miss Burton； with her keen； delicate perceptions； recognized this
difference more fully than any of the others； and her instinct； rather
than anything she saw in Ida； enabled her to divine the cause in
part。 〃I know of but one thing that can account for Miss Mayhew's
behavior；〃 she thought； 〃and though she guards her secret well；
she cannot deceive a woman who has passed through my experience。
I begin to see it all。 She used Sibley as a blind； and she was
blind herself； poor child； when she did so； to everything save the
one womanly necessity of hiding an unsought love。 Well； well； my
outspoken lover has eyes for her sweet； chastened beauty to…night。
Perhaps he thinks he is studying her face as an artist。 Perhaps he
is。 But it strikes me that he has lost the critical and judicial
expression which I have noticed hitherto；〃 and a glimmer of a smile
that did not in the least suggest the 〃green…eyed monster〃 hovered
for a moment like a ray of light over Jennie Burton's face。
〃Mother；〃 said Ida； in a low； sympathetic tone； 〃I see one of your
headaches coming on。 Let me bathe your head after tea。〃
〃Ida；〃 whispered Mrs。 Mayhew； 〃you are so changed I don't know
you。〃
The young girl flushed slightly； and by a quick； warning look
checked all further remark of this tendency。
〃She is indeed marvelously changed；〃 thought Miss Burton。 〃I feel
it even more than I can see it。 There must be some other influence
at work。 Who are these friends she is visiting； and who send her
back to us daily with some unexpected grace？ Yesterday it was
truthfulnessto…day an indescribable charm of manner that has
banished the element of earthiness from her beauty。 I think I will
join my friend （who imagines himself something more） in the study
of a problem that is becoming intensely interesting。〃
〃Miss Mayhew；〃 Van Berg found a chance to say after supper； 〃you
are becoming a greater enigma to me than ever。〃
〃Well；〃 she replied； averting her face to hide the color that would
rise at his rather abrupt and pointed address； 〃I'd rather be a
Chinese puzzle to you than what I was。〃
〃And I no doubt have appeared to you like a Chinese Mandarin； Grand
Turk； Great Mogul； not name self…satisfied Pharisees； and all of
that ilk。〃
〃I can't say that you have； and yet I've keenly felt your superiority。
I think the character you are now enacting is more becoming than
any of those would be； however。〃
〃What is that？〃 he asked quickly。
〃Well；〃 she said hesitatingly； 〃I hardly know how to describe it；
but it suggests a little the kindness which； they say； makes all
the world kin。 Good…night； Mr。 Van Berg。〃
〃Miss Jennie；〃 he said； later in the evening； 〃you have an insight
into character which we grosser mortals do not possess。 Do you
think that there is a marked change taking place in Miss Mayhew？〃
〃And so you expect me to read Miss Mayhew's secrets and gossip
about them with you？〃 she answered with one of her piquant smiles。
〃What a sweetbrier you are！ Now tell me in your own happy way how
you would describe this change which you see and understand far
more clearly than I。〃
〃I'll give you one thought that has occurred to me and then leave
you to solve the problem for yourself。 Have you ever seen a person
who had been delirious or deranged become sand and quiet； simple
and natural？ Although Miss Mayhew's expression and manner are
so different from what we have seen hitherto； she looks and acts
to…night just as one instinctively feels she ought always to appear
in order to be her true self。 Before there was discord； now there
is harmony。〃
〃If I had your eyes I'd never read books。 You suggest the effect
perfectly； but what is the cause？〃
〃Was a man ever satisfied？〃
〃One certainly never is where you are concerned； but will always
echo Oliver Twist's plaintive appeal for 'more。'〃
〃O constant moon！ register that vow；〃 said Miss Burton； laughing。
〃Mr。 Van Berg； one of the first rules that I teach my young ladies
is to say good…evening to a gentleman when he grows sentimental；〃
and she smiling vanished through a window that opened on the piazza。
〃Jennie Burton；〃 he muttered； 〃you are a wraith； an exquisite ghost
that will haunt me all my days； but on which I can never lay my
hands。〃
The next morning the artist； in his kindling interest； was guilty
of a stratagem。 He took an early breakfast by himself； under the
pretence that he was going on a sketching expedition； but he went
straight to the brow of a little hill that overlooked the road
which Ida must take should she visit her new…found friends again。
He soon became very busy with his sketch…book； but instead of
outlines of the landscape before him taking shape on the paper；
you might have seen the form of a young girl on a stairway with
her head bowed on her right arm that rested on the baluster rail；
which she timidly held out her left hand in the pace of words she
could not speak。
It was with a foreboding sigh that Ida realized how much she missed
him at breakfast。
Before the meal was over a letter was handed to Mrs。 Mayhew。 It
contained only these words from her husband： 〃In memory of my
last visit I conclude it will be mutually agreeable to us all that
I spend Sunday elsewhere。 You need not dread my coming。〃
She handed the letter to her daughter with a frown and the remark：
〃It's just like him。〃
But Ida seemed much pained by its contents； and after a moment
sprang up； saying： 〃Cousin Ik； may I speak with you？〃
When they were alone she continued： 〃See what father has written。 He
must come to…night or I'll go to him。 Can't I send him a telegram？〃
〃Yes； Coz； and I'll take it over to the depot at once。〃
〃Ah； Ik； you are doing me a greater kindness than you know。 But
it's a long drive。〃
〃The longer the better。 Will you go with me？〃
〃I would had I not promised my old friends I visited yesterday I'd
come again to…day。 They are doing me good。 I'll tell you about
it some time；〃 and she wrote the following telegram to her father：
〃Come to Lake House to…day。 Very important。〃
〃I wish Miss Burton would go with you；〃 she said looking up as the
thought occurred to her。 〃Shall I ask her？〃
Stanton's wistful face proved how greatly he would enjoy such an
arrangement； but after a moment he said decisively： 〃No。 It would
pain her to decline； but she would。〃
〃You are very considerate of her。〃
〃She is sorry for me； Ida。 I can see that。 She has never exulted