a face illumined-第113章

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full　of　suffering　that　she　could　not　disguise　it。　　〃If　he　fails

her　utterly　she'll　die；〃　murmured　Ida；　as　she　climbed　wearily　to

her　room。　　〃Merciful　Saviour；　forgive　me　that　I　tried　to　tempt　him

from　her。〃



She　watched　from　her　window；　but　he　did　not　come。　　She　saw　Jennie

Burton　hastening　away　on　one　of　the　lonely　walks　to　which　she　was

given　of　late。　　She　saw　Stanton　drive　off　rapidly；　and　when　a　few

hours　later　he　came　back；　she　went　down　to　meet　him；　and　asked

hesitatingly：



〃Have　you　seen　or　heard　anything　of　Mr。　Van　Berg？〃



〃Confound　him！　no。　　I　don't　see　what　the　deuce　he　means　by　his

course！　　Burleigh　says　he　has　not　seen　or　heard　a　word　from　him

since　early　Monday　morning　when　he　started　off　with　his　sketch…book；

and　Burleigh　also　says　he　seemed　very　glum　and　out　of　sorts　when

he　joked　him　a　little。　　I've　been　to　the　landing　and　depot；　and　no

one　has　seen　him。　　Unless　Van　can　give　a　better　account　of　himself

than　I　expect；　he　and　I　will　have　a　tremendous　falling　out。〃



〃No；　Cousin　Ik；　you　will　leave　him　to　himself；　for　anything　like

what　you　threaten　would　wound　two　hearts　already　sad　enough。〃



〃Well；　curse　it　all！　　I　must　do　something　or　other；　or　I'll　explode；

I　can't　sit　by　and　twirl　my　thumbs　while　two　such　women　as　you

and　Miss　Burton　are　in　trouble。　　When　a　man　breaks　a　girl's　heart

I　feel　like　breaking　his　head。〃



〃Merciful　heaven！　　SeequickMiss　Burtonshe's　beckoning　to

you。〃



Stanton　sprang　from　the　piazza　at　a　bound；　and　was　almost　instantly

at　Jennie　Burton's　side；　who　sank　into　a　seat　near；　and　gasped：



〃Do　as　I　bidno　wordsa　carriage；　and　a　stout　man　with　yourselftake

brandy。　　Haste；　or　Mr。　Van　Berg　will　die。〃



〃O　God！　don't　say　that；〃　Ida　sobbed；　kneeling　at　her　feet　with　a

low　shuddering　cry。



Jennie　stooped　over　and　kissed　her　and　said：　　〃Courage；　Miss　Mayhew；

all　will　yet　be　well。　　Be　your　brave　self；　and　you　can　help　me　save

him。　　Tell　Mr。　Burleigh　to　come　here。　　Have　a　physician　sent　for。〃



Ida　almost　dragged　the　bewildered　host　from　his　office。　　Under　the

inspiration　of　hope　her　motions　were　lithe　and　swift　as　a　leopard's。

Within　five　minutes　after　Miss　Burton's　arrival；　a　carriage　containing

herself；　Stanton；　and　two　stout　men；　dashed　furiously　towards　the

ravine　in　which　Van　Berg　was　lying；　and　a　buggy　was　sent　with　equal

rapidity　for　a　physician。　　Then　came　to　poor　Ida　the　awful　suspense

and　waiting；　which　is　so　often　woman's　part　in　life's　tragedies。



〃Oh；　can　it　be；〃　she　thought；　with　thrills　of　dread　and　horror；

〃that　he　has　attempted　my　crime？〃　and　she　grew　sick　and　faint。

Then　she　resolutely　put　the　suspicion　away　from　her　as　unjust　to

him。　　〃Will　they　never　return？　　O　God；　if　they　should　be　too　late！〃



She　stood　on　the　piazza　with　eyes　dilated　and　strained；

in　one　direction；　caring　not　what　any　one　saw　or　surmised；　but　in

the　increasing　excitement；　as　the　rumor　spread　and　grew；　she　was

unnoticed。



At　last　the　carriage　appeared；　and　it　was　driven　so　slowly　and

carefully　that　it　suggested　to　the　poor　girl　the　deliberate　and

mournful　pace　of　a　funeral　procession；　when　all　need　for　haste　is

past　forever；　and　she　sprang　down　the　steps　in　her　intense　anxiety；

and　took　some　swift　steps　before　she　controlled　herself。　　Then

pressing　her　hand　on　her　side；　she　sank　into　the　seat　which　Miss

Burton　had　occupied　a　little　before。



Jennie　Burton　waved　a　handkerchiefthat　meant　life。　　〃Thank　God！〃

she　murmured；　and　tears　of　joy　rushed　into　her　eyes。　　She　now　saw

that　Stanton　was　supporting　Van　Berg。　　She　sprang　up　the　steps

again；　broke　through　the　excited　and　curious　throng　on　the　piazza；

and　was　back　with　a　strong　arm…chair　from　the　office　by　the　time

the　carriage　stopped　at　the　door。



〃That's　a　sensible　girl；　Ida；〃　said　Stanton；　〃that's　just　the　thing

to　carry　him　in。　　Now；　Van；　rally　and　do　your　best　a　few　moments

longer；　and　you're　all　right。〃



At　the　sound　of　Ida's　name　he　lifted　his　head　and　looked　around

till　he　met　her　eyes；　and　then　smiled　gladly。　　His　smile　satisfied

her　completely；　and　she　stepped　quietly　into　the　background。　　〃He

has　not　broken　his　pledge；　even　in　thought；〃　she　murmured。　　〃I　can

trust　him　still。〃



He　was　carried　up　the　steps　and　stairs　to　his　room；　followed　by　all

eyes。　　Ida　stole　to　Jennie　Burton；　and　kept　near　her　as　she　sought

to　quietly　gain　her　room　by　a　side　stairs。



〃You　are　faint；　Miss　Burton；〃　she　said　gently；　〃lean　on　me；〃　and

Jennie　did　lean　on　her　more　and　more　heavily　until　she　reached　her

room；　and　then　her　blue　eyes　closed；　and　the　day　she　so　dreaded

was　over；　as　far　as　she　had　consciousness　of　it。　　So　slight　and

fragile　had　she　become　that　even　Ida　was　able　to　carry　her　to　her

couch。　　Her　swoon　of　utter　exhaustion　was　long　and　deep；　and　when

she　rallied　from　it　there　were　symptoms　which　led　the　physician　to

say　that　she　must　have　absolute　quiet　and　sleep；　and　he　gave　her

strong　opiates　to　insure　the　latter。　　Jennie　only　reached　out　her

hand　for　Ida　and　whispered：　　〃Don't　leave　me；〃　and　then　passed　into

a　slumber　that　seemed　like　death。



With　her　old　imperious　manner　Ida　silenced　all　who　entered　the

room；　or　motioned　them　out　if　they　had　no　business　there。



Stanton　whispered：　　〃You　know　I　will　be　within　call　any　moment。〃

But　Ida's　reply　was：　　〃If　you　lover　her；　if　you　care　for　me；　don't

leave　him；　make　him　live。〃　　Thus；　in　restoring　rest　and　patient　vigils

the　night　wore　away。　　The　physician　found　that　while　Van　Berg's

leg　was　much　bruised　and　wrenched；　it　had　received　no　permanent

injury；　and　in　regard　to　Miss　Burton　he　said：　　〃If　she　wakes　quiet

and　sane；　all　danger　will　be　past；　I　think。〃



His　hopes　were　fulfilled。　　With　the　dawn　her　deep　stupor　passed

into　a　light　and　broken　slumber；　in　which　she　tossed；　and　moaned；

and　whispered；　as　if　the　light　of　thought　were　also　streaming　into

her　darkened　mind。　　At　last　she　opened　her　eyes　and　looked　at　Ida；

who　smiled　reassuringly。　　In　a　few　moments　the　events　of　the　past

day　came　back　to　her；　and　she　started　up　and　asked　earnestly：



〃Mr。　Van　Bergis　he　safe？〃



Ida　stooped　down　and　kissed　her　as　she　replied；　〃Mr。　Van　Berg　is

rallying　fast；　and　is　out　of　all　danger。〃



Jennie　leaned　back　among　her　pillows　with　a　smile　of　deep　content；

and　closed　her　eyes。　　When　she　opened　them　again　Ida　had　gone；　and

Mrs。　Burleigh　had　taken　her　place　as　watcher。



But　the　need　of　such　care　passed　speedily。　　The　doctor；　after　his

morning　call；　said　that　the　critical　moment　of　danger　had　gone　by。

So　it　had；　but　his　understanding　of　Jennie's　case　was　superficial

indeed；　and　he　ascribed　to　his　opiate　a　virtue　that　it　had　never

possessed。　　The　balm　that　had　soothed　her　wounded　spirit　was

the　thought　of　saved　life　and　the　happiness　that　might　result　to

those　in　whom　she　was　deeply　interested。　　The　dreaded　anniversary

had　passed；　and　she　was　profoundly　grateful　that　it　had　ended　in

physical　exhaustion　rather　than　in　vain　and　agonized　regret。　　She

readily　obeyed　the　physician's　injunction　to　keep　very　quiet　for

two　or　three　days；　for　memory　during　the　past　few　weeks　had　caused

a　fever　of　mind　that　was　scarcely　less　wearing　than　would　have

been　the　disease　against　which　rest　was　the　best　safeguard。　　The

condition　in　which　she　found　Van　Berg　suggested　some　light　on　the

dark　problem　of　her　life；　but　she　only　sighed　deeply：　　〃I　shall

never　know　in　this　world　why　he　does　not　come。〃



When　told　how　Ida　had　taken　care　of　her　and　watched　till　all　danger

was　passed；　she　murmured　to　herself；　〃Brave；　noble　Ida　Mayhew！　but

I　may　be　able　to　reward　her　yet。〃　　She　needed　very　little　care；

and　felt　no　surprise　that　Ida　now　permitted　others　to　render　these

attentions；　contenting　herself　with　brief　but　gentle　inquiries

concerning　her　welfare。　　Jennie　only　took　pains　to　learn　that　Ida

would　not　leave　the　Lake　House　till　Monday　of　the　following　week；

and　then　rested　and　waited。　　She　was　not　sure　of　Van　Berg；　and　until