' 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.
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