A servant
was just lighting the gas in the small and remote reception-room
as he glanced in. The apartment was empty, and no echoes of the
words just spoken were lingering.
A little later Miss Burton came down the main stair-way in her
breezy, cheery manner, and his jealous fears were quieted.
He joined her at once, saying that it was the unanimous wish that
she should give them some music again that evening.
She would join with him and others, she said; and her manner was
so perfectly frank and cordial, so like her bearing towards a lady
friend to whom she next spoke, that he fairly groaned in despair
of touching a heart that seemed to overflow with kindness toward
all.
Van Berg soon appeared, but Miss Burton, on this occasion, managed
that the singing should be maintained by quite a large group about
the piano, and on account of the sultriness of the evening the
service of song was brief.
While Van Berg was leading a hymn that had been asked for by one
of the guests, Miss Burton found the opportunity of saying, "Mr.
Stanton, I wish to thank you for your chivalric defence to-day of
one who is poor and orphaned. Mr. Van Berg told me of your generous
and friendly course.
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