"Mother and Ik might learn that I am not wholly bad if they would
only take the trouble to find out," she murmured. "Ik used to be
kind-hearted, and I thought he cared a little for me, in spite of
our sparing. Why is he so hard on me of late? Why can't he believe
that I am just as capable of detesting Sibley as he is? Perhaps
he does mean to say a kind word, and give me a chance to explain."
These thoughts passed through her mind as she lighted the gas and
bathed her face, that she might, to some extent, remove the evidences
of grief.
Stanton misunderstood her wholly. The new Ida, that deep feeling
and recent events were developing, was unknown to him, and he had
been too preoccupied to see the changes, even had they been more
apparent. He did feel a sort f commiseration for her evident
suffering, for he was too kind-hearted not to sympathize even
when he believed pain to be well-deserved. But he thought he must
still deal with her as a wayward, passionate child, as he had in
the past, when she cried till she obtained what she wished, right
or wrong. He now believed that she was as fully bent on carrying
out her own unreasonable will, but remembered that she was no
longer a child, and might be guilty of folly that society would
not forgive as childish.
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