On the following day, through the aid of Miss Burton, he caused
the impression to be generally given that Miss Mayhew had been
exceedingly mortified that she had ever associated with such a
villain as Sibley had shown himself to be, and still more pained
to think that she should be imagined capable of any other feeling
save contempt for him, after learning of his disgraceful words and
actions. These explanations gave an entirely new aspect to the
matter, and sufficiently accounted for her increasing indisposition
and rather odd behavior. Indeed, people placed it to her credit
that she was so deeply affected, and were all the more inclined to
make amends for having misjudged her.
Mrs. Mayhew accompanied her daughter to her room, but Ida told her
that she was too weary to answer a single question, and that she
wished to be alone.
"Van, may I speak with you?" Stanton had asked, anxiously.
When they were sufficiently far from the house to ensure privacy
he began again: "Van, what's the matter? You were as white as if
you had seen a ghost."
"I'm not afraid of ghosts," said the artist, almost sternly, "but
there are things which I mortally fear, and chief among these are
blunders--stupid, irrational acts, but involving results that may
be beyond remedy.
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