Stanton?"
"I beg your pardon!" said the preoccupied young man, starting at
the sound of his name.
Miss Burton repeated her question. But in the meantime it was
evident a severe conflict was going on in Ida Mayhew's mind. How
could she obey Mr. Eltinge's injunction to be honest and true, if
she let this false impression concerning her behavior in the stage
remain? How could she hope to win a particle of respect from Van
Berg if she received again this undeserved praise? How could she
look her kind old friend in the face if she continued silent? She
felt she must either speak or take the pear leaves out of her hair.
It was hard, bitter hard to speak then and there before them all,
but her indecision soon gave place to the resolve to lay at once
what Mr. Eltinge had called the corner-stone of character.
"Miss Burton," she said abruptly, as Stanton was trying to collect
his wits so as to make a suitable reply.
They all looked at her involuntarily. Her face was pale now, and
had the white, resolute aspect often seen in those about to face
great danger.
"Miss Burton, I am sorry to say you have a false impression of my
conduct in the stage. So far from showing presence of mind and
courage on that occasion, I was terror-stricken and, I believe,
hysterical.
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