With all my faults, I shall at LEAST try to tell the
truth hereafter."
"By Jupiter!" cried the impulsive Stanton, "that's the pluckiest
thing I ever saw a woman do, or man either. Ida, from this day
I'm proud of you, though you have little occasion to be so of me."
The poor girl had looked steadily at Miss Burton while speaking,
but the moment the ordeal was over her lip quivered like that of
a child, and she hastily left the table.
She had scarcely mounted half the stairs that led to her room before
Van Berg was at her side.
"Miss Mayhew," he said eagerly, "I did not sleep last night, nor
can I to-night until assured of your forgiveness. Myself I can
never forgive."
Her heart was full and her nerves overstrained already. She could
not speak, but she bowed her head on the rail of the balustrade,
hiding her face against her arm, and strove hard to check the rising
sobs.
"Miss Mayhew," he continued, in low, pleading tones, "in all my life
I never condemned myself so bitterly as I have for my treatment of
you. I can only appeal to your generosity. I NEED your forgiveness,"
and he waited for her answer.
But she could not answer. It seemed as if she could not maintain
even her partial self-control a moment longer.
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