She had suddenly turned her back
upon them both again, and was soon bending over the little brook
whose murmur he faintly heard.
"These allusions to the past are all painful to her," he thought,
"and she refers to them only because, as she says, her conscience
compels her to. It must be my task to make her forget the past in
the present and future."
"Mr. Van Berg," she said, returning, "you have visited the Jordan
I believe, but I doubt whether its waters did you more good than
that little brook over there does me. That's right," she added,
looking over his shoulder at the outlines he was rapidly tracing;
"I'm glad you are losing no time."
"I remember the condition on which you allowed me to come," he
replied, looking up with a smile into her face, "and I've already
learned, as Mr. Eltinge suggests, that nothing will do in this
garden but downright honesty." Something in her face caused his
eyes to linger, and he added hastily: "You're right about the
Jordan. The brook seems much more potent, for apparently it has
washed your trouble all away, but has left--well you might think
it flattery if I should tell you all I see. this garden seems to
contain the elixir of life for you, Miss Ida.
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