"
Van Berg assisted her down to the gangway and out on the wharf with
a grave and scrupulous politeness, but she felt even more than she
saw that her words had stung his very soul. It was their apparent
truth which he could never explain away that gave them their power
to wound so deeply, and every moment brought to him a clearer
realization of the fact that he had tried to win, and was pledged
to win a woman whom to wrong even unwittingly would be an act for
which he could never forgive himself. And yet his heart sank at
the thought of meeting her; indeed, so guilty and embarrassed did
he become in his feelings that he decided he would not meet her
before others, and sprang out of the stage, saying to the driver
that he preferred walking the remainder of the way. Mr. Mayhew
looked at him in some surprise, for his manner had changed so now
as to attract his attention and excite disagreeable surmises.
To Ida's great relief Stanton had come down to meet her with his
light-wagon. He had seen Van Berg at her side again with surprise,
and, after his fast horses had whirled them well away by themselves,
he asked a little abruptly:
"Ida, have you seen Van this week?"
She hesitated a moment, and then said briefly: "Yes.
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