The majority of
the people had gone in to supper, but Miss Burton, who was a little
late, recognized him from the hallway, and she came swiftly out to
greet him. Her very cordiality was another stab, and he exerted
the whole power of his manhood to meet her in like spirit.
"I did not know I should miss you so much," she said, her eyes
growing a little moist from her strong feeling. "I suppose we
never value our friends as we ought till taught their worth to us
by absence. But if you have been successful in your work I shall
be well content."
"Yes, Miss Jennie," he replied, "I think I have been successful.
The picture is far from being complete, but I've been able to obtain
a much better likeness of Mr. Eltinge than I even hoped to catch."
"Mr. Van Berg, you have been working too hard. You look exceedingly
weary. What possessed you to walk all these miles? Leave us women
to do the unreasonable things, and least of all are they becoming
in you; come at once and get a good supper."
He could not disguise the pain and humiliation that her words caused
him, and said hurriedly, "I will join you in a few moments," and
then hastened to his room.
Mr.
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