Then a sudden gust of wind swept her overboard
and she was sinking, sinking till the waters became so cold and
dark that she awoke with a cry of terror. "Oh," she sobbed, "my
dream is true! my dream is true!"
Mr. Mayhew returned to the city in the morning, leaving his daughter
very reluctantly, and Ida, as early as possible, set out again in
the low phaeton to visit Mr. Eltinge, for never before had she felt
a greater need of his counsel and help. Tears came into her eyes
when informed of his absence. "Everything is against me," she
murmured; but she decided to spend some time in the garden before
she returned. She had almost reached the rustic seat when a turn
in the walk revealed that it was occupied. Her first impulse was
to retreat hastily, but observing that Van Berg had not heard her
light step, she hesitated. Then, his attitude of utter dejection
so won her sympathy that she could not leave him without speaking,
for she remembered how sorely in need she once had been of a
reassuring word. Moreover, her heart said, "Speak to him;" hope
cried, "Stay;" and her temptation to win him if possible, right or
wrong, sprang up with tenfold power and whispered: "The man whom
Jennie Burton welcomed so cordially Saturday evening would not
wear this aspect if he had the power to return readily to her side
again.
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