Could he have broken his promise to her, and have fled
from duty after all? She felt that she would love him no matter what
he did--for poor Ida could not love on strictly moral principals,
and withdraw her love in offended dignity if the occasion required;
but her purer and womanly instincts made her fear that if he
forfeited her respect her love might degenerate into passion.
Her wish that he would come grew more intense every moment, and
from her heart she pitied Jennie Burton as she saw her turn away
from an almost untasted breakfast, and with a face that was so
full of suffering that she could not disguise it. "If he fails
her utterly she'll die," murmured Ida, as she climbed wearily to
her room. "Merciful Saviour, forgive me that I tried to tempt him
from her."
She watched from her window, but he did not come. She saw Jennie
Burton hastening away on one of the lonely walks to which she was
given of late. She saw Stanton drive off rapidly, and when a few
hours later he came back, she went down to meet him, and asked
hesitatingly:
"Have you seen or heard anything of Mr. Van Berg?"
"Confound him! no. I don't see what the deuce he means by his
course! Burleigh says he has not seen or heard a word from him
since early Monday morning when he started off with his sketch-book,
and Burleigh also says he seemed very glum and out of sorts when
he joked him a little.
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