\"Thelifehewillgiveyouagain,Jennie,willbeinfinitelyricherthantheoneyouhavelost.\"
EarlyinthefollowingweekMissBurtonreturnedtohercollegeduties.BeforepartingshesaidtoIda:\"IdonotthinkIshallevergivewayagaintomyold,bitter,heart-breakinggrief.\"
Almosteveryoneinthehousewantedtoshakehandswithherinfarewell.PoorMr.Burleightriedtodisguisehisfeelingsbyputtingcrepeonhishatandtyingblackshawlofhiswife\'saroundhisarm;butheblewhisnosesooftenthathefinallysaidhewas\"takingcoldonthepiazza,\"andsomadeahastyretreat.
IdaandVanBergaccompaniedJennietothedepot,butStantonwasnottobefoundtilltheyreachedthestation,whenhequietlysteppedforwardandhandedJennieherchecks.Shewastryingtosaysomethingthatshemeantshouldshowherappreciation,whenthetrainthunderedup,andhehandedherintoapalacecar,inwhichshefoundhehadsecuredheraseat,andbeforeshehadtimetosayawordherticketswereinherhandsandhewasgone.
When,afterseveralhours\'riding,sheapproachedastationatwhichshemustchangecarsandrecheckhertrunks,afriendlyvoicesaidtoher:
\"MissBurton,ifyouwillgivemeyourchecksIwillattendtothislittlematterforyou.\"
\"Mr.Stanton!\"sheexclaimed.\"Whatdoesthismean?\"
\"ItmeansthatsinceIamonthesametrainwithyou,Icandonolessthanoffersoslightaservice.\"
Shelookedathimverydoubtfully,asshesaid:\"Idon\'tknowwhattothinkofthisjourneyofyours.Letmenowpayyouformyticket.\"
\"Mr.VanBerghandedmethemoneyyougavehimforthatpurpose.
It\'sallright.Yourchecksplease;thereisbutlittletime.\"
Hismannerwassoquietandassured,thatshehandedthemtohimhesitatingly,andamomentlatersteppedoutontheplatform.
Inafewmomentsshecalled:\"Oh,Mr.Stanton,youhavelostyourtrain.\"
\"Notatall.IamgoingtoBoston.Thereareyourchecksoncemore,andhereisyourtrainandseat,\"headded,asheaccompaniedhertoit.Thenheliftedhishat,andwasabouttodepart,whenshesaid:\"Sinceyouareonthesametrain,perhapsyouwillventuretotakethisseatnearme.Ineverwascuriousaboutagentleman\'sbusinessbefore;butitstrikesmeasaratheroddcoincidencethatyouaregoingtoBostonto-day.\"
\"AgreatmanypeoplegotoBoston,\"hereplied.
\"It\'sformysakeyouaretakingthislongjourney,Mr.Stanton,\"
shesaid,regretfully.
\"Yes,\"hereplied,inthesamequiet,undemonstrativemannerthathehadmaintainedtowardsherforsomeweekspast;\"thisjourneyisforyoursake,andforyoursakeIshalltakeaverydifferentjourneythroughlifefromtheoneIhadmarkedoutformyself.I
knowyoursadstory,MissBurton.Iexpectnothingfromyou,I
hopefornothing,andIshallneveraskanything,exceptalittleconfidenceonyourpart,sothatIcanrenderyouanoccasionalservice.NeverforamomentimaginethatIamcherishinghopesthatIknowwellyoucannotreward.\"
\"Mr.Stanton,thisisbeyondmycomprehension!\"
\"Thereseemstomenothingstrangeorunnaturalinit,\"hesaid.
\"Youfoundmeapleasure-lovinganimal,andthroughyourinfluenceIthinkIambecomingsomewhatdifferent.Youhavetaughtmethatthereisahigherandbetterworldthanthatofsense.HowgoodaworkIcandoinlifeIwilllettheyearsproveastheypass.
ButIdonotthinkmyfeelingswilleverchangetowardsyou,saveastimedeepensandstrengthensthem.Vanthinksalltheworldofyou,aswellhemay;buthislifewillbeveryhappyandfullofmanyinterest.Ishallthinkofyoualone,andtheworkIdoforyoursakeuntilIcanaddanothermotive.OfcourseIbelieveinaheaven——suchlivesasyourmakeonenecessary;andImeantofindawayofgettingthere.Inthemeantime,youaremymotive;butmyregardforyoushallbesoveryunobtrusivethatItrustyouwillnotresentit,andthethoughtofmyunseencareandwatchfulnessmayintimecometobeapleasantone.\"
Therewasnothinginhistoneormannertoindicatethattotheirfellow-travelersthathewasnotspeakingonthemostordinarytopic;andhelookedherfullinthefacewithhiscleardarkeyes,inwhichshesawonlytruthandfaithfulness.
Shewasvery,verydeeplytouched,andshecouldnotkeepthetearsoutofhereyesassheleanedtowardshimandsaidintonesthatnootherscouldhear:
\"IamnolongerthefriendlessorphanIwaswhenIcametotheLakeHouse.InMr.VanBergIhavefoundafriendwhomIcantrust;inyou,IkStanton,abrotherthatIcanlove.\"
Ifthereader\'spatiencehasnotfailedhimuptothislong-deferredmoment,itshallnowberewardedbyafewbrief,concludingwords.
Mrs.MayhewfeltconsiderablyaggrievedthatshehadhadsolittlepartinIda\'sengagementwiththewealthyandaristocraticMr.
VanBerg,andinlateryearsshecomplainedthattheywereveryunfashionable,andspentanunreasonableamountoftimeinlookingafterallkindsofcharitableinstitutions.Mr.Mayhewdrankeverdeeperatthefullfountainofhischild\'slove,andisserenelypassingontoanhonorableoldage.Mr.Eltingeisnowbeyondageandweakness,butIdaoftenmurmurswithtearsinhereyesasshelooksathisportrait,\"Heisjustspeakingtomeashedidwhenmyheartwasbreaking.\"Stanton\'scityfriendssaythathehasgreatlychangedandmightstandveryhighasalawyerandpoliticianifhewerenotsoquixoticandpronetotakecasesinwhichtherewasnomoney,buthereceiveslettersfromNewEnglandwhichseemtocompensatehimforlackoflargefees.VanBerghasnotyetregrettedthatheentrusted\"faultyIdaMayhew\"withhishappiness,andheismoreanxiousthanevertolurehertohisstudio.ForalongtimehehadtotakethetruthofherfaithontrustbutatlasthestoodbyhersideatGod\'saltarandconfessedthatNamewhichhasbeenthelowliestandgrandestofearth.
Idaisstillveryhuman,butwithallherfaults,herhusbandoftenwhispersinherear:\"NotIda,butIdeal.\"SheiscontinuallygivingupherlifeforChrist\'ssake,andasoftenfindsitcomingbacktoherinsomericher,sweeterform;andbyhersimple,joyousfaithhasledmanytotheFriendshefoundinthequaintoldgarden,andwhosaysofallwhocome,\"Iwillgiveuntothemeternallife.\"
JennieBurtonisstillwaiting;butattheendofeachdayoffaithfulworkshesingsthesongofhopethatIdataughther:
Nohope,\'tissaid,thoughburieddeep,Butangelso\'eritvigilskeep;
Noloveinsepulchreshallstay,ForChristMYFriendwillrollawayTheheavystoneofdeath.