\"Myheartoverflowswithgratitudetoyou,\"hesaidpromptly,butwithrisingcolor;\"andasIsaidwhenyourescuedme,sonowI
vowagain,Idedicatemylifetoyou.Idonotaskyoutoforgetthepastallatonce——Idonotaskyoutoforgetitatall——butonlytoletmeaidyouintakingthebitternessoutofthosememoriesthatnowaredestroyingassweetandbeneficentalifeasGodevergave.Ihavesuspectedthatyouhadsomeunselfishguileinthatlastpromiseyouobtainedfromme,butIshallbeloyaltothepromiseIintendedtomake,andwhichwasinmymind;IshallbeloyaltothepromiseImadeyouatfirst,towinyouifIcould,andIshallwaittillIcan.\"
\"What,then,willIdaMayhewdo?\"sheaskedlookinghimfullintheface.
Hecoloredstillmoredeeply,butmeetinghersearchinggazewithoutblenching,hesaid,firmlyandquietly:\"Shewillalwaysdowhatisrightandnoble,Godblessher!\"
MissBurtonappearedalittleperplexedandtroubledforamoment,andthensaid,slowly:\"IcalledyoumyfriendlastJuly,andwhenIspeakinthemoodIwasinthenImeanallthatIsay.Friendsshouldbeveryfrankwhentheoccasionrequires,orelsetheyarebutacquaintances.Iamgoingtobeveryfrankwithyouto-day,andifIerr,chargeittofriendshiponly.IdaMayhewlovesyou,Mr.VanBerg;shehaslovedyoualmostfromthefirst;andnowthatherlifehasbecomesonobleandbeautiful,Iamgreatlymistakenifyoudonotreturnheraffection.Ifthisbetrue,whatareyouofferingme?\"