"Humane, indeed!" said Stanton. "Are you that way inclined, Van?"

"I have no occasion to be otherwise."

"Well, I feel savage enough to scalp some one."

"So I should judge," remarked Ida.

"Perhaps then, as my mood contrasts somewhat favorably with your
cousin's, you will venture to walk with me for awhile?" said Van
Berg.

"Indeed, sir," she replied, taking his arm, "there are times when
any change is a relief."

"I cannot be very greatly elated over that view of the case,
certainly," remarked Van Berg, with a laugh.

She did not reply at once, but after a moment said: "I suppose
you regard me as a hopeless case at best."

"what suggests that thought to you, Miss Mayhew?"

"You are not so dull as to need to ask that question, and you only
ask it to draw me out. For one thing, you probably think that
I instigated Mr. and Mrs. Chints to act as they did. This is not
true."

"I'm very glad to hear it."