"Miss Burton,"said Van Berg,as soon as they were alone,"I wish I could have saved you from this disagreeable experience.I tried to do so,but was not quick enough.I much blame my slow wits that I was not more prompt.""I wish it might have been prevented,"she replied,"for their sakes as well as my own.""I have no compunctions on their account whatever,"said Van Berg,"and feel that you let them off much too kindly.I think,however,that they and all others here will understand you much better hereafter.I cannot express too strongly to you how thoroughly our brief acquaintance has taught me to respect you,and if you will permit me to give an earnest meaning to Mr.Burleigh's jesting offer to share with me the responsibility of your care,I will esteem it an honor.""I sincerely thank you,Mr.Van Berg,and should I ever need the services of a gentleman,"--she laid a slight emphasis upon the term--"I shall,without any hesitancy,turn to you.But I have long since learned to be my own protectress,as,after all,one must be,situated as I am.""You seem to have the ability,not only to take care of yourself,but of others,Miss Burton.Nevertheless I shall,with your permission,establish a sort of protectorate over you which shall be exceedingly unobtrusive and undemonstrative,and not in the least like that which some powers make the excuse for exactions,until the protected party is ready to cry out in desperation to be delivered from its friends.I hesitated too long this evening from the fear of being forward;and yet I did not know what was coming,and had learned only accidentally but a few moments before that anything was coming.""Well,"replied Miss Burton with a slight laugh,"it's a comfortable thought that there's a fort near,to which one can run should an enemy appear;and a pleasanter thought still,that the fort is strong and staunch.but,to change the figure,I have a great fancy for paddling my own light canoe,and such small craft will often float,you know,where a ship of the line would strike.""I will admit,Miss Burton,that ships of the line are often unwieldy and clumsily deep in the water;but if you ever do need a gunboat with a howitzer or two on deck,may I hope to be summoned?""I could ask for no better champion.I fairly tremble at the broadside that would follow.""Are you thinking of the discharge or the recoil?""Both might involve danger,"said Miss Burton,laughing;"but Ihave concluded to keep on your side through such wars as may rage at the Lake House during my sojourn.I cannot help thinking of poor Mr.and Mrs.Chints.I feel almost as sorry for such people as I do for the blind and deaf.They seem to lack a certain sense which,if possessed,would teach them to avoid such scenes.""I detest such people and like to snub them unmercifully,"said Van Berg,heartily.
"That may be in accordance with a gunboat character;but is it knightly?""Why not?What does snobbishness and rich vulgarity deserve at any man's hands?""Nothing but sturdy blows.But what do weak,imperfect,half-educated men and women,who have never had a tithe of your advantages,NEEDat your hands?Can we not condemn faults,and at the same time pity and help the faulty?The gunboat sends its shot crashing too much at random.It seems to me that true knighthood would spare weakness of any kind.""I'm glad you have not spared mine.You have demolished me as a gunboat,but I would fain be your knight.""It is Mrs.Chints who needs a knight at present,and not I.It troubles me to think of her worriment over this foolish little episode,and with your permission I will go and try to banish the cloud."As she turned she was intercepted by Stanton,who said:
"Miss Burton,let my present to you my cousin,Miss Mayhew."A ray from a parlor lamp fell upon Ida's face,and Van Berg saw at once that it was clouded and unamiable in its expression.Stanton had evidently been reproaching her severely.
Miss Burton held out her hand cordially and said;"I wish to thank you for maintaining the credit of our sex this morning.These superior men are so fond of portraying us as hysterical,clinging creatures whose only instinct in peril is to throw themselves on man's protection,that I always feel a little exultation when one of the 'weaker and gentler sex,'as we are termed,show the courage and presence of mind which they coolly appropriate as masculine qualities.""Are you an advocate of woman's rights,Miss Burton?"asked Miss Mayhew,stung by the unconscious sarcasm of the lady's words,to reply in almost as resentful a manner as if a wound had been intended.
"Not of woman's,particularly,"was the quiet answer;"I would be glad if every one had their rights.""You philanthropy is very wide,certainly.""And therefore very thin,perhaps you think,since it covers so much ground.I agree with you,Miss Mayhew,that general good-will is as cold and thin as moonshine.One ray of sunlight that warms some particular thing into life is worth it all.""Indeed!I think I prefer moonlight."
"There are certain absorbing avocations in life to which moonshine is better adapted then sunlight,is probably the thought in my cousin's mind,"said Stanton,satirically.
"And what are they?"asked Miss Burton.
"Flirtation,for instance."
"My cousin is speaking for himself,"said Ida,acidly;"and knows better what is in his own mind than in mine.""If some ladies themselves never know their own minds,how can another know?"Stanton retorted.