How to win her therefore was gradually becoming the one interesting and most difficult question he had to solve.Although she was poor and alone in the world,it was evident that mere wealth and position would count but little with her.Stanton was handsome,rich,well-connected,and intelligent;but it seemed clear,as she recognized the sincerity of his suit,she withdrew from it.Some coarse,ill-natured people in the house,who at first,with significant nods,had intimated that "the little school-ma'am"was bent on bettering her fortunes,were soon nonplussed by her course.
Thus far Van Berg's name had not been associated with hers in any such manner as Stanton's.His cooler head,or heart more correctly,had enabled him to act very prudently.He would enjoy a walk or conversation with her,and there it would end.Neither by lingering glances nor steps did he show that he could not interest himself in other people and things.He did not attend the excursions or rides to which Stanton invited her,and others to please her,because he knew his friend "doted on his absence."He felt too that the occasion was Stanton's private property,and that it would be mean not to leave him the full advantage of the device,which might cause him more effort in a forenoon or an evening than he had been accustomed to put forth in a week.
But poor Stanton soon learned that his labors of love were destined to be very promiscuous.He never could manage to carry her off alone in a light skiff upon the lake;he could never inveigle her into the narrow seat of his buggy,nor could his most wily strategy long separate her from their companions on a picnic that had offered to his ardent fancy a chance for a stroll into some favoring solitude by themselves.Had she been a princess of the blood,surrounded by a guard of watchful duennas,she could not have been more unapproachable to lover-like advances.Yet,with a vexation akin to that of old Tantalus himself,he constantly cursed his stupidity for not making better progress toward securing the smiling affable maiden,who by every law of his pas experience ought to second his efforts to win her.
Van Berg,who remained at the hotel,or went off by himself on rambles and sketching expeditions,would watch his opportunity and quietly and naturally join her on the piazza or in the parlor,as he might approach any other lady.As a result they had long animated conversations,and found they had much in common to talk about.
Stanton would gnaw his lip with envy at these interviews and wonder how Van Berg brought them about so easily,but found he could not secure them,save in the immediate presence of others.Thus it came about that Van Berg practically enjoyed much more of Miss Burton's society than the one who made such untiring efforts to obtain it.
In Stanton's too eager suit,Van Berg thought he saw the danger he must avoid,and he complacently congratulated himself that he possessed a temperament which permitted thoughtful and wary approaches.He would not frighten this shy bird by too hasty advances.Through unobtrusive companionship he would first grow familiar to her thoughts;and then,if possible,would make himself inseparable from them.
He reached this conclusion during a ramble on Saturday morning,and with elastic tread returned to the hotel to carry out his well digested policy.As he mounted the steps he saw Miss Burton in the parlor,and at once entered through an open window.She was seated in a corner of the room with two or three little girls around her,and was dressing dolls.