Mr. Mayhew shook his head despondently, as if his daughter's words found a deep, sad echo in his own nature. "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter; said the wise man of old, 'all is vanity and vexation of spirit,'" cried Stanton, with the air of one who was trying to escape from a nightmare. Miss Burton at once became her old, smiling self. "You do not quote 'the wise man' correctly," she said; "but you remind me that he did say 'a merry heart doeth good like a medicine.' It is like mercy 'twice blessed.' This much, at least, I know is true; and Mr. Van Berg's words have put us all at sea to such an extant that it is well to find one wee solid point to stand on." As the artist passed out he found opportunity to whisper in her ear: "I cannot tell you how much I honor the woman who with her SAD heart makes others 'merry.'" She blushed and smiled, but only said: "How blind you are, Mr. Van Berg! Can't you perceive that nothing else does me so much good? Now you see how selfish I am." Ida saw him whisper, and noted the answering smile and blush. Was it strange that so slight a thing should depress her more than all the evils of the present world and the world to come? Surely, since human hearts are what they are, a far-away God would be like the sun of the tropics to the ice-bound at the poles. Chapter XXVII. A Family Group. The old adage, that "as the wine comes in the man steps out," was not true of Sibley, for the man had stepped out permanently long since. But not very much wine was required to overthrow the flimsy barriers of self-restraint and courtesy that he tried to interpose in his sober moments between his true self and society. Mr. Burleigh frowned at him more than once during the dinner-hour, and was glad to see him stroll off in the grounds with his boon companions. Stanton followed the Mayhews to their rooms, for he wished to remonstrate with Ida and Mrs. Mayhew in regard to their apparent intimacy with the fellow. "Ida," he said, "do you realized the force of your words to Mr. Van Berg at the table to-day, taken in connection with your action? You said, 'congenial society for me, or none at all.' Whatever Van's faults are, he is a perfect gentleman; and yet you treat him as rudely and coldly as you can, and assert by your actions that Sibley's society is by far the most congenial to you." Ida's overstrained nerves gave way, and she said, irritably: "You understood the cheerful questions of our appetizing table-talk to-day better than you understand me; so please be still." "Oh, pshaw, Ik," commenced Mrs. Mayhew, who now began to wake up since the theme was quite within her sphere, "you are affecting very Puritanical views of late. It does not seem so very long since you and Sibley were good friends." "It is within the memory of woman, if not of man," added Ida, maliciously, "since you drank his brandy, and considerable of it, too." Stanton flushed angrily but controlled himself.