"Thelifehewillgiveyouagain,Jennie,willbeinfinitelyricherthantheoneyouhavelost."
　　EarlyinthefollowingweekMissBurtonreturnedtohercollegeduties.BeforepartingshesaidtoIda:"IdonotthinkIshallevergivewayagaintomyold,bitter,heart-breakinggrief."
　　Almosteveryoneinthehousewantedtoshakehandswithherinfarewell.PoorMr.Burleightriedtodisguisehisfeelingsbyputtingcrepeonhishatandtyingblackshawlofhiswife'saroundhisarm;butheblewhisnosesooftenthathefinallysaidhewas"takingcoldonthepiazza,"andsomadeahastyretreat.
　　IdaandVanBergaccompaniedJennietothedepot,butStantonwasnottobefoundtilltheyreachedthestation,whenhequietlysteppedforwardandhandedJennieherchecks.Shewastryingtosaysomethingthatshemeantshouldshowherappreciation,whenthetrainthunderedup,andhehandedherintoapalacecar,inwhichshefoundhehadsecuredheraseat,andbeforeshehadtimetosayawordherticketswereinherhandsandhewasgone.
　　When,afterseveralhours'riding,sheapproachedastationatwhichshemustchangecarsandrecheckhertrunks,afriendlyvoicesaidtoher:
　　"MissBurton,ifyouwillgivemeyourchecksIwillattendtothislittlematterforyou."
　　"Mr.Stanton!"sheexclaimed."Whatdoesthismean?"
　　"ItmeansthatsinceIamonthesametrainwithyou,Icandonolessthanoffersoslightaservice."
　　Shelookedathimverydoubtfully,asshesaid:"Idon'tknowwhattothinkofthisjourneyofyours.Letmenowpayyouformyticket."
　　"Mr.VanBerghandedmethemoneyyougavehimforthatpurpose.
　　It'sallright.Yourchecksplease;thereisbutlittletime."
　　Hismannerwassoquietandassured,thatshehandedthemtohimhesitatingly,andamomentlatersteppedoutontheplatform.
　　Inafewmomentsshecalled:"Oh,Mr.Stanton,youhavelostyourtrain."
　　"Notatall.IamgoingtoBoston.Thereareyourchecksoncemore,andhereisyourtrainandseat,"headded,asheaccompaniedhertoit.Thenheliftedhishat,andwasabouttodepart,whenshesaid:"Sinceyouareonthesametrain,perhapsyouwillventuretotakethisseatnearme.Ineverwascuriousaboutagentleman'sbusinessbefore;butitstrikesmeasaratheroddcoincidencethatyouaregoingtoBostonto-day."
　　"AgreatmanypeoplegotoBoston,"hereplied.
　　"It'sformysakeyouaretakingthislongjourney,Mr.Stanton,"
　　shesaid,regretfully.
　　"Yes,"hereplied,inthesamequiet,undemonstrativemannerthathehadmaintainedtowardsherforsomeweekspast;"thisjourneyisforyoursake,andforyoursakeIshalltakeaverydifferentjourneythroughlifefromtheoneIhadmarkedoutformyself.I
　　knowyoursadstory,MissBurton.Iexpectnothingfromyou,I
　　hopefornothing,andIshallneveraskanything,exceptalittleconfidenceonyourpart,sothatIcanrenderyouanoccasionalservice.NeverforamomentimaginethatIamcherishinghopesthatIknowwellyoucannotreward."
　　"Mr.Stanton,thisisbeyondmycomprehension!"
　　"Thereseemstomenothingstrangeorunnaturalinit,"hesaid.
　　"Youfoundmeapleasure-lovinganimal,andthroughyourinfluenceIthinkIambecomingsomewhatdifferent.Youhavetaughtmethatthereisahigherandbetterworldthanthatofsense.HowgoodaworkIcandoinlifeIwilllettheyearsproveastheypass.
　　ButIdonotthinkmyfeelingswilleverchangetowardsyou,saveastimedeepensandstrengthensthem.Vanthinksalltheworldofyou,aswellhemay;buthislifewillbeveryhappyandfullofmanyinterest.Ishallthinkofyoualone,andtheworkIdoforyoursakeuntilIcanaddanothermotive.OfcourseIbelieveinaheaven——suchlivesasyourmakeonenecessary;andImeantofindawayofgettingthere.Inthemeantime,youaremymotive;butmyregardforyoushallbesoveryunobtrusivethatItrustyouwillnotresentit,andthethoughtofmyunseencareandwatchfulnessmayintimecometobeapleasantone."
　　Therewasnothinginhistoneormannertoindicatethattotheirfellow-travelersthathewasnotspeakingonthemostordinarytopic;andhelookedherfullinthefacewithhiscleardarkeyes,inwhichshesawonlytruthandfaithfulness.
　　Shewasvery,verydeeplytouched,andshecouldnotkeepthetearsoutofhereyesassheleanedtowardshimandsaidintonesthatnootherscouldhear:
　　"IamnolongerthefriendlessorphanIwaswhenIcametotheLakeHouse.InMr.VanBergIhavefoundafriendwhomIcantrust;inyou,IkStanton,abrotherthatIcanlove."
　　Ifthereader'spatiencehasnotfailedhimuptothislong-deferredmoment,itshallnowberewardedbyafewbrief,concludingwords.
　　Mrs.MayhewfeltconsiderablyaggrievedthatshehadhadsolittlepartinIda'sengagementwiththewealthyandaristocraticMr.
　　VanBerg,andinlateryearsshecomplainedthattheywereveryunfashionable,andspentanunreasonableamountoftimeinlookingafterallkindsofcharitableinstitutions.Mr.Mayhewdrankeverdeeperatthefullfountainofhischild'slove,andisserenelypassingontoanhonorableoldage.Mr.Eltingeisnowbeyondageandweakness,butIdaoftenmurmurswithtearsinhereyesasshelooksathisportrait,"Heisjustspeakingtomeashedidwhenmyheartwasbreaking."Stanton'scityfriendssaythathehasgreatlychangedandmightstandveryhighasalawyerandpoliticianifhewerenotsoquixoticandpronetotakecasesinwhichtherewasnomoney,buthereceiveslettersfromNewEnglandwhichseemtocompensatehimforlackoflargefees.VanBerghasnotyetregrettedthatheentrusted"faultyIdaMayhew"withhishappiness,andheismoreanxiousthanevertolurehertohisstudio.ForalongtimehehadtotakethetruthofherfaithontrustbutatlasthestoodbyhersideatGod'saltarandconfessedthatNamewhichhasbeenthelowliestandgrandestofearth.
　　Idaisstillveryhuman,butwithallherfaults,herhusbandoftenwhispersinherear:"NotIda,butIdeal."SheiscontinuallygivingupherlifeforChrist'ssake,andasoftenfindsitcomingbacktoherinsomericher,sweeterform;andbyhersimple,joyousfaithhasledmanytotheFriendshefoundinthequaintoldgarden,andwhosaysofallwhocome,"Iwillgiveuntothemeternallife."
　　JennieBurtonisstillwaiting;butattheendofeachdayoffaithfulworkshesingsthesongofhopethatIdataughther:
　　Nohope,'tissaid,thoughburieddeep,Butangelso'eritvigilskeep;
　　Noloveinsepulchreshallstay,ForChristMYFriendwillrollawayTheheavystoneofdeath.