reat heiress, royal in her pomp and pride, and worth millions of money.
No wonder Doctor Covert's words almost took her breath away.

"Are you quite sure?" she responded, after a moment's pause. "Surely, as
you remarked, then there must be _some_ mistake."

"I am positive Doctor Gardiner knows but this one Bernardine. In fact, I
heard him say that he never remembered hearing that beautiful name until
he heard it for the first time in the humble home of the old
basket-maker. And he went on to tell me how lovely the girl was, despite
her surroundings."

The veiled lady arose hastily, her hands clinched.

"I thank you for your information," she said, huskily, as she moved
rapidly toward the door.

"She is going without my even knowing who she is," thought Doctor
Covert, and he sprung from his chair, saying, eagerly:

"I beg a thousand pardons if the remark I am about to make seems
presumptuous; but believe that it comes from a heart not prompted by
idle curiosity--far, far from that."

"What is it that you wish to know?" asked Sally, curtly.

"Who you are," he replied, with blunt eagerness. "I may as well tell you
the truth. I am deeply interested in you, even though you are a
stranger, and the bare possibility that we may never meet again fills me
with the keenest sorrow I have ever experienced."

Sally Pendleton was equal to the occasion.

"I must throw him off the track at once by giving him a false name and
address," she thought.

She hesitated only a moment.

"My name is Rose Thorne," she replied, uttering the falsehood without
the slightest quiver in her voice. "I attend a private school for young
ladies in Gramercy Park. We are soon to have a public reception, to
which we are entitled to invite our friends, and I should be pleased to
send you a card if you think you would care to attend."

"I should be delighted," declared Doctor Covert, eagerly. "If you honor
me with an invitation, I shall be sure to be present. I would not miss
seeing you again."

Was it only his fancy, or did he hear a smothered laugh from beneath the
thick dark veil which hid the girl's face from his view?

The next moment Sally was gone, and the young doctor gazed after her, as
he did on the former occasion with a sigh, and already began looking
forward to the time when he should see her again. Meanwhile, Sally lost
no time in finding the street and house indicated.

A look of intense amazement overspread her face as she stoo