it down on one of the benches, talk matters over, and decide what
is best to be done--where you would like to go for your wedding-trip;
but, my love, my sweetheart, my life, you must not call me 'Doctor
Gardiner.' To you, from this time on, I am Jay, your own fond husband!"

CHAPTER XXX.

Jay Gardiner had taken fate in his own hands. He had married the girl he
loved, casting aside every barrier that lay between them, even to facing
the wrath, and, perhaps, the world's censure in deserting the girl to
whom he was betrothed, but whom he did not love.

He was deeply absorbed in thinking about this as the cab stopped at the
park entrance.

"Come, my darling!" exclaimed Jay, kissing fondly the beautiful face
upturned to him, "we will alight and talk over our plans for the
future."

She clung to him, as he with tender care, lifted her from the vehicle.

He was her husband, this grand, kingly, fair-haired man, at whom the
women passing looked so admiringly. She could hardly realize it, hardly
dare believe it, but for the fact that he was calling her his darling
bride with every other breath.

He found her a seat beneath a wide-spreading tree, where the greensward
was like velvet beneath their feet, and the air was redolent with the
scent of flowers that rioted in the sunshine hard by.

"Now, first of all, my precious Bernardine, we must turn our thoughts in
a practical direction long enough to select which hotel we are to go to;
and another quite as important matter, your wardrobe, you know."

Bernardine looked up at him gravely.

"This dress will do for the present," she declared. "The good, kind old
nurse dried and pressed it out so nicely for me that it looks almost as
good as new. And as for going to a hotel, I am sure it is too expensive.
We could go to a boarding-house where the charges would be moderate."

Jay Gardiner threw back his handsome head, and laughed so loud and so
heartily that Bernardine looked at him anxiously.

"Now that I come to think the matter over, I don't think I ever told
you much concerning my financial affairs," he said, smiling.

"No; but papa guessed about them," replied Bernardine.

"Tell me what he guessed?" queried Jay. "He thought I was poor?"

"Yes," replied Bernardine, frankly. "He said that all doctors had a very
hard time of it when they started in to build up a practice, and that
you must be having a very trying experience to make both ends meet."

"Was that wh