A BANKRUPT HEART. A BANKRUPT HEART. BY FLORENCE MARRYAT, AUTHOR OF ‘LOVE’S CONFLICT,’ ‘MY OWN CHILD,’ ‘PARSON JONES,’ ETC., ETC. _IN THREE VOLUMES._ VOL. III. LONDON: F. V. WHITE & CO., 14 BEDFORD STREET, STRAND, W.C. 1894. _This story being already dramatised, all rights are reserved._ _CONTENTS._ PAGE CHAPTER I. 1 CHAPTER II. 24 CHAPTER III. 47 CHAPTER IV. 70 CHAPTER V. 96 CHAPTER VI. 117 CHAPTER VII. 140 CHAPTER VIII. 164 CHAPTER IX. 187 CHAPTER X. 210 A BANKRUPT HEART. A BANKRUPT HEART. ----_o_---- CHAPTER I. But as she looked at Nell, Nora saw a stain of blood showing through the sleeve of her light print dress. ‘But you _are_ hurt. You are bleeding!’ she exclaimed with horror. ‘Oh, I _am_ so sorry. What can I do for you?’ Nell regarded the blood-stain with calm indifference. ‘It is nothing, my lady. I presume I am speaking to Lady Bowmant,’ she added, with a courtesy that struck Nora as uncommon with her class. ‘Oh, no, I am not Lady Bowmant. I am only one of her visitors. I was driving with her, and she went into a cottage and left me with the carriage, and these two little brutes ran away with me. But how am I to get them home? I dare not take the reins again for my life. How far is it to the Hall?’ ‘Oh, the Hall is only round the corner, madam,’ answered Nell; ‘I would help you to lead them, but--’ Here she hesitated, not knowing how to proceed; then, as if a sudden thought had struck her, she stood on tip-toe and looked over the hedge and called loudly, ‘Tom.’ ‘Yes, miss,’ replied a hedger coming at her call. ‘Come round here at once and lead these horses up to the Hall for this lady. They are beyond her control.’ Then addressing Nora, she continued--‘You had better get in again, madam, and this man will see you safely to the Hall. You will want to send the carriage back for Lady Bowmant.’ ‘Oh, yes, indeed. What will she think of my disappearing in this extraordinary manner? Thank you so much. I don’t know what I should have done without your assistance. But I am so troubled about your arm. I am sure you are horribly hurt,’ said Nora, as she mounted into the dog-cart.