She was blushing with confusion and shame. “Oh, what have I done!” she whispered, thinking how she had flung herself on her knees and lifted his head before this crowd. Two policemen were near. One asked Frank if he hadn’t better go to a hospital and should he send in a call for an ambulance? “No, no!” exclaimed Merry. “Don’t do it, officer! I am all right—not a bone broken, and scarcely an abrasion. Move these staring people along, and then we’ll get away from here as soon as possible.” Then, as the two policemen scattered the crowd, Frank spoke to the girl. “You have done nothing unladylike, Miss Dugan.” “What will you think of me?” she gasped. “What I have always thought—that you are one of the bravest girls I ever met. You saved my life once. Did you think I could forget that?” “I did not know.” “But you forgot to keep your promise—you never wrote me a line.” “I could not! When I thought it all over, I was so ashamed of myself that I resolved never to write to you, and I thought we could never meet again.” “You had no cause to be ashamed.” “Yes, I had. I was so bold! I saw it all afterward, and I knew how I must look in your eyes.” “You saw it in a wrong light, Miss Dugan. I never thought of you as bold. Indeed, I have thought of you in quite a different light.” “Truly?” “On my word of honor.” “I believe you!” she joyously exclaimed. “Nothing could make me doubt you.” “Come,” said Frank; “the officer has scattered the crowd. I see my cabby is being taken away in an ambulance. Poor fellow! And the one who ran us down escaped. Well, you and I will take another cab to escape from the curious eyes that are watching us.” Frank was himself again. He called a cab, assisted Hilda to enter, said “Up Broadway,” and was quickly beside her. Frank’s head was still humming, and he was badly shaken up. Had he not been an athlete in the finest possible condition it is probable he would have been injured far more severely; but the fellow who can quickly recover after being tackled while at full run on the football-field and hurled heavily to the frozen ground is not easily knocked out by any kind of fall. It is true that the man who keeps himself in the very best physical condition can withstand shocks and injuries that would surely maim or kill weak and flabby persons. This explains why time after time Frank was able to endure without serious or permanent injury things which must have wrecked and ruined a weakling. He had helped Hilda into a hansom, and now he was seated beside her. He glanced at her, and his eyes told him she was even more attractive than when he had seen her far away in the wilds of northern Maine. Often since that meeting he had wondered if she would have appeared so pretty to his eyes had he seen her first in a city, and now his question was answered.