Sally Pendleton's amazement was so great she could hardly repress the cry of amazement that arose to her lips. She had never for an instant doubted that this beautiful Bernardine, who had won the proud, unbending heart of haughty Jay Gardiner, was some great 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 stood in front of the tall, forbidding tenement and looked up at the narrow, grimy windows. It seemed almost incredible that handsome, fastidious Jay Gardiner would even come to such a place, let alone fall in love with an inmate of it.