"Yes. All my handkerchiefs are marked. I think I had it in my hand when I was in the Square, but I can't be sure. It is of no consequence. There are plenty of girls named Florence. How did you cut your hand?" "With some broken glass. _That's_ of no consequence. It is only a scratch." The exertion and haste he had made in scraping the wax off Reginald's boots had started the blood. "Let me bind it up. Oh, Dick, you are our good angel! Dear Dick! Reginald likes you so much! But he had an idea that you didn't care for him." "I care for him very much, Florence." "And do you know," she said, almost gaily, so happy was she in the prospect of Reginald's speedy recovery, and of removing the cloud of misery she had brought upon her parents, "he had another idea--but I won't mention that." "Yes, do, dear. Remember, you are to hide nothing from me." "Well, he had an idea that you were fond of me." "He is right. I am very fond of you, Florence." "I know that, dear. But in another way, he meant. You understand." "Yes, dear cousin, I understand." "I told him that we had been brought up together, and that he wasn't to be jealous of my dear cousin Dick. Foolish of him, wasn't it?" "Very foolish. How could such an idea have got into his head?" "Well--perhaps--it--was--natural," she said, with an arch pause between each word. Ah, if she could have read his heart at that moment! But he did not betray himself. "There! I am sure your hand must feel more comfortable. I hope your feelings won't change towards me now that I'm a married woman." "My feelings will never change, Florence, dear." "A married woman! How strange and beautiful it sounds! To think of the time when we were playing together as little children! Such changes, Dick, such changes! It is almost as if we were not ourselves. My dear cousin! Do you think dear mother and father will come to me?" "I will answer for them. Now, I must go. Every moment saved is a moment of happiness gained to them." "Go, Dick, go quickly." They kissed, and he was gone. When he was in the street he looked up at the window, and saw her standing there, looking out after him. She threw the window open, and kissed her hand to him. He returned the fond sign and hurried on. "Steady, Dick, steady," he said. CHAPTER XXIV. DR. VINSEN TAKES AN INTEREST IN DICK. The admonition was needed, for his brain was in a whirl. The disclosure of Reginald's movements made by Florence, his statement to her that he had an idea for improving his circumstances which he intended to carry out "whatever came of it," his silence regarding his visits to the house in Catchpole Square, his fevered ravings about his father--were, as Dick said with a groan, "so many nails in his coffin."