During all this time Edward had listened with tears in his eyes. His sympathetic nature had thrown open the doors of his heart and soul; he was enraptured, and it was all he could do not to fall at her feet and tell her of his love. He wanted to live his life with hers; he felt drawn toward that strange nature, and loved her intensely, as he sat there holding and pressing her hand. There seemed to be an established current of a mysterious magnetic fluid that drew his whole life to her. "Have you ever loved any one, Edward?" she asked him, looking him in the eyes. For an instant the name of Marie Louise fluttered in his mind, and then he said: "I don't believe I have until now." She did not appear to take any notice of his last words, but a satisfied look came over her face. She changed the subject and asked him if he was going to St. Paul on the morrow. "I will have to--my friend will not want to wait any longer." "Let him go alone," she suggested. "But what will I do here?" "What will you do in St. Paul?" "Well, I do not know--but we will likely go into some kind of business, my friend and I, and then I can come back and see you." She looked at Edward for an instant, and a queer light came in her eyes, as she said: "You will not go; you can do just as well here as in St. Paul. As to your friend, let him go; or, if he will remain here, I will help him to find something to do." Not go! It was a new turn of things, and Edward did not know what to say. "Tell me that you are willing to remain in Chicago, Edward, and I will arrange the rest with your friend," pleaded Nellie. "All right," said Edward, "if only you can induce him to stay, I will be glad." It was decided that they should both walk to the hotel where Ben was waiting, and talk the matter over. Nellie went into the next room, and coming back in her street costume, they started at once to meet the Russian. Edward was dubious. He feared that his friend would think him crazy, and he felt keenly the injustice of compelling him to remain in Chicago on his account, but love was in his heart, and he would have done anything rather than displease Nellie; in fact, he was no longer his own master--she held full sway over his mind. When they arrived at the hotel, the Russian was much surprised to see Edward with a lady, and he was really embarrassed when Edward presented him to Miss King. Nellie sat in front of the Russian, and after a few moments of conventional talk the main subject was touched. At first the Russian could hardly grasp the idea. Why should they stop in Chicago, when they had taken their tickets for St. Paul? "You can sell your tickets at a broker's office, at a small loss," said Nellie, "and the chances of finding employment are just as good here as in St. Paul, in fact, better, because I can help you here." "You can help us? How?" asked the Russian.