on in your head, anyhow, Nadine?" he said,
evasively, thinking it best to temporize with the raging fury
confronting him.

"I heard all about it," she panted, hoarsely.

"Then some one has been cruelly maligning me," he cried; "and you, of
all people in the world, Nadine, should not have believed it. Hush! some
one is coming. I hear footsteps. Meet me later. I want to have a long
talk with you. But, by the way, what are you doing here at this house,
Nadine?"

"Did I not tell you that I answered Doctor Crandall's advertisement for
a nurse, and that this is my errand here? But what are _you_ doing
here?"

"I may as well tell you the truth, Nadine," he said, despairingly,
seeing that it would all come out sooner or later. "I--I have been
studying medicine since I met you, and they have engaged me as
physician. But now that surprises are in order, I suppose you know who
lives here?"

"No," she answered.

"It is your old friend Garner, who used to be in the book-bindery. He
has acquired sudden wealth--Heaven knows how. His mother is living with
him, and also that pretty girl whom I used to think was so quiet--Miss
Staples."

Before Nadine could reply, her amazement was so great, the door was
opened by the quiet footman, and they were ushered into the
drawing-room.

Kendal had barely time to whisper to Nadine: "These people do not know
that I am the same one whom they used to know as the car conductor.
Don't give me away," ere the door opened, and Mrs. Garner made her
appearance.

"Ah! you have brought a nurse with you, doctor," she said, in a tone of
great relief.

So saying, she led the way to the sick-room.

Nadine's entrance caused the greatest surprise to both Mr. Garner and
Jessie.

No one thought of noticing the plain, dark little figure half hidden by
the curtains in the bay window, or they would have seen Dorothy start
and fairly gasp for breath as her eyes fell upon the nurse Kendal had
brought with him, and heard them discuss the point that Nadine must be
installed there as nurse.

Her brain fairly reeled, and it flashed over her mind what a villain
Kendal really was.

She had quite believed all this long time that he had parted from Nadine
Holt, and here he had been keeping up Nadine's friendship clandestinely
through it all.

Of course Iris Vincent was expecting to marry him.

It was clear that Kendal had a good many irons in the fire.

She only wished that Iris Vincent knew of his frien