n answered, tremulously, and with
startling tears.

"Was he badly hurt?" inquired the lady, languidly.

"Well, he has a couple of protuberances upon his head, three serious
bruises on one leg, and a deep cut on the other from broken
window-glass. Our young hero--and he is a hero, Mrs. Mencke--is pretty
well battered up; but, please God, we are going to save him, and he'll
come out as good as new in time." Doctor Norton returned, with an energy
that made Mrs. Richardson smile, though with tremulous lips.

"It was a frightful accident," murmured Mrs. Mencke, with a slight
shiver.

"You may well say that, madame; and it was a happy inspiration on the
part of Mr. Richardson to try to save Miss Huntington in the way that he
did. By suspending himself from the straps and make her cling to him he
broke the force of the crash for both of them; and, if she lives, there
is not the slightest doubt in the world that she will owe her life to
his thoughtfulness," said the worthy doctor.

"I am sure it was very good of him, and--we are very grateful to him,"
was the tardy admission of Violet's proud sister; but it lacked the ring
of sincerity, and her patronizing manner plainly indicated that her
pride rebelled against all feeling of obligation to an humble carpenter.

"You certainly have reason to be," Doctor Norton retorted; then, bowing
coldly to her, he went into the small bedroom leading from the
sitting-room, to see how his hero fared.

"How is she now, doctor?" Wallace eagerly asked, the moment he crossed
the threshold.

It was always his first thought and inquiry whenever the physician made
his appearance, and he would never allow him to pay the slightest
attention to himself until he had first made an examination of Violet's
condition.

"Pretty sick, my boy; but I hope she is going to pull through," he
cheerfully replied.

"Thank heaven!" murmured the young man, fervently.

Doctor Norton observed him keenly for a moment, with a kindly yet
somewhat anxious gleam in his eyes; then he said:

"Look here, my fine fellow, let me give you a little timely warning;
don't you go to falling in love with this pretty Violet--you'll only
make mischief for both yourself and her if you do, for her friends are
rich, and proud as Lucifer--as hard-hearted, too, if I am not
mistaken--and nothing but a fortune will ever tempt them to yield her to
the best lover in the world."

The young man flushed a vivid crimson at this blunt s