he did not know till last night that I was married--until you came into
the room and my feelings got the better of me. But we can trust Gurdon."

"I think I am to be relied upon," Gurdon said with a smile. "You will
pardon me if I say that I never heard a stranger story than yours; and if
at any time I can be of assistance to you, I shall be sincerely happy to
do all that is in my power."

"You are very good," Vera said gratefully. "Who knows how soon I may
call upon you to fulfil your promise? But I am afraid that it will not be
quite yet."

They sat chatting there for some half an hour longer, when a waiter came
in, and advancing to their table proffered Vera a visiting card, on the
back of which a few words had been scribbled. The girl looked a little
anxious and distressed as her eyes ran over the writing on the card. Then
she rose hurriedly.

"I am afraid I shall have to go," she said. "I have been anticipating
this for some little time."

She turned to the waiter, and asked if her maid was outside, to which the
man responded that it was the maid who had brought the card, and that she
was waiting with her wraps in the corridor. Vera extended her hand to
Gurdon as she rose to go.

"I am exceedingly sorry," she said. "This has been a pleasant evening for
me: perhaps the most pleasant evening with one exception that I ever
spent in my life. Gerald will know what evening I mean."