morning of life," he thought. Suddenly she turned and attempted to dart across the street. But in that moment her foot slipped, and she was precipitated directly under the horses' hoofs. A cry broke from the lips of the doctor, and was echoed by the man on the box. "Are you hurt?" cried Doctor Gardiner, springing from his seat and bending over the prostrate figure of the girl. "No, no!" cried the girl, in the saddest, sweetest voice he had ever heard. "They must not find me here when they come to the door; they will be so angry!" she said, springing to her feet. At that moment there was a commotion in the wine-room, the door of which had just been opened. As the girl turned to look in that direction, she saw a man pushed violently into the street. "Oh, it is father--it is father!" cried the young girl, wildly, shaking herself free from the doctor's detaining hand. "Oh, they have killed my father! See! he is lying on the pavement dead, motionless! Oh, God, pity me! I am left alone in the wide, wide world!" CHAPTER VII. BERNARDINE. Doctor Gardiner sprung forward quickly. "You are unnecessarily alarmed, my dear young lady," he said. "The gentleman is only stunned." So it proved to be; for he had scarcely ceased speaking when the man struggled to his feet and looked about him in dazed bewilderment. "Oh, papa, darling, have they killed you!" sobbed the young girl, springing wildly forward and throwing her arms about the dust-begrimed man. "I don't know, Bernardine," he answered in a shrill voice. "I am sure every bone in my body is broken--quite sure." "No," interrupted Doctor Gardiner, pitying the young girl in her distress; "you are only bruised. I am a doctor; if you will give me your address, I will look in and give you something when I return this way. I may return in an hour's time, I may be as late as to-morrow morning." "We--we--could not pay for the services of a doctor, sir," sobbed the young girl. "If there is anything the matter, I will have to take poor papa to the hospital."
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