"I can never rest night or day until I have seen this Bernardine and
swept her from my path!" she cried.
She made up her mind that she would not tell her mother or Louisa just
yet. It would worry her mother to discover that she had a rival, while
Louisa--well, she was so envious of her, as it was, she might exult in
the knowledge.
But how should she discover who this beautiful Bernardine was of whom he
spoke with so much feeling?
Suddenly she stopped short and brought her two hands together, crying,
excitedly:
"Eureka! I have found a way. I will follow up this scheme, and see what
I can find out. Jay Gardiner will be out of the city for a few days. I
will see his office attendant--he does not know me--and will never be
able to recognize me again the way I shall disguise myself, and I will
learn from him what young lady the doctor knows whose name begins with
Bernardine. It is not an ordinary name, and he will be sure to remember
it, I am confident, if he ever heard it mentioned."
It was an easy matter for Sally to slip out of the house early the next
day without attracting attention, although she was dressed in her
gayest, most stunning gown.
Calling a passing cab, she entered it, and soon found herself standing
before Jay Gardiner's office, which she lost no time in entering.
A young and handsome man, who sat at a desk, deeply engrossed in a
medical work, looked up with an expression of annoyance on his face at
being interrupted; but when he beheld a most beautiful young lady
standing on the threshold, his annoyance quickly vanished, and a bland
smile lighted up his countenance. He bowed profoundly, and hastened to
say:
"Is there anything I can do for you, miss?"
"I want to see Doctor Gardiner," said Sally, in her sweetest, most
silvery voice. "Are you the doctor?"
"No," he answered, with a shadow of regret in his tone. "I am studying
with Doctor Gardiner. He has been suddenly called out of the city. He
may be gone a day, possibly a week. Is there anything I can do for you?"
"I fear not, sir. Still, I will tell you my errand, if I may be seated
for a few moments."
"Certainly," he responded, placing a chair for his lovely young visitor;
adding: "Pray pardon my seeming negligence in not asking you to be
seated."
Sally sunk gracefully into the chair the young physician watching her
the while with admiring eyes.
"My call on Doctor Gardiner is not to secure his services in a
professional capacity," she began, hesitatingly; "but to learn from him
the address of a young lady I am trying to find."
"If it is any one who is his patient, or has been at any time, I think I
can help you. He has the addresses down in a book."
"But supposing he knew her socially, not professionally, her name would
not be apt to be down on his list, would it?" she queried, anxiously.
"No," he admitted. "But I think I know every one whom the doctor knows
socially--every one, in fact, save the young lady--a Miss Pendleton,
whom he is soon to marry. You see, we were college chums, and I have
been his partner in office work over five years. So I will be most
likely to know if you will state the name."
"That is just the difficulty," said Sally, with her most bewildering
smile, which quite captivated the young doctor. "I met the young lady
only once, and I have forgotten her address as well as her last name,
remembering only her Christian name--Bernardine. I met her in Doctor
Gardiner's company only a few weeks ago. He would certainly recollect
her name."
"Undoubtedly," declared the young physician. "I regret deeply that he is
not here to give you the desired information."
"Would you do me a favor if you could, sir?" asked Sally, with a glance
from her eyes that brought every man she looked at in that way--save Jay
Gardiner--to her dainty feet.
The young physician blushed to the very roots of his fair hair.
"You have only to name it, and if it is anything in my power, believe
that I will do my utmost to accomplish it. I--I would do anything to--to
please you."
"I would like you to find out from Doctor Gardiner the address of
Bernardine," said Sally, in a low, tremulous voice; "only do not let him
know that any one is interested in finding it out save yourself. Do you
think you can help me?"
He pondered deeply for a moment, then his face brightened, as he said:
"I think I have hit upon a plan. I will write him, and say I have found
the name Bernardine on a slip of paper which he has marked, 'Patients
for prompt attention,' the balance of the name being torn from the slip,
and ask the address and full information as to who she is."
"A capital idea!" exclaimed Sally, excitedly. "I--I congratulate you
upon your shrewdness. If you find out this girl's address, you will
place me under everlasting obligations to you."
"If you will call at this hour two days from now, I shall have the
address," he said, slowly.