Nita had sunk down wearily upon a lounge, her dark head falling among the satin pillows, but at those words she rose up with a startled cry:
Mrs. Courtney, settling herself cozily into an easy chair, replied blandly:
"Oh, I forgot you went away with Dorian that day, and did not hear about Miser Farnham's terrible accident."
"But, yes, I did, Mrs. Courtney, oh, yes. They told me on the yacht that night. Captain Van Hise told me--that my guardian had been killed on the elevated railroad," Nita cried eagerly, breathlessly.
"He was mistaken," Mrs. Courtney answered placidly. "He was severely wounded, and it was believed that he would certainly die, but he is still alive at Bellevue Hospital, and although nothing but a wreck still, the doctors and nurses say that he will be sure to recover."
She never forgot the white horror of the girl's face, nor the anguish of despair in her eyes.
"Alive?" cried Nita wildly, "alive? Why, how can that be? I am married to Dorian, you know!"
"Yes; and it was a very reprehensible affair, I think," Mrs. Courtney answered stiffly. "An elopement always carries with it the odor of disgrace."
But Nita was deaf to her words of blame. With a stifled moan of the bitterest despair, she fell back unconscious.
"What a nuisance!" muttered Mrs. Courtney, but she bathed Nita's face until she came to herself with a long, low sigh of deepest pain.
"I have been dreaming--oh, such a dreadful dream!" she shuddered.
"No, it was not a dream, Nita. I was telling you your guardian was alive, and you fainted--from excess of joy, I suppose," added the lady maliciously.
Nita sat up and pressed her small hand wearily to her brow. Despair made her brave.
"No, Mrs. Courtney, it was excess of sorrow," she answered frankly.
"Do you think so?" asked Nita, with calmness. "No matter, I was glad when I heard that he was dead. I hated him--oh, I cannot tell you how I feared and hated him."
"Can you ask?" cried Nita despairingly. "Who could love that grim, horrible old man? And I told you once--you remember that night--that he would never, never let me marry Dorian!"
"Yet you married him, all the same, so what does his life matter? He cannot undo the elopement!" returned Mrs. Courtney, wondering at the girl's strange words and manner.