Mr. Rockharrt beckoned the best-looking turnout and handed his granddaughter into it.

“Drive to St. L——­’s Hospital,” he said.

The hackman touched his hat and drove off.  In less than fifteen minutes he drew up before the front of St. L——­’s.

The hackman jumped down, went up and rang the bell.  Then he came back to the carriage and opened the door.

Mr. Rockharrt got out, followed by his granddaughter.

“Wait here!” he said to the hackman, as he went to the door, which was promptly opened by an attendant.

“I wish to see the physician in charge here, or the head of the hospital, or whatever may be his official title,” said the Iron King.

“You mean the Rev. Dr. ——­”

“Yes, yes; take him my card.”

“Walk in the parlor, sir.”

The attendant conducted the party into a spacious, plainly furnished reception or waiting room, saw them seated, and then took away Mr. Rockharrt’s card.

A few minutes passed, and a tall, white haired, venerable form, clothed in a long black coat and a round skull cap, entered the room, looking from side to side for his visitor.

Mr. Rockharrt got up and went to meet him.

“Mr. Rockharrt, of North End?” courteously inquired the venerable man.

“The same.  Dr. ——­, I presume.”

“Yes, sir.  Pray be seated.  And this lady?” inquired the venerable doctor, courteously turning toward Cora.

“Oh—­my granddaughter, Mrs. Rothsay.”

The aged man shook hands kindly with Cora, and then turned to Mr. Rockharrt, as if silently questioning his will.

“I came to inquire about the lady who was found in an unconscious state at the Hudson River Railway depot.  How is she?” The old man’s anxiety betrayed itself even through his deliberate words.

“She is better.  You know the lady?”

“More than know her—­have been intimate with her for many years.  She is our guest and traveling companion.  She got separated from us in the crowd which was pressing through the railway gate to take the train yesterday morning.  I surely thought when I missed her that she had found her way to some car.  But it appears that she was seized with vertigo, or something, and so missed the train.”

“Yes; a lady, one of our regular visitors, found her there, by Providence, in a state of deep stupor, and being unable to discover her friends, or name, or address, put her in a carriage and brought her directly here.”

“She is better, you say?  I wish to see her and take her back to our apartments,” said Mr. Rockharrt.

“I will send for one of the nurses to take you to her room.  You will excuse me.  I am momentarily expecting the Dean of Olivet, who is on a visit to our city, and comes to-day to go through the hospital,” said the doctor, and he rang a bell.

“The dean here?  Why, I thought we left him at West Point,” said Mr. Rockharrt.