The voice suddenly trailed off into silence and Bonnie dropped back limply upon the pillow.

The nurse sprang like an angry bear who has seen somebody troubling her cubs.  She touched vigorously a button in the wall as she passed and swooped down upon the tawdry finery, stuffing it unceremoniously into the box; then she turned upon the little fur-trimmed lady, placed a capable arm about her slim waist, and scooped her out of the room.  Flinging the bulging box down at her feet, where it gaped widely, gushing forth in pink, blue, cerise, and silver, she shut the door and flew back to her charge.

Down the hall hurried the emergency doctor, formidable in his white-linen uniform.  When Gila looked up from the confusion at her feet she encountered the gaze of a pair of grave and disapproving eyes behind a pair of fascinating tortoise-shell goggles.  She was not accustomed to disapproval in masculine eyes and it infuriated her.

“What does all this mean?” His voice expressed a good many kinds of disapproval.

“It means that I have been insulted, sir, by one of your nurses!” declared Gila, in her most haughty tone, with a tilt of her chin and a flirt of her fur trappings.  “I shall make it my business to see that she is removed at once from her position.”

The doctor eyed her mildly, as though she were a small bat squeaking at a mighty hawk.  “Indeed!  I fancy you will find that a rather difficult matter!” he answered, contemptuously.  “She is one of our best nurses!  James!” to a passing assistant, “escort this person and her—­belongings”—­looking doubtfully at the mess on the floor—­“down to the street!”

Then he swiftly entered Bonnie’s room, closing and fastening the door behind him.

The said James, with an ill-concealed grin, stooped to his task; and thus, in mortification, wrath, and ignominy, did Gila descend to her waiting limousine.

There were tears of anger on her cheeks as she sat back against her cushions; more tears fell, which, regardless of her pearly complexion, she wiped away with a cobweb of a handkerchief, while she sat and hated Courtland, and the whole tribe of college men, her cousin Bill Ward included, for getting her into a scrape like this.  Defeat was a thing she could not brook.  She had never, since she came out of short frocks, been so defeated in her life!  But it should not be defeat!  She would take her full revenge for all that had happened!  Courtland should bite the dust!  She would show him that he could not go around picking up stray beauties and sending her after them to pet them for him.

She did not watch for acquaintances during that ride home.  She remained behind drawn curtains.  Arrived at home, she stormed up to her room, giving orders to her maid not to disturb her, and sat down angrily to indite an epistle to Courtland that should bring him to his knees.

Meantime the doctor and nurse worked silently, skilfully over Bonnie until the weary eyes opened once more, and a long-drawn sigh showed that the girl had come back to the world.