the pen from the hand of Hubert's mother, and fearlessly
wrote her name--signing away all hopes of happiness for all time to
come, and putting a brand on her innocent brow more terrible than the
brand of Cain.

Without waiting for the ink to dry upon it, Mrs. Varrick eagerly
snatched the paper and thrust it into her bosom.

Jessie slowly left the room, and a few moments later, carrying the same
little bundle that she had brought with her, she passed slowly up the
walk and through the arched gate-way, Mrs. Varrick watching after her
from behind the lace-draped window.

She watched her out of sight, praying that she might never see her face
again.

"I have separated my son from her," she muttered, sinking down upon a
cushioned chair. "Any means was justifiable. He would have married
her--it was drifting toward that, and rapidly. I could see it. Heaven
only knows how I have plotted and planned, first to find some business
by which my son could be called from the city, and during his absence
get rid of that girl--so effectually get rid of her that she would
never cross his path again. And I have succeeded!"

As she spoke she drew from her bosom the paper which Jessie Bain had
signed, and ran her eyes over it.

Heaven pity any girl who signs a document the contents of which she is
ignorant!

This document was a statement acknowledging that she, Jessie, had taken
Mrs. Varrick's diamond bracelet, and had hidden it in the bottom of her
trunk, intending to slip out the following day and dispose of it,
thinking she would have plenty of time to do so ere its loss was
discovered; but that in this she had miscalculated, as Mrs. Varrick soon
became aware of the theft; that search was made for it, and that a
detective, who had been secured for the purpose of tracing it,
discovered it in its hiding-place in her trunk; and that, knowing the
consequences, she in her terror had made a full confession, acknowledged
her guilt and threw herself completely upon Mrs. Varrick's mercy, who
had promised not to prosecute her providing she left the country, which
she was only too willing to do.

And to this terrible document Jessie Bain signed her name clearly and
plainly.

With hurried step Mrs. Varrick crossed the room and locked the precious
document in a secret drawer of her _escritoire_; then she remembered
that the detective was awaiting her. She summoned him quickly.

"The matter has been adjusted, and we have rid the house of t