rs Varrick, Hubert's mother.

"There are no words that I can find to express to you, Jessie Bain, my
amazement and sorrow," she began, "at this, the evidence of your guilt."

"Oh, Mrs. Varrick!" gasped Jessie, finding breath at last, though her
head seemed to reel with the horror of the situation, "by all that I
hold dear in this world, believe me, I am not guilty. I swear to you I
did not take your bracelet; I know as little of the theft as an unborn
babe!"

Mrs. Varrick drew herself up haughtily.

"The detective wishes me to give you up to the law, to cast you into
prison, but I can not quite make up my mind to do it. Now listen.
Because of my son's interest in you, I will spare you on one condition,
and that is, that you leave this place within the hour, and go far
away--so far that you will never again see any one who might know you;
least of all, my son. His anger against you would be terrible."

All in vain Jessie threw herself at her feet, protesting over and over
again her innocence, and calling upon God and the angels to bear witness
to the truth of what she said.

The detective had been pacing up and down the room, an expression of the
deepest concern on his face.

He noted that instead of being glad to get off so easily from a terrible
affair that would cost her many a year behind grim prison walls, this
girl's agonizing cry was that she should remain there and prove her
innocence to Hubert Varrick.

Surely, he thought, there must be some way of doing so. But Mrs. Varrick
was inexorable.

The girl's lovely head was bowed to the very earth.

"Have pity on me," moaned Jessie Bain, "and show me mercy!"

"I will give you ten minutes to decide your future," was Mrs. Varrick's
heartless reply.

When the ten minutes had elapsed, Mrs. Varrick rose majestically to her
feet.

CHAPTER XII.

OUT IN THE COLD, BLEAK WORLD!

"No doubt you have decided ere this what course you intend to pursue,"
said Mrs. Varrick sternly.

"I-- I will do whatever you wish," sobbed the girl; "but oh! let me
plead with you to let me stay here until Mr. Varrick returns!"

Mrs. Varrick's face grew livid in spots with anger, but by a splendid
effort she managed to control herself before the detective. She turned
to him.

"Will you kindly step into an inner room, and there await the conclusion
of this conference?" she asked.

He bowed courteously and complied with her request. When Mrs. Varrick
found herself alone