"I am very poor indeed, madame," Jessie said, "but I-- I could not take one penny from--from the person who believes me guilty of theft. But I will sign the agreement, because--because you ask me to do so."
"Then step this way," said Mrs. Varrick, going to the table, where, pushing a folded paper aside, Jessie saw a closely written doc.u.ment lying beneath it. On the further end of the table a gold pen was resting on a bronze ink-tray.
Mrs. Varrick dipped the pen in the ink, and handed it to the girl.
"Sign there," she said, indicating, with a very shaking finger, a line at the bottom.
Perfectly innocent of the dastardly trap that had been set for her, Jessie took 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 s.n.a.t.c.hed 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 pa.s.sed 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 doc.u.ment the contents of which she is ignorant!
This doc.u.ment 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 doc.u.ment Jessie Bain signed her name clearly and plainly.
With hurried step Mrs. Varrick crossed the room and locked the precious doc.u.ment 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 the girl"s presence," she said, coldly. "I thank you for your sagacity in tracing my diamond bracelet," she said, thinking it best to throw in a dash of covert flattery, "and I shall be pleased to settle your bill whenever you wish to present it."
The detective bowed himself out of her presence, and left the house, musing on the mysterious robbery, and saying to himself: "I would be far more apt to suspect the lady of the house than that young girl."
He sighed and went on his way; but all day long, while immersed in the business which usually was of such an exciting nature that he had no time for any other thought, the lovely face of Jessie Bain rose up before him.
He threw down his pen at last in despair.
"I must be bewitched," he muttered. "If I were a younger man I would certainly say that I had fallen in love. I must find out where that girl has gone, and have a little talk with her. I can not bring myself to believe that she stole that bracelet."
He put on his hat and reached for his cane.
"I can not say how long it will be before I shall return," he said to his fellow detective in charge of the office.
In the meantime, in her lonely mansion, Mrs. Varrick was writing a long letter to her son. In it she expressed the hope that he was having a pleasant time, and that he must not hurry home, but stay and attend to business thoroughly, even though it took him a little longer. But not one word did she mention of Jessie Bain. So preoccupied was she with her own thoughts that she did not know Hubert had entered the room until she heard his voice.
"I will save you the trouble of posting your letter, mother. I see it is addressed to me. You can read me the contents in person."
CHAPTER XIII.
"I LOVE JESSIE BAIN WITH ALL MY HEART AND SOUL!"
Mrs. Varrick started back with a low cry.
"Is it you, Hubert?"
"Yes; but upon my honor, mother, you don"t seem overglad to see me."
"I thought you were to have been gone a fortnight."
"I succeeded in getting the business attended to much more speedily than you thought it could be done. I did not make any visits, as I was anxious to get home. But, mother, how white and ill you look!" he added.
"I am quite well, but I have been suffering from a nervous headache, Hubert," she answered.
"By the way," he said suddenly, "I did not forget to bring a few little souvenirs home with me," and as he spoke he drew two small velvet cases from his pocket, one of which he handed his mother, retaining the other in his hand.
Opening it, Mrs. Varrick found that it contained a magnificent diamond bracelet.
"That is to match, as near as possible, the beautiful bracelet you already have, mother," he said, carelessly.
She reeled back as though he had struck her a sudden blow, and looked at him with terror in her eyes.
"What is there in that other little velvet case?" she asked, as he made no move to hand it to her.
"It is not for you, mother," he responded. "It is for Jessie."
He pressed the little spring and the lid of the purple velvet box flew back, and there, lying on its shimmering satin bed, she beheld a beautiful little turquois ring set with tiny diamonds.
"Jessie has never had a ring in all her life," he declared, "and it will please me to be the one to present her with the first one that will ever grace her little hand. Girl-like, she is fond of such trinkets. The sparkle of the tiny diamonds will delight her as nothing else has done in her whole life."
A discordant laugh broke from Mrs. Varrick"s lips.
"Ay, the glitter of diamonds pleases her. How well you know the girl!"
she cried shrilly. "But for glittering diamonds she might have lived a happy enough life of it. Will people ever learn the lesson that they can not pick up girls from the depths of poverty and obscurity and transplant then into elegant surroundings and expect good to come of it?"
"This present is very inexpensive," declared Hubert. "Won"t you please ring for Jessie to come to us? I am anxious to see if it is the right size. It will be fun to see her big blue eyes open and hear her exclaim in dismay: "Oh, Mr. Varrick, is it really for me?" Girls at her age are enthusiastic, and their joy is genuine upon receiving any little token of esteem."
Again Mrs. Varrick laughed that harsh, discordant laugh.
"The ring is very pretty, Hubert," she said ironically, "but Jessie Bain would never thank you for so inexpensive a gift. That diamond bracelet is much more to her fancy."
"Girls of her age might fancy diamond bracelets, but they would never care to possess them, because they could not wear them, as they would be entirely out of place."
For the third time that harsh, shrill laugh from Mrs. Varrick"s lips filled the room.
"I repeat, this bracelet would be more to her fancy," she added, grimly.
"If you will not ring for Jessie, I will do it myself," said Hubert, good-humoredly; adding: "You are just a little bit jealous, mother, and wish to keep me all to yourself, I imagine."