Smarting with pain, he dropped Jessie's arm and sprang forward, and attempted to wrest the whip from the infuriated young woman's hands. "Take that! and that! and that!" she cried, again and yet again; and with each word the blows rained down faster and faster upon his face and hands. There was but one way to escape, and that was in ignominious flight. "So," cried Mally Marsh, as she turned to Jessie "this is all the heed you paid to my warning, is it? If I gave you your just deserts, I would thrash you within an inch of your life, for attempting to take my lover away from me! Now listen to what I have to say, girl, and take warning: You must leave this company at once. If you do not do so, I will not answer for myself. Do not make it an excuse that you have no money. Here!" and with the word she flung a bill in her face. "The depot is to your right. Go there, and take the first train back to the city whence you came. Go, I say, while yet I can keep my wrath in check." Jessie stood there for a moment like one stupefied. She tried to explain how it had happened, but her companion would not listen and walked away. As one lost, Jessie wandered to the depot, where a policeman, noticing her distress, drew her story from her. He said he knew of a most respectable old woman who was looking for a companion and wrote her name and address on a piece of paper for Jessie. The policeman readily consented to allow her to remain in the station until morning. It was a long and weary wait and at eight o'clock Jessie went to the house to which the policeman had directed her. A pompous footman conducted her to a spacious drawing-room, and placed a seat for her. After a long and dreary wait which seemed hours to Jessie, though in reality it was not over twenty minutes, she heard the rustle of a woman's dress. An instant later, a little white, shrivelled hand, loaded with jewels pushed aside the satin _portieres_, and an old lady appeared on the threshold. Jessie rose hesitatingly from her seat with a little courtesy. "You came in answer to my advertisement for a companion?" the little old lady began. "Yes, madame," returned Jessie. "Where were you in service last?" "I have never had a position of the kind before," said Jessie, hesitatingly, "but if you would try me, madame, I would do my very best to suit you." "Speak a little louder," said the old lady, sharply. "I am a trifle hard of hearing. Mind, just a trifle, I can not quite hear you." Jessie repeated in a louder tone what she had said. "Your appearance suits me exactly," returned Mrs. Bassett; "but I could not take a person into my household who is an entire stranger, and who has no references to offer to assure me of her respectability." Jessie's eyes filled with tears. "I am so sorry," she faltered; "but as I am a stranger in Albany, there is no one here to whom I could apply for a reference."