"I do not know--the whole thing bewilders me; but some great wrong has been done--some cruel slander said, or I should not be called upon to endure such insults as met me from that proud old lady--should not be outraged by letters like this!" She took a letter from her pocket and gave it to Mr. Lee, watching him as he read it. The letter was a brief one; but Mr. Lee was a long time in reading it. His eyes went back upon every line, and the fire burned hotly in them when he came to an end. There was something very startling in the changes of his face as he glanced from the paper to Jessie and from her to me. Never have I seen a look so terribly stern. "Where did you get this letter?" he inquired, crushing the paper in his hand. "It came to me by the mail; you will see by the post-mark," was the reply. He glanced at the post-mark, which was that of the nearest town; then, striding up to his daughter, held the open letter before her eyes. Jessie read it bewildered; but at last her features settled into a look of astonishment. "Is this your writing, Miss Lee?" "No," she answered, but in a hesitating way. "No, no; I never wrote that!" She had read a portion of the letter, when this emphatic denial broke from her lips. "Yet a disinterested person would swear that it was your handwriting, Jessie Lee." The color flashed into Jessie's cheek; but she constrained herself, answering calmly,-- "I did not write it, father." Mr. Lee searched her through and through with his stern glances; then, coldly taking the letter from her hand, he held it toward me. "Say, madam, you should be acquainted with that young lady's handwriting; is this hers?" I took the letter and read it. The handwriting was certainly like Jessie's, but with an attempt to disguise. The contents convinced me that she never wrote it. They ran thus:-- "MADAM: You have wrought mischief enough in the family of an honorable man to be content without bringing disgrace upon your own name. It should be enough that you have broken the life of as good a woman as ever lived; that you have alienated a father from his only child, and separated Mr. Lee from his best friends. If you have still any regard for your own reputation, or for the welfare of those who have never wronged you, leave this house. "A FRIEND." "No," I answered, "Jessie did not write this; the thing is impossible!" "I make no charges--heaven forbid!" said Mrs. Dennison; "but it is enough that a letter like that could have been written to me while under your roof, sir. Self-respect forbids that I should remain here another day. I have sent to the town for a carriage." "You cannot intend it!" exclaimed Mr. Lee. "Not till this thing has been thoroughly explained and atoned for, must you leave a house that has been honored by your presence. Jessie Lee, have you nothing to say?" "Father, what can I say?"