purport of the letter you received to-day."

"To-day, love!" exclaimed her mother. "Yes, mamma, to-day. I made John
show it me on his way from the post-office. The superscription was Mr.
Osborne's hand. Let me, O let me," she exclaimed, dropping down upon
her knees, "as you value my happiness here and hereafter, let me at
once know the worst--the very worst. Am I not the daughter of a pious
minister of the Gospel, and do you think I shall or can forget the
instructions I received from his lips? Treat me as a rational being, if
you wish me to remain rational. But O, as you love my happiness here,
and my soul's salvation, do not, papa, do not, mamma, do not, Maria, do
not, Agnes, William,--do not one or all of you keep your unhappy sister
hanging in the agony of suspense! It will kill me!--it will kill me!"

Suppressed sobs there were, which no firmness could restrain. But in a
few moments those precepts of the Christian pastor, which we have before
mentioned, came forth among this sorrowing family, in the same elevated
spirit which dictated them. When Jane had concluded this appeal to her
father, there was a dead, silence in the room, and every eye glanced
from, him to her, full of uncertainty as to what course of conduct he
would pursue. He turned his eyes upwards for a few moments, and said:

"Can truth, my children, under any circumstances, be injurious to----"

"Oh no, no, papa," exclaimed Jane; "I know--I feel the penalty paid for
even the indirect violation of it."

"In the name of God, then," exclaimed the well-meaning man, "we will
rely upon the good sense and religious principle of our dear Jane, and
tell her the whole truth."

"Henry, dear!" said Mrs. Sinclair in a tone of expostulation.

"Oh papa," said Agnes, "remember your own words!"

"The truth, my papa, the truth!" said Jane. "You are its accredited
messenger."

"Jane," said he, "is your trust strong in the support of the Almighty?"

"I have no other dependence, papa."

"Then," said he, "this is the truth: Charles Osborne has been false to
you. He has broken his vows;--he is married to another woman. And
now, my child, may the God of truth, and peace, and mercy, sustain and
console you!"

"And He will, too, my papa!--He will!" she exclaimed, rising up;--"He
will! He will!--I--I know--I think I know something. I violated truth,
and now truth is my punishment. I violated it to my papa, and now my
papa is the medium of that punishment. Well, th