o an act of justice to an innocent
man. But, in such a serious matter as this, you have a right to judge
for yourself whether the person who is now speaking to you is a person
whom you can trust. You may believe that I tell the truth about others,
if I begin--whatever it may cost me--by telling the truth about myself.'"

2. _She Speaks of Herself_.

"I shall not attempt to place on record the confession of a most unhappy
woman. It was the common story of sin bitterly repented, and of vain
effort to recover the lost place in social esteem. Too well known a
story, surely, to be told again.

"But I may with perfect propriety repeat what Miss Jethro said to me,
in allusion to later events in her life which are connected with my own
personal experience. She recalled to my memory a visit which she had
paid to me at Netherwoods, and a letter addressed to her by Doctor
Allday, which I had read at her express request.

"She said, 'You may remember that the letter contained some severe
reflections on my conduct. Among other things, the doctor mentions that
he called at the lodging I occupied during my visit to London, and found
I had taken to flight: also that he had reason to believe I had entered
Miss Ladd's service, under false pretenses.'

"I asked if the doctor had wronged her.

"She answered 'No: in one case, he is ignorant; in the other, he is
right. On leaving his house, I found myself followed in the street by
the man to whom I owe the shame and misery of my past life. My horror of
him is not to be described in words. The one way of escaping was offered
by an empty cab that passed me. I reached the railway station safely,
and went back to my home in the country. Do you blame me?'

"It was impossible to blame her--and I said so.

"She then confessed the deception which she had practiced on Miss Ladd.
'I have a cousin,' she said, 'who was a Miss Jethro like me. Before
her marriage she had been employed as a governess. She pitied me; she
sympathized with my longing to recover the character that I had lost.
With her permission, I made use of the testimonials which she had earned
as a teacher--I was betrayed (to this day I don't know by whom)--and I
was dismissed from Netherwoods. Now you know that I deceived Miss Ladd,
you may reasonably conclude that I am likely to deceive You.'

"I assured her, with perfect sincerity, that I had drawn no such
conclusion. Encouraged by my reply, Miss Jethro proceeded as follows."