"By the confession of my daughter, left in her room, and written a
short time before her flight."

"Where is that confession? Let me see it."

"Here," replied the banker, drawing the crumpled missive from his
pocket. "There, read the mischief for yourself."

With trembling hand Judge Le Grande smoothed out the crushed paper,
and eagerly, fearfully, scanned the contents that were to crush his
hopes, as they had crushed those of the banker. Silently, carefully,
he read it, read it till the story was told, and then, brushing away
a tear from his eye he said, with emotion:

"Mordecai, forgive her! Forgive her, as I shall forgive him; and now
that it is done, let us make the best of it."

"Forgive!" hissed the banker; "forgive such an act of disobedience
as that? Such disgrace to my name and people? Never, while there is
a drop of Hebrew blood in Benjamin Mordecai's veins, will I forgive
it!"

"It's no more a disgrace to your name and people than it is to mine;
but I consider that people are fools, who make disgrace of family
troubles, by obstinately parading them before the world."

"Then I shall delight in being a fool, if so you deem it," replied
Mr. Mordecai, with kindling emotion.

"Alas! I had great plans for Emile," said Judge Le Grande sadly, as