that night, met her at the foot of the
stairs, looking terrified. "Oh, Miss Kate, whatever happened? Miss Jacky
done come back an hour ago, and she's up in her room cryin' fit to break
her heart. You--ain't _killed_ him?" she whispered. It did not seem an
unlikely question to ask of that white, set face with its burning eyes.

Kate drew her into the office and shut the door. "What have you told
her?" she demanded.

"Who, Miss Jacky? I ain't told her nothin'. I didn't git a chance."

"Thank God!" murmured the mother.

All the way home her head had been spinning like a top with plans for
keeping Jacqueline from knowing of her interference.

"She came in all wet and lookin' so queer!--No'm, she wa'n't cryin'
then, but she looked kind o' pinched and old-like. She didn't say
nothin' to me, except ask for the letter she done left for you, and when
I give it to her, she thanked me that pretty way she has, for bein' so
good to her.--Me, _good_ to her! when I'd gone and told, and
everything!" Mag began to blubber.

"Telling," muttered Kate, "was the one good thing you did for her.--What
then?"

"Why, she went in her room an' locked the door, and when I axed through
the keyhole didn't she want somethin' hot to drink, 'cause she was so
wet, she said no, just let her alone, and please not to wake her up for
breakfas' 'cause she might have a headache."

Kate's face softened. "Poor child! If it's nothing worse than a
headache!--Now, then, my girl, I want to tell you what your 'goodness'
might have done for Jacqueline." Her voice became harder and sterner
than Mag had ever heard it. "Should you like to see her such a creature
as you were before I brought you here, hunted, looked down upon, ashamed
to face people--the kind of woman that the Night Riders try to drive out
of decent communities?"

The girl cowered away from her. "Miss Jacky like _me_? Oh, she couldn't
be, not ever! She's a lady," she cried piteously. "Her fella would have
married her--you'd 'a' made him!"

"He could not, as it happens. He would have turned her, perhaps, into
just such an outcast as you were, and you helping him! This is the
return you have made me for my charity, Mag Henderson!"

The girl crouched with her face hidden, as if she expected a beating. "I
didn't know, I didn't know!" she moaned. "I just wanted her to be happy
with her fella--What you goin' to do with me, Miss Kate?"

"God knows," said the other bitterly.

Mag caught at her ski