ss ignorant.
What right had she, Kate Leigh, reckless, headstrong, hot-hearted, to
expect of her child either the sort of strength that resists temptation,
or the sort that declines to shield itself at the expense of another?

Gradually she came to absolve Jacqueline from blame even in the matter
of Philip. She had not sought Philip's help, she had only accepted what
had been offered her--what her mother had prompted him to offer. Poor
little victim, passive in the hands of stronger natures, in the hands of
circumstance, heredity, character--that Fate which the ancient gods
surely meant by their cryptic saying: "The fate of all men we have hung
about their necks...."

If it had not been so late she would have gone to her daughter then, and
begged for forgiveness. Instead she sat on before the dying fire,
shivering without knowing it, sometimes unconsciously beating her breast
with her hand, as Catholics beat their breasts during the mass, when
they murmur, "_Mea culpa, mea culpa_."

It was almost dawn when she realized that the fire was out, and went
stiffly up to bed, careful not to wake Mag's baby, who slept beside her
in the crib that had held in turn each of her own children.

CHAPTER XLV

It was so rarely that the Madam overslept herself that her servants had
no precedent to follow in the matter. The housewoman, who finally
entered on tiptoe to remove the placidly protesting Kitty, reported the
Madam sleeping "like a daid pusson, and mighty peaked-lookin' in the
face." So it was decided not to disturb her; and the morning was well
advanced before Kate reached the Rectory, where her thoughts had been
hovering since her first waking moment.

The counsels of the night had taught her a new humility. She came to
Jacqueline as a suppliant, begging to be forgiven not only for her
moment of cruel anger but for her stupid and bungling interference in
her child's life. Nothing was very clear in her mind except that Philip
must be told the truth, and that, whatever happened, she and her child
would bear it together.

She was disappointed to find that both Jacqueline and Philip were out,
Jacqueline having driven away soon after Philip left the house.

"Driven? She was not riding?" asked Kate in some surprise. Jacqueline,
like her mother, rarely used a vehicle if a saddle-horse was at hand.

"She tooken de buggy, an' she tooken Lige, too," explained Ella. "No'm,
I dunno whar she went at, kase I wa'n't here whe