m me--because I
forgot God and truth, and sinned for his sake.'

'Yes; but you are sorry now.'

'What does such sorrow avail, except for my own purging? In a little
while the world--this cruel, hard, outer world--will know me no more. I
am going back to Ireland with Mollie and Biddy, and when I have made my
peace with the Church I shall enter a convent.'

'Good heavens! what can you mean?'

'I have always been at heart a Catholic,' she returned in a mechanical
tone; 'but while my boy lived I was content that his Church should be
mine. All my life I have had a leaning to the older faith; now in my
desolation I mean to shelter in the bosom of our Holy Mother the Church.
She receives all penitents; she will not refuse me.'

'But your children--Mollie: would you forsake Mollie?' pleaded Audrey,
with tears in her eyes. 'Would you neglect your sacred responsibilities
for duties no one would demand of a mother?'

'Am I fit to discharge my responsibilities?' she returned in a cold,
hard voice. 'Has anyone but Cyril ever kept me straight? Do you think
Mollie and I could go on living the same old life without him? Audrey,
you do not know what you say; such an existence would rob me of my
reason.'

'But what will become of Mollie?' asked Audrey, concealing her alarm at
this wild speech. 'You must not only think of yourself.'

'Mollie will go with me,' she returned. 'I shall not forsake her. The
convent that I propose to enter has a home attached to it, where they
educate girls belonging to the upper classes. Mollie will have plenty of
companions. The nuns are kind women, and they will not coerce her in any
way, and there will be sufficient for her maintenance.'

'But when she grows up--when her education is finished: what will become
of her then?'

But Mrs. Blake did not seem clear on this point. The convent had its
boarders, she remarked; with the superior's permission, Mollie might
still remain there, and lead a tolerably happy life.

'There will be other young ladies; she will not be dull,' she went on.
'The rule is a strict one--that is why I chose it--but I should be
allowed to see her sometimes; perhaps she too may turn Catholic, and
then all will be well.'

But Audrey's honest nature revolted against this merciless arrangement.
She saw clearly that Mrs. Blake's weak, excitable nature had been under
some strong influence, though it was not until later that she heard that
during the last few months she had secr