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CHAPTER X.

FATHER BENWELL'S CORRESPONDENCE.

I.

_To Mr. Bitrake. Private and Confidential._

SIR--I understand that your connection with the law does not exclude
your occasional superintendence of confidential inquiries, which are not
of a nature to injure your professional position. The inclosed letter
of introduction will satisfy you that I am incapable of employing your
experience in a manner unbecoming to you, or to myself.

The inquiry that I propose to you relates to a gentleman named
Winterfield. He is now staying in London, at Derwent's Hotel, and is
expected to remain there for a week from the present date. His place of
residence is on the North Devonshire coast, and is well known in that
locality by the name of Beaupark House.

The range of my proposed inquiry dates back over the last four or five
years--certainly not more. My object is to ascertain, as positively as
may be, whether, within this limit of time, events in Mr. Winterfield's
life have connected him with a young lady named Miss Stella Eyrecourt.
If this proves to be the case it is essential that I should be made
acquainted with the whole of the circumstances.

I have now informed you of all that I want to know. Whatever the
information may be, it is most important that it shall be information
which I can implicitly trust. Please address to me, when you write,
under cover to the friend whose letter I inclose.

I beg your acceptance--as time is of importance--of a check for
preliminary expenses, and remain, sir, your faithful servant,

AMBROSE BENWELL.

II.

_To the Secretary, Society of Jesus, Rome._

I inclose a receipt for the remittance which your last letter confides
to my care. Some of the money has been already used in prosecuting
inquiries, the result of which will, as I hope and believe, enable me to
effectually protect Romayne from the advances of the woman who is bent
on marrying him.

You tell me that our Reverend Fathers, lately sitting in council on the
Vange Abbey affair, are anxious to hear if any positive steps have
yet been taken toward the conversion of Romayne. I am happily able to
gratify their wishes, as you shall now see.

Yesterday, I called at Romayne's hotel to pay one of those occasional
visits which help to keep up our acquaintance. He was out, and Penrose
(for whom I asked next) was with him. Most fortunately, as the event
proved, I had not seen Penrose, or heard from him, for some little time