other and worthier words, of effecting his
conversion--than I can tell you in any words of mine. I respect and
admire, I may almost say I love, Mr. Romayne.

The details which are wanting in this brief report of progress I shall
have the privilege of personally relating to you. Mr. Romayne no longer
desires to conceal himself from his friends. He received a letter
this morning which has changed all his plans, and has decided him on
immediately returning to London. I am not acquainted with the contents
of the letter, or with the name of the writer; but I am pleased, for Mr.
Romayne's sake, to see that the reading of it has made him happy.

By to-morrow evening I hope to present my respects to you.

II.

_Mr. Bitrake to Father Benwell._

SIR--The inquiries which I have instituted at your request have proved
successful in one respect.

I am in a position to tell you that events in Mr. Winterfield's life
have unquestionably connected him with the young lady named Miss Stella
Eyrecourt.

The attendant circumstances, however, are not so easy to discover.
Judging by the careful report of the person whom I employ, there must
have been serious reasons, in this case, for keeping facts secret and
witnesses out of the way. I mention this, not to discourage you, but to
prepare you for delays that may occur on our way to discovery.

Be pleased to preserve your confidence in me, and to give me time--and I
answer for the result.

BOOK THE SECOND.

CHAPTER I.

THE SANDWICH DANCE.

A FINE spring, after a winter of unusual severity, promised well for the
prospects of the London season.

Among the social entertainments of the time, general curiosity was
excited, in the little sphere which absurdly describes itself under the
big name of Society, by the announcement of a party to be given by Lady
Loring, bearing the quaint title of a Sandwich Dance. The invitations
were issued at an unusually early hour; and it was understood that
nothing so solid and so commonplace as the customary supper was to be
offered to the guests. In a word, Lady Loring's ball was designed as a
bold protest against late hours and heavy midnight meals. The younger
people were all in favor of the proposed reform. Their elders declined
to give an opinion beforehand.

In the small inner circle of Lady Loring's most intimate friends, it
was whispered that an innovation in the matter of refreshments was
contemplated, which would put the toleran