able words brought the debate to an end. From that
moment the subject was dropped.

There was still one other person among the guests at the ball who
was waking in the small hours of the morning. Father Benwell,
wrapped comfortably in his dressing gown, was too hard at work on his
correspondence to think of his bed. With one exception, all the letters
that he had written thus far were closed, directed and stamped for the
post. The letter that he kept open he was now engaged in reconsidering
and correcting. It was addressed as usual to the Secretary of the Order
at Rome; and, when it had undergone the final revision, it contained
these lines:

My last letter informed you of Romayne's return to London and to Miss
Eyrecourt. Let me entreat our reverend brethren to preserve perfect
tranquillity of mind, in spite of this circumstance. The owner of Vange
Abbey is not married yet. If patience and perseverance on my part win
their fair reward, Miss Eyrecourt shall never be his wife.

But let me not conceal the truth. In the uncertain future that lies
before us, I have no one to depend on but myself. Penrose is no longer
to be trusted; and the exertions of the agent to whom I committed my
inquiries are exertions that have failed.

I will dispose of the case of Penrose first.

The zeal with which this young man has undertaken the work of conversion
intrusted to him has, I regret to say, not been fired by devotion to
the interests of the Church, but by a dog-like affection for Romayne.
Without waiting for my permission, Penrose has revealed himself in his
true character as a priest. And, more than this, he has not only
refused to observe the proceedings of Romayne and Miss Eyrecourt--he has
deliberately closed his ears to the confidence which Romayne wished to
repose in him, on the ground that I might have ordered him to repeat
that confidence to me.

To what use can we put this poor fellow's ungovernable sense of honor
and gratitude? Under present circumstances, he is clearly of little use
to us. I have therefore given him time to think. That is to say, I have
not opposed his leaving London, to assist in the spiritual care of a
country district. It will be a question for the future, whether we may
not turn his enthusiasm to good account in a foreign mission. However,
as it is always possible that his influence may still be of use to us,
I venture to suggest keeping him within our reach until Romayne's
conversion has ac