s
quite a home for priests and Catholics generally. Some of the priests, I
believe, visited Trevose from there."

"But it is not a convent or nunnery?"

"Oh, no; not that I am aware of. It is simply the headquarters of the
Catholics in this district. I have heard it said that some young
Catholic girls, religiously inclined, have been taken there as
novitiates, but I doubt its truth; not that the place is not admirably
suited for such a purpose. It is surrounded by a high wall, over which
no one can see, and in one of the walls is a secret chamber in which it
is said a priest was concealed for eighteen months in the reign of
Elizabeth. At present, however, it is not recognised as a convent."[1]

"But it is a Catholic centre?"

"Oh, bless you, yes; the place is full of Catholic priests, nuns from
France, and what not. I should not like to say what is done within those
walls. That house is full of secrets, and the people who go to Mawgan
Church, which is adjoining it, look upon Lanherne as a home of mystery.
The servants are silent, the priests are silent, the very atmosphere
seems full of secrets."

I did not stay long with Parson Thomas after this, although his
hospitality seemed to know no bounds. I had heard enough to set me
thinking, and I determined to go to Mawgan that very evening. The time
was now three in the afternoon, and soon night would be upon us. Still,
there would be another hour of daylight, and I started to walk in the
direction of Mawgan Forth, while Eli trudged close by my heels.

We had been walking, perhaps, half an hour, when I saw, as I was passing
by a farmhouse close to which the road ran, a woman on horseback. Below
us we saw the sands of Mawgan Forth, but no house was near save the
farmhouse to which I have referred.

"It is some woman riding home from St. Columb Market, I suppose," I
said as her horse climbed the hill.

"No," said Eli; "no, Maaster Jasper. 'Tes Tamsin Triscott, Tamsin
Fraddam; that's who et es."

"Tamsin!" I cried; "surely no!"

A few seconds later, however, I saw that Eli was right.

"Master Jasper Pennington!" she cried, as she saw me, and the blood
mounted violently to her face. "You are free, then?"

This she said in a tone of disappointment almost amounting to anger.

"Yes, Tamsin," I replied. "What do you know about my imprisonment?"

"I suppose you got him away?" she said to Eli, angrily, without noticing
my question.

"Iss," grunted Eli; "I ded, ded'