ces. In this
manner he met John Colleton, the canonist, who had returned from his
banishment in '87, but found him a little dull and melancholy, though his
devotion was beyond praise. He met, too, the Jesuit Fathers Edward
Oldcorne and Richard Holtby, the former of whom had lately come from
Hindlip.

He spent Christmas near Cartmel-in-Furness, and after the new year had
opened, crossed the Ken once more near Beetham, and began to return
slowly down the coast. Everywhere he was deeply touched by the devotion
of the people, who, in spite of long months without a priest, had yet
clung to the observance of their religion so far as was possible, and now
welcomed him like an angel of God; and he had the great happiness too of
reconciling some who, yielding to loneliness and pressure, had conformed
to the Establishment. In these latter cases he was almost startled by the
depth of Catholic convictions that had survived.

"I never believed it, father," said a young squire to him, near Garstang.
"I knew that it was but a human invention, and not the Gospel that my
fathers held, and that Christ our Saviour brought on earth; but I lost
heart, for that no priest came near us, and I had not had the sacraments
for nearly two years; and I thought that it were better to have some
religion than none at all, so at last I went to church. But there is no
need to talk to me, father, now I have made my confession, for I know
with my whole soul that the Catholic Religion is the true one--and I have
known it all the while, and I thank God and His Blessed Mother, and you,
father, too, for helping me to say so again, and to come back to grace."

At last, at the beginning of March, Anthony and Isabel found themselves
back again at Speke Hall, warmly welcomed by Mr. Norreys.

"You have done a good work for the Church, Mr. Capell," said his host,
"and God will reward you and thank you for it Himself, for we cannot."

"And I thank God," said Anthony, "for the encouragement to faith that the
sight of the faithful North has given to me; and pray Him that I may
carry something of her spirit back with me to the south."

There were letters waiting for him at Speke Hall, one from Mr. Buxton,
urging them to come back, at least for the present, to Stanfield Place,
so soon as the winter work in the north was over; and another from the
Rector of the College at Douai to the same effect. There was also one
more, written from a little parish in Kent, from a