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Lady Loring was just as resolute on her side。 She appealed to
Stella。 〃Mr。 Romayne persists； my dear； in putting me off with
excuses。 Try if you can persuade him。〃
〃_I_ am not likely to have any influence； Adelaide。〃
The tone in which she replied struck Romayne。 He looked at her。
Her eyes； gravely meeting his eyes； held him with a strange
fascination。 She was not herself conscious how openly all that
was noble and true in her nature； all that was most deeply and
sensitively felt in her aspirations； spoke at that moment in her
look。 Romayne's face changed： he turned pale under the new
emotion that she had roused in him。 Lady Loring observed him
attentively。
〃Perhaps you underrate your influence； Stella？〃 she suggested。
Stella remained impenetrable to persuasion。 〃I have only been
introduced to Mr。 Romayne half an hour since；〃 she said。 〃I am
not vain enough to suppose that I can produce a favorable
impression on any one in so short a time。〃
She had expressed； in other words； Romayne's own idea of himself；
in speaking of her to Lord Loring。 He was struck by the
coincidence。
〃Perhaps we have begun； Miss Eyrecourt； by misinterpreting one
another；〃 he said。 〃We may arrive at a better understanding when
I have the honor of meeting you again。〃
He hesitated and looked at Lady Loring。 She was not the woman to
let a fair opportunity escape her。 〃We will say to…morrow
evening；〃 she resumed； 〃at seven o'clock。〃
〃To…morrow；〃 said Romayne。 He shook hands with Stella； and left
the picture gallery。
Thus far； the conspiracy to marry him promised even more
hopefully than the conspiracy to convert him。 And Father Benwell；
carefully instructing Penrose in the next room； was not aware of
it！
But the hours； in their progress； mark the march of events as
surely as they mark the march of time。 The day passed； the
evening cameand； with its coming； the prospects of the
conversion brightened in their turn。
Let Father Benwell himself relate how it happenedin an extract
from his report to Rome； written the same evening。
〃。 。 。 I had arranged with Penrose that he should call at my
lodgings； and tell me how he had prospered at the first
performance of his duties as secretary to Romayne。
〃The moment he entered the room the signs of disturbance in his
face told me that something serious had happened。 I asked
directly if there had been any disagreement between Romayne and
himself。
〃He repeated the word with every appearance of surprise。
'Disagreement？' he said。 'No words can tell how sincerely I feel
for Mr。 Romayne。 I cannot express to you； Father； how eager I am
to be of service to him！'
〃Relieved； so far； I naturally asked what had happened。 Penrose
betrayed a marked embarrassment in answering my question。
〃 'I have innocently surprised a secret；' he said； 'on which I
had no right to intrude。 All that I can honorably tell you； shall
be told。 Add one more to your many kindnessesdon't command me
to speak； when it is my duty toward a sorely…tried man to be
silent； even to you。'
〃It is needless to say that I abstained from directly answering
this strange appeal。 'Let me hear what you can tell；' I replied；
'and then we shall see。'
〃Upon this； he spoke。 I need hardly recall to your memory how
careful we were； in first planning the attempt to recover the
Vange property； to assure ourselves of the promise of success
which the peculiar character of the present owner held out to us。
In reporting what Penrose said； I communicate a discovery； which
I venture to think will be as welcome to you； as it was to me。
〃He began by reminding me of what I had myself told him in
speaking of Romayne。 'You mentioned having heard from Lord Loring
of a great sorrow or remorse from which he was suffering；'
Penrose said。 'I know what he suffers and why he suffers； and
with what noble resignation he submits to his affliction。 We were
sitting together at the table； looking over his notes and
memoranda； when he suddenly dropped the manuscript from which he
was reading to me。 A ghastly paleness overspread his face。 He
started up； and put both his hands to his ears as if he heard
something dreadful； and was trying to deafen himself to it。 I ran
to the door to call for help。 He stopped me；
he spoke in faint； gasping tones； forbidding me to call any one
in to witness what he suffered。 It was not the first time； he
said； it would soon be over。 If I had not courage to remain with
him I could go； and return when he was himself again。 I so pitied
him that I found the courage to remain。 When it was over he took
me by the hand； and thanked me。 I had stayed by him like a
friend； he said； and like a friend he would treat me。 Sooner or
later （those were his exact words） I must be taken into his
confidenceand it should be now。 He told me his melancholy
story。 I implore you； Father； don't ask me to repeat it！ Be
content if I tell you the effect of it on myself。 The one hope；
the one consolation for him； is in our holy religion。 With all my
heart I devote myself to his conversionand； in my inmost soul；
I feel the conviction that I shall succeed！'
〃To this effect； and in this tone； Penrose spoke。 I abstained
from pressing him to reveal Romayne's confession。 The confession
is of no consequence to us。 You know how the moral force of
Arthur's earnestness and enthusiasm fortifies his otherwise weak
character。 I； too； believe he will succeed。
〃To turn for a moment to another subject。 You are already
informed that there is a woman in our way。 I have my own idea of
the right method of dealing with this obstacle when it shows
itself more plainly。 For the present； I need only assure you that
neither this woman nor any woman shall succeed in her designs on
Romayne； if I can prevent it。〃
Having completed his report in these terms； Father Benwell
reverted to the consideration of his proposed inquiries into the
past history of Stella's life。
Reflection convinced him that it would be unwise to attempt； no
matter how guardedly； to obtain the necessary information from
Lord Loring or his wife。 If he assumed； at his age； to take a
strong interest in a Protestant young lady； who had notoriously
avoided him； they would certainly feel surpriseand surprise
might； in due course of development； turn to suspicion。
There was but one other person under Lord Loring's roof to wh