Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-04-16
concealed nothing from me. Ought /
not to tell him about Winterfeld%
Lady Lorinp started.

Seo0"Rou nophihS hol ue. ouBnL
not to tell him about Winterfeld%
Lady Loring started,
"You astonish me-" she said. " What
right has Romayne to know it?
"What right have to keep it o Sc
cret from him?"
"My dear Stella, if you had been
any way to- blame in that miserable mat
ter should be the last person in the
world to advise you to keep it secret.
But you are innocent of all blame. No
man-not even the man who is soon to
be your husband-has a right to know
what you have so unjustly suffered.
Think of the humiliation of even speak
ing of tito Romayne"
al daren't think of it," cried Stella
passionately. "But if it is my duty"
at is your duty to consider the con-
sequences" Lady Loring interposed.
"You don't know how such things
sometimes rankle in mans mind. He
may be perfectly willing to do you jus
tice, and yet there may be moments
when he would doubt if you had told
him the whole truth. Ispeak with the
experience of married woman. Don't
place yourself in that position toward
your husband if you wish for happy
married life."
Stella was not quite convinced yet.
"Suppose Romayne finds it out" she
said.
"He can't possibly find it out. I de-
test Winterfeld, but let us do him JUS
tice. He is no fool. He has his posi-
tion in the world to keep up-and that
is enough of itself to close his lips. And
as for others, there are only three peo-
pie in England now who could betray
you. I suppose you could trust your
mother, and Lord Loring and me?"
1t was needless to answer such ques-
tion as that. Before Stella could
speak again Lord Loring's voice was
audible outside the door. "What,
talking still /" he exclaimed. "Not in
bed yet?"
"Come in? ?" cried his wife. "Lei
us hear what my husband thinl,s," che
said to Stella.
Lord Loripo i, '"ned with ii. .losest
attept On VIA. M ubject under dis.
cuation was comm Gated to him.
When tbs time came we his opin-
ion--he s.led unhesitatiAe.. with his
wife.
If the fault was yours, even in t4.e
slightest degree" he said to Stella,
"Romayne would have a right to be
taken into your confidence. But, my
dear child, we, who know the truth,
know you to be pure and innocent
woman. You go to Romayne in every
way worthy of him, and you know that
he loves you. If you did tell him that
miserable story he could only pity you.
Do you want to be pitied ~
Those last unanswerable words
brought the debate to an end. From
that moment the subject was drjpped.
There was still one other person
among the guests at the ball who was
waking in the small hours of the morn
ing. Father Benwell, wrapped com.
fortably 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. 1t was addressed, as usual,
to the secretary of the Orler, at Rene
and, when it had undergone the final
revision, it contained these lines:
"My last letter informed you of Ro.
mayne's return to London and to Miss
Eyrecourt. Let me entreat our reverend
brethren to preserve perfect tranquil
lity of mind, in spite of this circum.
stance. The owner of Vange Abbey is
not married yet. If patience and per
severance ON my part win their fair re.
ward, Miss Eyrecourt shall never be his
wife.
"But let me not conceal the truth.
In the uncertain future that lies before
us, have no one to depend on but my
self. Penrose is no longer to be trusted;
and the exertions of the agent to whom
I have committed my inquiries are ex.
ertions that have failed.
81 will dispose Of the case of Pen
rose first.
"The zeal with which this young
nan has undertaken the work of con.
version intrusted to him has, I re.
gret to say, been fred by a dog
like affection for Romayne. Without
waiting for my permission, Penrose has
revealed himself in his true character
as priest. And more tha. his, he
has not only refused to obser pro.
ceelings of 'on . and Miss Eyre.
co0rt--he has -. "ately closed nis
ears to the confdenc, Itch Romayne
wished 10 repose in him, We ground
that 1 might have ordered Ii. .
peat that confidence to me.
"To what use can we put this mans