Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-03-05

That was the question in Father Ben
wells mind, while he put some of the
books away on the shelves, and collected
the scattered papers on the table, re-
lating to his correspondence with Rome.
1t had become habit of his life to be
suspicious of any circumstances occur
ing within his range of observation for
which he was unable to account He
might have felt some stronger emotion
on this occasion if he had known that
Ne conspiracy in the library to convert
Romayne was matched by the con-
spiracy in the picture gallery to marry
him.
Lady Loring's narrative of the con-
yersation which had taken place be-
tween Stella and herself had encouraged
her husband to try his proposed expert
ment without delay. 81 shall send a
letter at once to Romayne's hotel" he
said.
Inviting him to come here today"
her ladyship inquired.
Yes / shall say / particularly wish
to consult him about picture. Are we
to prepare Stella to see him, or would
it be better to let the meeting take her
by surprise?"
Certainly not !" said Lady Loring.
"With her sensitive disposition / am
afraid of taking Stella by surprise. Let
me only tell her that Romayne is the
original OF her portrait, and that he is
likely to call on you to SEQ the picture
to,day-and leave the rest to me-"
Lady Loring's suggestion was imme-
diately carried out. In the first fervor
of her agitation Stella had declared
that her courage was not equal to
meeting with Romayne on that day.
Becoming more composed she yielded
to Lady Loring's persuasion so far as to
promise that she would at least make
the attempt to TO low her friend to the
gallery. eff go down with you," she
said, sit will look as if we had arranged
the thing between us. | can't bear
even to think of that? Let me look in
by myself, as ii it was by accident"
Consenting to this arrangement Lady
Loring had proceeded alone to the gal
lery, when Romayne's visit was an
nounced. The minutes passed and
Stella did not appear. Lord Loring
thought it possible that she might
shrink from openly presenting herself
at the main entrance to the gallery,
and might prefer especially if she was
not aware of the priests presence in the
room-to slip in quietly by the library
door. Failing 20 find her, on putting
this idea to the test, he had discovered
Penrose, and had so hastened the intro
duction of the younger : the two
Jesuits to Romayne.
\
Having gathered his papers together
Father Benwell crossed the library to
the deep bay-window which lighted the
room, and opened his dispatch-box
standing on small table in the recess,
Placed in this position he was invisible
to any person entering the room by the
hall door.
He had secured his papers in the dis
patch-box, and had just closed and
locked it, when he heard the door
cautiously opened.
The instant afterward the rustling of
woman's dress over the carpet caught
his ear. Other men might have walked
out of the recess and shown themselves.
Father Benwell staid where he was, and
waited until the lady crossed his range
of view.
The priest observed with cold atten-
tion her darkly-beautiful eyes and hair,
her quickly changing color, her modest
grace of movement. Slowly, and in
evident agitation, she advanced to the
door of the picture gallery-and paused,
as if she was afraid to open it. Father
Benwell heard her sigh to herself
softly: "Oh, how shall meet himY
She turned aside to the looking glass
over the fireplace. The reflection Of