Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-03-05
WHOLE NUMBER, 499.

rlBub W lulIuuc' AL thuV Ctii hOuOI-
ably tell you shall be told. Add to your
many kindnesses, Father, and don't
command me to speak when it is my
duty toward orely-tried man to be
silent, even to you,'
cit is needless to say that abstained
from directly answering the strange ap-
peal. If l found it necessary to our in
terests to assert my spiritual authority,
1 was of course resolved to do it. Let
me hear what you can tell replied,
'and then we shall see.'
"Upon this, he spoke. Ineed scarcely
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 pres
ent owner held out to us. In reporting
what Penrose said, communicate dis
covery which venture to think will
be rs 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 great sor-
row or remorse from which he was suf-
fering, Penrose said +; and you added
that your informant abstained from
mentioning what the nature of that
remorse, or of the nervous malady con-
nected with it, might be. know what
he suffers, and why he suffers, and with
what noble resignation he submits to his
allliction.'
"There Penrose stopped. You know
the emotional nature of the man. 1t
was only by II hard struggle with him
self that he abstaiucd from bursting into
tears. | gave him time, and then 1
asked how he made the discovery.
"He hesitated, but he answered
plainly, so far. 'We were sitting to-
gether at the table, looking over his
notes and memoralda,' Penrose said,
'when he suddenly dropped the manu-
script from which he was reading to me.
A CHASTITY paleness oyorspread his face.
lie started up, and put both his hands
to his ears as if he heard something
dreadful, and was trying to deafen him
self to it. l 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 suf-
fered. 1t was not the first time, he
said; it would soon be over. If had
not courage to remain with him could
go, and return when he was himself
again. / so pitied him that l found the
courage to remain. When it was over,
he took me by the hand and thanked
me. / had staid by him like
friend, he said, and like friend he
would treat me. Sooner or later (those
were his exact words) / must be
taken into his confidence, and it should
be now. He told me his melancholy
story. 1 implore you, Father, don't ask
me to repeat it BE content if 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 /
devote myself to his conversion, and, in
my inmost soul, l feel the conviction
that / shall succeed !"
"To this effect, and in this tone, PEN
rose spoke. abstnined 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
fortifcs his otherwise weak character.
l, too, believe he will succeed.
"But, before close these lines, there
is question which | must submit to
your consideration.
"You are already informed that there
is woman in our way. She shall not
succeed in her designs on Romayne ii
can prevent it. But other women may
try their temptations on him. Even
the conversion, from which we hope and
BAptCb ~ uluCllJ tlilllOu w ltiltti ol w
secure the restitution of tho Vango prop
erty. 1t is not enough for us that tho
property is not 'entailcd, and that there
is no rear relation with any pretentions
to inherit it. While Rpmayne remains
marriageable man there is always the
danger of an heir to the estate being
born In my humble opinion, the ono
safe course is so to impress his mind, by
means of Penrose, as to cultivate in him
vocation for the priesthood. As q
priest, we arc sure OF him. Be so good
rs to present this idea at headquarters
and let me know the result at the earli-
est possible opportunity
Having completed his report Father
Benwell reverted to the consideration
of his proposed inquiries into the past
history of Stellas life.
Reflection convinced him that it
would be unwiso 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 strong interest in n young lady
who had notoriously avoided him, they
would certainly feel surprised, and
surprise might, in due course of develop
ment, turn to suspicion.