Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-05-14

you to understand that also speak i'm
partially. condemn no man unheard,
least of all man whom have had the
honor of receiving under my own roof"
He spoke with certain simple dig
nifty. With equal dignity Father Ben
well answered. 1t is needless to say
that he knew Winterfeld's correspond
ent to be Romayne's wife.
"Let me sincerely thank you, Mr..
Winterfeld, for a candor which does
honor to us both," he said. "You can
scarcely expect me-if I may use such
an expression-to condescend to justify
myself against an accusation which is
an anonymous accusation SO far as I am
concerned. prefer to meet the letter
by a plain proof and I leave you TO
Judge whether I am still worthy Of the
friendship to which you have so kindly
alluded"
With this preface he briefly related
the circumstances under which he had
become possessed of the packet, and
then handed it to Winterfeld, with the
seal uppemost.
decide for yourself" he concluded,
whether a man bent on prying into
your private affairs, with that letter en-
tirely at his mercy, would have been
true to the trust reposed in him."
He rose and took his hat, ready to
leave the room if his honor was pro.
famed by the slightest expression Of
distrust. Winterfeld's genial and un.
suspicious nature instantly accepted
the offered proof as conclusive.
Before break the SEAL" he said,
"let me do you justice. Sit down
again, Father Benwell, and forgive me
il my sense OF duty has hurried me into
hurting your feelings. No man ought
to know better than do how often
people misjudge and wrong each other"
They shook hands cordially. No
moral relief is more eagerly sought
than relief from the pressure of a se-
lious explanation. Bycommon consent
they now spoke as lightly as if nothing
had happened. Father Benwell set the
example.
"You actually believe in q priest |"
he said, gayly. owe shall make good
Catholic of You yet"
Don't be too sure OF that" Winter
field replied. 81 respect the men who
have given to humanity the inestimable
blessing of quinine Ito say nothing of
preserving learning and civilization
but respect still moro my own liberty
as free Christian"
They both laughed. Father Benweu
went back to his newspaper. Winter
field broke the seal of the envelope and
took out the Enclosures.
The confession was the first of the
papers at which he happened to look.
At the opening lines he turned pale.
He read more, and his eyes filled with
tears. In low, broken tones, he said to
the priest:
"You have inuocently brought me
distressing news. Ientreat your pardon
if ask to be left alone"
Father Benwell said few chosen
words of sympathy, and immediately
withdrew. The dog licked his masters
hand, hanging listlessly over the arm
of the chair.
Later in the evening note from
Winterfeld was left by messenger at
the priests lodgings. The writer an
nounced with renewed expression Of
regret that he would be again absent
from London on the next day, but that
he hoped to return to the hotel and
receive his guest on the evening of the
day after.
Father Benwell rightly conjectured
that Winterfeld's destination was the
town in which his wife had died.
His object in taking the journey was
not, as the priest supposed, to address
inquiries to the rector and the landlady,
who had been present at the fatal ILL
ness and the death, but to justify his
wife's last expression Of belief in the
mercy and compassion of the man whom
she had injured. On that nameless
grave" so sadly and SO humbly referred
to in the confession, he had resolved to
place simple stone cross, giving to her
memory the name which she had shrunk
from profaning in her lifetime. When
hehad written the brief inscription which
recorded the death of Emma, wife of
Bernard Winterfield," and when he had
knelt for while by the low turf mound,
his errand had come to its end. lie
thanked the good rector he left gifts
with the landlady and her children, by
which he was gratefully remembered
for many year afterward, and then
with heart relieved he went back to
London.
Other men might have made their
sad little pilgrimage alone. Winter
field took his dog with him. 81 must
have something to love- he said to the
rector, "at suoh time as this"
CHAPTER Iv.-FATHIR DENwELL's CoRRE-
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