The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-03-11

aands crossed npon her lap. For q
moment more Isomsync looked at her
with steady attention. He reused him.
self, and spoke to Lord Loring in low
cred tones.
Have you known Miss Eyrecourt for
long time?'
She is my wife's oldest and dearest
friend. L think, Roinayne, you would
feel interested in Stella, il you saw
moro of her"
Romayno bowed in silent submission
to Lord LorinQ's prophetic remark.
"Let MS lcok at the pictures" he
said, quietly.
As he moved down the gallery the
two priests met him. Father Benwell
saw his opportunity of helping Penrose
to produce favorable impression.
"Forgive the curiosity of an old stu
dent, Mr. Romayne," lie said, in his
pleasant, cheerful way. Lord Loring
tells me You have sent to tho country
for your books. Do you find London
hotel favorable to study?"
at is a very quiet hotel" Romayne
answered; "and the people know my
ways" He turned to Arthur. "I have
my own SET of rooms, Mr.. Penrose," he
continued, with n room Mt your disposal.
The solitude of my house in the country
is distasteful to me. There are times
when | want to see the life in the streets
as relief. Though we are in hotel,
can promise that you will not be
troubled by interruptions, when you
kindly lend me the use of your PEN"
Father Benwell answered before Pen
rose could speak:
You may perhaps find my young
friends memory OF some use to you,
MIR. Romayne, as well as his pen. Pen.
rose has studied in the Vatican library,
If your reading leads you that way he
knows more than most men OF the rare
old manuscripts which treat of the
early history of Christianity"
This delicately-managed reference to
Romayne's projected work on "The Ori.
gin of Religions" produced its effect.
He became instantly interested in Pen.
rose and his studics.
81 should like very much TO speak to
you about those manuscripts" lie said.
"Copies of some of them may, perhaps,
DO in the British museum. Is it asking
too much to inquire il you are dis
engaged this morning?'
81 am entirely at your service, Mr..
Romaync."
"If you will kindly call at my hotel,
in an hours time, shall have looked
over my notes, and shall be ready for
you with list OF titles and dates.
There is the address,"
With those words he advanced to take
his leave of Lady Loring and Stella
Father Benwell was man possessed
of extraordinary power of foresight
but he was not infallible. Seeing that
Bon,ayns was on the point of Leaving
the house, and feeling that he had paved
the way successfully for Romayne's
amanucnsis, he too readily assumed
that there was nothing further to be
gained by remaining in the gallery. In
arriving at this conclusion he was ad-
ditionally influenced by private and per-
sonal considerations. The interval be-
fore Penrose called at the hotel might
be usefully filed up by some wise
words of advice, relating to the religious
uses to which he might turn his inter-
course with Romayne, when he had suf-
ficiently established himself in the con-
fidence of his employer. There might.
no doubt, be future opportunities for
accomplishing this object, but Father
Benwell was not man to trust too i'm
plicitly in the future. The present oc-
casion was, in respect of its certainty.
the occasion that lie preferred Making
one OF his ready and plausible excuses,
he returned with Penrose to the library,
and so committed las he himself dis.
covered at a later time) one Of the few
mistakes in the long record OF his life
In the meanwhile Romayne was not
permitted to bring his visit to a conclu'
sion without hospitable remonstance
ON the part Of Lady Loring. She felt
for Stella with n woman's enthusiastic
devotion to the interest Of true love
and sho had firmly resolved that mat
ter so triaing as the cultivation OF Ro.
mayne's mind should not be allowed ia
stand in the way of the far more import
ant enterprise of opening his heart to
tho influence of the sex.
"Stay and lunch with u.s. she said
when he held out his hand TO bid hel
goodbye.
"Thank You, Lady Loring, ! nevo'
take lunch"
swell, then, come aud dine with III
no party only ourselves. To-morr"s
snd next day We arc disenSaged
Which day shall it be"
Romayne still resisted. "You ar'
very kind. In my state OF health an
unwilling to make engagements which
may not be able to keep"
Lady Loring was just as resolute oil
her side She appealed to Stella. "Alr
Roymane persists, my dear, in putting
me off with excuses. Try ifyou can per
suade him."
"Iam not likely to have any influence
Adelaide" IN.
The tone in which she replied strucl
Romayne. He looked at her. Hereyes
gravely meeting his, held him with
strange fascination. She was not her
self conscious how openly all that wa
noble and true in her nature, all tim
was most deeply and sensitively felt i
her aspirations, spoke at that moment i
her look Romayno's face changed h