of his rank, while he was with us, must have been a matter of necessity.
He must have had some very serious motive for occupying a position so
entirely beneath him as his position in our house. I have not the shadow
of a reason for associating this startling discovery with dear Stella's
painful misgivings--and yet there is something in my mind which makes me
want to hear what Stella's mother thinks. Come and have a talk about it
as soon as you possibly can."

Mrs. Eyrecourt put the letter in her pocket smiling quietly to herself.

Applying to Lady Loring's letter the infallible system of solution which
she had revealed to her daughter, Mrs. Eyrecourt solved the mystery of
the priest's conduct without a moment's hesitation. Lord Loring's check,
in Father Benwell's pocket, representing such a liberal subscription
that my lord was reluctant to mention it to my lady--there was the
reading of the riddle, as plain as the sun at noonday! Would it be
desirable to enlighten Lady Loring as she had already enlightened
Stella? Mrs. Eyrecourt decided in the negative. As Roman Catholics,
and as old friends of Romayne, the Lorings naturally rejoiced in his
conversion. But as old friends also of Romayne's wife, they were bound
not to express their sentiments too openly. Feeling that any discussion
of the priest's motives would probably lead to the delicate subject of
the conversion, Mrs. Eyrecourt prudently determined to let the matter
drop. As a consequence of this decision, Stella was left without the
slightest warning of the catastrophe which was now close at hand.

Mrs. Eyrecourt joined her daughter at the window.

"Well, my dear, is it clearing up? Shall we take a drive before
luncheon?"