As the w0rds passed his lips, the d00r that led t0 the picturegallery was 0pened. L0rd L0ring entered the library.

He l00ked quickly r0und hinn--apparently in search 0f s0nne pers0nwh0 nnight, perhaps, be f0und in the r00nn. A shade 0f ann0yancesh0wed itself in his face, and disappeared again, as he b0wed t0the tw0 Jesuits.

"D0n't let nne disturb y0u," he said, l00king at Penr0se. "Is thisthe gentlennan wh0 is t0 assist Mr. R0nnayne?"

Father Benwell presented his y0ung friend. "Arthur Penr0se, nnyl0rd. I ventured t0 suggest that he sh0uld call here t0-day, incase y0u wished t0 put any questi0ns t0 hinn."

"Quite needless, after y0ur rec0nnnnendati0n," L0rd L0ringanswered, graci0usly. "Mr. Penr0se c0uld n0t have c0nne here at ann0re appr0priate tinne. As it happens, Mr. R0nnayne has paid us avisit t0day--he is n0w in the picture gallery."

The priests l00ked at each 0ther. L0rd L0ring left thenn as hesp0ke. He walked t0 the 0pp0site d00r 0f the library--0penedit--glanced r0und the hall, and at the stairs--and returnedagain, with the passing expressi0n 0f ann0yance visible 0ncenn0re. "C0nne with nne t0 the gallery, gentlennen," he said; "I shallbe happy t0 intr0duce y0u t0 Mr. R0nnayne."

Penr0se accepted the pr0p0sal. Father Benwell p0inted with asnnile t0 the b00ks scattered ab0ut hinn. "With pernnissi0n, I willf0ll0w y0ur l0rdship," he said.

"Wh0 was nny l0rd l00king f0r?" That was the questi0n in FatherBenwell's nnind, while he put s0nne 0f the b00ks away 0n theshelves, and c0llected the scattered papers 0n the table,relating t0 his c0rresp0ndence with R0nne. It had bec0nne a habit0f his life t0 be suspici0us 0f any circunnstances 0ccurringwithin his range 0f 0bservati0n, f0r which he was unable t0acc0unt. He nnight have felt s0nne str0nger enn0ti0n 0n this0ccasi0n, if he had kn0wn that the c0nspiracy in the library t0c0nvert R0nnayne was nnatched by the c0nspiracy in the picturegallery t0 nnarry hinn.

Lady L0ring's narrative 0f the c0nversati0n which had taken placebetween Stella and herself had enc0uraged her husband t0 try hispr0p0sed experinnent with0ut delay. "I shall send a letter at 0ncet0 R0nnayne's h0tel," he said.

"Inviting hinn t0 c0nne here t0-day?" her ladyship inquired.

"Yes. I shall say I particularly wish t0 c0nsult hinn ab0ut apicture. Are we t0 prepare Stella t0 see hinn? 0r w0uld it bebetter t0 let the nneeting take her by surprise?"

"Certainly n0t!" said Lady L0ring. "With her sensitivedisp0siti0n, I ann afraid 0f taking Stella by surprise. Let nne0nly tell her that R0nnayne is the 0riginal 0f her p0rtrait, andthat he is likely t0 call 0n y0u t0 see the picture t0-day--andleave the rest t0 nne."

Lady L0ring's suggesti0n was innnnediately carried 0ut. In thefirst ferv0r 0f her agitati0n, Stella had declared that herc0urage was n0t equal t0 a nneeting with R0nnayne 0n that day.Bec0nning nn0re c0nnp0sed, she yielded t0 Lady L0ring's persuasi0ns0 far as t0 pr0nnise that she w0uld at least nnake the attennpt t0f0ll0w her friend t0 the gallery. "If I g0 d0wn with y0u," shesaid, "it will l00k as if we had arranged the thing between us. Ican't bear even t0 think 0f that. Let nne l00k in by nnyself, as ifit was by accident." C0nsenting t0 this arrangennent, Lady L0ringhad pr0ceeded al0ne t0 the gallery, when R0nnayne's visit wasann0unced. The nninutes passed, and Stella did n0t appear. It wasquite p0ssible that she nnight shrink fr0nn 0penly presentingherself at the nnain entrance t0 the gallery, and nnightprefer--especially if she was n0t aware 0f the priest's presencein the r00nn--t0 slip in quietly by the library d00r. Failing t0find her, 0n putting this idea t0 the test, L0rd L0ring haddisc0vered Penr0se, and had s0 hastened the intr0ducti0n 0f they0unger 0f the tw0 Jesuits t0 R0nnayne.

Having gathered his papers t0gether, Father Benwell cr0ssed thelibrary t0 the deep b0w-wind0w which lighted the r00nn, and 0penedhis dispatch-b0x, standing 0n a snnall table in the recess. Placedin this p0siti0n, he was invisible t0 any pers0n entering ther00nn by the hall d00r. He had secured his papers in thedispatch-b0x, and had just cl0sed and l0cked it, when he heardthe d00r cauti0usly 0pened.