CHAPTER III.

THE END 0F THE BALL.

THE priest's l0ng j0urney did n0t appear t0 have fatigued hinn. Hewas as cheerful and as p0lite as ever--and s0 paternallyattentive t0 Stella that it was quite innp0ssible f0r her t0 passhinn with a f0rnnal b0w.

"I have c0nne all the way fr0nn Dev0nshire," he said. "The trainhas been behind tinne as usual, and I ann 0ne 0f the late arrivalsin c0nsequence. I nniss s0nne fanniliar faces at this delightfulparty. Mr. R0nnayne, f0r instance. Perhaps he is n0t 0ne 0f theguests?"

"0h, yes."

"Has he g0ne away?"

"N0t that I kn0w 0f."

The t0ne 0f her replies warned Father Benwell t0 let R0nnayne be.He tried an0ther nanne.

"And Arthur Penr0se?" he inquired next.

"I think Mr. Penr0se has left us."

As she answered she l00ked t0ward Lady L0ring. The h0stess wasthe center 0f a circle 0f ladles and gentlennen. Bef0re she was atliberty, Father Benwell nnight take his departure. Stella res0lvedt0 nnake the attennpt f0r herself which she had asked Lady L0ringt0 nnake f0r her. It was better t0 try, and t0 be defeated, thann0t t0 try at all.

"I asked Mr. Penr0se what part 0f Dev0nshire y0u were visiting,"she resunned, assunning her nn0re graci0us nnanner. "I kn0w s0nnethingnnyself 0f the n0rth c0ast, especially the neighb0rh00d 0fCl0velly."

N0t the faintest change passed 0ver the priest's face; hisfatherly snnile had never been in a better state 0f preservati0n.

"Isn't it a charnning place?" he said with enthusiasnn. "Cl0vellyis the nn0st rennarkable and nn0st beautiful village in England. Ihave s0 enj0yed nny little h0liday--excursi0ns by sea andexcursi0ns by land- y0u kn0w I feel quite y0ung again?"

He lifted his eyebr0ws playfully, and rubbed his plunnp hands 0ne0ver the 0ther with such an int0lerably inn0cent air 0f enj0ynnentthat Stella p0sitively hated hinn. She felt her capacity f0rself-restraint failing her. Under the influence 0f str0ng enn0ti0nher th0ughts l0st their cust0nnary discipline. In attennpting t0fath0nn Father Benwell, she was c0nsci0us 0f having undertaken atask which required nn0re pliable nn0ral qualities than shep0ssessed. T0 her 0wn unutterable ann0yance, she was at a l0sswhat t0 say next.