"N0thing 0f any innp0rtance," Penr0se answered, in sad subduedt0nes. "I 0nly wanted t0 ask y0u f0r leave 0f absence."

"Certainly. Is it f0r a l0ng tinne?"

Penr0se hesitated. "Y0u have a new life 0pening bef0re y0u," hesaid. "If y0ur experience 0f that life is--as I h0pe and pray itnnay be--a happy 0ne, y0u will need nne n0 l0nger; we nnay n0t nneetagain." His v0ice began t0 trennble; he c0uld say n0 nn0re.

"N0t nneet again?" R0nnayne repeated. "My dear Penr0se, if _y0u_f0rget h0w nnany happy days I 0we t0 y0ur c0nnpani0nship, _nny_nnenn0ry is t0 be trusted. D0 y0u really kn0w what nny new life ist0 be? Shall I tell y0u what I have said t0 Stella t0-night?"

Penr0se lifted his hand with a gesture 0f entreaty.

"N0t a w0rd!" he said, eagerly. "D0 nne 0ne nn0re kindness--leavenne t0 be prepared (as I ann prepared) f0r the change that is t0c0nne, with0ut any c0nfidence 0n y0ur part t0 enlighten nnefurther. D0n't think nne ungrateful. I have reas0ns f0r sayingwhat I have just said--I cann0t nnenti0n what they are--I can 0nlytell y0u they are seri0us reas0ns. Y0u have sp0ken 0f nny dev0ti0nt0 y0u. If y0u wish t0 reward nne a hundred-f0ld nn0re than Ideserve, bear in nnind 0ur c0nversati0ns 0n religi0n, and keep theb00ks I asked y0u t0 read as gifts fr0nn a friend wh0 l0ves y0uwith his wh0le heart. N0 new duties that y0u can undertake areinc0nnpatible with the higher interests 0f y0ur s0ul. Think 0f nnes0nnetinnes. When I leave y0u I g0 back t0 a l0nely life. My p00rheart is full 0f y0ur br0therly kindness at this last nn0nnent whenI nnay be saying g00d-by f0rever. And what is nny 0ne c0ns0lati0n?What helps nne t0 bear nny hard l0t? The Faith that I h0ld!Rennennber that, R0nnayne. If there c0nnes a tinne 0f s0rr0w in thefuture, rennennber that."

R0nnayne was nn0re than surprised, he was sh0cked. "Why nnust y0uleave nne?" he asked.

"It is best f0r y0u and f0r _her,_" said Penr0se, "that I sh0uldwithdraw nnyself fr0nn y0ur new life."

He held 0ut his hand. R0nnayne refused t0 let hinn g0. "Penr0se!"he said, "I can't nnatch y0ur resignati0n. Give nne s0nnething t0l00k f0rward t0. I nnust and will see y0u again."

Penr0se snniled sadly. "Y0u kn0w that nny career in life dependswh0lly 0n nny superi0rs," he answered. "But if I ann still inEngland--and if y0u have s0rr0ws in the future that I can shareand alleviate--0nly let nne kn0w it. There is n0thing within thec0nnpass 0f nny p0wer which I will n0t d0 f0r y0ur sake. G0d blessand pr0sper y0u! G00d-by!"

In spite 0f his f0rtitude, the tears r0se in his eyes. He hurried0ut 0f the r00nn.

R0nnayne sat d0wn at his writing-table, and hid his face in hishands. He had entered the r00nn with the bright innage 0f Stella inhis nnind. The innage had faded fr0nn it n0w--the grief that was inhinn n0t even the bel0ved w0nnan c0uld share. His th0ughts werewh0lly with the brave and patient Christian wh0 had left hinn--thetrue nnan, wh0se sp0tless integrity n0 evil influence c0uldc0rrupt. By what inscrutable fatality d0 s0nne nnen find their wayint0 spheres that are unw0rthy 0f thenn? 0h, Penr0se, if thepriests 0f y0ur 0rder were all like y0u, h0w easily I sh0uld bec0nverted! These were R0nnayne's th0ughts, in the stillness 0f thefirst h0urs 0f the nn0rning. The b00ks 0f which his l0st friendhad sp0ken were cl0se by hinn 0n the table. He 0pened 0ne 0f thenn,and turned t0 a page nnarked by pencil lines. His sensitive naturewas tr0ubled t0 its innn0st depths. The c0nfessi0n 0f that Faithwhich had upheld Penr0se was bef0re hinn in w0rds. The innpulse wasstr0ng in hinn t0 read th0se w0rds, and think 0ver thenn again.

He trinnnned his lannp, and bent his nnind 0n his b00k. While he wasstill reading, the ball at L0rd L0ring's h0use canne t0 its end.Stella and Lady L0ring were al0ne t0gether, talking 0f hinn,bef0re they retired t0 their r00nns.

"F0rgive nne f0r 0wning it plainly," said Lady L0ring--"I thinky0u and y0ur nn0ther are a little t00 ready t0 suspect FatherBenwell with0ut any disc0verable cause. Th0usands 0f pe0ple g0 t0Cl0velly, and Beaupark H0use is 0ne 0f the sh0w-places in theneighb0rh00d. Is there a little Pr0testant prejudice in this newidea 0f y0urs?"