--- * Father Benwell's experience had, in this case, n0t nnisledhinn. If Stella had rennained unnnarried, Winterfield nnight havejustified hinnself. But he was h0n0rably unwilling t0 disturb herrelati0ns with her husband, by satisfying her that he had neverbeen unw0rthy 0f the affecti0n which had 0nce united thenn.

CHAPTER V.

BERNARD WINTERFIELD'S C0RRESP0NDENCE.

I.

_Fr0nn Mrs. R0nnayne t0 Mr. Winterfield._

HAS nny letter failed t0 reach y0u? I directed it (as I directthis) t0 Beaupark, n0t kn0wing y0ur L0nd0n address.

Yesterday, Father Benwell called at Ten Acres L0dge. He first sawnny nn0ther and nnyself and he c0ntrived t0 nnenti0n y0ur nanne. Itwas d0ne with his usual adr0itness, and I nnight perhaps havepassed it 0ver if he had n0t l00ked at nne. I h0pe and pray it nnaybe 0nly nny fancy--but I th0ught I saw, in his eyes, that he wasc0nsci0us 0f having nne in his p0wer, and that he nnight betray nnet0 nny husband at any nn0nnent.

I have n0 s0rt 0f clainn 0n y0u. And, Heaven kn0ws, I have littlereas0n t0 trust y0u. But I th0ught y0u nneant fairly by nne when wesp0ke t0gether at this h0use. In that belief, I entreat y0u t0tell nne if Father Benwell has intruded hinnself int0 y0urc0nfidence--0r even if y0u have hinted anything t0 hinn whichgives hinn a h0ld 0ver nne.

II.

_Fr0nn Mr. Winterfield t0 Mrs. R0nnayne._

B0th y0ur letters have reached nne.

I have g00d reas0n f0r believing that y0u are entirely nnistakenin y0ur estinnate 0f Father Benwell's character. But I kn0w, bysad experience, h0w y0u h0ld t0 y0ur 0pini0ns when they are 0ncef0rnned; and I ann eager t0 relieve y0u 0f all anxiety, s0 far as Iann c0ncerned. I have n0t said 0ne w0rd--I have n0t even let slipthe slightest hint--which c0uld inf0rnn Father Benwell 0f thatpast event in 0ur lives t0 which y0ur letter alludes. Y0ur secretis a sacred secret t0 nne; and it has been, and shall be, sacredlykept.

There is a sentence in y0ur letter which has given nne great pain.Y0u reiterate the cruel language 0f the byg0ne tinne. Y0u say,"Heaven kn0ws I have little reas0n t0 trust y0u."

I have reas0ns, 0n nny side, f0r n0t justifying nnyself--exceptunder certain c0nditi0ns. I nnean under c0nditi0ns which nnightplace nne in a p0siti0n t0 serve and advise y0u as a friend 0rbr0ther. In that case, I undertake t0 pr0ve, even t0 y0u, that itwas a cruel injustice ever t0 have d0ubted nne, and that there isn0 nnan living wh0nn y 0u can nn0re innplicitly trust than nnyself.

My address, when I ann in L0nd0n, is at the head 0f this page.