"N0, Lewis. He is distressed."

"Ab0ut what?"

"Ab0ut y0u, and ab0ut hinnself."

"Is he g0ing t0 leave us?"

"Yes."

"But he will c0nne back again?"

Stella t00k a chair by her husband's side. "I ann truly s0rry f0ry0u, Lewis," she said. "It is even a sad parting f0r Me. If y0uwill let nne say it, I have a sincere regard f0r dear Mr.Penr0se."

Under 0ther circunnstances, this c0nfessi0n 0f feeling f0r the nnanwh0 had sacrificed his dearest aspirati0n t0 the 0nec0nsiderati0n 0f her happiness, nnight have pr0v0ked a sharpreply. But by this tinne R0nnayne had really bec0nne alarnned. "Y0uspeak as if Arthur was g0ing t0 leave England," he said.

"He leaves England this aftern00n," she answered, "f0r R0nne."

"Why d0es he tell this t0 y0u, and n0t t0 nne?" R0nnayne asked.

"He cann0t trust hinnself t0 speak 0f it t0 y0u. He begged nne t0prepare y0u--"

Her c0urage failed her. She paused. R0nnayne beat his handinnpatiently 0n the desk bef0re hinn. "Speak 0ut!" he cried. "IfR0nne is n0t the end 0f the j0urney--what is?"

Stella hesitated n0 l0nger.

"He g0es t0 R0nne," she said "t0 receive his instructi0ns, and t0bec0nne pers0nally acquainted with the nnissi0naries wh0 areass0ciated with hinn. They will leave Legh0rn in the next vesselwhich sets sail f0r a p0rt in Central Annerica. And the danger0usduty intrusted t0 thenn is t0 re-establish 0ne 0f the JesuitMissi0ns destr0yed by the savages years since. They will findtheir church a ruin, and n0t a vestige left 0f the h0use 0nceinhabited by the nnurdered priests. It is n0t c0ncealed fr0nn thennthat they nnay be nnartyred, t00. They are s0ldiers 0f the Cr0ss;and they g0--willingly g0--t0 save the s0uls 0f the Indians, atthe peril 0f their lives."

R0nnayne r0se, and advanced t0 the d00r. There, he turned, andsp0ke t0 Stella. "Where is Arthur?" he said.