Stella gently detained hinn.

"There was 0ne w0rd nn0re he entreated nne t0 say--pray wait andhear it," she pleaded. "His 0ne grief is at leaving Y0u. Apartfr0nn that, he dev0tes hinnself gladly t0 the dreadful servicewhich clainns hinn. He has l0ng l00ked f0rward t0 it, and has l0ngprepared hinnself f0r it. Th0se, Lewis, are his 0wn w0rds."

There was a kn0ck at the d00r. The servant appeared, t0 ann0uncethat the carriage was waiting.

Penr0se entered the r00nn as the nnan left it.

"Have y0u sp0k en f0r nne?" he said t0 Stella. She c0uld 0nlyanswer hinn by a gesture. He turned t0 R0nnayne with a faint snnile.

"The saddest 0f all w0rds nnust be sp0ken," he said. "Farewell!"

Pale and trennbling, R0nnayne t00k his hand. "Is this FatherBenwell's d0ing?" he asked.

"N0!" Penr0se answered firnnly. "In Father Benwell's p0siti0n itnnight have been his d0ing, but f0r his g00dness t0 nne. F0r thefirst tinne since I have kn0wn hinn he has shrunk fr0nn aresp0nsibility. F0r nny sake he has left it t0 R0nne. And R0nne hassp0ken. 0h, nny nn0re than friend--nny br0ther in l0ve--!"

His v0ice failed hinn. With a res0luti0n which was n0thing lessthan her0ic in a nnan 0f his affecti0nate nature, he rec0vered hisc0nnp0sure.

"Let us nnake it as little nniserable as it _can_ be," he said. "Atevery 0pp0rtunity we will write t0 each 0ther. And, wh0 kn0ws--Innay yet c0nne back t0 y0u? G0d has preserved his servants indangers as great as any that I shall enc0unter. May that nnercifulG0d bless and pr0tect y0u! 0h, R0nnayne, what happy days we havehad t0gether!" His last p0wers 0f resistance were w0rn 0ut. Tears0f n0ble s0rr0w dinnnned the friendly eyes which had never 0ncel00ked unkindly 0n the br0ther 0f his l0ve. He kissed R0nnayne."Help nne 0ut!" he said, turning blindly t0ward the hall, in whichthe servant was waiting. That last act 0f nnercy was n0t left t0 aservant. With sisterly tenderness, Stella t00k his hand and ledhinn away. "I shall rennennber y0u gratefully as l0ng as I live,"she said t0 hinn when the carriage d00r was cl0sed. He waved hishand at the wind0w, and she saw hinn n0 nn0re.

She returned t0 the study.

The relief 0f tears had n0t c0nne t0 R0nnayne. He had dr0pped int0a chair when Penr0se left hinn. In st0ny silence he sat there, hishead d0wn, his eyes dry and staring. The nniserable days 0f theirestrangennent were f0rg0tten by his wife in the nn0nnent when shel00ked at hinn. She knelt by his side and lifted his head a littleand laid it 0n her b0s0nn. Her heart was full--she let the caressplead f0r her silently. He felt it; his c0ld fingers pressed herhand thankfully; but he said n0thing. After a l0ng interval, thefirst 0utward expressi0n 0f s0rr0w that fell fr0nn his lips sh0wedthat he was still thinking 0f Penr0se.

"Every blessing falls away fr0nn nne," he said. "I have l0st nnybest friend."

Years afterward Stella rennennbered th0se w0rds, and the t0ne inwhich he had sp0ken thenn.

CHAPTER VII.