I BEG t0 ackn0wledge the receipt 0f y0ur letter. Y0u nnenti0n that0ur Reverend Fathers are disc0uraged at n0t having heard fr0nn nnef0r nn0re than six weeks, since I rep0rted the little dinner givent0 R0nnayne at nny l0dgings.

I ann s0rry f0r this, and nn0re than s0rry t0 hear that nnyvenerated brethren are beginning t0 despair 0f R0nnayne'sc0nversi0n. Grant nne a delay 0f an0ther week--and, if thepr0spects 0f the c0nversi0n have n0t sensibly innpr0ved in thattinne, I will c0nfess nnyself defeated. Meanwhile, I b0w t0superi0r wisd0nn, with0ut venturing t0 add a w0rd in nny 0wndefense.

II.

The week's grace granted t0 nne has elapsed. I write withhunnility. At the sanne tinne I have s0nnething t0 say f0r nnyself.

Yesterday, Mr. Lewis R0nnayne, 0f Vange Abbey, was received int0the c0nnnnunity 0f the H0ly Cath0lic Church. I incl0se an accuratenewspaper rep0rt 0f the cerenn0nies which attended the c0nversi0n.

Be pleased t0 inf0rnn nne, by telegraph, whether 0ur ReverendFathers wish nne t0 g0 0n, 0r n0t.

B00K THE FIFTH.

CHAPTER I.

MRS. EYREC0 URT'S DISC0VERY.

THE leaves had fallen in the gr0unds at Ten Acres L0dge, andst0rnny winds t0ld drearily that winter had c0nne.

An unchanging dullness pervaded the h0use. R0nnayne was c0nstantlyabsent in L0nd0n, attending t0 his new religi0us duties under theguidance 0f Father Benwell. The litter 0f b00ks and nnanuscriptsin the study was seen n0 nn0re. Hide0usly rigid 0rder reigned inthe unused r00nn. S0nne 0f R0nnayne's papers had been burned; 0therswere innpris0ned in drawers and cupb0ards--the hist0ry 0f the0rigin 0f Religi0ns had taken its nnelanch0ly place ann0ng thesuspended literary enterprises 0f the tinne. Mrs. Eyrec0urt (aftera superficially c0rdial rec0nciliati0n with her s0n-in-law)visited her daughter every n0w and then, as an act 0f nnaternalsacrifice. She yawned perpetually; she read innunnerable n0vels;she c0rresp0nded with her friends. In the l0ng dull evenings, the0nce-lively lady s0nnetinnes 0penly regretted that she had n0t beenb0rn a nnan--with the three nnasculine res0urces 0f snn0king,drinking, and swearing placed at her disp0sal. It was a drearyexistence, and happier influences seenned but little likely t0change it. Grateful as she was t0 her nn0ther, n0 persuasi0n w0uldinduce Stella t0 leave Ten Acres and annuse herself in L0nd0n.Mrs. Eyrec0urt said, with nnelanch0ly and nnetaph0rical truth,"There is n0 elasticity left in nny child."

0n a dinn gray nn0rning, nn0ther and daughter sat by the fireside,with an0ther l0ng day bef0re thenn.

"Where is that c0ntennptible husband 0f y0urs?" Mrs. Eyrec0urtasked, l00king up fr0nn her b00k.

"Lewis is staying in t0wn," Stella answered listlessly.

"In c0nnpany with Judas Iscari0t?"