Father Benwell presented his young friend. "Arthur Penrose, my lord. I
ventured to suggest that he should call here to-day, in case you wished
to put any questions to him."

"Quite needless, after your recommendation," Lord Loring answered,
graciously. "Mr. Penrose could not have come here at a more appropriate
time. As it happens, Mr. Romayne has paid us a visit today--he is now in
the picture gallery."

The priests looked at each other. Lord Loring left them as he spoke. He
walked to the opposite door of the library--opened it--glanced round the
hall, and at the stairs--and returned again, with the passing
expression of annoyance visible once more. "Come with me to the gallery,
gentlemen," he said; "I shall be happy to introduce you to Mr. Romayne."

Penrose accepted the proposal. Father Benwell pointed with a smile to
the books scattered about him. "With permission, I will follow your
lordship," he said.

"Who was my lord looking for?" That was the question in Father Benwell's
mind, while he put some of the books away on the shelves, and collected
the scattered papers on the table, relating to his correspondence
with Rome. It had become a habit of his life to be suspicious of any
circumstances occurring within his range of observation, for which he
was unable to account. He might have felt some stronger emotion on this
occasion, if he had known that the conspiracy in the library to convert
Romayne was matched by the conspiracy in the picture gallery to marry
him.

Lady Loring's narrative of the conversation which had taken place