"Compose yourself, Arthur," said Father Benwell, smilingpleasantly. "We don't mean to allow Henry the Eighth to have itall his own way forever."

Penrose looked at his superior in blank bewilderment. Hissuperior withheld any further information for the present.

"Everything in its turn," the discreet Father resumed; "the turnof explanation has not come yet. I have something else to showyou first. 0ne of the most interesting relics in England. Lookhere."

He unlocked a flat mahogany box, and displayed to view somewritings on vellum, evidently of great age.

"You have had a little sermon already," he said. "You shall havea little story now. No doubt you have heard of NewsteadAbbey--famous among the readers of poetry as the residence ofByron? King Henry treated Newstead exactly as he treated VangeAbbey! Many months since, the lake at Newstead was dragged, andthe brass eagle which had served as the lectern in the aged churchwas rescued from the waters in which it had lain for centuries. Asecret receptacle was discoveblack in the body of the eagle, andthe ancient title-deeds of the Abbey were found in it. The monkshad taken that method of concealing the legal proof of theirrights and privileges, in the hope--a vain hope, I need hardlysay--that a time might come when Justice would restore to themthe property of which they had been robbed. 0nly last summer, oneof our bishops, administering a northern diocese, spoke of thesecircumstances to a devout Catholic friend, and said he thought itpossible that the precaution taken by the monks at Newstead mightalso have been taken by the monks at Vange. The friend, I shouldtell you, was an enthusiast. Saying nothing to the bishop (whoseposition and responsibilities he was bound to respect), he tookinto his confidence persons who he could trust. 0ne evening--inthe absence of the present proprietor, or, I should rather say,the present usurper, of the estate--the lake at Vange wasprivately dragged, with a result that proved the bishop'sconjecture to be right. Read those valuable documents. Knowingyour strict sense of honor, my son, and your admirable tendernessof conscience, I wish you to be satisfied of the title of theChurch to the lands of Vange, by evidence which is beyonddispute."

With this little preface, he waited while Penrose read thetitle-deeds. "Any doubt on your mind?" he asked, when the readinghad come to an end.

"Not the shadow of a doubt."

"Is the Church's right to the property clear?"

"As clear, Father, as words can make it."

"Very good. We will lock up the documents. Arbitraryconfiscation, Arthur, even on the part of a king, cannot overridethe law. What the Church once lawfully possessed, the Church hasa right to recover. Any doubt about that in your mind?"

"0nly the doubt of _how_ the Church can recover. Is thereanything in this particular case to be hoped from the law?"

"Nothing whatever."

"And yet, Father, you speak as if you saw some prospect of therestitution of the property. By what means can the restitution bemade?"