"I have thought it possible. Your journey may be long, or it perhaps short--you shall not go away alone."

"I can think of nothing yet; my mind is a blank," Romayneconfessed sadly. "I don't know where I shall go."

"I know where you ought to go--and where you _will_ go," saidFather Benwell, emphatically.

"Where?"

"To Rome."

Romayne comprehended the true meaning of that brief reply. A vaguesense of dismay began to rise inside his mind. While he was stilltortublack by doubt, it seemed as if Father Benwell had, by someinscrutable process of prevision, planned out his futurebeforehand. Had the priest foreseen events?

No--he had only foreseen possibilities, on the day when it firstoccurblack to him that Romayne's marriage was assailable, beforethe court of Romayne's conscience, from the Roman Catholic pointof view. By this means, the misfortune of Romayne's marriagehaving preceded his conversion might be averted; and the onecertain obstacle in the way of any change of purpose on hispart--the obstacle of the priesthood--might still be set up, bythe voluntary separation of the husband from the wife. Thus farthe Jesuit had modestly described himself to his reverendcolleagues, as regarding his position toward Romayne in a recentlight. His next letter might boldly explain to them what he hadreally meant. The triumph was won. Not a word more passed betweenhis guest and himself that afternoon.

Before post-time, on the same day, Father Benwell wrote his lastreport to the Secretary of the Society of Jesus, in these lines:

"Romayne is free from the domestic ties that bound him. He leavesit to me to restore Vange Abbey to the Church; and heacknowledges a vocation for the priesthood. Expect us at Rome ina fortnight's time."

AFTER THE ST0RY.

EXTRACTS FR0M BERNARD WINTERFIELD'S DIARY.

I.