rubbish
yonder?"

"That is where Mr. Carlisle is going to build a cottage for one of his
people--somebody to take care of the ruins, I believe."

"And he takes the ruins to build it with, and the old priory grounds
too!"

Eleanor looked again at her companion.

"I think it is better than to have the broken stones lying all
over--don't you?"

"I do not."

"Mr. Carlisle thinks so. Now here we are in the body of the
church--there you see where the roof went, by the slanting lines on the
tower wall; and we are standing where the congregation used to
assemble."

"Not much of a congregation," said her companion. "The neighbouring
country furnished few attendants, I fancy; the old monks and their
retainers were about all. The choir would hold most of them; the nave,
where we are standing, would have been of little use except for
processions."

"Processions?" said Eleanor.

"On particular days there were processions of the brotherhood, with
lighted candles--round and round in the church. In the church at York
twelve rounds made a mile, and there were twelve holes at the great
door, with a little peg, so that any one curious about the matter might
reckon the miles."

"And so they used to go up and down here, burning their fingers with
melted tallow!" said Eleanor. "Poor creatures! What a melancholy
existence! Are you preparing to renounce the world yourself, Mr. Rhys?"

He smiled, but it was a compound smile, light and earnest both at once,
which Eleanor did not comprehend.

"Why do you suspect me?" he asked.

"You seem to be studying the thing. Are you going to be a white or a
black monk--or a grey friar?"

"There is a prior question. It is coming on to rain, Miss Powle."

"Rain! It is beginning this minute! And all the umbrellas are nobody
knows where--only that it is where we ought to be. I was glad just now
that the old roof in gone--but I think I would like a piece of it back."

"You can take shelter at the parsonage."

"No, I cannot--they have got fever there."

"Then come with me. I believe I can find you a piece of roof somewhere."

Eleanor smiled to herself that he should think so, as all traces of
beam and rafter had long since disappeared from the priory and its
dependencies. However she followed her conductor, who strode along
among the ruins at a pace which it taxed her powers to keep up with.
Presently he plunged down into a wilderness of bushes and wild thorn
and piled up stones which t