e
Brazen Head, for not an hour's comfort I could have in any other place,
many thanks to you. I'm now on my way to it; but I thought I'd give you
a call when passing."

They then proceeded upstairs to the stranger's room, where breakfast was
soon provided for the priest, who expressed an anxiety to know how the
stranger's affairs proceeded, and whether any satisfactory trace of poor
Fenton had been obtained.

"Nothing satisfactory has turned up in either case," replied the
stranger. "No additional clew to the poor young fellow has been got, and
still my own affairs are far from being complete. The loss of important
documents obtained by myself in France will render it necessary for
Birney to proceed to that country, in order to procure fresh copies. I
had intended to accompany him myself; but I have changed my mind on that
point, and prefer remaining where I am. A servant in whom I had every
confidence, but who, unfortunately, took to drink, and worse vices,
robbed me of them, and has fled to America, with a pretty Frenchwoman,
after having abandoned his wife."

"Ay, ay," replied the priest, "that is the old story; first drink,
and after that wickedness of every description. Ah, sir, it's a poor
wretched world; but at the same time it is as God made it; and it
becomes our duty to act an honest and a useful part in it, at all
events."

"You seemed depressed, sir, I think," observed the stranger; "I hope
there is nothing wrong. If there is, command my services, my friendship,
my purse; in each, in all, command me."

"Many thanks, many thanks," returned the other, seizing him warmly by
the hand, whilst the tears fell from his eyes. "I wish there were more
in the world like you. There is nothing wrong with me, however, but what
I will be able, I hope, to set right soon."

"I trust you will not allow any false delicacy to stand in your way, so
far as I am concerned," said the stranger. "I possess not only the wish
but the ability to serve you; and if--"

"Not now," replied the priest; "nothing to signify is wrong with me.
God bless you, though, and he will, too, and prosper your honorable
endeavors. I must go now: I have to call on old Corbet, and if I can
influence him to assist you in tracing that poor young man, I will do
it. He is hard and cunning, I know; but then he is not insensible to
the fear of death, which, indeed, is the only argument likely to prevail
with him."

"You should dine with me to-day," said