Clearly the vicar was by no means impressed with the sensationalism of "A Whim of Fate," and would rather his son had written an honest pamphlet or a grave tragedy than have produced so meretricious a piece of three-volume frivolity. However, he had no time to talk further on this matter, for as he ended his speech the subject of it entered the room with Jenny and Mrs. Linton. The former started and flushed as she saw Claude, and remembered his romantic history and their former meeting. "My wife, Mr. Larcher. You know Mr. Tait of course, my dear. Miss Paynton, Mr. Larcher, and my son." "I have already had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Frank Linton in town," said Claude, holding out his hand. The young author took it willingly enough, and then the company resolved itself into two groups; the vicar and his wife conversing with Tait, while Claude, seconded by Frank, made himself agreeable to Jenny. Neither the lady nor the author were pleased with this arrangement, as the former felt uneasy when she remembered her father's position, while the latter felt jealous of Claude's superior good looks. Frank Linton was, of course, ignorant that he was in the company of the son of the Horriston victim; he did not even know the names of the people or that of the place, and had simply written the story on the meager information afforded by Jenny. He could not, therefore, understand the interest which those two displayed in one another, and so grew jealous on seeing it. It would be useless to report this conversation, which in the main consisted of frivolities. Warned by her father, Jenny was on her guard, and carefully avoided any allusion to the Larcher affair. On his part, not knowing the reticence Jenny had practised with regard to Linton, Claude tried to lead the conversation into a grove likely to deal with the novel and case. At one point he did this so clumsily that Jenny spoke outright on the subject. "Let us talk no more of that, Mr. Larcher," she said quietly. "I told Mr. Tait all I knew the other day." "I have to thank you----" began Claude, when she cut him short, and turned the conversation into another channel. The young man was disappointed in this, but nevertheless fell in with her humor, and when, following Tait's example, he arose to go, he was quite charmed with this country girl. "I hope you will come soon again," said the vicar hospitably, as he shook hands. "We must have a party shortly. Our friends, Mr. and Mrs. Hilliston, have promised to come and stay the night during next week." "Another move, and a foolish one," thought Tait, but said aloud: "We will be charmed, Mr. Linton, the more so as Mr. Hilliston is my friend's guardian--or rather was."