Nothing loath, the girl seated herself in a pew near the door, and occupied herself in fixing her glove. Remembering the conversation with Linton, she was slightly uneasy at Tait's very direct request, but thinking that it could not possibly have anything to do with the plot of Linton's novel, resigned herself to circumstances. Before the conversation ended she wished that she had refused to speak to Tait at that moment; but it was then too late. "News," she repeated with a laugh, "do we ever have any news in this dreary place. I should rather ask you for news, Mr. Tait, who are fresh from London." "Oh, but no doubt our young author has already told you all that is worth hearing," said Tait, deftly leading up to his point; "he has been quite the lion of the season." "Yes. He has been very fortunate," replied Jenny carefully. She did not relish the sudden introduction of this forbidden subject. "And he owes it to you, I believe." "To me. Good gracious, Mr. Tait! what have I to do with Frank's success?" "According to what he says, everything." "What do you mean," she said, sitting up very straight, with a deeper color than usual on her cheek. "Why," said Tait, looking directly at her, and thereby adding to her confusion, "Frank told me that you supplied the plot of 'A Whim of Fate.'" "And what if I did, Mr. Tait?" "Oh, nothing, only I must compliment you on your--shall we say selection or invention?" "The former," replied Jenny, with extraordinary quickness. "Since Frank makes no secret of it, why should I? The plot was told him by me, and I found it set forth as a trial in a newspaper of 1866." "H'm! In the _Canterbury Observer_, I believe?" "How do you know that is the name of the paper?" she asked in a nervous tone. "I learned it from the same source that supplied me with the history of the Larcher affair." "What! You also know the name of the case?" "As you see." "Frank does not know it. I did not show him the papers. I suppressed all names when I told the story," she said incoherently; "but now you--you----" "I know all. Yes, you are right," observed Tait complacently. "I am better acquainted with the plot of 'A Whim of Fate' than John Parver himself." Jenny sat looking at him in a kind of wild amazement. From the significance of his tone, the extent of his knowledge, she vaguely felt that something was wrong. Again, the anger of Kerry, the conversation of Linton, came into her mind, and she saw into what difficulty the chance telling of that ancient crime had led her. Tait noticed that she was perplexed and frightened, so dexterously strove to set her more at ease by making a clean breast of it, and enlisting her sympathy for Claude. "You saw the friend who was with me in the cart, Miss Paynton?" "Yes. Who is he?" "Claude Larcher!" "Claude La----What do you mean, Mr. Tait? I am in the dark. I do not understand. Have I done anything wrong in--in----"