The Third Volume

by Fergus Hume

  CHAPTER XXVIII.

  PREPARING THE GROUND.

  AWARE that Claude would hear sooner or later of his visit to Paynton,the lawyer wrote to forestall the information, skillfully alleging abusiness engagement as his excuse for the visit. "I would have called onyou," he continued, "but that it was already late when I left my client,Mr. Paynton, and I had to return to Eastbourne in time for dinner.However, I hope to come over again shortly, and then you must tell mehow you are getting on with your case. I am afraid you will learnnothing at Thorston."

  "He knows better than that," said Tait, to whom the letter was shown;"he is aware that we have cut the ground from under his feet so far asJenny is concerned. Moreover, I am certain that he is the author of thatanonymous letter of a few days since."

  "Do you really think he came here to ask Miss Paynton to keep silence?"asked Claude, returning the letter to his pocket.

  "My dear fellow, I am certain of it. And he also wishes to show us thathe knows Paynton, so as to warn us against asking questions in thatquarter."

  "Indeed, I think it is useless to do so," said Larcher doubtfully; "youknow we called yesterday and were refused admittance."

  "Oh, I spoke to Mr. Linton about that," replied Tait easily; "it seemsthat such is invariably the case, as this hermit will see no one."

  "Why? What can be his reason for such persistent seclusion?"

  "I can't say, unless your surmise is correct, and he is Jeringham."

  "I am sure he is," said Claude emphatically. "Why was the bundle ofnewspapers containing an account of the murder found in his house? Whatis Denis Bantry doing there if Paynton is not Jeringham?"

  "The shoe is on the other foot," remarked Tait dryly. "What is DenisBantry doing there if Paynton is Jeringham? You forget, Claude, that wesuspect Jeringham as the criminal. If this were so, or if Paynton wereJeringham, I hardly think your father's devoted servant would be at hisbeck and call, unless," added Tait, as an after thought, "Denis Bantryis also implicated, as we imagine."

  "I can't understand it," cried Claude, catching up his hat; "in place ofgrowing clearer, the matter seems to become more involved. How do youintend to proceed? It seems to me that we are at a dead stop."

  "By no means, my dear fellow. There is Kerry, alias Denis Bantry, to beexamined. We must learn the truth from him."

  "He won't tell it! Particularly if our suspicions are correct."

  "Perhaps not, but I have provided against that failure. You must appealto him as the son of his old master, while I am absent."

  "Absent! Where are you going?"

  "Can't you guess? To Horriston, of course, in order to pick up whatinformation I can. There are sure to be people still alive who rememberyour father and mother; who recollect the trial, and are stillacquainted with Mr. Hilliston. I expect to learn a good deal about thatgentleman there; and perhaps something about Jeringham and hisdisappearance."

  "Humph! I doubt if you will be successful," replied Claude gloomily;"however, there is no harm in trying. Where are we going now?"

  "I told you before we set out. To call on the vicar. As we can't seeJenny at her father's house we must meet her in another person's. She islike a daughter to Mrs. Linton, and is constantly at the vicarage."

  "And no doubt young Linton loves her."

  "I'm sure he does. Have you any objection?" demanded Tait slyly.

  "None! None!" said Claude hastily. "I have only met her for a fewminutes, you know. But she is a remarkably pretty girl, and from whatyou say seems to be clever. Too good by half for that idiot."

  "Idiot! John Parver, novelist, the lion of the season, an idiot? Youforget he wrote the book of the year."

  "So he says," responded Larcher dryly. "But for my part, I believe JennyPaynton has more to do with it than he. I have no doubt she wrote it."

  Further conversation was put an end to for the time being by theirarrival at the vicarage. Mr. Linton, a stiff old gentleman with a severeface, received them very kindly, and unbent so far as in him lay. He hadbeen acquainted with Tait for many years, and it was during a visit tohim that the little man had seen and purchased Thorston Manor. Knowinghim to be wealthy, and being well disposed toward him for his own sake,Mr. Linton was anxious to make the Lord of the Manor at home in hishouse. Vicars cannot afford to neglect opulent parishioners.

  "I hope, Mr. Tait, that you will shortly take up your abode altogetherat the Manor," said he pompously. "I am not in favor of an absenteelandlord."

  "Oh, you'll see a good deal of me, Mr. Linton, I assure you. I am toomuch in love with the beauties of the place to stay long away. Moreover,I am not a roamer like my friend Larcher here."

  "It is necessary with me," said Claude, smiling; "I assure you, sir, Iam not the wandering vagabond Tait would make me out to be."

  "It is proper to see the world," said the vicar, with heavy playfulness,"and when you have made your fortune in far countries, Mr. Larcher, youmay settle down in this favored spot."

  "I could wish for nothing better, Mr. Linton. But the time is yet faroff for that."

  "My son is also fond of traveling," continued Mr. Linton. "Now that heis making a good income he tells me that it is his intention to go toItaly."

  "You are proud of your son, Mr. Linton," said Tait genially.

  "Without doubt! Without doubt! The book he wrote is clever, although Ido not care for sensational writing myself."

  "It pays. The taste of the age is in the direction of sensationalism."

  "Certainly, certainly. And I suppose it is only natural that Francisshould write some frivolity. He was never a deep scholar. What doesastonish me," added the vicar, raising his eyebrows, "is that a studentlike Mr. Paynton should desire to read the book."

  Tait and Claude glanced at one another with the same thought in theirminds respecting this information. Informed by Hilliston of the use madeby Linton of the Larcher affair, Paynton was anxious to see in whatlight the case had been placed. This curiosity argued that the reclusehad been one of the actors in the tragedy; if so, he could only beJeringham, since Captain Larcher was dead, and they knew both DenisBantry and Francis Hilliston. The vicar, worthy man, was quite ignorantof the effect produced by this announcement; nor was he undeceived bythe artful reply of Tait.

  "Naturally Mr. Paynton wants to read the book," said the latterdiplomatically. "If I mistake not, he has a great liking for Frank."

  "Indeed, yes," responded Mr. Linton thankfully. "He taught Francis Latinalong with Jenny. He would have made a scholar of him. I am indeed sorrythat my son failed to profit by his association with so brilliant astudent. He might have written a better book."

  Clearly the vicar was by no means impressed with the sensationalism of"A Whim of Fate," and would rather his son had written an honestpamphlet or a grave tragedy than have produced so meretricious a pieceof three-volume frivolity. However, he had no time to talk further onthis matter, for as he ended his speech the subject of it entered theroom with Jenny and Mrs. Linton. The former started and flushed as shesaw Claude, and remembered his romantic history and their formermeeting.

  "My wife, Mr. Larcher. You know Mr. Tait of course, my dear. MissPaynton, 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 willinglyenough, and then the company resolved itself into two groups; the vicarand his wife conversing with Tait, while Claude, seconded by Frank, madehimself agreeable to Jenny. Neither the lady nor the author were pleasedwith this arrangement, as the former felt uneasy when she remembered herfather's position, while the latter felt jealous of Claude's superiorgood looks. Frank Linton was, of course, ignorant that he was in thecompany of the son of the Horriston victim; he did not even know thenames of the people or that of the place, and had simply written thestory on the meager information afforded by Jenny. He could not,therefore, understand the interest which those two displayed in oneanother, and so gr
ew jealous on seeing it.

  It would be useless to report this conversation, which in the mainconsisted 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 withthe novel and case. At one point he did this so clumsily that Jennyspoke outright on the subject.

  "Let us talk no more of that, Mr. Larcher," she said quietly. "I toldMr. Tait all I knew the other day."

  "I have to thank you----" began Claude, when she cut him short, andturned the conversation into another channel. The young man wasdisappointed in this, but nevertheless fell in with her humor, and when,following Tait's example, he arose to go, he was quite charmed with thiscountry girl.

  "I hope you will come soon again," said the vicar hospitably, as heshook 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: "Wewill be charmed, Mr. Linton, the more so as Mr. Hilliston is my friend'sguardian--or rather was."

  Jenny looked startled at this, and her rich color faded when she saidgood-by to Claude. The mystery of the affair was beginning to worry her,and she could by no means understand the relation of Hilliston toLarcher; Hilliston, who was the guardian and friend; Hilliston who,judging from the veto put on her speaking, was inimical to Claude.Untroubled by their conversation Claude held but one idea when he leftthe house with Tait.

  "I'm afraid I am in love," said he, looking at his friend.

  "What! at first sight? Impossible!"

  "Shakspere did not think so, or he would not have written 'Romeo andJuliet.' Yes, I believe I am in love. Jenny is as fresh and fair, andpure and sweet as a mountain daisy."

  "You had better tell Linton so," said Tait dryly, whereat Larcherlaughed. He was too confident in his own powers to be timorous ofrivalry with the celebrated individual.

  "There is no need to tell him," he said lightly; "the poor man was eatenup with jealousy when I spoke to Miss Paynton. By the way, did you seethat she changed color when you mentioned that Hilliston had been myguardian?"

  "It was natural that she should. Hilliston is a suspicious person in hereyes, and this discovery will perplex her still more regarding hisrelations with you. Jenny is a very clever young woman, but I wonder ifshe is clever enough to put this and that together."

  "To arrive at what conclusion?"

  "At the most logical conclusion. That her father is Jeringham, whom shesuspects of the crime."