"Yes. When we married, she wanted to know why you lived in the house with me, so I was forced to explain all the circumstances."
"Do you think that was necessary?"
"I do. You know how suspicious women are," replied Hilliston lightly; "they will know the truth. But you can trust to her discretion, Claude. No one will hear of it from her."
At this moment a footman entered the room with a message from Mrs. Hilliston.
"My mistress wants to know if you have the third volume of 'A Whim of Fate,' sir?" said the servant.
"No," replied Hilliston sharply. "Tell your mistress that I took it to my office by mistake. She will have it to-morrow."
Claude thought this strange, and when the footman retired Hilliston made another explanation equally as unsatisfactory as the first.
"I am so interested in that book that I could not leave it at home," he said quickly; "and now that I have met the author I am doubly interested in it."
Another proof of Tait's acumen. Hilliston was the first to introduce the subject of John Parver.