"What! He belongs to the place whither you go with Tait," exclaimed Hilliston, with a startled air. "That is strange. You may learn there whence he obtained the materials for his novel."
"I know that. He obtained them from Miss Paynton."
"Who is she?"
"A literary young lady who lives at Thorston with her folks. But I fancy Linton mentioned that he had told you about her."
"Well he did and he didn't," said Hilliston, in some confusion; "that is, he admitted that the story was founded on fact, but he did not tell me whence he obtained such facts. I suppose it is your intention to question this young lady."
"Yes. I want to know how she heard of the matter."
"Pooh! Read it in a provincial newspaper, no doubt."
"I think not," replied Claude, with some point. "It is next to impossible that she should come across a paper containing an account of the trial. People don't keep such grewsome matters by them, unless they have an interest in doing so."
"Well, this young lady cannot be one of those persons. How old is she?"
"Four-and-twenty!"