"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?"