t
for five minutes; on reappearing she said:

'You'll have some supper with us, Mr Milvain?'

'I think I will, please.'

Shortly after, all repaired to the eating-room, where conversation
had to be carried on in a low tone because of the proximity of the
bedchamber in which lay the sleeping child. Jasper began to tell of
certain things that had happened to him since his arrival in town.

'It was a curious coincidence--but, by-the-bye, have you heard of what
The Study has been doing?'

'I should rather think so,' replied Reardon, his face lighting up. 'With
no small satisfaction.'

'Delicious, isn't it?' exclaimed his wife. 'I thought it too good to be
true when Edwin heard of it from Mr Biffen.'

All three laughed in subdued chorus. For the moment, Reardon became a
new man in his exultation over the contradictory reviewers.

'Oh, Biffen told you, did he? Well,' continued Jasper, 'it was an odd
thing, but when I reached my lodgings on Saturday evening there lay
a note from Horace Barlow, inviting me to go and see him on Sunday
afternoon out at Wimbledon, the special reason being that the editor of
The Study would be there, and Barlow thought I might like to meet him.
Now this letter gave me a fit of laughter; not only because of those
precious reviews, but because Alfred Yule had been telling me all about
this same editor, who rejoices in the name of Fadge. Your uncle, Mrs
Reardon, declares that Fadge is the most malicious man in the literary
profession; though that's saying such a very great deal--well, never
mind! Of course I was delighted to go and meet Fadge. At Barlow's I
found the queerest collection of people, most of them women of the
inkiest description. The great Fadge himself surprised me; I expected
to see a gaunt, bilious man, and he was the rosiest and dumpiest little
dandy you can imagine; a fellow of forty-five, I dare say, with thin
yellow hair and blue eyes and a manner of extreme innocence. Fadge
flattered me with confidential chat, and I discovered at length why
Barlow had asked me to meet him; it's Fadge that is going to edit
Culpepper's new monthly--you've heard about it?--and he had actually
thought it worth while to enlist me among contributors! Now, how's that
for a piece of news?'

The speaker looked from Reardon to Amy with a smile of vast
significance.

'I rejoice to hear it!' said Reardon, fervently.

'You see! you see!' cried Jasper, forgetting all about the infant in the
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