No one desired or would have thought it right, but something betwixt and between in the proper spirit of British compromise would not have been amiss.

Thus gossip ran.

More-over Stella Ballantyne was too good-looking, and she wore her neat and simple clothes too well.

To some of the women it was an added offence when they considered what she might be wearing if only the verdict had been different.

Thus for a year Stella had been left to her own company except for a couple of visits which the Reptons had paid to her.