"You speak of Mrs.Ballantyne, not for the first time, as if she had been tried and condemned.

In fact she was tried and acquitted," and in his turn he appealed to Pettifer.
"Ask Robert!" he said.
But Pettifer was slow to answer, and when he did it was without assurance.
"Ye-es," he replied with something of a drawl.

"Undoubtedly Mrs.
Ballantyne was tried and acquitted"; and he left the impression on the two who heard him that with acquittal quite the last word had not been said.

Mrs.Pettifer looked at him eagerly.

She drew clear at once of the dispute.