How little, after all, did any one know of Gideon Vetch?
Since he had been in office what had they learned except that he was approachable in human relations and unapproachable in political ones?
"I wonder if Stephen noticed the girl at the ball ?" said Mrs.Culpeper suddenly, looking tenderly at her son across the lovely George II candlesticks and the dish of expensive fruit, for she could never reconcile with her ideas of economy the spending of a penny on decorations so ephemeral as flowers.
"Oh, he couldn't have helped it," responded Mary Byrd.

"Every one saw her.

She was dressed very conspicuously." "Do you imply that you were not ?" inquired her father, without facetious intention.
Mary Byrd beamed indulgently in his direction.

"Oh, you don't know what it is to be conspicuous, dear," she answered.

"What did you think of her dress, Stephen ?" He met her question with a blush.