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138 agreed to that modification of the plan, so Allan brought forward his proposal again with this difference, and found that there was no objection raised by any one. George took his place naturally where he could be most useful, and in little things he was more attentive than Allan, and had more of the forms of politeness.

The Hammonds heard a good deal from various sources about the guest they had rejected. Their friend, Mr. Lufton, who lived about thirty miles beyond Aralewin, used sometimes call at the Lindsays', and was enthusiastic about the prettiness and the cleverness of the young stranger. Mr. Troubridge, whose wife was a great reader, and who, knowing something of the name and reputation of Gerald Staunton, was very sorry indeed that she had not had the chance of befriending his orphan, used to prose in Mrs. Hammond's own drawing-room about the mistake she had made, and wonder why she did not try to retrieve it by going to the girl and offering her home now, for no doubt she would be very glad to escape from those rough, unpolished people, to a more refined society. What was worse, Mrs. Hammond's own boys, who had always liked to go to Branxholm when they had a chance, were still fonder of going now, and her eldest, Louis, was constantly regretting the untimely death of