CHAPTER VI

ashofdesperate,starkhonestysheownedtoherselfthatshewasmerelyenvious.Whenshepassedthemshefeltquitesuretheywerelaughingather—pityingher—“there’sthatqueerlittleoldmaid,ValancyStirling.Theysaysheneverhadabeauinherwholelife”—ValancyfairlyrantogetoutofLover’sLane.Neverhadshefeltsoutterlycolourlessandskinnyandinsignificant. JustwhereLover’sLanedebouchedonthestreet,anoldcarwasparked.Valancyknewthatcarwell—bysound,atleast—andeverybodyinDeerwoodknewit.Thiswasbeforethephrase“tinLizzie”hadcomeintocirculation—inDeerwood,atleastbutifithadbeenknown,thiscarwasthetinniestofLizzies—thoughitwasnotaFordbutanoldGreySlosson.Nothingmorebatteredanddisreputablecouldbeimagined. ItwasBarneySnaith’scarandBarneyhimselfwasjustscramblingupfromunderit,inoverallsplasteredwithmud.Valancygavehimaswift,furtivelookasshehurriedby.ThiswasonlythesecondtimeshehadeverseenthenotoriousBarneySnaith,thoughshehadheardenoughabouthiminthefiveyearsthathehadbeenliving“upback”inMuskoka.Thefirsttimehadbeennearlyayearago,ontheMuskokaroad.Hehadbeencrawlingoutfromunderhiscarthen,too,andhehadgivenheracheerfulgrinasshewentby—alittle,whimsicalgrinthatgavehimthelookofanamusedgnome.Hedidn’tlookbad—shedidn’tbelievehewasbad,inspiteofthewildyarnsthatwerealwaysbeingtoldofhim.OfcoursehewenttearinginthatterribleoldGreySlossonthroughDeerwoodathourswhenalldecentpeoplewereinbed—oftenwithold“RoaringAbel,”whomadethenighthideouswithhishowls—“bothofthemdeaddrunk,mydear.”AndeveryoneknewthathewasanescapedconvictandadefaultingbankclerkandamurdererinhidingandaninfidelandanillegitimatesonofoldRoaringAbelGaya