CHAPTER XI
關燈
小
中
大
iceatPortLawrencewerethinkingof.Everybodywouldbemurderedintheirbedssomenight.Itwasashamethatheshouldbeallowedtobeatlargeafterallthathehaddone.
“Whathashedone?”askedValancysuddenly.
UncleWellingtonstaredather,forgettingthatshewastobeignored.
“Done!Done!He’sdoneeverything.”
“Whathashedone?”repeatedValancyinexorably.“Whatdoyouknowthathehasdone?You’realwaysrunninghimdown.Andwhathaseverbeenprovedagainsthim?”
“Idon’targuewithwomen,”saidUncleWellington.“AndIdon’tneedproof.WhenamanhideshimselfupthereonanislandinMuskoka,yearinandyearout,andnobodycanfindoutwherehecamefromorhowhelives,orwhathedoesthere,that’sproofenough.Findamysteryandyoufindacrime.”
“TheveryideaofamannamedSnaith!”saidSecondCousinSarah.“Why,thenameitselfisenoughtocondemnhim!”
“Iwouldn’tliketomeethiminadarklane,”shiveredCousinGeorgiana.
“Whatdoyousupposehewoulddotoyou?”askedValancy.
“Murderme,”saidCousinGeorgianasolemnly.
“Justforthefunofit?”suggestedValancy.
“Exactly,”saidCousinGeorgianaunsuspiciously.“Whenthereissomuchsmoketheremustbesomefire.Iwasafraidhewasacriminalwhenhecameherefirst.Ifelthehadsomethingtohide.Iamnotoftenmistakeninmyintuitions.”
“Criminal!Ofcoursehe’sacriminal,”saidUncleWellington.“Nobodydoubtsit”—glaringatValancy.“Why,theysayheservedaterminthepenitentiaryforembezzlement.Idon’tdoubtit.Andtheysayhe’sinwiththatgangthatareperpetratingallthosebankrobberiesroundthecountry.”
“Whosay?”askedValancy.
UncleWellingtonknottedhisuglyforeheadather.Whathadgotintothisconfoundedgirl,anyway?Heignoredthequestion.
“Hehastheidenticallookofajail-bird,”snappedUncleBenjamin.“InoticeditthefirsttimeIsawhim.”
“‘Afellowbythehandofnaturemarked,
Quotedandsignedtodoadeedofshame’,”
declaimedUncleJames.Helookedenormouslypleasedovermanagingtoworkthatquotationinatlast.Hehadbeenwaitingallhislifeforthechance.
“Oneofhiseyebrowsisanarchandtheotherisatriangle,”saidValancy.“Isthatwhyyouthinkhimsovillainous?”
UncleJamesliftedhiseyebrows.GenerallywhenUncleJamesliftedhiseyebrowstheworldcametoanend.Thistimeitcontinuedtofunction.
“Howdoyouknowhiseyebrowssowell,Doss?”askedOlive,atriflemaliciously.SucharemarkwouldhavecoveredValancywithconfusiontwoweeksago,andOliveknewit.
“Yes,how?”demandedAuntWellington.
“I’veseenhimtwiceandIlookedathimclosely,”saidValancycomposedly.“IthoughthisfacethemostinterestingoneIeversaw.”
“Thereisnodoubtthereissomethingfishyinthecreature’spastlife,”saidOlive,whobegantothinkshewasdecidedlyoutoftheconversation,whichhadcentredsoamazinglyaroundValancy.“Buthecanhardlybeguiltyofeverythinghe’saccusedof,youknow.”
ValancyfeltannoyedwithOlive.WhyshouldshespeakupineventhisqualifieddefenceofBarneySnaith?Whathadshetodowithhim?Forthatmatter,whathadValancy?ButValancydidnotaskherselfthisquestion.
“TheysayhekeepsdozensofcatsinthathutupbackonMistawis,”saidSecondCousinSarahTaylor,bywayofappearingnotentirelyignorantofhim.
Cats.ItsoundedquitealluringtoValancy,intheplural.ShepicturedanislandinMuskokahauntedbypussies.
“Thataloneshowsthereissomethingwrongwithhim,”decreedAuntIsabel.
“Peoplewhodon’tlikecats,”saidValancy,attackingherdessertwitharelish,“alwaysseemtothinkthatthereissomepeculiarvirtueinnotlikingthem.”
“Themanhasn’tafriendexceptRoaringAbel,”saidUncleWellington.“AndifRoaringAbelhadkeptawayfromhim,aseverybodyelsedid,itwouldhavebeenbetterfor—forsomemembersofhisfamily.”
UncleWellington’sratherlameconclusionwasduetoamaritalglancefromAuntWellingtonremindinghimofwhathehadalmostforgotten—thatthereweregirlsatthetable.
“Ifyoumean,”saidValancypassionately,“thatBarneySnaithisthefatherofCecilyGay’schild,heisn’t.It’sawickedlie.”
InspiteofherindignationValancywashugelyamusedattheexpressionofthefacesaroundthatfestaltable.Shehadnotseenanythingli