CHAPTER XI

defencesweredown. “Imusttellyou,”shesobbed,“thatValancyhasbeenactingverystrangelyforovertwoweeksnow.Shehasn’tbeenabitlikeherself—Christinecouldtellyou.Ihavehopedagainsthopethatitwasonlyoneofhercoldscomingon.Butitis—itmustbesomethingworse.” “Thisisbringingonmyneuritisagain,”saidCousinGladys,puttingherhandtoherhead. “Don’tcry,Amelia,”saidHerbertkindly,pullingnervouslyathisspikygreyhair.Hehated“familyructions.”VeryinconsiderateofDosstostartoneathissilverwedding.Whocouldhavesupposedshehaditinher?“You’llhavetotakehertoadoctor.Thismaybeonlya—er—abrainstorm.Therearesuchthingsasbrainstormsnowadays,aren’tthere?” “I—Isuggestedconsultingadoctortoheryesterday,”moanedMrs.Frederick.“Andshesaidshewouldn’tgotoadoctor—wouldn’t.Oh,surelyIhavehadtroubleenough!” “Andshewon’ttakeRedfern’sBitters,”saidCousinStickles. “Oranything,”saidMrs.Frederick. “Andshe’sdeterminedtogotothePresbyterianchurch,”saidCousinStickles—repressing,however,tohercreditbeitsaid,thestoryofthebannister. “Thatprovesshe’sdippy,”growledUncleBenjamin.“Inoticedsomethingstrangeabouthertheminuteshecameintoday.Inoticeditbeforetoday.”(UncleBenjaminwasthinkingof“m-i-r-a-z-h.”)“Everythingshesaidtodayshowedanunbalancedmind.Thatquestion—‘Wasitavitalpart?’Wasthereanysenseatallinthatremark?Nonewhatever!ThereneverwasanythinglikethatintheStirlings.ItmustbefromtheWansbarras.” PoorMrs.Frederickwastoocrushedtobeindignant. “IneverheardofanythinglikethatintheWansbarras,”shesobbed. “Yourfatherwasoddenough,”saidUncleBenjamin. “PoorPawas—peculiar,”admittedMrs.Fredericktearfully,“buthismindwasneveraffected.”“HetalkedallhislifeexactlyasValancydidtoday,”retortedUncleBenjamin.“Andhebelievedhewashisowngreat-greatgrandfatherbornoveragain.I’veheardhimsayit.Don’ttellmethatamanwhobelievedathinglikethatwaseverinhisrightsenses.Come,come,Amelia,stopsniffling.OfcourseDosshasmadeaterribleexhibitionofherselftoday,butshe’snotresponsible.Oldmaidsareapttoflyoffatatangentlikethat.Ifshehadbeenmarriedwhensheshouldhavebeenshewouldn’thavegotlikethis.” “Nobodywantedtomarryher,”saidMrs.Frederick,whofeltthat,somehow,UncleBenjaminwasblamingher. “Well,fortunatelythere’snooutsiderhere,”snappedUncleBenjamin.“Wemaykeepitinthefamilyyet.I’lltakeherovertoseeDr.Marshtomorrow.Iknowhowtodealwithpig-headedpeople.Won’tthatbebest,James?” “Wemusthavemedicaladvicecertainly,”agreedUncleJames. “Well,that’ssettled.Inthemeantime,Amelia,actasifnothinghadhappenedandkeepaneyeonher.Don’tletherbealone.Aboveall,don’tlethersleepalone.” RenewedwhimpersfromMrs.Frederick. “Ican’thelpit.NightbeforelastIsuggestedshe’dbetterhaveChristinesleepwithher.Shepositivelyrefused—andlockedherdoor.Oh,youdon’tknowhowshe’schanged.Shewon’twork.Atleast,shewon’tsew.Shedoesherusualhousework,ofcourse.Butshewouldn’tsweeptheparlouryesterdaymorning,thoughwealwayssweepitonThursdays.Shesaidshe’dwaittillitwasdirty.‘Wouldyourathersweepadirtyroomthanacleanone?’Iaskedher.Shesaid,‘Ofcourse.I’dseesomethingformylabourthen.’Thinkofit!” UncleBenjaminthoughtofit. “Thejarofpotpourri”—CousinSticklespronounceditasspelled—“hasdisappearedfromherroom.Ifoundthepiecesinthenextlot.Shewon’ttelluswhathappenedtoit.” “IshouldneverhavedreameditofDoss,”saidUncleHerbert.“Shehasalwaysseemedsuchaquiet,sensiblegirl.Abitbackward—butsensible.” “Theonlythingyoucanbesureofinthisworldisthemultiplicationtable,”saidUncleJames,feelingclevererthanever. “Well,let’scheerup,”suggestedUncleBenjamin.“Whyarechorusgirlslikefinestockraisers?” “Why?”askedCousinStickles,sinceithadtobeaskedandValancywasn’ttheretoaskit. “Liketoexhibitcalves,”chuckledUncleBenjamin. CousinSticklesthoughtUncleBenjaminalittleindelicate.BeforeOlive,too.Butthen,hewasaman. UncleHerbertwasthinkingthatthingswereratherdullnowthatDosshadgone.