CHAPTER XIII

goingtodoaboutit?” Whatindeed!Itwasnotseemly—orevenpossible—tohaleValancydoctorwardsbyphysicalforce.Andinnootherwaycoulditbedone,seemingly.Hermother’stearsandimploringentreatiesavailednot. “Don’tworry,Mother,”saidValancy,lightlybutquiterespectfully.“Itisn’tlikelyI’lldoanythingveryterrible.ButImeantohavealittlefun.” “Fun!”Mrs.FrederickutteredthewordasifValancyhadsaidshewasgoingtohavealittletuberculosis. Olive,sentbyhermothertoseeifshehadanyinfluenceoverValancy,cameawaywithflushedcheeksandangryeyes.ShetoldhermotherthatnothingcouldbedonewithValancy.Aftershe,Olive,hadtalkedtoherjustlikeasister,tenderlyandwisely,allValancyhadsaid,narrowingherfunnyeyestomereslips,was,“Idon’tshowmygumswhenIlaugh.” “Moreasifsheweretalkingtoherselfthantome.Indeed,Mother,allthetimeIwastalkingtohershegavemetheimpressionofnotreallylistening.Andthatwasn’tall.WhenIfinallydecidedthatwhatIwassayinghadnoinfluenceoverherIbe