CHAPTER XX

WhenAbelGaypaidValancyherfirstmonth’swages—whichhedidpromptly,inbillsreekingwiththeodouroftobaccoandwhiskey—ValancywentintoDeerwoodandspenteverycentofit.Shegotaprettygreencrêpedresswithagirdleofcrimsonbeads,atabargainsale,apairofsilkstockings,tomatch,andalittlecrinkledgreenhatwithacrimsonroseinit.Sheevenboughtafoolishlittleberibbonedandbelacednightgown. ShepassedthehouseonElmStreettwice—Valancynevereventhoughtaboutitas“home”—butsawnoone.NodoubthermotherwassittingintheroomthislovelyJuneeveningplayingsolitaire—andcheating.ValancyknewthatMrs.Frederickalwayscheated.Sheneverlostagame.MostofthepeopleValancymetlookedatherseriouslyandpassedherwithacoolnod.Nobodystoppedtospeaktoher. Valancyputonhergreendresswhenshegothome.Thenshetookitoffagain.Shefeltsomiserablyundressedinitslowneckandshortsleeves.Andthatlow,crimsongirdlearoundthehipsseemedpositivelyindecent.Shehungitupinthecloset,feelingflatlythatshehadwastedhermoney.Shewouldneverhavethecouragetowearthatdress.JohnFoster’sarraignmentoffearhadnopowertostiffenheragainstthis.Inthisonethinghabitandcustomwerestillall-powerful.YetshesighedasshewentdowntomeetBarneySnaithinheroldsnuff-brownsilk.Thatgreenthinghadbeenverybecoming—shehadseensomuchinheroneashamedglance.Aboveithereyeshadlookedlikeoddbrownjewelsandthegirdlehadgivenherflatfigureanentirelydifferentappearance.Shewishedshecouldhaveleftiton.ButthereweresomethingsJohnFosterdidnotknow. EverySundayeveningValancywenttothelittleFreeMethodistchurchinavalleyontheedgeof“upback”—aspirelesslittlegreybuildingamongthepines,withafewsunkengravesandmossygravestonesinthesmall,paling-encircled,grass-grownsquarebesideit.Shelikedtheministerwhopreachedthere.Hewassosimpleandsincere.Anoldman,wholivedinPortLawrenceandcameoutbythelakeinalittledisappearingpropellerboattogiveafreeservicetothepeopleofthesmall,stonyfarmsbackofthehills,whowouldotherwiseneverhaveheardanygospelmessage.Shelikedthesimpleserviceandtheferventsinging.Shelikedtositbytheopenwindowandlookoutintothepinewoods.Thecongregationwasalwayssmall.TheFreeMethodistswerefewinnumber,poorandgenerallyilliterate.ButValancylovedthoseSundayevenings.Forthefirsttimeinherlifeshelikedgoingtochurch.TherumourreachedDeerwoodthatshehad“turnedFreeMethodist”andsentMrs.Fredericktobedforaday.ButValancyhadnotturnedanything.Shewenttothechurchbecauseshelikeditandbecauseinsomeinexplicablewayitdidhergood.OldMr.Towersbelievedexactlywhathepreachedandsomehowitmadeatremendousdifference. Oddlyenough,RoaringAbeldisapprovedofhergoingtothehillchurchasstronglyasMrs.Frederickherselfcouldhavedone.Hehad“nouseforFreeMethodists.HewasaPresbyterian.”ButValancywentinspiteofhim. “We’llhearsomethingworsethanthataboutherso