CHAPTER XXV

renothingcanbedoneforyou?” Valancydidnotmisunderstandthequestion. “Yes.YouknowDr.Trent’sreputationinregardtoheartdisease.Ihaven’tlongtolive—perhapsonlyafewmonths—afewweeks.Iwanttolivethem.Ican’tgobacktoDeerwood—youknowwhatmylifewaslikethere.And”—shemanageditthistime—“Iloveyou.Iwanttospendtherestofmylifewithyou.That’sall.” Barneyfoldedhisarmsonthegateandlookedgravelyenoughatawhite,saucystarthatwaswinkingathimjustoverRoaringAbel’skitchenchimney. “Youdon’tknowanythingaboutme.Imaybea—murderer.” “No,Idon’t.Youmaybesomethingdreadful.Everythingtheysayofyoumaybetrue.Butitdoesn’tmattertome.” “Youcarethatmuchforme,Valancy?”saidBarneyincredulously,lookingawayfromthestarandintohereyes—herstrange,mysteriouseyes. “Icare—thatmuch,”saidValancyinalowvoice.Shewastrembling.Hehadcalledherbyhernameforthefirsttime.Itwassweeterthananotherman’scaresscouldhavebeenjusttohearhimsayhernamelikethat. “Ifwearegoingtogetmarried,”saidBarney,speakingsuddenlyinacasual,matter-of-factvoice,“somethingsmustbeunderstood.” “Everythingmustbeunderstood,”saidValancy. “IhavethingsIwanttohide,”saidBarneycoolly.“Youarenottoaskmeaboutthem.” “Iwon’t,”saidValancy. “Youmustneverasktoseemymail.” “Never.” “Andwearenevertopretendanythingtoeachother.” “Wewon’t,”saidValancy.“Youwon’tevenhavetopretendyoulikeme.IfyoumarrymeIknowyou’reonlydoingitoutofpity.” “Andwe’llnevertellalietoeachotheraboutanything—abiglieorapettylie.” “Especiallyapettylie,”agreedValancy. “Andyou’llhavetolivebackonmyisland.Iwon’t