CHAPTER XXVII

esnappedherfingers—“comparedtofeelingBarney’sarmsaroundmeandhischeekagainstmine.” “Oh,Doss!”saidCousinStickles.CousinSarahsaid,“Oh,Doss!”AuntWellingtonsaid,“Valancy,youneednotbeindecent.” “Why,itsurelyisn’tindecenttoliketohaveyourhusbandputhisarmaroundyou?Ishouldthinkitwouldbeindecentifyoudidn’t.” “Whyexpectdecencyfromher?”inquiredUncleJamessarcastically.“Shehascutherselfofffromdecencyforevermore.Shehasmadeherbed.Letherlieonit.” “Thanks,”saidValancyverygratefully.“HowyouwouldhaveenjoyedbeingTorquemada!Now,Imustreallybegettingback.Mother,mayIhavethosethreewoollencushionsIworkedlastwinter?” “Takethem—takeeverything!”saidMrs.Frederick. “Oh,Idon’twanteverything—ormuch.Idon’twantmyBlueCastlecluttered.Justthecushions.I’llcallforthemsomedaywhenwemotorin.” Valancyroseandwenttothedoor.Theresheturned.Shewassorrierthaneverforthemall.TheyhadnoBlueCastleinthepurplesolitudesofMistawis. “Thetroublewithyoupeopleisthatyoudon’tlaughenough,”shesaid. “Doss,dear,”saidCousinGeorgianamournfully,“somedayyouwilldiscoverthatbloodisthickerthanwater.” “Ofcourseitis.Butwhowantswatertobethick?”parriedValancy.“Wewantwatertobethin—sparkling—crystal-clear.” CousinSticklesgroaned. Valancywouldnotaskanyofthemtocomeandseeher—shewasafraidtheywouldcomeoutofcuriosity.Butshesaid: “DoyoumindifIdropinandseeyouonceinawhile,Mother?” “Myhousewillalwaysbeopentoyou,”saidMrs.Frederick,withamournfuldignity. “Youshouldneverrecogniseheragain,”saidUncleJamessternly,asthedoorclosedbehindValancy. “IcannotquiteforgetthatIamamother,”saidMrs.Frederick.“Mypoor,unfortunategirl!” “Idaresaythemarriageisn’tlegal,”saidUncleJamescomfortingly.“Hehasprobablybeenmarriedhalfadozentimesbefore.ButIamthroughwithher.IhavedoneallIcould,Amelia.Ithinkyouwilladmitthat.Henceforth”—UncleJameswasterriblysolemnaboutit—“Valancyistomeasonedead.” “Mrs.BarneySnaith,”saidCousinGeorgiana,asiftryingitouttoseehowitwouldsound. “Hehasascoreofaliases,nodoubt,”saidUncleBenjamin.“Formypart,IbelievethemanishalfIndian.Ihaven’tadoubtthey’relivinginawigwam.” “IfhehasmarriedherunderthenameofSnaithanditisn’thisrealnamewouldn’tthatmakethemarriagenullandvoid?”askedCousinStickleshopefully. UncleJamesshookhishead. “No,itisthemanwhomarries,notthename.” “Youknow,”saidCousinGladys,whohadrecoveredandreturnedbutwasstillshaky,“IhadadistinctpremonitionofthisatHerbert’ssilverdinner.Iremarkeditatthetime.WhenshewasdefendingSnaith.Youremember,ofcourse.Itcameovermelikearevelation.IspoketoDavidwhenIwenthomeaboutit.” “What—what,”demandedAuntWellingtonoftheuniverse,“hascomeoverValancy?Valancy!” TheuniversedidnotanswerbutUncleJamesdid. “Isn’ttheresomethingcomingupoflateaboutsecondarypersonalitiescroppingout?Idon’tholdwithmanyofthosenew-fanglednotions,buttheremaybesomethinginthisone.Itwouldaccountforherincomprehensibleconduct.” “Valancyissofondofmushrooms,”sighedCousinGeorgiana.“I’mafraidshe’llgetpoisonedeatingtoadstoolsbymistakelivingupbackinthewoods.” “Thereareworsethingsthandeath,”saidUncleJames,believingthatitwasthefirsttimeintheworldthatsuchastatementhadbeenmade. “Nothingcaneverbethesameagain!”sobbedCousinStickles. Valancy,hurryingalongthedustyroad,backtocoolMistawisandherpurpleisland,hadforgottenallaboutthem—justasshehadforgottenthatshemightdropdeadatanymomentifshehurried.