CHAPTER XXVIII

Summerpassedby.TheStirlingclan—withtheinsignificantexceptionofCousinGeorgiana—hadtacitlyagreedtofollowUncleJames’exampleandlookuponValancyasonedead.Tobesure,Valancyhadanunquiet,ghostlyhabitofrecurringresurrectionswhensheandBarneyclatteredthroughDeerwoodandouttothePortinthatunspeakablecar.Valancy,bareheaded,withstarsinhereyes.Barney,bareheaded,smokinghispipe.Butshaved.Alwaysshavednow,ifanyofthemhadnoticedit.TheyevenhadtheaudacitytogointoUncleBenjamin’sstoretobuygroceries.TwiceUncleBenjaminignoredthem.WasnotValancyoneofthedead?WhileSnaithhadneverexisted.ButthethirdtimehetoldBarneyhewasascoundrelwhoshouldbehungforluringanunfortunate,weak-mindedgirlawayfromherhomeandfriends. Barney’sonestraighteyebrowwentup. “Ihavemadeherhappy,”hesaidcoolly,“andshewasmiserablewithherfriends.Sothat’sthat.” UncleBenjaminstared.Ithadneveroccurredtohimthatwomenhadtobe,oroughttobe,“madehappy.” “You—youpup!”hesaid. “Whybesounoriginal?”queriedBarneyamiably.“Anybodycouldcallmeapup.WhynotthinkofsomethingworthyoftheStirlings?Besides,I’mnotapup.I’mreallyquiteamiddle-ageddog.Thirty-five,ifyou’reinterestedinknowing.” UncleBenjaminrememberedjustintimethatVa