CHAPTER XXVIII

Venushadoncelookedandwhichthereafterreflectedasbeautifuleverywomanwholookedintoit.Valancythoughtshewasalmostprettyinthatmirror.Butthatmayhavebeenbecauseshehadshingledherhair. Thiswasbeforethedayofbobsandwasregardedasawild,unheard-ofproceeding—unlessyouhadtyphoid.WhenMrs.FrederickheardofitshealmostdecidedtoeraseValancy’snamefromthefamilyBible.Barneycutthehair,squareoffatthebackofValancy’sneck,bringingitdowninashortblackfringeoverherforehead.Itgaveameaningandapurposetoherlittle,three-corneredfacethatitneverhadpossessedbefore.Evenhernoseceasedtoirritateher.Hereyeswerebright,andhersallowskinhadclearedtothehueofcreamyivory.Theoldfamilyjokehadcometrue—shewasreallyfatatlast—anyway,nolongerskinny.Valancymightneverbebeautiful,butshewasofthetypethatlooksitsbestinthewoods—elfin—mocking—alluring. Herheartbotheredherverylittle.WhenanattackthreatenedshewasgenerallyabletoheaditoffwithDr.Trent’sprescription.Theonlybadoneshehadwasonenightwhenshewastemporarilyoutofmedicine.Anditwasabadone.Forthetimebeing,Valancyrealisedkeenlythatdeathwasactuallywaitingtopounceonheranymoment.Buttherestofthetimeshewouldnot—didnot—letherselfrememberitatall.