CHAPTER XXXII
關燈
小
中
大
calnoteinitnow.Couldamanlaughlikethatwhohadcrimesonhisconscience?YetBarneymusthavedonesomething.Valancyhadindifferentlymadeuphermindastowhathehaddone.Sheconcludedhewasadefaultingbankcashier.ShehadfoundinoneofBarney’sbooksanoldclippingcutfromaMontrealpaperinwhichavanished,defaultingcashierwasdescribed.ThedescriptionappliedtoBarney—aswellastohalfadozenothermenValancyknew—andfromsomecasualremarkshehaddroppedfromtimetotimesheconcludedheknewMontrealratherwell.Valancyhaditallfiguredoutinthebackofhermind.Barneyhadbeeninabank.Hewastemptedtotakesomemoneytospeculate—meaning,ofcourse,toputitback.Hehadgotindeeperanddeeper,untilhefoundtherewasnothingforitbutflight.Ithadhappenedsotoscoresofmen.Hehad,Valancywasabsolutelycertain,nevermeanttodowrong.Ofcourse,thenameofthemanintheclippingwasBernardCraig.ButValancyhadalwaysthoughtSnaithwasanalias.Notthatitmattered.
Valancyhadonlyoneunhappynightthatwinter.ItcameinlateMarchwhenmostofthesnowhadgoneandNipandTuckhadreturned.Barneyhadgoneoffintheafternoonforalong,woodlandtramp,sayinghewouldbebackbydarkifallwentwell.Soonafterhehadgoneithadbeguntosnow.ThewindroseandpresentlyMistawiswasinthegripofoneoftheworststormsofthewinter.Ittoreupthelakeandstruckatthelittlehouse.ThedarkangrywoodsonthemainlandscowledatValancy,menaceinthetossoftheirboughs,threatsintheirwindygloom,terrorintheroarofthei
