CHAPTER XXXVII

eonlyone.Alonelyoldsoul.Livedbyherselfwithonlyalittlehomegirl.Shediedtwomonthsaftershewashere—diedinhersleep.Mymistakecouldn’thavemadeanydifferencetoher.Butyou!Ican’tforgivemyselfforinflictingayear’smiseryonyou.It’stimeIretired,allright,whenIdothingslikethat—evenifmysonwassupposedtobefatallyinjured.Canyoueverforgiveme?” Ayearofmisery!ValancysmiledatorturedsmileasshethoughtofallthehappinessDr.Trent’smistakehadboughther.Butshewaspayingforitnow—oh,shewaspaying.Iftofeelwastoliveshewaslivingwithavengeance. SheletDr.Trentexamineherandansweredallhisquestions.Whenhetoldhershewasfitasafiddleandwouldprobablylivetobeahundred,shegotupandwentawaysilently.Sheknewthattherewereagreatmanyhorriblethingsoutsidewaitingtobethoughtover.Dr.Trentthoughtshewasodd.Anybodywouldhavethought,fromherhopelesseyesandwoebegoneface,thathehadgivenherasentenceofdeathinsteadoflife.Snaith?Snaith?Whothedevilhadshemarried?HehadneverheardofSnaithsinDeerwood.Andshehadbeensuchasallow,faded,littleoldmaid.Gad,butmarriagehadmadeadifferenceinher,anyhow,whoeverSnaithwas.Snaith?Dr.Trentremembered.Thatrapscallion“upback!”HadValancyStirlingmarriedhim?Andherclanhadlether!Well,probablythatsolvedthemystery.Shehadmarriedinhasteandrepentedatleisure,andthatwaswhyshewasn’toverjoyedatlearningshewasagoodinsuranceprospect,afterall.Married!ToGodknewwhom!Orwhat!Jail-bird?Defaulter?Fugitivefromjustice?Itmustbeprettybadifshehadlookedtodeathasarelease,poorgirl.Butwhywerewomensuchfools?Dr.TrentdismissedValancyfromhismind,thoughtothedayofhisdeathhewasashamedofputtingthoselettersintothewrongenvelopes.