CHAPTER XXXVIII

oit?” Redfern!AvisionofbottlesseemedtodancebeforeValancy’seyes—longbottlesofbitters—roundbottlesofhairtonic—squarebottlesofliniment—short,corpulentlittlebottlesofpurplepills—andallofthembearingthatveryprosperous,beamingmoon-faceandsteel-rimmedspectaclesonthelabel. Dr.Redfern! “No,”saidValancyfaintly.“No—thathousebelongstoMr.Snaith.” Dr.Redfernnodded. “Yes,IunderstandBernie’sbeencallinghimselfSnaith.Well,it’shismiddlename—washispoormother’s.BernardSnaithRedfern—that’shim.Andnow,Miss,youcantellmehowtogetovertothatisland?Nobodyseemstobehomethere.I’vedonesomewavingandyelling.Henry,there,wouldn’tyell.He’saone-jobman.ButoldDocRedferncanyellwiththebestofthemyet,andain’tabovedoingit.Raisednothingbutacoupleofcrows.GuessBernie’soutfortheday.” “HewasawaywhenIleftthismorning,”saidValancy.“Isupposehehasn’tcomehomeyet.” Shespokeflatlyandtonelessly.ThislastshockhadtemporarilybereftherofwhateverlittlepowerofreasoninghadbeenleftherbyDr.Trent’srevelation.Inthebackofhermindtheaforesaidlittleimpwasjeeringlyrepeatingasillyoldproverb,“Itneverrainsbutitpours.”Butshewasnottryingtothink.Whatwastheuse? Dr.Redfernwasgazingatherinperplexity. “Whenyouleftthismorning?Doyoulive—overthere?” HewavedhisdiamondattheBlueCastle. “Ofcourse,”saidValancystupidly.“I’mhiswife.” Dr.Redferntookoutayellowsilkhandkerchief,removedhishatandmoppedhisbrow.Hewasverybald,andValancy’simpwhispered,“Whybebald?Whyloseyourmanlybeauty?TryRedfern’sHairVigor.Itkeepsyouyoung.” “Excuseme,”saidDr.Redfern.“Thisisabitofashock.” “Shocksseemtobeintheairthismorning.”TheimpsaidthisoutloudbeforeValancycouldpreventit. “Ididn’tknowBerniewas—married.Ididn’tthinkhewouldhavegotmarriedwithouttellinghisolddad.” WereDr.Redfern’seyesmisty?Amidherowndullacheofmiseryandfearanddread,Valancyfeltapangofpityforhim. “Don’tblamehim,”shesaidhurriedly.“It—itwasn’thisfault.It—wasallmydoing.” “Youdidn’taskhimtomarryyou,Isuppose,”twinkledDr.Redfern.“Hemighthaveletmeknow.I’dhavegotacquaintedwithmydaughter-in-lawbeforethisifhehad.ButI’mgladtomeetyounow,mydear—veryglad.Youlooklikeasensibleyoungwoman.IusedtosorterfearBarney’dpickoutsomeprettybitoffluffjustbecauseshewasgood-looking.Theywereallafterhim,ofcourse.Wantedhismoney?Eh?Didn’tlikethepillsandthebittersbutlikedthedollars.Eh?WantedtodiptheirprettylittlefingersinoldDoc’smillions.Eh?” “Millions!”saidValancyfaintly.Shewishedshecouldsitdownsomewhere—shewishedshecouldhaveachancetothink—shewishedsheandtheBlueCastlecouldsinktothebottomofMistawisandvanishfromhumansightforevermore. “Millions,”saidDr.Redferncomplacently.“AndBerniechucksthemfor—that.”AgainheshookthediamondcontemptuouslyattheBlueCastle.“Wouldn’tyouthinkhe’dhavemoresense?Andallonaccountofawhitebitofagirl.Hemusthavegotoverthatfeeling,anyhow,sincehe’smarried.Youmustpersuadehimtocomebacktocivilisation.Allnonsensewastinghislifelikethis.Ain’tyougoingtotakemeovertoyourhouse,mydear?Isupposeyou’vesomewayofgettingthere.” “Ofcourse,”saidValancystupidly.Sheledthewaydowntothelittlecovewherethedisap