CHAPTER XXXIX

inCanada?OfcourseifthereisanythingIcandotohelporhastenitIwilldoitgladly,ifyourlawyerwillletmeknow. Ithankyouforallyourkindnesstome.Ishallneverforgetit.Thinkaskindlyofmeasyoucan,becauseIdidnotmeantotrapyou.Good-bye. Yoursgratefully, VALANCY.” Itwasverycoldandstiff,sheknew.Buttotrytosayanythingelsewouldbedangerous—liketearingawayadam.Shedidn’tknowwhattorrentofwildincoherencesandpassionateanguishmightpourout.Inapostscriptsheadded: “Yourfatherwasheretoday.Heiscomingbacktomorrow.Hetoldmeeverything.Ithinkyoushouldgobacktohim.Heisverylonelyforyou.” Sheputtheletterinanenvelope,wrote“Barney”acrossit,andleftitonthedesk.Onitshelaidthestringofpearls.Iftheyhadbeenthebeadsshebelievedthemshewouldhavekepttheminmemoryofthatwonderfulyear.Butshecouldnotkeepthefifteenthousanddollargiftofamanwhohadmarriedheroutofpityandwhomshewasnowleaving.Ithurthertogiveupherprettybauble.Thatwasanoddthing,shereflected.ThefactthatshewasleavingBarneydidnothurther—yet.Itlayatherheartlikeacold,insensiblething.Ifitcametolife—Valancyshudderedandwentout—— SheputonherhatandmechanicallyfedGoodLuckandBanjo.Shelockedthedoorandcarefullyhidthekeyintheoldpine.Thenshecrossedtothemainlandinthedisappearingpropeller.Shestoodforamomentonthebank,lookingatherBlueCastle.Therainhadnotyetcome,buttheskywasdark,andMistawisgreyandsullen.Thelittlehouseunderthepineslookedverypathetic—acasketrifledofitsjewels—alampwithitsflameblownout. “IshallneveragainhearthewindcryingoverMistawisatnight,”thoughtValancy.Thishurther,too.Shecouldhavelaughedtothinkthatsuchatriflecouldhurtheratsuchatime.