He was a man of education and intelligence. Cousin
Stickles took up the refrain betweenher moans of despair.
Thats a pretty little thought, remarked Abel
meditatively, as heground some tobacco up in his hand.
Yet she sighed as she went down to meet
BarneySnaith in her old snuff-brown silk. She found herself thinking of him in
season and out of season.
Valancy had not seen Cecilia Gay for years. Neither
of his eyebrowslooked like the other.
But no woman comeshere in Jim Stirlings
pay.
Valancy could not quite explain, even to herself,
just why shewanted to go to that party.
She could no more escape from itthan Roaring Abel
from his predestination.
Stallingarrived, but now he sat down in a corner of
the parlour and foldedhis arms.
She kneltdown by Cissy and put her arms about
her.
Im not afraid of any of RoaringAbels stages. She
was not in the least afraid, with Barney atthe wheel. Can I acquiremerit by getting
or doing anything there for you or Cissy? And she said,I dont believe Cissy was a
bad girl, but I dont care if shewas. He didnt know how she had beenbrought
up.
It was the first time she had worn a pretty dress
since theorgandies of her early teens.
Another circlet of them went round her hair,dressed
in the low puffs that became her. Valancy gatheredhandfuls of them and strung them
on a cord. Nowit was a faded, dreary old place, with a leprous, patched roof
andshutters hanging askew.