"Oh, Doss, what have you done? What have you done?"
"I've just been telling you. I've got married," said Valancy, calmly and patiently.
"To that--that--aw--that--Barney Snaith. Why, they say he's had a dozen wives already."
"I'm the only one round at present," said Valancy.
"What will your poor mother say?" moaned Cousin Georgiana.
"Come along with me and hear, if you want to know," said Valancy. "I'm on my way to tell her now."
"No, I don't think so," said Valancy indifferently. "I'll have to be home to get Barney's supper. We're going for a moonlit canoe ride around Mistawa tonight."
"Barney? Supper?" gasped Olive. "What do you mean, Valancy Stirling?"
"Valancy Snaith, by the grace of God."
Valancy flaunted her wedding-ring in Olive's stricken face. Then she nimbly stepped past her and into the house. Cousin Georgiana followed. She would not miss a moment of the great scene, even though Olive did look as if she were going to faint.
"I would rather," said Mrs. Frederick, beginning to cry rather belatedly, "see you dead before me than listen to what you have told me today."
Valancy looked at her mother and aunts, and wondered if they could ever have known anything of the real meaning of love. She felt sorrier for them than ever. They were so very pitiable. And they never suspected it.
"Barney Snaith is a scoundrel to have deluded you into marrying him," said Uncle James violently.
"Oh, I did the deluding. I asked him to marry me," said Valancy, with a wicked smile.
"Have you no pride?" demanded Aunt Wellington.
"Lots of it. I am proud that I have achieved a husband by my own unaided efforts. Cousin Georgiana here wanted to help me to Edward Beck."
"Edward Beck is worth twenty thousand dollars and has the finest house between here and Port Lawrence," said Uncle Benjamin.
"That sounds very fine," said Valancy scornfully, "but it isn't worth that"--she snapped her fingers--"compared to feeling Barney's arms around me and his cheek against mine."
"Oh, Doss!" said Cousin Stickles. Cousin Sarah said, "Oh, Doss!" Aunt Wellington said, "Valancy, you need not be indecent."
"Why, it surely isn't indecent to like to have your husband put his arm around you? I should think it would be indecent if you didn't."
"Why expect decency from her?" inquired Uncle James sarcastically. "She has cut herself off from decency forevermore. She has made her bed. Let her lie on it."
Valancy cheerfully heads for home, leaving her simmering, blustering relatives behind as they vow that she is dead to them.
Barney's one straight eyebrow went up.
"I have made her happy," he said coolly, "and she was miserable with her friends. So that's that."
Uncle Benjamin stared. It had never occurred to him that women had to be, or ought to be, "made happy."
Valancy finds that her heart bothers her very little during this time; she is able to head off most attacks with the medication perscribed to her by Dr. Trent. She has one very bad attack when her perscription has temporarily run out, and it reminds her that death is awaiting her in the not-too-distant future. Most of the time, however, she pushes that thought far from her mind, determined to live every day to the fullest.