Valancy begins to venture out into her new community; she starts attending a little Methodist church "up back" in the woods. Then at supper one night, Roaring Abel tells her that she should come to a dance up back in Chidley Corners, where he's been engaged as a fiddler. Valancy is tempted... she's only ever been to staid Deerwood functions, and Cissy has had a good week so will be fine alone for a few hours. Cissy encourages her to go, saying that her father never drinks when he's fiddling. She warns Valancy though, that if anyone does show up with liquor, things could get a little "rough". Valancy decides to go and, screwing up her courage, dons her new green dress.
Once at the dance, Valancy enjoys herself. It's quiet and booze-free, the girls are all prettily dressed, and she is twice asked to dance by polite young men. Around eleven o'clock however, a crowd arrives that is already liquored up and getting more so every minute. As the dance becomes louder, wilder, and increasingly vulgar Valancy retreats into a corner and wishes miserably that she could leave. Of course she can't until the dance is over and Roaring Abel is free to go. Several drunken men try to get her to dance; she refuses them shortly, which they don't take well. One of them grabs her and drags her by force onto the dance floor, ignoring her protests and struggles. Suddenly he is punched in the jaw and goes staggering back; Barney Snaith is there and he quickly lifts Valancy out a window, jumps out after her and grabs her hand, hauling her along as they escape from a bunch of angry drunks who are looking for a fight.
As they talk in the chilly night, they eventually hear a car coming up the road. Barney flags it down and as it slows to as stop, an amused Valancy sees her Uncle Wellington and Olive gazing at her in horror. Barney politely asks if he can buy some gas but Uncle W. ignores him, demanding to know what Valancy is doing with this "jail-bird" in the middle of the night. Valancy turns to Barney and asks impishly if he is a jail-bird and Barney, his eyes gleaming with humour, asks if it matters. Valancy says no, she's just asking out of curiosity. Barney replies that he won't tell her, since he never satisfies curiosity. He then asks Uncle Wellington again- coldly- if he can spare some gas. Uncle W. is torn: he has no desire to help the shameless pair, but if he doesn't they might spend the entire night together in the car and cause an even bigger scandal for the Stirling clan. He decides grudgingly that it's best to give them some gas and get them out of sight as quickly as possible.
As Uncle Wellington fills Barney's gas can, Olive unwisely takes it upon herself to try to remonstrate with her errant cousin:
"Doss," she implored, leaning forward also, "won't you come home--come home tonight?"
Valancy yawned.
"You sound like a revival meeting," she said. "You really do."
"If you will come back--"
"All will be forgiven."
"Yes," said Olive eagerly. Wouldn't it be splendid if she could induce the prodigal daughter to return? "We'll never cast it up to you. Doss, there are nights when I cannot sleep for thinking of you."
"And me having the time of my life," said Valancy, laughing.
"Doss, I can't believe you're bad. I've always said you couldn't be bad--"
"I don't believe I can be," said Valancy. "I'm afraid I'm hopelessly proper. I've been sitting here for three hours with Barney Snaith and he hasn't even tried to kiss me. I wouldn't have minded if he had, Olive."
Valancy was still leaning forward. Her little hat with its crimson rose was tilted down over one eye--Valancy's smile--what had happened to Valancy! She looked--not pretty--Doss couldn't be pretty--but provocative, fascinating--yes, abominably so. Olive drew back. It was beneath her dignity to say more. After all, Valancy must be both mad and bad.
"The little hussy! The shameless little hussy!" said Uncle Wellington.