go back to Deerwood — you know what my life was like there. And” — she managed it this time — ”I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. That’s all.”

Barney folded his arms on the gate and looked gravely enough at a white, saucy star that was winking at him just over Roaring Abel’s kitchen chimney.

“You don’t know anything about me. I may be a — murderer.”

“No, I don’t. You may be something dreadful. Everything they say of you may be true. But it doesn’t matter to me.”

“You care that much for me, Valancy?” said Barney incredulously, looking away from the star and into her eyes — her strange, mysterious eyes.