rs.undertheandes-第4节

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　For　they　had　dressed　and　dined　hastily　and　e　all　the　way　down…town　to　see　Le　Mire；　they　waited　for　her　for　two　hours　and　a　half　in　stuffy　theater　seats；　and　Le　Mire　did　not　appear。
　The　announcement　was　finally　made　by　the　manager　of　the　theater　at　a　little　before　eleven…o'clock。　He　could　not　understand；　he　said…the　poor　fellow　was　on　the　point　of　wringing　his　hands　with　agitation　and　despair…he　could　not　understand　why　the　dancer　did　not　arrive。
　She　had　rehearsed　in　the　theater　on　the　previous　Thursday　afternoon；　and　had　then　seemed　to　have　every　intention　of　fulfilling　her　engagement。　No　one　connected　with　the　theater　had　seen　her　since　that　time；　but　everything　had　gone　smoothly；　they　had　had　no　reason　to　fear　such　a　contretemps　as　her　nonappearance。
　They　had　sent　to　her　hotel；　she　was　gone；　bag　and　baggage。
　She　had　departed　on　Friday；　leaving　no　word　as　to　her　destination。
　They　had　asked　the　police；　the　hotels；　the　railroads；　the　steamship　panies…and　could　find　no　trace　of　her。
　The　manager　only　hoped…he　hoped　with　all　his　heart…that　his　frank　and　unreserved　explanation　would　appease　his　kind　patrons　and　prevent　their　resentment；　that　they　would　understand…　I　made　my　way　out　of　the　theater　as　rapidly　as　possible；　with　Billy　Du　Mont　at　my　side；　and　started　north　on　Broadway。
　My　panion　was　laughing　unrestrainedly。
　〃What　a　joke！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃And　gad；　what　a　woman！　She　es　in　and　turns　the　town　upside　down　and　then　leaves　it　standing　on　its　head。　What　wouldn't　I　give　to　know　her！〃
　I　nodded；　but　said　nothing。　At　Forty…Second　Street　we　turned　east　to　Fifth　Avenue；　and　a　few　minutes　later　were　at　the　club。
　I　took　Du　Mont　to　a　secluded　corner　of　the　grill；　and　there；　with　a　bottle　of　wine　between　us；　I　spoke。
　〃Billy；〃　said　I；　〃there's　the　deuce　to　pay。　You're　an　old　friend　of　mine；　and　you　possess　a　share　of　discretion；　and　you've　got　to　help　me。　Le　Mire　is　gone。　I　must　find　her。〃
　〃Find　Le　Mire？〃　He　stared　at　me　in　amazement。　〃What　for？〃
　〃Because　my　brother　Harry　is　with　her。〃
　Then　I　explained　in　as　few　words　as　possible；　and　I　ended；　I　think；　with　something　like　this：
　〃You　know；　Billy；　there　are　very　few　things　in　the　world　I　consider　of　any　value。　She　can　have　the　lad's　money；　and；　if　necessary；　my　own　into　the　bargain。　But　the　name　of　Lamar　must　remain　clean；　and　I　tell　you　there　is　more　than　a　name　in　danger。
　Whoever　that　woman　touches　she　kills。　And　Harry　is　only　a　boy。〃
　Billy　helped　me；　as　I　knew　he　would；　nor　did　he　insist　on　unnecessary　details。　I　didn't　need　his　assistance　in　the　search；　for　I　felt　that　I　could　acplish　that　as　well　alone。
　But　it　was　certainly　known　that　Harry　had　been　calling　on　Le　Mire　at　her　hotel；　conjectures　were　sure　to　be　made；　leading　to　the　assertions　of　busy　tongues；　and　it　was　the　part　of　my　friend　to　counteract　and　smother　the　inevitable　gossip。　This　he　promised　to　do；　and　I　knew　Billy。　As　for　finding　Harry；　it　was　too　late　to　do　anything　that　night；　and　I　went　home　and　to　bed。
　The　next　morning　I　began　by　calling　at　her　hotel。　But　though　the　manager　of　the　theater　had　gotten　no　information　from　them；　he　had　pumped　them　dry。　They　knew　nothing。
　I　dared　not　go　to　the　police；　and　probably　they　would　have　been　unable　to　give　me　any　assistance　if　I　had　sought　it。　The　only　other　possible　source　of　information　I　disliked　to　use；　but　after　racking　my　brain　for　the　better　part　of　the　day　I　decided　that　there　was　nothing　else　for　it；　and　started　on　a　round　of　the　ticket　offices　of　the　railroads　and　steamship　panies。
　I　had　immediate　success。　My　first　call　was　at　the　office　where　Harry　and　I　were　accustomed　to　arrange　our　transportation。
　As　I　entered　the　head　clerk…or　whatever　they　call　him…advanced　to　greet　me　with　a　smile。
　〃Yes；〃　said　he　in　response　to　my　question；　〃Mr。　Lamar　got　his　tickets　from　me。　Let's　see…Thursday；　wasn't　it？　No；　Friday。　That's　right…Friday。〃
　〃Tickets！〃　I　muttered　to　myself。　And　in　my　preoccupation　I　really　neglected　to　listen　to　him。　Then　aloud：　〃Where　were　the…tickets　for？〃
　〃Denver。〃
　〃For　Friday's　train？〃
　〃Yes。　The　Western　Express。〃
　That　was　all　I　wanted　to　know。　I　hurried　home；　procured　a　couple　of　hastily　packed　bags；　and　took　the　afternoon　train　for　the　West。
　
　Chapter　III。
　A　MODERN　MARANA。
　
　My　journey　westward　was　an　eventful　one；　but　this　is　not　a　〃History　of　Tom　Jones；〃　and　I　shall　refrain　from　detail。　Denver　I　reached　at　last；　after　a　week's　stop…over　in　Kansas　City。　It　was　a　delightful　adventure…but　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　story。
　I　left　the　train　at　the　Rocky　Mountain　city　about　the　middle　of　the　afternoon。　And　now；　what　to　do？　I　think　I　am　not　a　fool；　but　I　certainly　lack　the　training　of　a　detective；　and　I　felt　perfectly　rudderless　and　helpless　as　I　ordered　the　taxi…driver　to　take　me　to　the　Alcazar　Hotel。
　I　was　by　no　means　sure　that　Harry　had　e　to　Denver。　He　was　traveling　with　a　bundle　of　animated　caprice；　a　creature　who　would　have　hauled　him　off　the　train　at　Rahway；　New　Jersey；　if　she　had　happened　to　take　a　fancy　to　the　place。　At　the　moment；　I　reflected；　they　might　be　driving　along　Michigan　Boulevard；　or　attending　a　matinee　at　the　Willis　Wood；　or　sipping　mint　juleps　at　the　Planters'。
　Even　if　they　were　in　Denver；　how　was　I　to　find　them？　I　keenly　regretted　the　week　I　had　lost。　I　was　sure　that　Harry　would　avoid　any　chance　of　publicity　and　would　probably　shun　the　big　hotels。
　And　Denver　is　not　a　village。
　It　was　the　beauty　of　Le　Mire　that　saved　me。　Indeed；　I　might　have　foreseen　that；　and　I　have　but　poorly　portrayed　the　force　of　her　unmatchable　fascination　unless　you　have　realized　that　she　was　a　woman　who　could　pass　nowhere　without　being　seen；　and；　seen；　remembered。
　I　made　inquiries　of　the　manager　of　the　hotel；　of　course；　but　was　brought　up　sharply　when　he　asked　me　the　names　of　my　friends　for　whom　I　was　asking。　I　got　out　of　it　somehow；　some　foolish　evasion　or　other；　and　regarded　my　task　as　more　difficult　than　ever。
　That　same　evening　I　dined　at　the　home　of　my　cousin；　Hovey　Stafford；　who　had　e　West　some　years　before　on　account　of　weak　lungs；　and　stayed　because　he　liked　it。　I　met　his　wife　that　evening　for　the　first　time；　she　may　be　introduced　with　the　observation　that　if　she　was　his　reason　for　remaining　in　the　provinces；　never　did　man　have　a　better　one。
　We　were　on　the　veranda　with　our　after…dinner　cigars。　I　was　congratulating　Hovey　on　the　felicity　of　his　choice　and　jocularly　sympathizing　with　his　wife。
　〃Yes；〃　said　my　cousin；　with　a　sigh；　〃I　never　regretted　it　till　last　week。　It　will　never　be　the　same　again。〃
　Mrs。　Hovey　looked　at　him　with　supreme　disdain。
　〃I　suppose　you　mean　Senora　Ramal；〃　said　she　scornfully。
　Her　husband；　feigning　the　utmost　woe；　nodded　mournfully；　whereupon　she　began　humming　the　air　of　the　Chanson　du　Colonel；　and　was　stopped　by　a　smothering　kiss。
　〃And　who　is　the　Senora　Ramal？〃　I　asked。
　〃The　most　beautiful　woman　in　the　world；〃　said　Mrs。　Hovey。
　This　from　a　woman　who　was　herself　beautiful！　Amazing！　I　suppose　my　face　betrayed　my　thought。
　〃It　isn't　charity；〃　she　smiled。　〃Like　John　Holden；　I　have　seen　fire…balloons　by　the　hundred；　I　have　seen　the　moon；　and…then　I　saw　no　more　fire…balloons。〃
　〃But　who　is　she？〃
　Hovey　explained。　〃She　is　the　wife　of　Senor　Ramal。　They　came　here　some　ten　days　ago；　with　letters　to　one　or　two　of　the　best　families；　and　that's　all　we　know　about　them。　The　senora　is　an　entrancing　mixture　of　Cleopatra；　Sappho；　Helen　of　Troy；　and　the　devil。　She　had　the　town　by　the　ears　in　twenty…four　hours；　and　you　wouldn't　wonder　at　it　if　you　saw　her。〃
　Already　I　felt　that　I　knew；　but　I　wanted　to　make　sure。
　〃Byron　has　described　her；〃　I　suggested；　〃in　Childe　Harold。〃
　〃Hardly；〃　said　Hovey。　〃No　midnight　beauty　for　hers；　thank　you。　Her　hair　is　the　most　perfect　gold。　Her　eyes　are　green；　her　skin　remarkably　fair。　What　she　may　be　is　unknowable；　but　she　certainly　is　not　Spanish；　and；　odder　still；　the　senor　himself　fits　the　name　no　better。〃
　But　I　thought　it　needless　to　ask　for　a　description　of　Harry；　for　I　had　no　doubt　of　the　identity　of　Senor　Ramal　and　his　wife。
　I　pondered　over　the　name；　and　suddenly　realized　that　it　was　merely　〃Lamar〃　spelled　backward！
　The　discovery　removed　the　last　remaining　shadow　of　doubt。
　I　asked　in　a　tone　of　assumed　indifference　for　their　hotel；　expressing　a　desire　to　meet　them…and　was　informed　by　Hovey　that　they　had　left　Denver　two　days　previously；　nor　did　he　know　where　they　had　gone。
　Thus　did　I　face　another　obstacle。　But　I　was　on　the　track；　and　the　perfume　of　a　woman's　beauty　is　the　strongest　scent　in　the　world　as　well　as　the　sweetest。　I　thanked　my　cousin　for　a　pleasant　evening…though　he　did　not　know　the　extent　of　my　debt　to　him…and　declined　his　urgent　invitation　to　have　my　luggage　brought　to　his　home。
　On　my　way　to　the　hotel　I　was　struck　by　a　sudden　thought：　Senor　Ramal　could　not　be　my　brother　or　my　cousin　would　have　recognized　him！　But　I　immediately　reflected　that　the　two　had　not　seen　each　other　for　some　ten　years；　at　which　time　Harry　had　been　a　mere　boy。
　The　following　morning；　with　little　difficulty；　I　ascertained　the　fact　that　the　Ramals　had　departed…at　least　ostensibly…for　Colorado　Springs。
　I　followed。　That　same　evening；　when　I　registered　at　the　Antlers　Hotel；　a　few　minu