the three partners-第15节

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kind　of　a　bargain。　　And　soyou　won't　be　mad；　old　fellow；　will

you？I　thought　I'd　put　it　beyond　any　question　of　my　own　good　faith

by　having　it　in　black　and　white。〃　　He　stopped；　laughing　and

blushing；　but　still　earnest　and　sincere。　　〃You　don't　think　me　a

fool；　do　you？〃　he　said　pathetically。



Stacy　smiled　grimly。　　〃I　think；　Barker　boy；　that　if　you　go　to　the

Branch　you'll　have　no　difficulty　in　paying　for　the　Ditch　property。

Good…night。〃



In　a　few　moments　he　was　back　at　the　club　again　before　any　one　knew

he　had　even　left　the　building。　　As　he　again　re…entered　the　smoking…

room　he　found　the　members　still　in　eager　discussion　about　the　new

railroad。　　One　was　saying；　〃If　they　could　get　an　extension；　and

carry　the　road　through　Heavy　Tree　Hill　to　Boomville　they'd　be　all

right。〃



〃I　quite　agree　with　you；〃　said　Stacy。





CHAPTER　III。





The　swaying；　creaking；　Boomville　coach　had　at　last　reached　the

level　ridge；　and　sank　forward　upon　its　springs　with　a　sigh　of

relief　and　the　slow　precipitation　of　the　red　dust　which　had　hung　in

clouds　around　it。　　The　whole　coach；　inside　and　out；　was　covered

with　this　impalpable　powder；　it　had　poured　into　the　windows　that

gaped　widely　in　the　insufferable　heat；　it　lay　thick　upon　the　novel

read　by　the　passenger　who　had　for　the　third　or　fourth　time　during

the　ascent　made　a　gutter　of　the　half…opened　book　and　blown　the　dust

away　in　a　single　puff；　like　the　smoke　from　a　pistol。　　It　lay　in

folds　and　creases　over　the　yellow　silk　duster　of　the　handsome　woman

on　the　back　seat；　and　when　she　endeavored　to　shake　it　off　enveloped

her　in　a　reddish　nimbus。　　It　grimed　the　handkerchiefs　of　others；

and　left　sanguinary　streaks　on　their　mopped　foreheads。　　But　as　the

coach　had　slowly　climbed　the　summit　the　sun　was　also　sinking　behind

the　Black　Spur　Range；　and　with　its　ultimate　disappearance　a

delicious　coolness　spread　itself　like　a　wave　across　the　ridge。　　The

passengers　drew　a　long　breath；　the　reader　closed　his　book；　the　lady

lifted　the　edge　of　her　veil　and　delicately　wiped　her　forehead；　over

which　a　few　damp　tendrils　of　hair　were　clinging。　　Even　a

distinguished…looking　man　who　had　sat　as　impenetrable　and　remote　as

a　statue　in　one　of　the　front　seats　moved　and　turned　his　abstracted

face　to　the　window。　　His　deeply　tanned　cheek　and　clearly　cut

features　harmonized　with　the　red　dust　that　lay　in　the　curves　of　his

brown　linen　dust…cloak；　and　completed　his　resemblance　to　a　bronze

figure。　　Yet　it　was　Demorest；　changed　only　in　coloring。　　Now；　as

five　years　ago；　his　abstraction　had　a　certain　quality　which　the

most　familiar　stranger　shrank　from　disturbing。　　But　in　the　general

relaxation　of　relief　the　novel…reader　addressed　him。



〃Well；　we　ain't　far　from　Boomville　now；　and　it's　all　down…grade　the

rest　of　the　way。　　I　reckon　you'll　be　as　glad　to　get　a　'wash　up'　and

a　'shake'　as　the　rest　of　us。〃



〃I　am　afraid　I　won't　have　so　early　an　opportunity；〃　said　Demorest；

with　a　faint；　grave　smile；　〃for　I　get　off　at　the　cross…road　to

Heavy　Tree　Hill。〃



〃Heavy　Tree　Hill！〃　repeated　the　other　in　surprise。　　〃You　ain't

goin'　to　Heavy　Tree　Hill？　　Why；　you　might　have　gone　there　direct　by

railroad；　and　have　been　there　four　hours　ago。　　You　know　there's　a

branch　from　the　Divide　Railroad　goes　there　straight　to　the　hotel　at

Hymettus。〃



〃Where？〃　said　Demorest；　with　a　puzzled　smile。



〃Hymettus。　　That's　the　fancy　name　they've　given　to　the　watering…

place　on　the　slope。　　But　I　reckon　you're　a　stranger　here？〃



〃For　five　years；〃　said　Demorest。　　〃I　fancy　I've　heard　of　the

railroad；　although　I　prefer　to　go　to　Heavy　Tree　this　way。　　But　I

never　heard　of　a　watering…place　there　before。〃



〃Why；　it's　the　biggest　boom　of　the　year。　　Folks　that　are　tired　of

the　fogs　of　'Frisco　and　the　heat　of　Sacramento　all　go　there。　　It's

four　thousand　feet　up；　with　a　hotel　like　Saratoga；　dancing；　and　a

band　plays　every　night。　　And　it　all　sprang　out　of　the　Divide

Railroad　and　a　crank　named　George　Barker；　who　bought　up　some　old

Ditch　property　and　ran　a　branch　line　along　its　levels；　and　made　a

junction　with　the　Divide。　　You　can　come　all　the　way　from　'Frisco　or

Sacramento　by　rail。　　It's　a　mighty　big　thing！〃



〃Yet；〃　said　Demorest；　with　some　animation；　〃you　call　the　man　who

originated　this　success　a　crank。　　I　should　say　he　was　a　genius。〃



The　other　passenger　shook　his　head。　　〃All　sheer　nigger　luck。　　He

bought　the　Ditch　plant　afore　there　was　a　ghost　of　a　chance　for　the

Divide　Railroad；　just　out　o'　pure　dd　foolishness。　　He　expected

so　little　from　it　that　he　hadn't　even　got　the　agreement　done　in

writin'；　and　hadn't　paid　for　it；　when　the　Divide　Railroad　passed

the　legislature；　as　it　never　oughter　done！　　For；　you　see；　the

blamedest　cur'ous　thing　about　the　whole　affair　was　that　this

'straw'　road　of　a　Divide；　all　pure　wildcat；　was　only　gotten　up　to

frighten　the　Pacific　Railroad　sharps　into　buying　it　up。　　And　the

road　that　nobody　ever　calculated　would　ever　have　a　rail　of　it　laid

was　pushed　on　as　soon　as　folks　knew　that　the　Ditch　plant　had　been

bought　up；　for　they　thought　there　was　a　big　thing　behind　it。　　Even

the　hotel　was；　at　first；　simply　a　kind　of　genteel　alms…house　that

this　yer　Barker　had　built　for　broken…down　miners！〃



〃Nevertheless；〃　continued　Demorest；　smiling；　〃you　admit　that　it　is

a　great　success？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　other；　a　little　irritated　by　some　complacency　in

Demorest's　smile；　〃but　the　success　isn't　HIS'N。　　Fools　has　ideas；

and　wise　men　profit　by　them；　for　that　hotel　now　has　Jim　Stacy's

bank　behind　it；　and　is　even　a　kind　of　country　branch　of　the　Brook

House　in　'Frisco。　　Barker's　out　of　it；　I　reckon。　　Anyhow；　HE

couldn't　run　a　hotel；　for　all　that　his　wifeshe　that's　one　of　the

big　'Frisco　swells　nowused　to　help　serve　in　her　father's。　　No；

sir；　it's　just　a　fool's　luck；　gettin'　the　first　taste　and　leavin'

the　rest　to　others。〃



〃I'm　not　sure　that　it's　the　worst　kind　of　luck；〃　returned　Demorest；

with　persistent　gravity；　〃and　I　suppose　he's　satisfied　with　it。〃

But　so　heterodox　an　opinion　only　irritated　his　antagonist　the　more；

especially　as　he　noticed　that　the　handsome　woman　in　the　back　seat

appeared　to　be　interested　in　the　conversation；　and　even　sympathetic

with　Demorest。　　The　man　was　in　the　main　a　good…natured　fellow　and

loyal　to　his　friends；　but　this　did　not　preclude　any　virulent

criticism　of　others；　and　for　a　moment　he　hated　this　bronze…faced

stranger；　and　even　saw　blemishes　in　the　handsome　woman's　beauty。

〃That　may　be　YOUR　idea　of　an　Eastern　man；〃　he　said　bluntly；　〃but　I

kin　tell　ye　that　Californy　ain't　run　on　those　lines。　　No；　sir。〃

Nevertheless；　his　curiosity　got　the　better　of　his　ill　humor；　and　as

the　coach　at　last　pulled　up　at　the　cross…road　for　Demorest　to

descend　he　smiled　affably　at　his　departing　companion。



〃You　allowed　just　now　that　you'd　bin　five　years　away。　　Whar　mout　ye

have　bin？〃



〃In　Europe；〃　said　Demorest　pleasantly。



〃I　reckoned　ez　much；〃　returned　his　interrogator；　smiling

significantly　at　the　other　passengers。　　〃But　in　what　place？〃



〃Oh；　many；〃　said　Demorest；　smiling　also。



〃But　what　place　war　ye　last　livin'　at？〃



〃Well；〃　said　Demorest；　descending　the　steps；　but　lingering　for　a

moment　with　his　hand　on　the　door　of　the　coach；　〃oddly　enough；　now

you　remind　me　of　itat　Hymettus！〃



He　closed　the　door；　and　the　coach　rolled　on。　　The　passenger

reddened；　glanced　indignantly　after　the　departing　figure　of

Demorest　and　suspiciously　at　the　others。　　The　lady　was　looking　from

the　window　with　a　faint　smile　on　her　face。



〃He　might　hev　given　me　a　civil　answer；〃　muttered　the　passenger；　and

resumed　his　novel。



When　the　coach　drew　up　before　Carter's　Hotel　the　lady　got　down；　and

the　curiosity　of　her　susceptible　companions　was　gratified　to　the

extent　of　learning　from　the　register　that　her　name　was　Horncastle。



She　was　shown　to　a　private　sitting…room；　which　chanced　to　be　the

one　which　had　belonged　to　Mrs。　Barker　in　the　days　of　her

maidenhood；　and　was　the　sacred；　impenetrable　bower　to　which　she

retired　when　her　daily　duties　of　waiting　upon　her　father's　guests

were　over。　　But　the　breath　of　custom　had　passed　through　it　since

then；　and　but　little　remained　of　its　former　maiden　glories；　except

a　few　schoolgirl　crayon　drawings　on　the　wall　and　an　unrecognizable

portrait　of　herself　in　oil；　done　by　a　wandering　artist　and　still

preserved　as　a　receipt　for　his　unpaid　bill。　　Of　these　facts　Mrs。

Horncastle　knew　nothing；　she　was　evidently　preoccupied；　and　after

she　had　removed　her　outer　duster　and　entered　the　room；　she　glanced

at　the　clock　on　the　mantel…shelf　and　threw　herself　with　an　air　of

resigned　abstraction　in　an　armchair　in　the　corner。　　Her　traveling…

dress；　although　unostentatious；　was　tasteful　and　well…fitting；　a

slight　pallor　from　her　fatiguing　journey；　and；　perhaps；　from　some

absorbing　thought；　made　her　beauty　still　more　striking。　　She　gave

even　an　air　of　elegance　to　the　faded；　worn　adornments　of　the　room；

which　it　i