the three partners-第24节

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〃About　as　well　as　we　all　are；〃　said　Stacy　quickly；　yet　with　a

certain　dry　significance。　　〃Never　mind　now；　wait　until　you　see

him。〃



The　door　closed。　　When　Demorest　had　finished　washing；　and　wiped

away　the　last　red　stain　of　the　mountain　road；　he　found　Stacy　seated

by　the　window　of　the　larger　sitting…room。　　In　the　centre　a　table

was　spread　for　supper。　　A　bright　fire　of　hickory　logs　burnt　on　a

marble　hearth　between　two　large　windows　that　gave　upon　the　distant

outline　of　Black　Spur。　　As　Stacy　turned　towards　him；　by　the　light

of　the　shaded　lamp　and　flickering　fire；　Demorest　had　a　good　look　at

the　face　of　his　old　friend　and　partner。　　It　was　as　keen　and

energetic　as　ever；　with　perhaps　an　even　more　hawk…like　activity

visible　in　the　eye　and　nostril；　but　it　was　more　thoughtful　and

reticent　in　the　lines　of　the　mouth　under　the　closely　clipped　beard

and　mustache；　and　when　he　looked　up；　at　first　there　were　two　deep

lines　or　furrows　across　his　low　broad　forehead。　　Demorest　fancied；

too；　that　there　was　a　little　of　the　old　fighting　look　in　his　eye；

but　it　softened　quickly　as　his　friend　approached；　and　he　burst　out

with　his　curt　but　honest　single…syllabled　laugh。　　〃Ha！　　You　look　a

little　less　like　a　roving　Apache　than　you　did　when　you　came。　　I

really　thought　the　waiters　were　going　to　chuck　you。　　And　you　ARE

tanned！　　Darned　if　you　don't　look　like　the　profile　stamped　on　a

Continental　penny！　　But　here's　luck　and　a　welcome　back；　old　man！〃



Demorest　passed　his　arm　around　the　neck　of　his　seated　partner；　and

grasping　his　upraised　hand　said；　looking　down　with　a　smile；　〃And

now　about　Barker。〃



〃Oh；　Parker；　dn　him！　　He's　the　same　unshakable；　unchangeable；

ungrow…upable　Barker！　　With　the　devil's　own　luck；　too！　　Waltzing

into　risks　and　waltzing　out　of　'em。　　With　fads　enough　to　put　him　in

the　insane　asylum　if　people　did　not　prefer　to　keep　him　out　of　it　to

help　'em。　　Always　believing　in　everybody；　until　they　actually

believe　in　themselves；　and　shake　him！　　And　he's　got　a　wife　that's

making　a　fool　of　herself；　and　I　shouldn't　wonder　in　timeof　him！〃



Demorest　pressed　his　hand　over　his　partner's　mouth。　　〃Come；　Jim！

You　know　you　never　really　liked　that　marriage；　simply　because　you

thought　that　old　man　Carter　made　a　good　thing　of　it。　　And　you　never

seem　to　have　taken　into　consideration　the　happiness　Barker　got　out

of　it；　for　he　DID　love　the　girl。　　And　he　still　is　happy；　is　he

not？〃　he　added　quickly；　as　Stacy　uttered　a　grunt。



〃As　happy　as　a　man　can　be　who　has　his　child　here　with　a　nurse　while

his　wife　is　gallivanting　in　San　Francisco；　and　throwing　her　money

and　Lord　knows　what　elseaway　at　the　bidding　of　a　smooth…tongued；

shady　operator。〃



〃Does　HE　complain　of　it？〃　asked　Demorest。



〃Not　he；　the　fool　trusts　her！〃　said　Stacy　curtly。



Demorest　laughed。　　〃That　is　happiness！　　Come；　Jim！　don't　let　us

begrudge　him　that。　　But　I've　heard　that　his　affairs　have　again

prospered。〃



〃He　built　this　railroad　and　this　hotel。　　The　bank　owns　both　now。

He　didn't　care　to　keep　money　in　them　after　they　were　a　success；

said　he　wasn't　an　engineer　nor　a　hotel…keeper；　and　drew　it　out　to

find　something　new。　　But　here　he　comes；〃　he　added；　as　a　horseman

dashed　into　the　drive　before　the　hotel。　　〃Question　him　yourself。

You　know　you　and　he　always　get　along　best　without　me。〃



In　another　moment　Barker　had　burst　into　the　room；　and　in　his　first

tempestuous　greeting　of　Demorest　the　latter　saw　little　change　in

his　younger　partner　as　he　held　him　at　arm's　length　to　look　at　him。

〃Why；　Barker　boy；　you　haven't　got　a　bit　older　since　the　day　when

you　rememberyou　went　over　to　Boomville　to　cash　your　bonds；　and

then　came　back　and　burst　upon　us　like　this　to　tell　us　you　were　a

beggar。〃



〃Yes；〃　laughed　Barker；　〃and　all　the　while　you　fellows　were　holding

four　aces　up　your　sleeve　in　the　shape　of　the　big　strike。〃



〃And　you；　Georgy；　old　boy；〃　returned　Demorest；　swinging　Barker's

two　hands　backwards　and　forwards；　〃were　holding　a　royal　flush　up

yours　in　the　shape　of　your　engagement　to　Kitty。〃



The　fresh　color　died　out　of　Barker's　cheek　even　while　the　frank

laugh　was　still　on　his　mouth。　　He　turned　his　face　for　a　moment

towards　the　window；　and　a　swift　and　almost　involuntary　glance

passed　between　the　others。　　But　he　almost　as　quickly　turned　his

glistening　eyes　back　to　Demorest　again；　and　said　eagerly；　〃Yes；

dear　Kitty！　　You　shall　see　her　and　the　baby　to…morrow。〃



Then　they　fell　upon　the　supper　with　the　appetites　of　the　Past；　and

for　some　moments　they　all　talked　eagerly　and　even　noisily　together；

all　at　the　same　time；　with　even　the　spirits　of　the　Past。　　They

recalled　every　detail　of　their　old　life；　eagerly　and　impetuously

recounted　the　old　struggles；　hopes；　and　disappointments；　gave　the

strange　importance　of　schoolboys　to　unimportant　events；　and　a

mystic　meaning　to　a　shibboleth　of　their　own；　roared　over　old　jokes

with　a　delight　they　had　never　since　given　to　new；　reawakened

idiotic　nicknames　and　bywords　with　intense　enjoyment；　grew　grave；

anxious；　and　agonized　over　forgotten　names；　trifling　dates；　useless

distances；　ineffective　records；　and　feeble　chronicles　of　their

domestic　economy。　　It　was　the　thoughtful　and　melancholy　Demorest

who　remembered　the　exact　color　and　price　paid　for　a　certain　shirt

bought　from　a　Greaser　peddler　amidst　the　envy　of　his　companions；　it

was　the　financial　magnate；　Stacy；　who　could　inform　them　what　were

the　exact　days　they　had　saleratus　bread　and　when　flapjacks；　it　was

the　thoughtless　and　mercurial　Barker　who　recalled　with　unheard…of

accuracy；　amidst　the　applause　of　the　others；　the　full　name　of　the

Indian　squaw　who　assisted　at　their　washing。　　Even　then　they　were

almost　feverishly　loath　to　leave　the　subject；　as　if　the　Past；　at

least；　was　secure　to　them　still；　and　they　were　even　doubtful　of

their　own　free　and　full　accord　in　the　Present。　　Then　they　slipped

rather　reluctantly　into　their　later　experiences；　but　with　scarcely

the　same　freedom　or　spontaneity；　and　it　was　noticeable　that　these

records　were　elicited　from　Barker　by　Stacy　or　from　Stacy　by　Barker

for　the　information　of　Demorest；　often　with　chaffing　and　only　under

good…humored　protest。　　〃Tell　Demorest　how　you　broke　the　'Copper

Ring；'〃　from　the　admiring　Barker；　or；　〃Tell　Demorest　how　your　dd

foolishness　in　buying　up　the　right　and　plant　of　the　Ditch　Company

got　you　control　of　the　railroad；〃　from　the　mischievous　Stacy；　were

challenges　in　point。　　Presently　they　left　the　table；　and；　to　the

astonishment　of　the　waiters　who　removed　the　cloth；　common　brier…

wood　pipes；　thoughtfully　provided　by　Barker　in　commemoration　of　the

Past；　were　lit；　and　they　ranged　themselves　in　armchairs　before　the

fire　quite　unconsciously　in　their　old　attitudes。　　The　two　windows

on　either　side　of　the　hearth　gave　them　the　same　view　that　the　open

door　of　the　old　cabin　had　made　familiar　to　them；　the　league…long

valley　below　the　shadowy　bulk　of　the　Black　Spur　rising　in　the

distance；　and；　still　more　remote；　the　pallid　snow…line　that　soared

even　beyond　its　crest。



As　in　the　old　time；　they　were　for　many　moments　silent；　and　then；　as

in　the　old　time；　it　was　the　irrepressible　Barker　who　broke　the

silence。　　〃But　Stacy　does　not　tell　you　anything　about　his　friend；

the　beautiful　Mrs。　Horncastle。　　You　know　he's　the　guardian　of　one

of　the　finest　women　in　Californiaa　woman　as　noble　and　generous　as

she　is　handsome。　　And　think　of　it！　　He's　protecting　her　from　her

brute　of　a　husband；　and　looking　after　her　property。　　Isn't　it　good

and　chivalrous　of　him？〃



The　irrepressible　laughter　of　the　two　men　brought　only　wonder　and

reproachful　indignation　into　the　widely　opened　eyes　of　Barker。　　HE

was　perfectly　sincere。　　He　had　been　thinking　of　Stacy's　admiration

for　Mrs。　Horncastle　in　his　ride　from　Boomville；　and；　strange　to

say；　yet　characteristic　of　his　nature；　it　was　equally　the　natural

outcome　of　his　interview　with　her　and　the　singular　effect　she　had

upon　him。　　That　he　（Barker）　thoroughly　sympathized　with　her　only

convinced　him　that　Stacy　must　feel　the　same　for　her；　and　that；　no

doubt；　she　must　respond　to　him　equally。　　And　how　noble　it　was　in

his　old　partner；　with　his　advantages　of　position　in　the　world　and

his　protecting　relations　to　her；　not　to　avail　himself　of　this

influence　upon　her　generous　nature。　　If　he　himselfa　married　man

and　the　husband　of　Kittywas　so　conscious　of　her　charm；　how　much

greater　it　must　be　to　the　free　and　INEXPERIENCED　Stacy。



The　italics　were　in　Barker's　thought；　for　in　those　matters　he　felt

that　Stacy　and　even　Demorest；　occupied　in　other　things；　had　not　his

knowledge。　　There　was　no　idea　or　consciousness　of　heroically

sacrificing　himself　or　Mrs。　Horncastle　in　this。　　I　am　afraid　there

was　not　even　an　idea　of　a　superior　morality　in　himself　in　giving　up

the　possibility　of　loving　her。　　Ever　since　Stacy　had　first　seen　her

he　had　fancied　that　Stacy　liked　her；indeed；　Kitty　fancied　it；

too；and　it　seemed　almost　providential　now　that　he　sho