the three partners-第35节

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the　bank；　and　understood　the　purport　of　the　question。　　He　answered；

with　calm　surprise；　that　he　was　expecting　no　telegrams；　and　added；

〃But　if　Mrs。　Van　Loo　returns　I　beg　you　to　at　once　let　me　know；〃　and

taking　Barker's　arm　he　went　in　to　breakfast。　　Seated　by　themselves；

Demorest　looked　at　his　companion。　　〃I'm　afraid；　Barker　boy；　that

this　thing　is　more　serious　to　Jim　than　we　expected　last　night；　or

than　he　cared　to　tell　us。　　And　you；　old　man；　I　fear　are　hurt　a

little　by　Van　Loo's　flight。　　He　had　some　money　of　your　wife's；

hadn't　he？〃



Barker；　who　knew　that　the　bulk　of　Demorest's　fortune　was　in　Stacy's

hands；　was　touched　at　this　proof　of　his　unselfish　thought；　and

answered　with　equal　unselfishness　that　he　was　concerned　only　by　the

fear　of　Mrs。　Barker's　disappointment。　　〃Why；　Lord！　Phil；　whether

she's　lost　or　saved　her　money　it's　nothing　to　me。　　I　gave　it　to　her

to　do　what　she　liked　with　it；　but　I'm　afraid　she'll　be　worrying

over　what　I　think　of　it；as　if　she　did　not　know　me！　　And　I'm　half

a　mind；　if　it　were　not　for　missing　her；　to　go　over　to　Boomville；

where　she's　stopping。〃



〃I　thought　you　said　she　was　in　San　Francisco？〃　said　Demorest

abstractedly。



Barker　colored。　　〃Yes；〃　he　answered　quickly。　　〃But　I've　heard　since

that　she　stopped　at　Boomville　on　the　way。〃



〃Then　don't　let　ME　keep　you　here；〃　returned　Demorest。　　〃For　if　Jim

telegraphs　to　me　I　shall　start　for　San　Francisco　at　once；　and　I

rather　think　he　will。　　I　did　not　like　to　say　so　before　those　panic…

mongers　outside　who　are　stampeding　everything；　so　run　along；　Barker

boy；　and　ease　your　mind　about　the　wife。　　We　may　have　other　things

to　think　about　soon。〃



Thus　adjured；　Barker　rose　from　his　half…finished　breakfast　and

slipped　away。　　Yet　he　was　not　quite　certain　what　to　do。　　His　wife

must　have　heard　the　news　at　Boomville　as　quickly　as　he　had；　and；　if

so；　would　be　on　her　way　with　Mrs。　Horncastle；　or　she　might　be

waiting　for　himknowing；　too；　that　he　had　heard　the　newsin　fear

and　trembling。　　For　it　was　Barker's　custom　to　endow　all　those　he

cared　for　with　his　own　sensitiveness；　and　it　was　not　like　him　to

reflect　that　the　woman　who　had　so　recklessly　speculated　against　his

opinion　would　scarcely　fear　his　reproaches　in　her　defeat。　　In　the

fullness　of　his　heart　he　telegraphed　to　her　in　case　she　had　not　yet

left　Boomville：　〃All　right。　　Have　heard　news。　　Understand　perfectly。

Don't　worry。　　Come　to　me。〃　　Then　he　left　the　hotel　by　the　stable

entrance　in　order　to　evade　the　guests　who　had　congregated　on　the

veranda；　and　made　his　way　to　a　little　wooded　crest　which　he　knew

commanded　a　view　of　the　two　roads　from　Boomville。　　Here　he

determined　to　wait　and　intercept　her　before　she　reached　the　hotel。

He　knew　that　many　of　the　guests　were　aware　of　his　wife's

speculations　with　Van　Loo；　and　that　he　was　her　broker。　　He　wished　to

spare　her　running　the　gauntlet　of　their　curious　stares　and　comments

as　she　drove　up　alone。　　As　he　was　climbing　the　slope　the　coach　from

Sacramento　dashed　past　him　on　the　road　below；　but　he　knew　that　it

had　changed　horses　at　Boomville　at　four　o'clock；　and　that　his　tired

wife　would　not　have　availed　herself　of　it　at　that　hour；　particularly

as　she　could　not　have　yet　received　the　fateful　news。　　He　threw

himself　under　a　large　pine；　and　watched　the　stagecoach　disappear　as

it　swept　round　into　the　courtyard　of　the　hotel。



He　sat　there　for　some　moments　with　his　eyes　bent　upon　the　two　forks

of　the　red　road　that　diverged　below　him；　but　which　appeared　to

become　whiter　and　more　dazzling　as　he　searched　their　distance。

There　was　nothing　to　be　seen　except　an　occasional　puff　of　dust

which　eventually　revealed　a　horseman　or　a　long　trailing　cloud　out

of　which　a　solitary　mule；　one　of　a　pack…train　of　six　or　eight；

would　momentarily　emerge　and　be　lost　again。　　Then　he　suddenly　heard

his　name　called；　and；　looking　up；　saw　Mrs。　Horncastle；　who　had

halted　a　few　paces　from　him　between　two　columns　of　the　long…drawn

aisle　of　pines。



In　that　mysterious　half…light　she　seemed　such　a　beautiful　and

goddess…like　figure　that　his　consciousness　at　first　was　unable　to

grasp　anything　else。　　She　was　always　wonderfully　well　dressed；　but

the　warmth　and　seclusion　of　this　mountain　morning　had　enabled　her

to　wear　a　light　gown　of　some　delicate　fabric　which　set　off　the

grace　of　her　figure；　and　even　pardoned　the　rural　coquetry　of　a

silken　sash　around　her　still　slender　waist。　　An　open　white　parasol

thrown　over　her　shoulder　made　a　nimbus　for　her　charming　head　and

the　thick　coils　of　hair　under　her　lace…edged　hat。　　He　had　never

seen　her　look　so　beautiful　before。　　And　that　thought　was　so　plainly

in　his　frank　face　and　eyes　as　he　sprang　to　his　feet　that　it　brought

a　slight　rise　of　color　to　her　own　cheek。



〃I　saw　you　climbing　up　here　as　I　passed　in　the　coach　a　few　minutes

ago；〃　she　said；　with　a　smile；　〃and　as　soon　as　I　had　shaken　the　dust

off　I　followed　you。〃



〃Where's　Kitty？〃　he　stammered。



The　color　faded　from　her　face　as　it　had　come；　and　a　shade　of

something　like　reproach　crept　into　her　dark　eyes。　　And　whatever　it

had　been　her　purpose　to　say；　or　however　carefully　she　might　have

prepared　herself　for　this　interview；　she　was　evidently　taken　aback

by　the　sudden　directness　of　the　inquiry。　　Barker　saw　this　as

quickly；　and　as　quickly　referred　it　to　his　own　rudeness。　　His　whole

soul　rushed　in　apology　to　his　face　as　he　said；　〃Oh；　forgive　me！　　I

was　anxious　about　Kitty；　indeed；　I　had　thought　of　coming　again　to

Boomville；　for　you've　heard　the　news；　of　course？　　Van　Loo　is　a

defaulter；　and　has　run　away　with　the　poor　child's　money。〃



Mrs。　Horncastle　had　heard　the　news　at　the　hotel。　　She　paused　a

moment　to　collect　herself；　and　then　said　slowly　and　tentatively；

with　a　watchful　intensity　in　her　eyes；　〃Mrs。　Barker　went；　I　think；

to　the　Divide〃



But　she　was　instantly　interrupted　by　the　eager　Barker。　　〃I　see。　　I

thought　of　that　at　once。　　She　went　directly　to　the　company's

offices　to　see　if　she　could　save　anything　from　the　wreck　before　she

saw　me。　　It　was　like　her；　poor　girl！　　And　youyou；〃　he　went　on

eagerly；　his　whole　face　beaming　with　gratitude；〃you；　out　of　your

goodness；　came　here　to　tell　me。〃　　He　held　out　both　hands　and　took

hers　in　his。



For　a　moment　Mrs。　Horncastle　was　speechless　and　vacillating。　　She

had　often　noticed　before　that　it　was　part　of　the　irony　of　the

creation　of　such　a　simple　nature　as　Barker's　that　he　was　not　only

open　to　deceit；　but　absolutely　seemed　to　invite　it。　　Instead　of

making　others　franker；　people　were　inclined　to　rebuke　his　credulity

by　restraint　and　equivocation　on　their　own　part。　　But　the　evasion

thus　offered　to　her；　although　only　temporary；　was　a　temptation　she

could　not　resist。　　And　it　prolonged　an　interview　that　a　ruthless

revelation　of　the　truth　might　have　shortened。



〃She　did　not　tell　me　she　was　going　there；〃　she　replied　still

evasively；　〃and；　indeed；〃　she　added；　with　a　burst　of　candor　still

more　dangerous；　〃I　only　learned　it　from　the　hotel　clerk　after　she

was　gone。　　But　I　want　to　talk　to　you　about　her　relations　to　Van

Loo；〃　she　said；　with　a　return　of　her　former　intensity　of　gaze；　〃and

I　thought　we　would　be　less　subject　to　interruption　here　than　at　the

hotel。　　Only　I　suppose　everybody　knows　this　place；　and　any　of　those

flirting　couples　are　likely　to　come　here。　　Besides；〃　she　added；

with　a　little　half…hysterical　laugh　and　a　slight　shiver；　as　she

looked　up　at　the　high　interlacing　boughs　above　her　head；　〃it's　as

public　as　the　aisles　of　a　church；　and　really　one　feels　as　if　one

were　'speaking　out'　in　meeting。　　Isn't　there　some　other　spot　a

little　more　secluded；　where　we　could　sit　down；〃　she　went　on；　as　she

poked　her　parasol　into　the　usual　black　gunpowdery　deposit　of　earth

which　mingled　with　the　carpet　of　pine…needles　beneath　her　feet；

〃and　not　get　all　sticky　and　dirty？〃



Barker's　eyes　sparkled。　　〃I　know　every　foot　of　this　hill；　Mrs。

Horncastle；〃　he　said；　〃and　if　you　will　follow　me　I'll　take　you　to

one　of　the　loveliest　nooks　you　ever　dreamed　of。　　It's　an　old　Indian

spring　now　forgotten；　and　I　think　known　only　to　me　and　the　birds。

It's　not　more　than　ten　minutes　from　here；　only〃he　hesitated　as　he

caught　sight　of　the　smart　French　bronze　buckled　shoe　and　silken

ankle　which　Mrs。　Horncastle's　gathering　up　of　her　dainty　skirts

around　her　had　disclosed〃it　may　be　a　little　rough　and　dusty　going

to　your　feet。〃



But　Mrs。　Horncastle　pointed　out　that　she　had　already　irretrievably

ruined　her　shoes　and　stockings　in　climbing　up　to　him；although

Barker　could　really　distinguish　no　diminution　of　their　freshness；

and　that　she　might　as　well　go　on。　　Whereat　they　both　passed　down

the　long　aisle　of　slope　to　a　little　hollow　of　manzanita；　which

again　opened　to　a　view　of　Black　Spur；　but　left　the　hotel　hidden。



〃What　time　did　Kitty　go？〃　began　Barker　eagerly；　when　they　were　half

down　the　slope。



But　here　Mrs。　Horncastle's　foot　slipped　upon　the　glassy　pine…

needles；　and　not　only　stopped　a