the three partners-第37节

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aside　and　lets　her　suffer？　　Why　should　she　heed　its　wretched

babble？〃　he　went　on　in　flashing　indignation。



〃Because；〃　she　said　faintly；　lifting　her　moist　eyes　and　moist　and

parted　lips　towards　him；〃because　it　would　be　TRUE！〃



There　was　a　silence　so　profound　that　even　the　spring　seemed　to

withhold　its　song　as　their　eyes　and　lips　met。　　When　the　spring

recommenced　its　murmur；　and　they　could　hear　the　droning　of　a　bee

above　them　and　the　rustling　of　the　reed；　she　was　murmuring；　too；

with　her　face　against　his　breast：　〃You　did　not　think　it　strange

that　I　should　follow　youthat　I　should　risk　everything　to　tell　you

what　I　have　told　you　before　I　told　you　anything　else？　　You　will

never　hate　me　for　it；　George？〃



There　was　another　silence　still　more　prolonged；　and　when　he　looked

again　into　the　flushed　face　and　glistening　eyes　he　was　saying；　〃I

have　ALWAYS　loved　you。　　I　know　now　I　loved　you　from　the　first；　from

the　day　when　I　leaned　over　you　to　take　little　Sta　from　your　lap　and

saw　your　tenderness　for　him　in　your　eyes。　　I　could　have　kissed　you

THEN；　dearest；　as　I　do　now。〃



〃And；〃　she　said；　when　she　had　gained　her　smiling　breath　again；　〃you

will　always　remember；　George；　that　you　told　me　this　BEFORE　I　told

you　anything　of　her。〃



〃HER？　　Of　whom；　dearest？〃　he　asked；　leaning　over　her　tenderly。



〃Of　Kittyof　your　wife；〃　she　said　impatiently；　as　she　drew　back

shyly　with　her　former　intense　gaze。



He　did　not　seem　to　grasp　her　meaning；　but　said　gravely；　〃Let　us　not

talk　of　her　NOW。　　Later　we　shall　have　MUCH　to　say　of　her。　　For；〃　he

added　quietly；　〃you　know　I　must　tell　her　all。〃



The　color　faded　from　her　cheek。　　〃Tell　her　all！〃　she　repeated

vacantly；　then　suddenly　she　turned　upon　him　eagerly；　and　said；　〃But

what　if　she　is　gone？〃



〃Gone？〃　he　repeated。



〃Yes；　gone。　　What　if　she　has　run　away　with　Van　Loo？　　What　if　she

has　disgraced　you　and　her　child？〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　he　said；　seizing　both　her　hands　and　gazing　at

her　fixedly。



〃I　mean；〃　she　said；　with　a　half…frightened　eagerness；　〃that　she　has

already　gone　with　Van　Loo。　　George！　　George！〃　she　burst　out

suddenly　and　passionately；　falling　upon　her　knees　before　him；　〃do

you　think　that　I　would　have　followed　you　here　and　told　you　what　I

did　if　I　thought　that　she　had　now　the　slightest　claim　upon　your

love　or　honor？　　Don't　you　understand　me？　　I　came　to　tell　you　of　her

flight　to　Boomville　with　that　man；　how　I　accidentally　intercepted

them　there；　how　I　tried　to　save　her　from　him；　and　even　lied　to　you

to　try　to　save　her　from　your　indignation；　but　how　she　deceived　me

as　she　has　you；　and　even　escaped　and　joined　her　lover　while　you

were　with　me。　　I　came　to　tell　you　that　and　nothing　more；　George；　I

swear　it。　　But　when　you　were　kind　to　me　and　pitied　me；　I　was　mad

wild！　　I　wanted　to　win　you　first　out　of　your　own　love。　　I　wanted

you　to　respond　to　MINE　before　you　knew　your　wife　was　faithless。

Yet　I　would　have　saved　her　if　I　could。　　Listen；　George！　　A　moment

more　before　you　speak！〃



Then　she　hurriedly　told　him　all；　the　whole　story　of　his　wife's

dishonor；　from　her　entrance　into　the　sitting…room　with　Van　Loo；　her

later　appeal　for　concealment　from　her　husband's　unexpected

presence；　to　the　use　she　made　of　that　concealment　to　fly　with　her

lover。　　She　spared　no　detail；　and　even　repeated　the　insult　Mrs。

Barker　had　cast　upon　her　with　the　triumphant　reproach　that　her

husband　would　not　believe　her。　　〃Perhaps；〃　she　added　bitterly；　〃you

may　not　believe　me　now。　　I　could　even　stand　that　from　you；　George；

if　it　could　make　you　happier；　but　you　would　still　have　to　believe

it　from　others。　　The　people　at　the　Boomville　Hotel　saw　them　leave

it　together。〃



〃I　do　believe　you；〃　be　said　slowly；　but　with　downcast　eyes；　〃and　if

I　did　not　love　you　before　you　told　me　this　I　could　love　you　now　for

the　part　you　have　taken；　but〃　　He　stopped。



〃You　love　her　still；〃　she　burst　out；　〃and　I　might　have　known　it。

Perhaps；〃　she　went　on　distractedly；　〃you　love　her　the　more　that　you

have　lost　her。　　It　is　the　way　of　menand　women。〃



〃If　I　had　loved　her　truly；〃　said　Barker；　lifting　his　frank　eyes　to

hers；　〃I　could　not　have　touched　YOUR　lips。　　I　could　not　even　have

wished　toas　I　did　three　years　agoas　I　did　last　night。　　Then　I

feared　it　was　my　weakness；　now　I　know　it　was　my　love。　　I　have

thought　of　it　ever　since；　even　while　waiting　my　wife's　return　here；

knowing　that　I　did　not　and　never　could　have　loved　her。　　But　for

that　very　reason　I　must　try　to　save　her　for　her　own　sake；　if　I

cannot　save　her　for　mine；　and　if　I　fail；　dearest；　it　shall　not　be

said　that　we　climbed　to　happiness　over　her　back　bent　with　the

burden　of　her　shame。　　If　I　loved　you　and　told　you　so；　thinking　her

still　guiltless　and　innocent；　how　could　I　profit　now　by　her　fault？〃



Mrs。　Horncastle　saw　too　late　her　mistake。　　〃Then　you　would　take　her

back？〃　she　said　frenziedly。



〃To　my　homewhich　is　hersyes。　　To　my　heartno。　　She　never　was

there。〃



〃And　I；〃　said　Mrs。　Horncastle；　with　a　quivering　lip；〃where　do　I

go　when　you　have　settled　this？　　Back　to　my　past　again？　　Back　to　my

husbandless；　childless　life？〃



She　was　turning　away；　but　Barker　caught　her　in　his　arms　again。

〃No！〃　he　said；　his　whole　face　suddenly　radiating　with　hope　and

youthful　enthusiasm。　　〃No！　　Kitty　will　help　us；　we　will　tell　her

all。　　You　do　not　know　her；　dearest；　as　I　dohow　good　and　kind　she

is；　in　spite　of　all。　　We　will　appeal　to　her；　she　will　devise　some

means　by　which；　without　the　scandal　of　a　divorce；　she　and　I　may　be

separated。　　She　will　take　dear　little　Sta　with　herit　is　only

right；　poor　girl；　but　she　will　let　me　come　and　see　him。　　She　will

be　a　sister　to　us；　dearest。　　Courage！　　All　will　come　right　yet。

Trust　to　me。〃



An　hysterical　laugh　came　to　Mrs。　Horncastle's　lips　and　then

stopped。　　For　as　she　looked　up　at　him　in　his　supreme　hopefulness；

his　divine　confidence　in　himself　and　othersat　his　handsome　face

beaming　with　love　and　happiness；　and　his　clear　gray　eyes　glittering

with　an　almost　spiritual　prescienceshe；　woman　of　the　world　and

bitter　experience；　and　perfectly　cognizant　of　her　own　and　Kitty's

possibilities；　was；　nevertheless；　completely　carried　away　by　her

lover's　optimism。　　For　of　all　optimism　that　of　love　is　the　most

convincing。　　Dear　boy！for　he　was　but　a　boy　in　experienceonly

his　love　for　her　could　work　this　magic。　　So　she　gave　him　kiss　for

kiss；　largely　believing；　largely　hoping；　that　Mrs。　Barker　was　in

love　with　Van　Loo　and　would　NOT　return。　　And　in　this　hope　an

invincible　belief　in　the　folly　of　her　own　sex　soothed　and　sustained

her。



〃We　must　go　now；　dearest；〃　said　Barker；　pointing　to　the　sun　already

near　the　meridian。　　Three　hours　had　fled；　they　knew　not　how。　　〃I

will　bring　you　back　to　the　hill　again；　but　there　we　had　better

separate；　you　taking　your　way　alone　to　the　hotel　as　you　came；　and　I

will　go　a　little　way　on　the　road　to　the　Divide　and　return　later。

Keep　your　own　counsel　about　Kitty　for　her　sake　and　ours；　perhaps　no

one　else　may　know　the　truth　yet。〃　　With　a　farewell　kiss　they

plunged　again　hand　in　hand　through　the　cool　bracken　and　again

through　the　hot　manzanita　bushes；　and　so　parted　on　the　hilltop；　as

they　had　never　parted　before；　leaving　their　whole　world　behind

them。



Barker　walked　slowly　along　the　road　under　the　flickering　shade　of

wayside　sycamore；　his　sensitive　face　also　alternating　with　his

thought　in　lights　and　shadows。　　Presently　there　crept　towards　him

out　of　the　distance　a　halting；　vacillating；　deviating　buggy；

trailing　a　cloud　of　dust　after　it　like　a　broken　wing。　　As　it　came

nearer　he　could　see　that　the　horse　was　spent　and　exhausted；　and

that　the　buggy's　sole　occupanta　womanwas　equally　exhausted　in

her　monotonous　attempt　to　urge　it　forward　with　whip　and　reins　that

rose　and　fell　at　intervals　with　feeble　reiteration。　　Then　he

stepped　out　of　the　shadow　and　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　sunlit

road　to　await　it。　　For　he　recognized　his　wife。



The　buggy　came　nearer。　　And　then　the　most　exquisite　pang　he　had

ever　felt　before　at　his　wife's　hands　shot　through　him。　　For　as　she

recognized　him　she　made　a　wild　but　impotent　attempt　to　dash　past

him；　and　then　as　suddenly　pulled　up　in　the　ditch。



He　went　up　to　her。　　She　was　dirty；　she　was　disheveled；　she　was

haggard；　she　was　plain。　　There　were　rings　of　dust　round　her　tear…

swept　eyes　and　smudges　of　dust…dried　perspiration　over　her　fair

cheek。　　He　thought　of　the　beauty；　freshness；　and　elegance　of　the

woman　he　had　just　left；　and　an　infinite　pity　swept　the　soul　of　this

weak…minded　gentleman。　　He　ran　towards　her；　and　tenderly　lifting

her　in　her　shame…stained　garments　from　the　buggy；　said　hurriedly；

〃I　know　it　all；　poor　Kitty！　　You　heard　the　news　of　Van　Loo's

flight；　and　you　ran　over　to　the　Divide　to　try　and　save　some　of　your

money。　　Why　didn't　you　wait？　　Why　didn't　you　tell　me？〃



There　was　no　mistaking　the　reality　of　his　words；　the　genuine　pity

and　tenderness　of　his　action；　but　the　woman　s