the three partners-第10章

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But　Barker　did　not　notice　it。　　〃Captain　Heath；　my　husband；〃　she

went　on；　carelessly　rising　and　smoothing　her　skirts。　　The　captain；

who　had　risen　too；　bowed　vaguely　at　the　introduction；　but　Barker

extended　his　hand　frankly。　　〃I　found　Stacy　busy；〃　he　said　in　answer

to　his　wife；　〃but　he　is　coming　to　dine　with　us　to…night。〃



〃If　you　mean　Jim　Stacy；　the　banker；〃　said　Captain　Heath；　brightening

into　greater　ease；　〃he's　the　busiest　man　in　California。　　I've　seen

men　standing　in　a　queue　outside　his　door　as　in　the　old　days　at　the

post…office。　　And　he　only　gives　you　five　minutes　and　no　extension。

So　you　and　he　were　partners　once？〃　he　said；　looking　curiously　at　the

still　youthful　Barker。



But　it　was　Mrs。　Barker　who　answered；　〃Oh　yes！　and　always　such　good

friends。　　I　was　awfully　jealous　of　him。〃　　Nevertheless；　she　did　not

respond　to　the　affectionate　protest　in　Barker's　eyes　nor　to　the

laugh　of　Captain　Heath；　but　glanced　indifferently　around　the　room

as　if　to　leave　further　conversation　to　the　two　men。　　It　was

possible　that　she　was　beginning　to　feel　that　Captain　Heath　was　as

de　trop　now　as　her　husband　had　been　a　moment　before。　　Standing

there；　however；　between　them　both；　idly　tracing　a　pattern　on　the

carpet　with　the　toe　of　her　slipper；　she　looked　prettier　than　she

had　ever　looked　as　Kitty　Carter。　　Her　slight　figure　was　more　fully

developed。　　That　artificial　severity　covering　a　natural　virgin

coyness　with　which　she　used　to　wait　at　table　in　her　father's　hotel

at　Boomville　had　gone；　and　was　replaced　by　a　satisfied　consciousness

of　her　power　to　please。　　Her　glance　was　freer；　but　not　as　frank　as

in　those　days。　　Her　dress　was　undoubtedly　richer　and　more　stylish；

yet　Barker's　loyal　heart　often　reverted　fondly　to　the　chintz　gown；

coquettishly　frilled　apron；　and　spotless　cuffs　and　collar　in　which

she　had　handed　him　his　coffee　with　a　faint　color　that　left　his　own

face　crimson。



Captain　Heath's　tact　being　equal　to　her　indifference；　he　had

excused　himself；　although　he　was　becoming　interested　in　this

youthful　husband。　　But　Mrs。　Barker；　after　having　asserted　her

husband's　distinction　as　the　equal　friend　of　the　millionaire；　was

by　no　means　willing　that　the　captain　should　be　further　interested

in　Barker　for　himself　alone；　and　did　not　urge　him　to　stay。　　As　he

departed　she　turned　to　her　husband；　and；　indicating　the　group　he

had　passed　the　moment　before；　said：



〃That　horrid　woman　has　been　staring　at　us　all　the　time。　　I　don't

see　what　you　see　in　her　to　admire。〃



Poor　Barker's　admiration　had　been　limited　to　a　few　words　of

civility　in　the　enforced　contact　of　that　huge　caravansary　and　in

his　quiet；　youthful　recognition　of　her　striking　personality。　　But

he　was　just　then　too　preoccupied　with　his　interview　with　Stacy　to

reply；　and　perhaps　he　did　not　quite　understand　his　wife。　　It　was

odd　how　many　things　he　did　not　quite　understand　now　about　Kitty；

but　that　he　knew　must　be　HIS　fault。　　But　Mrs。　Barker　apparently　did

not　require；　after　the　fashion　of　her　sex；　a　reply。　　For　the　next

moment；　as　they　moved　towards　their　rooms；　she　said　impatiently；

〃Well；　you　don't　tell　what　Stacy　said。　　Did　you　get　the　money？〃



I　grieve　to　say　that　this　soul　of　truth　and　frankness　liedonly　to

his　wife。　　Perhaps　he　considered　it　only　lying　to　HIMSELF；　a　thing

of　which　he　was　at　times　miserably　conscious。　　〃It　wasn't

necessary；　dear；〃　he　said；　〃he　advised　me　to　sell　my　securities　in

the　bank；　and　if　you　only　knew　how　dreadfully　busy　he　is。〃



Mrs。　Barker　curled　her　pretty　lip。　　〃It　doesn't　take　very　long　to

lend　ten　thousand　dollars！〃　she　said。　　〃But　that's　what　I　always

tell　you。　　You　have　about　made　me　sick　by　singing　the　praises　of

those　wonderful　partners　of　yours；　and　here　you　ask　a　favor　of　one

of　them　and　he　tells　you　to　sell　your　securities！　　And　you　know；

and　he　knows；　they're　worth　next　to　nothing。〃



〃You　don't　understand；　dear〃began　Barker。



〃I　understand　that　you've　given　your　word　to　poor　Harry；〃　said　Mrs。

Barker　in　pretty　indignation；　〃who's　responsible　for　the　Ditch

purchase。〃



〃And　I　shall　keep　it。　　I　always　do；〃　said　Barker　very　quietly；　but

with　that　same　singular　expression　of　face　that　had　puzzled　Stacy。

But　Mrs。　Barker；　who；　perhaps；　knew　her　husband　better；　said　in　an

altered　voice：



〃But　HOW　can　you；　dear？〃



〃If　I'm　short　a　thousand　or　two　I'll　ask　your　father。〃



Mrs。　Barker　was　silent。　　〃Father's　so　very　much　harried　now；　George。

Why　don't　you　simply　throw　the　whole　thing　up？〃



〃But　I've　given　my　word　to　your　cousin　Henry。〃



〃Yes；　but　only　your　WORD。　　There　was　no　written　agreement。　　And　you

couldn't　even　hold　him　to　it。〃



Barker　opened　his　frank　eyes　in　astonishment。　　Her　own　cousin；　too！

And　they　were　Stacy's　very　words！



〃Besides；〃　added　Mrs。　Barker　audaciously；　〃he　could　get　rid　of　it

elsewhere。　　He　had　another　offer；　but　he　thought　yours　the　best。

So　don't　be　silly。〃



By　this　time　they　had　reached　their　rooms。　　Barker；　apparently

dismissing　the　subject　from　his　mind　with　characteristic　buoyancy；

turned　into　the　bedroom　and　walked　smilingly　towards　a　small　crib

which　stood　in　the　corner。　　〃Why；　he's　gone！〃　he　said　in　some

dismay。



〃Well；〃　said　Mrs。　Barker　a　little　impatiently；　〃you　didn't　expect

me　to　take　him　into　the　public　parlor；　where　I　was　seeing　visitors；

did　you？　　I　sent　him　out　with　the　nurse　into　the　lower　hall　to　play

with　the　other　children。〃



A　shade　momentarily　passed　over　Barker's　face。　　He　always　looked

forward　to　meeting　the　child　when　he　came　back。　　He　had　a　belief；

based　on　no　grounds　whatever；　that　the　little　creature　understood

him。　　And　he　had　a　father's　doubt　of　the　wholesomeness　of　other

people's　children　who　were　born　into　the　world　indiscriminately　and

not　under　the　exceptional　conditions　of　his　own。　　〃I'll　go　and

fetch　him；〃　he　said。



〃You　haven't　told　me　anything　about　your　interview；　what　you　did

and　what　your　good　friend　Stacy　said；〃　said　Mrs。　Barker；　dropping

languidly　into　a　chair。　　〃And　really　if　you　are　simply　running　away

again　after　that　child；　I　might　just　as　well　have　asked　Captain

Heath　to　stay　longer。〃



〃Oh；　as　to　Stacy；〃　said　Barker；　dropping　beside　her　and　taking　her

hand；　〃well；　dear；　he　was　awfully　busy；　you　know；　and　shut　up　in

the　innermost　office　like　the　agate　in　one　of　the　Japanese　nests　of

boxes。　　But；〃　he　continued；　brightening　up；　〃just　the　same　dear　old

Jim　Stacy　of　Heavy　Tree　Hill；　when　I　first　knew　you。　　Lord！　dear；

how　it　all　came　back　to　me！　　That　day　I　proposed　to　you　in　the

belief　that　I　was　unexpectedly　rich　and　even　bought　a　claim　for　the

boys　on　the　strength　of　it；　and　how　I　came　back　to　them　to　find

that　they　had　made　a　big　strike　on　the　very　claim。　　Lord！　I

remember　how　I　was　so　afraid　to　tell　them　about　youand　how　they

guessed　itthat　dear　old　Stacy　one　of　the　first。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Barker；　〃and　I　hope　your　friend　Stacy　remembered

that　but　for　ME；　when　you　found　out　that　you　were　not　rich；　you'd

have　given　up　the　claim；　but　that　I　really　deceived　my　own　father

to　make　you　keep　it。　　I've　often　worried　over　that；　George；〃　she

said　pensively；　turning　a　diamond　bracelet　around　her　pretty　wrist；

〃although　I　never　said　anything　about　it。〃



〃But；　Kitty　darling；〃　said　Barker；　grasping　his　wife's　hand；　〃I

gave　my　note　for　it；　you　know　you　said　that　was　bargain　enough；　and

I　had　better　wait　until　the　note　was　due；　and　until　I　found　I

couldn't　pay；　before　I　gave　up　the　claim。　　It　was　very　clever　of

you；　and　the　boys　all　said　so；　too。　　But　you　never　deceived　your

father；　dear；〃　he　said；　looking　at　her　gravely；　〃for　I　should　have

told　him　everything。〃



〃Of　course；　if　you　look　at　it　in　that　way；〃　said　his　wife

languidly；　〃it's　nothing；　only　I　think　it　ought　to　be　remembered

when　people　go　about　saying　papa　ruined　you　with　his　hotel　schemes。〃



〃Who　dares　say　that？〃　said　Barker　indignantly。



〃Well；　if　they　don't　SAY　it　they　look　it；〃　said　Mrs。　Barker；　with　a

toss　of　her　pretty　head；　〃and　I　believe　that's　at　the　bottom　of

Stacy's　refusal。〃



〃But　he　never　said　a　word；　Kitty；〃　said　Barker；　flushing。



〃There；　don't　excite　yourself；　George；〃　said　Mrs。　Barker　resignedly；

〃but　go　for　the　baby。　　I　know　you're　dying　to　go；　and　I　suppose　it's

time　Norah　brought　it　upstairs。〃



At　any　other　time　Barker　would　have　lingered　with　explanations；　but

just　then　a　deeper　sense　than　usual　of　some　misunderstanding　made

him　anxious　to　shorten　this　domestic　colloquy。　　He　rose；　pressed

his　wife's　hand；　and　went　out。　　But　yet　he　was　not　entirely

satisfied　with　himself　for　leaving　her。　　〃I　suppose　it　isn't　right

my　going　off　as　soon　as　I　come　in；〃　he　murmured　reproachfully　to

himself；　〃but　I　think　she　wants　the　baby　back　as　much　as　I；　only；

womanlike；　she　didn't　care　to　let　me　know　it。〃



He　reached　the　lower　hall；　which　he　knew　was　a　favorite　promenade

for　the　nurses　who　were　gathered　at　the　farther　end；　where　a　large

window　looked　upon　Montgomery　Street。　　But　Norah；　the　Irish　nurse；

was　not　among　them；　he　passed　through　several　corridors　in　his

search；　but　in　vain。　　At　last；　worried　and　a　little　anxious；　he

turned　to　regain　his　rooms　through　the　long　saloon　where　he　had

found　his　wife　previously。　　It　was　deserted　now；　the　last　caller

had　lefteven　frivolity　had　its　prescribed　limits。　　He　was

consequently　startled　by　a　gentle　murmur　from　one　of　the　heavily

curtained　window　recesses。　　It　was　a　woman's　voicelow；　sweet；

caressing；　and　filled　with　an　almost　pathetic　tenderness。　　And　it

was　followed　by　a　distinct　gurgling　satisfied　crow。



Barker　turned　instantly　in　that　direction。　　A　step　brought　him　to

the　curtain；　where　a　singular　spectacle　presented　itself。



Seated　on　a　lounge；　completely　absorbed　and　possessed　by　her

treasure；　was　the　〃horrid　woman〃　whom　his　wife　had　indicated　only　a

little　while　ago；　holding　a　babyKitty's　sacred　babyin　her

wanton　lap！　　The　child　was　feebly　grasping　the　end　of　the　slender

jeweled　necklace　which　the　woman　held　temptingly　dangling　from　a

thin　white　jeweled　finger　above　it。　　But　its　eyes　were　beaming　with

an　intense　delight；　as　if　trying　to　respond　to　the　deep；

concentrated　love　in　the　handsome　face　that　was　bent　above　it。



At　the　sudden　intrusion　of　Barker　she　looked　up。　　There　was　a　faint

rise　in　her　color；　but　no　loss　of　sell…possession。



〃Please　don't　scold　the　nurse；〃　she　said；　〃nor　say　anything　to　Mrs。

Barker。　　It　is　all　my　fault。　　I　thought　that　both　the　nurse　and

child　looked　dreadfully　bored　with　each　other；　and　I　borrowed　the

little　fellow　for　a　while　to　try　and　amuse　him。　　At　least　I　haven't

made　him　cry；　have　I；　dear？〃　　The　last　epithet；　it　is　needless　to

say；　was　addressed　to　the　little　creature　in　her　lap；　but　in　its

tender　modulation　it　touched　the　father's　quick　sympathies　as　if　he

had　shared　it　with　the　child。　　〃You　see；〃　she　said　softly；

disengaging　the　baby　fingers　from　her　necklace；　〃th