the three partners-第12章

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worn　on　Heavy　Tree　Hill。



〃Then　you　think　it　is　the　same　old　trouble　that　worries　him？〃　said

Barker　in　an　awed　and　sympathetic　voice。



〃I　believe　it　is；〃　said　Stacy；　with　an　equal　feeling。　　Mrs。　Barker

pricked　up　her　pretty　ears；　her　husband's　ready　sympathy　was

familiar　enough；　but　that　this　cold；　practical　Stacy　should　be

moved　at　anything　piqued　her　curiosity。



〃And　you　believe　that　he　has　never　got　over　it？〃　continued　Barker。



〃He　had　one　chance；　but　he　threw　it　away；〃　said　Stacy　energetically。

〃If；　instead　of　going　off　to　Europe　by　himself　to　brood　over　it；　he

had　joined　me　in　business；　he'd　have　been　another　man。〃



〃But　not　Demorest；〃　said　Barker　quickly。



〃What　dreadful　secret　is　this　about　Demorest？〃　said　Mrs。　Barker

petulantly。　　〃Is　he　ill？〃



Both　men　were　silent　by　their　old　common　instinct。　　But　it　was

Stacy　who　said　〃No〃　in　a　way　that　put　any　further　questioning　at　an

end；　and　Barker　was　grateful　and　for　the　moment　disloyal　to　his

Kitty。



It　was　with　delight　that　Mrs。　Barker　had　seen　that　the　attention　of

the　next　table　was　directed　to　them；　and　that　even　Mrs。　Horncastle

had　glanced　from　time　to　time　at　Stacy。　　But　she　was　not　prepared

for　the　evident　equal　effect　that　Mrs。　Horncastle　had　created　upon

Stacy。　　His　cold　face　warmed；　his　critical　eye　softened；　he　asked

her　name。　　Mrs。　Barker　was　voluble；　prejudiced；　and；　it　seemed；

misinformed。



〃I　know　it　all；〃　said　Stacy；　with　didactic　emphasis。　　〃Her　husband

was　as　bad　as　they　make　them。　　When　her　life　had　become　intolerable

WITH　HIM；　he　tried　to　make　it　shameful　WITHOUT　HIM　by　abandoning

her。　　She　could　get　a　divorce　a　dozen　times　over；　but　she　won't。〃



〃I　suppose　that's　what　makes　her　so　very　attractive　to　gentlemen；〃

said　Mrs。　Barker　ironically。



〃I　have　never　seen　her　before；〃　continued　Stacy；　with　business

precision；　〃although　I　and　two　other　men　are　guardians　of　her

property；　and　have　saved　it　from　the　clutches　of　her　husband。　　They

told　me　she　was　handsomeand　so　she　is。〃



Pleased　with　the　sudden　human　weakness　of　Stacy；　Barker　glanced　at

his　wife　for　sympathy。　　But　she　was　looking　studiously　another　way；

and　the　young　husband's　eyes；　still　full　of　his　gratification；　fell

upon　Mrs。　Horncastle's。　　She　looked　away　with　a　bright　color。

Whereupon　the　sanguine　Barkerperfectly　convinced　that　she

returned　Stacy's　admirationwas　seized　with　one　of　his　old　boyish

dreams　of　the　future；　and　saw　Stacy　happily　united　to　her；　and　was

only　recalled　to　the　dinner　before　him　by　its　end。　　Then　Stacy　duly

promenaded　the　great　saloon　with　Mrs。　Barker　on　his　arm；　visited

the　baby　in　her　apartments；　and　took　an　easy　leave。　　But　he　grasped

Barker's　hand　before　parting　in　quite　his　old　fashion；　and　said；

〃Come　to　lunch　with　me　at　the　bank　any　day；　and　we'll　talk　of　Phil

Demorest；〃　and　left　Barker　as　happy　as　if　the　appointment　were　to

confer　the　favor　he　had　that　morning　refused。　　But　Mrs。　Barker；　who

had　overheard；　was　more　dubious。



〃You　don't　suppose　he　asks　you　to　talk　with　you　about　Demorest　and

his　stupid　secret；　do　you？〃　she　said　scornfully。



〃Perhaps　not　only　about　that；〃　said　Barker；　glad　that　she　had　not

demanded　the　secret。



〃Well；〃　returned　Mrs。　Barker　as　she　turned　away；　〃he　might　just　as

well　lunch　here　and　talk　about　HERand　see　her；　too。〃



Meantime　Stacy　had　dropped　into　his　club；　only　a　few　squares

distant。　　His　appearance　created　the　same　interest　that　it　had

produced　at　the　hotel；　but　with　less　reserve　among　his　fellow

members。



〃Have　you　heard　the　news？〃　said　a　dozen　voices。　　Stacy　had　not；　he

had　been　dining　out。



〃That　infernal　swindle　of　a　Divide　Railroad　has　passed　the

legislature。〃



Stacy　instantly　remembered　Barker's　absurd　belief　in　it　and　his

reasons。　　He　smiled　and　said　carelessly；　〃Are　you　quite　sure　it's　a

swindle？〃



There　was　a　dead　silence　at　the　coolness　of　the　man　who　had　been

most　outspoken　against　it。



〃But；〃　said　a　voice　hesitatingly；　〃you　know　it　goes　nowhere　and　to

no　purpose。〃



〃But　that　does　not　prevent　it；　now　that　it's　a　fact；　from　going

anywhere　and　to　some　purpose；〃　said　Stacy；　turning　away。　　He　passed

into　the　reading…room　quietly；　but　in　an　instant　turned　and　quickly

descended　by　another　staircase　into　the　hall；　hurriedly　put　on　his

overcoat；　and　slipping　out　was　a　moment　later　re…entering　the

hotel。　　Here　he　hastily　summoned　Barker；　who　came　down；　flushed　and

excited。　　Laying　his　hand　on　Barker's　arm　in　his　old　dominant　way；

he　said：



〃Don't　delay　a　single　hour；　but　get　a　written　agreement　for　that

Ditch　property。〃



Barker　smiled。　　〃But　I　have。　　Got　it　this　afternoon。〃



〃Then　you　know？〃　ejaculated　Stacy　in　surprise。



〃I　only　know；〃　said　Barker；　coloring；　〃that　you　said　I　could　back

out　of　it　if　it　wasn't　signed；　and　that's　what　Kitty　said；　too。

And　I　thought　it　looked　awfully　mean　for　me　to　hold　a　man　to　that

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。〃

B