the three partners-第16章

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when　Steptoe　came；　after　missing　the　coach。　　He　wanted　a　buggy　to

take　him　over　to　the　Divide。　　We　hadn't　one；　so　he　went　over　to　the

other　stables；　and　he　didn't　come　back；　so　I　reckon　he's　gone。　　I

remember　it；　because　Steptoe　came　by　a　minute　after　he'd　gone；　in

another　buggy；　and　as　he　was　going　to　the　Divide；　too；　I　wondered

why　the　gentleman　hadn't　gone　with　him。〃



〃And　he　left　no　message　for　me？　　He　said　nothing？〃　asked　Mrs。

Barker；　quite　breathless；　but　still　smiling。



〃He　said　nothin'　to　me　but　'Isn't　that　Steptoe　over　there？'　when

Steptoe　came　in。　　And　I　remember　he　said　it　kinder　suddentas　if

he　was　reminded　o'　suthin'　he'd　forgot；　and　then　he　asked　for　a

buggy。　　Ye　see；　miss；〃　added　the　man；　with　a　certain　rough

consideration　for　her　disappointment；　〃that's　mebbe　why　he　clean

forgot　to　leave　a　message。〃



Mrs。　Barker　turned　away；　and　ascended　the　stairs。　　Selfishness　is

quick　to　recognize　selfishness；　and　she　saw　in　a　flash　the　reason

of　Van　Loo's　abandonment　of　her。　　Some　fear　of　discovery　had

alarmed　him；　perhaps　Steptoe　knew　her　husband；　perhaps　he　had　heard

of　Mrs。　Horncastle's　possession　of　the　sitting…room；　perhapsfor

she　had　not　seen　him　since　their　playful　struggle　at　the　doorhe

had　recognized　the　woman　who　was　there；　and　the　selfish　coward　had

run　away。　　Yes；　Mrs。　Horncastle　was　right：　she　had　been　only　a

miserable　dupe。



Her　cheeks　blazed　as　she　entered　the　room　she　had　just　quitted；　and

threw　herself　in　a　chair　by　the　window。　　She　bit　her　lip　as　she

remembered　how　for　the　last　three　months　she　had　been　slowly

yielding　to　Van　Loo's　cautious　but　insinuating　solicitation；　from　a

flirtation　in　the　San　Francisco　hotel　to　a　clandestine　meeting　in

the　street；　from　a　ride　in　the　suburbs　to　a　supper　in　a　fast

restaurant　after　the　theatre。　　Other　women　did　it　who　were

fashionable　and　rich；　as　Van　Loo　had　pointed　out　to　her。　　Other

fashionable　women　also　gambled　in　stocks；　and　had　their　private

broker　in　a　〃Charley〃　or　a　〃Jack。〃　　Why　should　not　Mrs。　Barker　have

business　with　a　〃Paul〃　Van　Loo；　particularly　as　this　fast　craze

permitted　secret　meetings？for　business　of　this　kind　could　not　be

conducted　in　public；　and　permitted　the　fair　gambler　to　call　at

private　offices　without　fear　and　without　reproach。　　Mrs。　Barker's

vanity；　Mrs。　Barker's　love　of　ceremony　and　form；　Mrs。　Barker's

snobbishness；　were　flattered　by　the　attentions　of　this　polished

gentleman　with　a　foreign　name；　which　even　had　the　flavor　of

nobility；　who　never　picked　up　her　fan　and　handed　it　to　her　without

bowing；　and　always　rose　when　she　entered　the　room。　　Mrs。　Barker's

scant　schoolgirl　knowledge　was　touched　by　this　gentleman；　who　spoke

French　fluently；　and　delicately　explained　to　her　the　libretto　of　a

risky　opera　bouffe。　　And　now　she　had　finally　yielded　to　a　meeting

out　of　San　Franciscoand　an　ostensible　visitstill　as　a

speculatorto　one　or　two　mining　districtswith　HER　BROKER。　　This

was　the　boldest　of　her　stepsan　original　idea　of　the　fashionable

Van　Loowhich；　no　doubt；　in　time　would　become　a　craze；　too。　　But

it　was　a　long　stepand　there　was　a　streak　of　rustic　decorum　in

Mrs。　Barker's　naturethe　instinct　that　made　Kitty　Carter　keep　a

perfectly　secluded　and　distinct　sitting…room　in　the　days　when　she

served　her　father's　gueststhat　now　had　impelled　her　to　make　it　a

proviso　that　the　first　step　of　her　journey　should　be　from　her　old

home　in　her　father's　hotel。　　It　was　this　instinct　of　the　proprieties

that　had　revived　in　her　suddenly　at　the　door　of　the　old　sitting…room。



Then　a　new　phase　of　the　situation　flashed　upon　her。　　It　was　hard

for　her　vanity　to　accept　Van　Loo's　desertion　as　voluntary　and

final。　　What　if　that　hateful　woman　had　lured　him　away　by　some　trick

or　artfully　designed　message？　　She　was　capable　of　such　meanness　to

insure　the　fulfillment　of　her　prophecy。　　Or；　more　dreadful　thought；

what　if　she　had　some　hold　on　his　affectionsshe　had　said　that　he

had　pursued　her；　or；　more　infamous　still；　there　were　some　secret

understanding　between　them；　and　that　sheMrs。　Barkerwas　the　dupe

of　them　both！　　What　was　she　doing　in　the　hotel　at　such　a　moment？

What　was　her　story　of　going　to　Hymettus　but　a　lie　as　transparent　as

her　own？　　The　tortures　of　jealousy；　which　is　as　often　the　incentive

as　it　is　the　result　of　passion；　began　to　rack　her。　　She　had

probably　yet　known　no　real　passion　for　this　man；　but　with　the

thought　of　his　abandoning　her；　and　the　conception　of　his

faithlessness；　came　the　wish　to　hold　and　keep　him　that　was

dangerously　near　it。　　What　if　he　were　even　then　in　that　room；　the

room　where　she　had　said　she　would　not　stay　to　be　insulted；　and

they；　thus　secured　against　her　intrusion；　were　laughing　at　her　now？

She　half　rose　at　the　thought；　but　a　sound　of　a　horse's　hoofs　in　the

stable…yard　arrested　her。　　She　ran　to　the　window　which　gave　upon

it；　and；　crouching　down　beside　it；　listened　eagerly。　　The　clatter

of　hoofs　ceased；　the　stableman　was　talking　to　some　one；　suddenly

she　heard　the　stableman　say；　〃Mrs。　Barker　is　here。〃　　Her　heart

leaped；Van　Loo　had　returned。



But　here　the　voice　of　the　other　man　which　she　had　not　yet　heard

arose　for　the　first　time　clear　and　distinct。　　〃Are　you　quite　sure？

I　didn't　know　she　left　San　Francisco。〃



The　room　reeled　around　her。　　The　voice　was　George　Barker's；　her

husband！　　〃Very　well；〃　he　continued。　　〃You　needn't　put　up　my　horse

for　the　night。　　I　may　take　her　back　a　little　later　in　the　buggy。〃



In　another　moment　she　had　swept　down　the　passage；　and　burst　into

the　other　room。　　Mrs。　Horncastle　was　sitting　by　the　table　with　a

book　in　her　hand。　　She　started　as　the　half…maddened　woman　closed

the　door；　locked　it　behind　her；　and　cast　herself　on　her　knees　at

her　feet。



〃My　husband　is　here；〃　she　gasped。　　〃What　shall　I　do？　　In　heaven's

name　help　me！〃



〃Is　Van　Loo　still　here？〃　said　Mrs。　Horncastle　quickly。



〃No；　gone。　　He　went　when　I　came。〃



Mrs。　Horncastle　caught　her　hand　and　looked　intently　into　her

frightened　face。　　〃Then　what　have　you　to　fear　from　your　husband？〃

she　said　abruptly。



〃You　don't　understand。　　He　didn't　know　I　was　here。　　He　thought　me

in　San　Francisco。〃



〃Does　he　know　it　now？〃



〃Yes。　　I　heard　the　stableman　tell　him。　　Couldn't　you　say　I　came

here　with　you；　that　we　were　here　together；　that　it　was　just　a

little　freak　of　ours？　　Oh；　do！〃



Mrs。　Horncastle　thought　a　moment。　　〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃we'll　see　him

here　together。〃



〃Oh　no！　no！〃　said　Mrs。　Barker　suddenly；　clinging　to　her　dress　and

looking　fearfully　towards　the　door。　　〃I　couldn't；　COULDN'T　see　him

now。　　Say　I'm　sick；　tired　out；　gone　to　my　room。〃



〃But　you'll　have　to　see　him　later；〃　said　Mrs。　Horncastle　wonderingly。



〃Yes；　but　he　may　go　first。　　I　heard　him　tell　them　not　to　put　up　his

horse。〃



〃Good！〃　said　Mrs。　Horncastle　suddenly。　　〃Go　to　your　room　and　lock

the　door；　and　I'll　come　to　you　later。　　Stop！　　Would　Mr。　Barker　be

likely　to　disturb　you　if　I　told　him　you　would　like　to　be　alone？〃



〃No；　he　never　does。　　I　often　tell　him　that。〃



Mrs。　Horncastle　smiled　faintly。　　〃Come；　quick；　then；〃　she　said；

〃for　he　may　come　HERE　first。〃



Opening　the　door　she　passed　into　the　half…dark　and　empty　hall。

〃Now　run！〃　　She　heard　the　quick　rustle　of　Mrs。　Barker's　skirt　die

away　in　the　distance；　the　opening　and　shutting　of　a　doorsilence

and　then　turned　back　into　her　own　room。



She　was　none　too　soon。　　Presently　she　heard　Barker's　voice　saying；

〃Thank　you；　I　can　find　the　way；〃　his　still　buoyant　step　on　the

staircase；　and　then　saw　his　brown　curls　rising　above　the　railing。

The　light　streaming　through　the　open　door　of　the　sitting　room　into

the　half…lit　hall　had　partially　dazzled　him；　and；　already

bewildered；　he　was　still　more　dazzled　at　the　unexpected　apparition

of　the　smiling　face　and　bright　eyes　of　Mrs。　Horncastle　standing　in

the　doorway。



〃You　have　fairly　caught　us；〃　she　said；　with　charming　composure；

〃but　I　had　half　a　mind　to　let　you　wander　round　the　hotel　a　little

longer。　　Come　in。〃　　Barker　followed　her　in　mechanically；　and　she

closed　the　door。　　〃Now；　sit　down；〃　she　said　gayly；　〃and　tell　me　how

you　knew　we　were　here；　and　what　you　mean　by　surprising　us　at　this

hour。〃



Barker's　ready　color　always　rose　on　meeting　Mrs。　Horncastle；　for

whom　he　entertained　a　respectful　admiration；　not　without　some　fear

of　her　worldly　superiority。　　He　flushed；　bowed；　and　stared　somewhat

blankly　around　the　room；　at　the　familiar　walls；　at　the　chair　from

which　Mrs。　Horncastle　had　just　risen；　and　finally　at　his　wife's

glove；　which　Mrs。　Horncastle　had　a　moment　before　ostentatiously

thrown　on　the　table。　　Seeing　which　she　pounced　upon　it　with　assumed

archness；　and　pretended　to　conceal　it。



〃I　had　no　idea　my　wife　was　here；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃and　I　was　quite

surprised　when　the　man　told　me；　for　she　had　not　written　to　me　about

it。〃　　As　his　face　was　brightening；　she　for　the　first　time　noticed

that　his　frank　gray　eyes　had　an　abstracted　look；　and　there　was　a

faint　line　of　contraction　on　his　youthful　forehead。　　〃Still　less；〃

he　added；　〃did　I　look　for　the　pleasure　of　meeting　you。　　For　I　only

came　here　to　inquire　about　my　old　partner；　Demorest；　who　arrived

from　Europe　a　few　days　ago；　and　who　should　have　reached　Hymettus

early　this　afternoon。　　But　now　I　hear　he　came　all　the　way　by　coach

instead　of　by　rail；　and　got　off　at　the　cross…road；　and　we　must　have

passed　each　other　on　the　different　trails。　　So　my　journey　would

have　gone　for　nothing；　only　that　I　now　shall　have　the　pleasure　of

going　back　with　you　and　Kitty。　　It　will　be　a　lovely　drive　by

moonlight。〃



Relieved　by　this　revelation；　it　was　easy　work　for　Mrs。　Horncastle

to　launch　out　into　a　playful；　tantalizing；　wittybut；　I　grieve　to

say；　entirely　imaginativeaccount　of　her　escapade　with　Mrs。

Barker。　　How；　left　alone　at　the　San　Francisco　hotel　while　their

gentlemen　friends　were　enjoying　themselves　at　Hymettus；　they

resolved　upon　a　little　trip；　partly　for　the　purpose　of　looking　into

some　small　investments　of　their　own；　and　partly　for　the　fun　of　the

thing。　　What　funny　experiences　they　had！　　How；　in　particular；　one

horrid　inquisitive；　vulgar　wretch　had　been　boring　a　European　fellow

passenger　who　was　going　to　Hymettus；　finally　asking　him　where　he

had　come　from　last；　and　when　he　answered　〃Hymettus；〃　thought　the

man　was　insulting　him



〃But；〃　interrupted　the　laughing　Barker；　〃that　passenger　may　have

been　Demorest；　who　has　just　come　from　Greece；　and　surely　Kitty

would　have　recognized　him。〃



Mrs。　Horncastle　instantly　saw　her　blunder；　and　not　only　retrieved

it；　but　turned　it　to　account。　　Ah；　yes！　but　by　that　time　poor

Kitty；　unused　to　long　journeys　and　the　heat；　was　utterly　fagged

out；　was　asleep；　and　perfectly　unrecognizable　in　veils　and　dusters

on　the　back　seat　of　the　coach。　　And　this　brought　her　to　the　point

which　was；　that　she　was　sorry　to　say；　on　arriving；　the　poor　child

was　nearly　wild　with　a　headache　from　fatigue　a