the three partners-第19章

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however；　declined　with　such　reddening　promptness　that　Demorest　as

promptly　reddened　and　apologized。　　The　habits　of　European　travel

had　been　still　strong　on　him；　and　he　felt　a　slight　patriotic　thrill

as　he　said；　with　a　grave　smile；　〃Thank　you；　then；　and　thank　you

still　more　for　reminding　me　that　I　am　among　my　own　'people；'〃　and

stepped　lightly　out　into　the　road。



The　air　was　still　deliciously　cool；　but　warmer　currents　from　the

heated　pines　began　to　alternate　with　the　wind　from　the　summit。　　He

found　himself　sometimes　walking　through　a　stratum　of　hot　air　which

seemed　to　exhale　from　the　wood　itself；　while　his　head　and　breast

were　swept　by　the　mountain　breeze。　　He　felt　the　old　intoxication　of

the　balmy…scented　air　again；　and　the　five　years　of　care　and

hopelessness　laid　upon　his　shoulders　since　he　had　last　breathed　its

fragrance　slipped　from　them　like　a　burden。　　There　had　been　but

little　change　here；　perhaps　the　road　was　wider　and　the　dust　lay

thicker；　but　the　great　pines　still　mounted　in　serried　ranks　on　the

slopes　as　before；　with　no　gaps　in　their　unending　files。　　Here　was

the　spot　where　the　stagecoach　had　passed　them　that　eventful　morning

when　they　were　coming　out　of　their　camp…life　into　the　world　of

civilization；　a　little　further　back；　the　spot　where　Jack　Hamlin　had

forced　upon　him　that　grim　memento　of　the　attempted　robbery　of　their

cabin；　which　he　had　kept　ever　since。　　He　half　smiled　again　at　the

superstitious　interest　that　had　made　him　keep　it；　with　the

intention　of　some　day　returning　to　bury　it；　with　all　recollections

of　the　deed；　under　the　site　of　the　old　cabin。　　As　he　went　on　in　the

vivifying　influence　of　the　air　and　scene；　new　life　seemed　to　course

through　his　veins；　his　step　seemed　to　grow　as　elastic　as　in　the　old

days　of　their　bitter　but　hopeful　struggle　for　fortune；　when　he　had

gayly　returned　from　his　weekly　tramp　to　Boomville　laden　with　the

scant　provision　procured　by　their　scant　earnings　and　dying　credit。

Those　were　the　days　when　HER　living　image　still　inspired　his　heart

with　faith　and　hope；　when　everything　was　yet　possible　to　youth　and

love；　and　before　the　irony　of　fate　had　given　him　fortune　with　one

hand　only　to　withdraw　HER　with　the　other。　　It　was　strange　and　cruel

that　coming　back　from　his　quest　of　rest　and　forgetfulness　he　should

find　only　these　youthful　and　sanguine　dreams　revive　with　his

reviving　vigor。　　He　walked　on　more　hurriedly　as　if　to　escape　them；

and　was　glad　to　be　diverted　by　one　or　two　carryalls　and　char…a…

bancs　filled　with　gayly　dressed　pleasure　partiesevidently

visitors　to　Hymettuswhich　passed　him　on　the　road。　　Here　were　the

first　signs　of　change。　　He　recalled　the　train　of　pack…mules　of　the

old　days；　the　file　of　pole…and…basket　carrying　Chinese；　the　squaw

with　the　papoose　strapped　to　her　shoulder；　or　the　wandering　and

foot…sore　prospector；　who　were　the　only　wayfarers　he　used　to　meet。

He　contrasted　their　halts　and　friendly　greetings　with　the　insolent

curiosity　or　undisguised　contempt　of　the　carriage　folk；　and　smiled

as　he　thought　of　the　warning　of　the　blacksmith。　　But　this　did　not

long　divert　him；　he　found　himself　again　returning　to　his　previous

thought。　　Indeed；　the　face　of　a　young　girl　in　one　of　the　carriages

had　quite　startled　him　with　its　resemblance　to　an　old　memory　of　his

lost　love　as　he　saw　her；her　frail；　pale　elegance　encompassed　in

laces　as　she　leaned　back　in　her　drive　through　Fifth　Avenue；　with

eyes　that　lit　up　and　became　transfigured　only　as　he　passed。　　He

tried　to　think　of　his　useless　quest　in　search　of　her　last　resting…

place　abroad；　how　he　had　been　baffled　by　the　opposition　of　her

surviving　relations；　already　incensed　by　the　thought　that　her

decline　had　been　the　effect　of　her　hopeless　passion。　　He　tried　to

recall　the　few　frigid　lines　that　reconveyed　to　him　the　last　letter

he　had　sent　her；　with　the　announcement　of　her　death　and　the　hope

that　〃his　persecutions〃　would　now　cease。　　A　wild　idea　had　sometimes

come　to　him　out　of　the　very　insufficiency　of　his　knowledge　of　this

climax；　but　he　had　always　put　it　aside　as　a　precursor　of　that

madness　which　might　end　his　ceaseless　thought。　　And　now　it　was

returning　to　him；　here；　thousands　of　miles　away　from　where　she　was

peacefully　sleeping；　and　even　filling　him　with　the　vigor　of

youthful　hope。



The　brief　mountain　twilight　was　giving　way　now　to　the　radiance　of

the　rising　moon。　　He　endeavored　to　fix　his　thoughts　upon　his

partners　who　were　to　meet　him　at　Hymettus　after　these　long　years　of

separation。



Hymettus！　　He　recalled　now　the　odd　coincidence　that　he　had

mischievously　used　as　a　gag　to　his　questioning　fellow　traveler；　but

now　he　had　really　come　from　a　villa　near　Athens　to　find　his　old

house　thus　classically　rechristened　after　it；　and　thought　of　it

with　a　gravity　he　had　not　felt　before。　　He　wondered　who　had　named

it。　　There　was　no　suggestion　of　the　soft；　sensuous　elegance　of　the

land　he　had　left　in　those　great　heroics　of　nature　before　him。

Those　enormous　trees　were　no　woods　for　fauns　or　dryads；　they　had

their　own　godlike　majesty　of　bulk　and　height；　and　as　he　at　last

climbed　the　summit　and　saw　the　dark…helmeted　head　of　Black　Spur

before　him；　and　beyond　it　the　pallid；　spiritual　cloud　of　the

Sierras；　he　did　not　think　of　Olympus。　　Yet　for　a　moment　he　was

startled；　as　he　turned　to　the　right；　by　the　Doric…columned　facade

of　a　temple　painted　by　the　moonbeams　and　framed　in　an　opening　of

the　dark　woods　before　him。　　It　was　not　until　he　had　reached　it　that

he　saw　that　it　was　the　new　wooden　post…office　of　Heavy　Tree　Hill。



And　now　the　buildings　of　the　new　settlement　began　to　faintly

appear。　　But　the　obscurity　of　the　shadow　and　the　equally　disturbing

unreality　of　the　moonlight　confused　him　in　his　attempts　to

recognize　the　old　landmarks。　　A　broad　and　well…kept　winding　road

had　taken　the　place　of　the　old　steep；　but　direct　trail　to　his

cabin。　　He　had　walked　for　some　moments　in　uncertainty；　when　a

sudden　sweep　of　the　road　brought　the　full　crest　of　the　hill　above

and　before　him；　crowned　with　a　tiara　of　lights；　overtopping　a　long

base　of　flashing　windows。　　That　was　all　that　was　left　of　Heavy　Tree

Hill。　　The　old　foreground　of　buckeye　and　odorous　ceanothus　was

gone。　　Even　the　great　grove　of　pines　behind　it　had　vanished。



There　was　already　a　stir　of　life　in　the　road；　and　he　could　see

figures　moving　slowly　along　a　kind　of　sterile；　formal　terrace

spread　with　a　few　dreary　marble　vases　and　plaster　statues　which　had

replaced　the　natural　slope　and　the　great　quartz　buttresses　of

outcrop　that　supported　it。　　Presently　he　entered　a　gate；　and　soon

found　himself　in　the　carriage　drive　leading　to　the　hotel　veranda。

A　number　of　fair　promenaders　were　facing　the　keen　mountain　night

wind　in　wraps　and　furs。　　Demorest　had　replaced　his　coat；　but　his

boots　were　red　with　dust；　and　as　he　ascended　the　steps　he　could　see

that　he　was　eyed　with　some　superciliousness　by　the　guests　and　with

considerable　suspicion　by　the　servants。　　One　of　the　latter　was

approaching　him　with　an　insolent　smile　when　a　figure　darted　from

the　vestibule；　and；　brushing　the　waiter　aside；　seized　Demorest's

two　hands　in　his　and　held　him　at　arm's　length。



〃Demorest；　old　man！〃



〃Stacy；　old　chap！〃



〃But　where's　your　team？　　I've　had　all　the　spare　hostlers　and　hall…

boys　listening　for　you　at　the　gate。　　And　where's　Barker？　　When　he

found　you'd　given　the　dead…cut　to　the　railroadHIS　railroad；　you

knowhe　loped　over　to　Boomville　after　you。〃



Demorest　briefly　explained　that　he　had　walked　by　the　old　road　and

probably　missed　him。　　But　by　this　time　the　waiters；　crushed　by　the

spectacle　of　this　travel…worn　stranger's　affectionate　reception　by

the　great　financial　magnate；　were　wildly　applying　their　brushes　and

handkerchiefs　to　his　trousers　and　boots　until　Stacy　again　swept

them　away。



〃Get　off；　all　of　you！　　Now；　Phil；　you　come　with　me。　　The　house　is

full；　but　I've　made　the　manager　give　you　a　lady's　drawing…room

suite。　　When　you　telegraphed　you'd　meet　us　HERE　there　was　no　chance

to　get　anything　else。　　It's　really　Mrs。　Van　Loo's　family　suite；　but

they　were　sent　for　to　go　to　Marysville　yesterday；　and　so　we'll　run

you　in　for　the　night。〃



〃But〃protested　Demorest。



〃Nonsense！〃　said　Stacy；　dragging　him　away。　　〃We'll　pay　for　it；　and

I　reckon　the　old　lady　won't　object　to　taking　her　share　of　the

damage　either；　or　she　isn't　Van　Loo's　mother。　　Come。〃



Demorest　felt　himself　hurried　forward　by　the　energetic　Stacy；

preceded　by　the　obsequious　manager；　through　a　corridor　to　a

handsomely　furnished　suite；　into　whose　bathroom　Stacy　incontinently

thrust　him。



〃There！　　Wash　up；　and　by　the　time　you're　ready　Barker　ought　to　be

back；　and　we'll　have　supper。　　It's　waiting　for　us　in　the　other

room。〃



〃But　how　about　Barker；　the　dear　boy？〃　persisted　Demorest；　holding

open　the　door。　　〃Tell　me；　is　he　well　and　happy？〃



〃About　as　well　as　we　all　are；〃　said　Stacy　quickly；　yet　with　a

certain　dry　significance。　　〃Never　mind　now；　wait　until　you　see

him。〃



The　door　closed。　　When　Demorest　had　finished　washing；　and　wiped

away　the　last　red　stain　of　the　mountain　road；　he　found　Stacy　seated

by　the　window　of　the　larger　sitting…room。　　In　the　centre　a　table

was　spread　for　supper。　　A　bright　fire　of　hickory　logs　burnt　on　a

marble　hearth　between　two　large　windows　that　gave　upon　the　distant

outline　of　Black　Spur。　　As　Stacy　turned　towards　him；　by　the　light

of　the　shaded　lamp　and　flickering　fire；　Demorest　had　a　good　look　at

the　face　of　his　old　friend　and　partner。　　It　was　as　keen　and

energetic　as　ever；　with　perhaps　an　even　more　hawk…like　activity

visible　in　the　eye　and　nostril；　but　it　was　more　thoughtful　and

reticent　in　the　lines　of　the　mouth　under　the　closely　clipped　beard

and　mustache；　and　when　he　looked　up；　at　first　there　were　two　deep

lines　or　furrows　across　his　low　broad　forehead。　　Demorest　fancied；

too；　that　there　was　a　little　of　the　old　fighting　look　in　his　eye；

but　it　softened　quickly　as　his　friend　approached；　and　he　burst　out

with　his　curt　but　honest　single…syllabled　laugh。　　〃Ha！　　You　look　a

little　less　like　a　roving　Apache　than　you　did　when　you　came。　　I

really　thought　the　waiters　were　going　to　chuck　you。　　And　you　ARE

tanned！　　Darned　if　you　don't　look　like　the　profile　stamped　on　a

Continental　penny！　　But　here's　luck　and　a　welcome　back；　old　man！〃



Demorest　passed　his　arm　around　the　neck　of　his　seated　partner；　and

grasping　his　upraised　hand　said；　looking　down　with　a　smile；　〃And

now　about　Barker。〃



〃Oh；　Parker；　dn　him！　　He's　the　same　unshakable；　unchangeable；

ungrow…upable　Barker！　　With　the　devil's　own　luck；　too！　　Waltzing

into　risks　and　waltzing　out　of　'em。　　With　fads　enough　to　put　him　in

the　insane　asylum　if　people　did　not　prefer　to　keep　him　out　of　it　to

help　'em。　　Always　believing　in　everybody；　until　they　actually

believe　in　themselves；　and　shake　him！　　And　he's　got　a　wife　that's

making　a　fool　of　herself；　and　I　shouldn't　wonder　in　timeof　him！