the three partners-第22章

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〃Nothing；〃　said　Demorest　hastily；　as　he　caught　a　glance　of　Stacy's

impatient　face。　　〃Only　all　business　is　serious；　Barker　boy；　though

you　don't　seem　to　feel　it　so。〃



〃I　reckon　you're　right　there；〃　said　Barker；　with　a　chuckle。

〃People　always　laugh；　of　course；　when　I　talk　business；　so　it　might

make　it　a　little　livelier　for　you　and　more　of　a　change　if　I　chipped

in　now。　　Only　I　don't　know　which　you'll　do。　　Hand　me　a　pipe。

Well；〃　he　continued；　filling　the　pipe　Demorest　shoved　towards　him；

〃you　see；　I　was　in　Sacramento　yesterday；　and　I　went　into　Van　Loo's

branch　office；　as　I　heard　he　was　there；　and　I　wanted　to　find　out

something　about　Kitty's　investments；　which　I　don't　think　he's

managing　exactly　right。　　He　wasn't　there；　however；　but　as　I　was

waiting　I　heard　his　clerks　talk　about　a　drop　in　the　Wheat　Trust；

and　that　there　was　a　lot　of　it　put　upon　the　market。　　They　seemed　to

think　that　something　had　happened；　and　it　was　going　down　still

further。　　Now　I　knew　it　was　your　pet　scheme；　and　that　Phil　had　a

lot　of　shares　in　it；　too；　so　I　just　slipped　out　and　went　to　a

broker's　and　told　him　to　buy　all　he　could　of　it。　　And；　by　Jove！　I

was　a　little　taken　aback　when　I　found　what　I　was　in　for；　for

everybody　seemed　to　have　unloaded；　and　I　found　I　hadn't　money

enough　to　pay　margins；　but　I　knew　that　Demorest　was　here；　and　I

reckoned　on　his　seeing　me　through。〃　　He　stopped　and　colored；　but

added　hopefully；　〃I　reckon　I'm　safe；　anyway；　for　just　as　the　thing

was　over　those　same　clerks　of　Van　Loo's　came　bounding　into　the

office　to　buy　up　everything。　　And　offered　to　take　it　off　my　hands

and　pay　the　margins。〃



〃And　you？〃　said　both　men　eagerly；　and　in　a　breath。



Barker　stared　at　them；　and　reddened　and　paled　by　turns。　　〃I　held

on；〃　he　stammered。　　〃You　see；　boys〃



Both　men　had　caught　him　by　the　arms。　　〃How　much　have　you　got？〃　they

said；　shaking　him　as　if　to　precipitate　the　answer。



〃It's　a　heap！〃　said　Barker。　　〃It's　a　ghastly　lot　now　I　think　of　it。

I'm　afraid　I'm　in　for　fifty　thousand；　if　a　cent。〃



To　his　infinite　astonishment　and　delight　he　was　alternately　hugged

and　tossed　backwards　and　forwards　between　the　two　men　quite　in　the

fashion　of　the　old　days。　　Breathless　but　laughing；　he　at　length

gasped　out；　〃What　does　it　all　mean？〃



〃Tell　him　everything；　Jim；EVERYTHING；〃　said　Demorest　quickly。



Stacy　briefly　related　the　story　of　the　forgery；　and　then　laid　the

letter　and　its　copy　before　him。　　But　Barker　only　read　the　forgery。



〃How　could　YOU；　Stacyone　of　the　three　partners　of　Heavy　Treebe

deceived！　　Don't　you　see　it's　Phil's　handwritingbut　it　isn't

PHIL！〃



〃But　have　you　any　idea　WHO　it　is？〃　said　Stacy。



〃Not　me；〃　said　Barker；　with　widely　opened　eyes。　　〃You　see　it　must

be　somebody　whom　we　are　familiar　with。　　I　can't　imagine　such　a

scoundrel。〃



〃How　did　YOU　know　that　Demorest　had　stock？〃　asked　Stacy。



〃He　told　me　in　one　of　his　letters　and　advised　me　to　go　into　it。

But　just　then　Kitty　wanted　money；　I　think；　and　I　didn't　go　in。〃



〃I　remember　it；〃　struck　in　Demorest。　　〃But　surely　it　was　no　secret。

My　name　would　be　on　the　transfer　books　for　any　one　to　see。〃



〃Not　so；〃　said　Stacy　quickly。　　〃You　were　one　of　the　original

shareholders；　there　was　no　transfer；　and　the　books　as　well　as　the

shares　of　the　company　were　in　my　hands。〃



〃And　your　clerks？〃　added　Demorest。



Stacy　was　silent。　　After　a　pause　he　asked；　〃Did　anybody　ever　see

that　letter；　Barker？〃



〃No　one　but　myself　and　Kitty。〃



〃And　would　she　be　likely　to　talk　of　it？〃　continued　Stacy。



〃Of　course　not。　　Why　should　she？　　Whom　could　she　talk　to？〃　　Yet　he

stopped　suddenly；　and　then　with　his　characteristic　reaction　added；

with　a　laugh；　〃Why　no；　certainly　not。〃



〃Of　course；　everybody　knew　that　you　had　bought　the　shares　at

Sacramento？〃



〃Yes。　　Why；　you　know　I　told　you　the　Van　Loo　clerks　came　to　me　and

wanted　to　take　it　off　my　hands。〃



〃Yes；　I　remember；　the　Van　Loo　clerks；　they　knew　it；　of　course；〃

said　Stacy　with　a　grim　smile。　　〃Well；　boys；〃　he　said；　with　sudden

alacrity；　〃I'm　going　to　turn　in；　for　by　sun…up　to…morrow　I　must　be

on　my　way　to　catch　the　first　train　at　the　Divide　for　'Frisco。

We'll　hunt　this　thing　down　together；　for　I　reckon　we're　all

concerned　in　it；〃　he　added；　looking　at　the　others；　〃and　once　more

we're　partners　as　in　the　old　times。　　Let　us　even　say　that　I've

given　Barker's　signal　or　password；〃　he　added；　with　a　laugh；　〃and

we'll　stick　together。　　Barker　boy；〃　he　went　on；　grasping　his

younger　partner's　hand；　〃your　instinct　has　saved　us　this　time；

dd　if　I　don't　sometimes　think　it　better　than　any　other　man's

sabe；　only；〃　he　dropped　his　voice　slightly；　〃I　wish　you　had　it　in

other　things　than　FINANCE。　　Phil；　I've　a　word　to　say　to　you　alone

before　I　go。　　I　may　want　you　to　follow　me。〃



〃But　what　can　I　do？〃　said　Barker　eagerly。　　〃You're　not　going　to

leave　me　out。〃



〃You've　done　quite　enough　for　us；　old　man；〃　said　Stacy；　laying　his

hand　on　Barker's　shoulder。　　〃And　it　may　be　for　US　to　do　something

for　YOU。　　Trot　off　to　bed　now；　like　a　good　boy。　　I'll　keep　you

posted　when　the　time　comes。〃



Shoving　the　protesting　and　leave…taking　Barker　with　paternal

familiarity　from　the　room；　he　closed　the　door　and　faced　Demorest。



〃He's　the　best　fellow　in　the　world；〃　said　Stacy　quietly；　〃and　has

saved　the　situation；　but　we　mustn't　trust　too　much　to　him　for　the

presentnot　even　seem　to。〃



〃Nonsense；　man！〃　said　Demorest　impatiently。　　〃You're　letting　your

prejudices　go　too　far。　　Do　you　mean　to　say　that　you　suspect　his

wife。〃



〃Dn　his　wife！〃　said　Stacy　almost　savagely。　　〃Leave　her　out　of

this。　　It's　Van　Loo　that　I　suspect。　　It　was　Van　Loo　who　I　knew　was

behind　it；　who　expected　to　profit　by　it；　and　now　we　have　lost　him。〃



〃But　how？〃　said　Demorest；　astonished。



〃How？〃　repeated　Stacy　impatiently。　　〃You　know　what　Barker　said？

Van　Loo；　either　through　stupidity；　fright；　or　the　wish　to　get　the

lowest　prices；　was　too　late　to　buy　up　the　market。　　If　he　had；　we

might　have　openly　declared　the　forgery；　and　if　it　was　known　that　he

or　his　friends　had　profited　by　it；　even　if　we　could　not　have　proven

his　actual　complicity；　we　could　at　least　have　made　it　too　hot　for

him　in　California。　　But；〃　said　Stacy；　looking　intently　at　his

friend；　〃do　you　know　how　the　case　stands　now？〃



〃Well；〃　said　Demorest；　a　little　uneasily　under　his　friend's　keen

eyes；　〃we've　lost　that　chance；　but　we've　kept　control　of　the

stock。〃



〃You　think　so？　　Well；　let　me　tell　you　how　the　case　stands　and　the

price　we　pay　for　it；〃　said　Stacy　deliberately；　as　he　folded　his

arms　and　gazed　at　Demorest。　　〃You　and　I；　well　known　as　old　friends

and　former　partners；　for　no　apparent　reasonfor　we　cannot　prove

the　forgery　nowhave　thrown　upon　the　market　all　our　stock；　with

the　usual　effect　of　depreciating　it。　　Another　old　friend　and　former

partner　has　bought　it　in　and　sent　up　the　price。　　A　common　trick；　a

vulgar　trick；　but　not　a　trick　worthy　of　James　Stacy　or　Stacy's

Bank！〃



〃But　why　not　simply　declare　the　forgery　without　making　any　specific

charge　against　Van　Loo？〃



〃Do　you　imagine；　Phil；　that　any　man　would　believe　it；　and　the　story

of　a　providentially　appointed　friend　like　Barker　who　saved　us　from

loss？　　Why；　all　California；　from　Cape　Mendocino　to　Los　Angeles；

would　roar　with　laughter　over　it！　　No！　　We　must　swallow　it　and　the

reputation　of　'jockeying'　with　the　Wheat　Trust；　too。　　That　Trust's

as　good　as　done　for；　for　the　present！　　Now　you　know　why　I　didn't

want　poor　Barker　to　know　it；　nor　have　much　to　do　with　our　search

for　the　forger。〃



〃It　would　break　the　dear　fellow's　heart　if　he　knew　it；〃　said

Demorest。



〃Well；　it's　to　save　him　from　having　his　heart　broken　further　that　I

intend　to　find　out　this　forger；〃　said　Stacy　grimly。　　〃Good…night；

Phil！　　I'll　telegraph　to　you　when　I　want　you；　and　then　COME！〃



With　another　grip　of　the　hand　he　left　Demorest　to　his　thoughts。　　In

the　first　excitement　of　meeting　his　old　partners；　and　in　the　later

discovery　of　the　forgery；　Demorest　had　been　diverted　from　his　old

sorrow；　and　for　the　time　had　forgotten　it　in　sympathetic　interest

with　the　present。　　But；　to　his　horror；　when　alone　again；　he　found

that　interest　growing　as　remote　and　vapid　as　the　stories　they　had

laughed　over　at　the　table；　and　even　the　excitement　of　the　forged

letter　and　its　consequences　began　to　be　as　unreal；　as　impotent；　as

shadowy；　as　the　memory　of　the　attempted　robbery　in　the　old　cabin　on

that　very　spot。　　He　was　ashamed　of　that　selfishness　which　still

made　him　cling　to　this　past；　so　much　his　own；　that　he　knew　it

debarred　him　from　the　human　sympathy　of　his　comrades。　　And　even

Barker；　in　whose　courtship　and　marriage　he　had　tried　to　resuscitate

his　youthful　emotions　and　condone　his　selfish　errorseven　the

suggestion　of　his　unhappiness　only　touched　him　vaguely。　　He　would

no　longer　be　a　slave　to　the　Past；　or　the　memory　that　had　deluded

him　a　few　hours　ago。　　He　walked　to　the　window；　alas；　there　was　the

same　prospect　that　had　looked　upon　his　dreams；　had　lent　itself　to

his　old　visions。　　There　was　the　eternal　outline　of　the　hills；　there

rose　the　steadfast　pines；　there　was　no　change　in　THEM。　　It　was　this

surrounding　constancy　of　nature　that　had　affected　him。　　He　turned

away　and　entered　the　bedroom。　　Here　he　suddenly　remembered　that　the

mother　of　this　vague　enemy；　Van　Loo；for　his　feeling　towards　him

was　still　vague；　as　few　men　really　hate　the　personality　they　don't

know；had　only　momentarily　vacated　it；　and　to　his　distaste　of　his

own　intrusion　was　now　added　the　profound　irony　of　his　sleeping　in

the　same　bed　lately　occupied　by　the　mother　of　the　man　who　was

suspected　of　having　forged　his　name。　　He　smiled　faintly　and　looked

around　the　apartment。　　It　was　handsomely　furnished；　and　although　it

still　had　much　of　the　characterlessness　of　the　hotel　room；　it　was

distinctly　flavored　by　its　last　occupant；　and　still　brightened　by

that　mysterious　instinct　of　the　sex　which　is　inevitable。　　Where　a

man　would　have　simply　left　his　forgotten　slippers　or　collars　there

was　a　glass　of　still　unfaded　flowers；　the　cold　marble　top　of　the

dressing…table　was　littered　with　a　few　linen　and　silk　toilet

covers；　and　on　the　mantel…shelf　was　a　sheaf　of　photographs。　　He

walked　towards　them　mechanically；　glanced　at　them　abstractedly；　and

then　stopped　suddenly　with　a　beating　heart。　　Before　him　was　the

picture　of　his　past；　the　photograph　of　the　one　woman　who　had　filled

his　life！



He　cast　a　hurried　glance　around　the　room　as　if　he　half　expected　to

see　the　original　start　up　before　him；　and　then　eagerly　seized　it

and　hurried　with　it　to　the　light。　　Yes！　yes！　　It　was　SHE；she　as

she　had　lived　in　his　actual　memory；　she　as　she　had　lived　in　his

dream。　　He　saw　her　sweet　eyes；　but　the　frightened；　innocent　trouble

had　passed　from　them；　there　was　the　sensitive　elegance　of　her

graceful　figure　in　evening　dress；　but　the　figure　was　fuller　and

matur