the three partners-第26章

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〃Yes；〃　said　Steptoe　shortly；　administering　a　kick　under　the　table

to　Hall；　as　he　had　no　wish　to　revive　the　previous　irritability　of

his　comrades。　　〃He's　gone；　but；〃　turning　to　the　others；　〃you'd　have

had　to　wait　for　Mr。　Hall's　arrival；　anyhow。　　And　now　you've　got

your　order　you　can　start。　　Go　in　two　parties　by　different　roads；

and　meet　on　the　other　side　of　the　hotel　at　Hymettus。　　I'll　be　there

before　you。　　Pick　up　some　shovels　and　drills　as　you　go；　remember

you're　honest　miners；　but　don't　forget　your　shootin'…irons　for　all

that。　　Now　scatter。〃



It　was　well　that　they　did；　vacating　the　room　more　cheerfully　and

sympathetically　than　they　had　entered　it；　or　Hall's　manifest

disturbance　over　Van　Loo's　visit　would　have　been　noticed。　　When　the

last　man　had　disappeared　Hall　turned　quickly　to　Steptoe。　　〃Well；

what　did　he　say？　　Where　has　he　gone？〃



〃Don't　know；〃　said　Steptoe；　with　uneasy　curtness。　　〃He　was　running

away　with　a　womanwell；　Mrs。　Barker；　if　you　want　to　know；〃　he

added；　with　rising　anger；　〃the　wife　of　one　of　those　cursed

partners。　　Jack　Hamlin　was　here；　and　was　jockeying　to　stop　him；　and

interfered。　　But　what　the　devil　has　that　job　to　do　with　our　job？〃

He　was　losing　his　temper；　everything　seemed　to　turn　upon　this

infernal　Van　Loo！



〃He　wasn't　running　away　with　Mrs。　Barker；〃　gasped　Hall；〃it　was

with　her　MONEY！　and　the　fear　of　being　connected　with　the　Wheat

Trust　swindle　which　he　organized；　and　with　our　money　which　I　lent

him　for　the　same　purpose。　　And　he　knows　all　about　that　job；　for　I

wanted　to　get　him　to　go　into　it　with　us。　　Your　name　and　mine　ain't

any　too　sweet…smelling　for　the　bank；　and　we　ought　to　have　a

middleman　who　knows　business　to　arrange　with　them。　　The　bank

daren't　object　to　him；　for　they've　employed　him　in　even　shadier

transactions　than　this　when　THEY　didn't　wish　to　appear。　　I　knew　he

was　in　difficulties　along　with　Mrs。　Barker's　speculations；　but　I

never　thought　him　up　to　this。　　And；〃　he　added；　with　sudden

desperation；　〃YOU　trusted　him；　too。〃



In　an　instant　Steptoe　caught　the　frightened　man　by　the　shoulders

and　was　bearing　him　down　on　the　table。　　〃Are　you　a　traitor；　a　liar；

or　a　besotted　fool？〃　he　said　hoarsely。　　〃Speak。　　WHEN　and　WHERE　did

I　trust　him？〃



〃You　said　in　your　noteI　wastohelp　him；〃　gasped　Hall。



〃My　note；〃　repeated　Steptoe；　releasing　Hall　with　astonished　eyes。



〃Yes；〃　said　Hall；　tremblingly　searching　in　his　vest　pocket。　　〃I

brought　it　with　me。　　It　isn't　much　of　a　note；　but　there's　your

signature　plain　enough。〃



He　handed　Steptoe　a　torn　piece　of　paper　folded　in　a　three…cornered

shape。　　Steptoe　opened　it。　　He　instantly　recognized　the　paper　on

which　he　had　written　his　name　and　sent　up　to　his　wife　at　the

Boomville　Hotel。　　But；　added　to　it；　in　apparently　the　same　hand；　in

smaller　characters；　were　the　words；　〃Help　Van　Loo　all　you　can。〃



The　blood　rushed　into　his　face。　　But　he　quickly　collected　himself；

and　said　hurriedly；　〃All　right；　I　had　forgotten　it。　　Let　the　dd

sneak　go。　　We've　got　what's　a　thousand　times　better　in　this　claim

at　Marshall's；　and　it's　well　that　he　isn't　in　it　to　scoop　the

lion's　share。　　Only　we　must　not　waste　time　getting　there　now。　　You

go　there　first；　and　at　once；　and　set　those　rascals　to　work。　　I'll

follow　you　before　Marshall　comes　up。　　Get；　I'll　settle　up　here。〃



His　face　darkened　once　more　as　Hall　hurried　away；　leaving　him

alone。　　He　drew　out　the　piece　of　paper　from　his　pocket　and　stared

at　it　again。　　Yes；　it　was　the　one　he　had　sent　to　his　wife。　　How　did

Van　Loo　get　hold　of　it？　　Was　he　at　the　hotel　that　night？　　Had　he

picked　it　up　in　the　hall　or　passage　when　the　servant　dropped　it？

When　Hall　handed　him　the　paper　and　he　first　recognized　it　a

fiendish　thought；　followed　by　a　spasm　of　more　fiendish　rage；　had

sent　the　blood　to　his　face。　　But　his　crude　common　sense　quickly

dismissed　that　suggestion　of　his　wife's　complicity　with　Van　Loo。

But　had　she　seen　him　passing　through　the　hotel　that　night；　and　had

sought　to　draw　from　him　some　knowledge　of　his　early　intercourse

with　the　child；　and　confessed　everything；　and　even　produced　the

paper　with　his　signature　as　a　proof　of　identity？　　Women　had　been

known　to　do　such　desperate　things。　　Perhaps　she　disbelieved　her

son's　aversion　to　her；　and　was　trying　to　sound　Van　Loo。　　As　for　the

forged　words　by　Van　Loo；　and　the　use　he　had　put　them　to；　he　cared

little。　　He　believed　the　man　was　capable　of　forgery；　indeed；　he

suddenly　remembered　that　in　the　old　days　his　son　had　spoken

innocently；　but　admiringly；　of　Van　Loo's　wonderful　chirographical

powers　and　his　faculty　of　imitating　the　writings　of　others；　and　how

he　had　even　offered　to　teach　him。　　A　new　and　exasperating　thought

came　into　his　feverish　consciousness。　　What　if　Van　Loo；　in　teaching

the　boy；　had　even　made　use　of　him　as　an　innocent　accomplice　to

cover　up　his　own　tricks！　　The　suggestion　was　no　question　of　moral

ethics　to　Steptoe；　nor　of　his　son's　possible　contamination；

although　since　the　night　of　the　big　strike　he　had　held　different

views；　it　was　simply　a　fierce；　selfish　jealousy　that　ANOTHER　might

have　profited　by　the　lad's　helplessness　and　inexperience。　　He　had

been　tormented　by　this　jealousy　before　in　his　son's　liking　for　Van

Loo。　　He　had　at　first　encouraged　his　admiration　and　imitative

regard　for　this　smooth　swindler's　graces　and　accomplishments；

which；　though　he　scorned　them　himself；　he　was；　after　the　common

parental　infatuation；　willing　that　the　boy　should　profit　by。

Incapable；　through　his　own　consciousness；　of　distinguishing　between

Van　Loo's　superficial　polish　and　the　true　breeding　of　a　gentleman；

he　had　only　looked　upon　it　as　an　equipment　for　his　son　which　might

be　serviceable　to　himself。　　He　had　told　his　wife　the　truth　when　he

informed　her　of　Van　Loo's　fears　of　being　reminded　of　their　former

intimacy；　but　he　had　not　told　her　how　its　discontinuance　after　they

had　left　Heavy　Tree　Hill　had　affected　her　son；　and　how　he　still

cherished　his　old　admiration　for　that　specious　rascal。　　Nor　had　he

told　her　how　this　had　stung　him；　through　his　own　selfish　greed　of

the　boy's　affection。　　Yet　now　that　it　was　possible　that　she　had　met

Van　Loo　that　evening；　she　might　have　become　aware　of　Van　Loo's

power　over　her　child。　　How　she　would　exult；　for　all　her　pretended

hatred　of　Van　Loo！　　How；　perhaps；　they　had　plotted　together！　　How

Van　Loo　might　have　become　aware　of　the　place　where　his　son　was

kept；　and　have　been　bribed　by　the　mother　to　tell　her！　　He　stopped

in　a　whirl　of　giddy　fancies。　　His　strong　common　sense　in　all　other

things　had　been　hitherto　proof　against　such　idle　dreams　or

suggestions；　but　the　very　strength　of　his　parental　love　and

jealousy　had　awakened　in　him　at　last　the　terrors　of　imagination。



His　first　impulse　had　been　to　seek　his　wife；　regardless　of

discovery　or　consequences；　at　Hymettus；　where　she　had　said　she　was

going。　　It　was　on　his　way　to　the　rendezvous　at　Marshall's　claim。

But　this　he　as　instantly　set　aside；　it　was　his　SON　he　must　find；

SHE　might　not　confess；　or　might　deceive　himthe　boy　would　not；　and

if　his　fears　were　correct；　she　could　be　arraigned　afterwards。　　It

was　possible　for　him　to　reach　the　little　Mission　church　and　school；

secluded　in　a　remote　valley　by　the　old　Franciscan　fathers；　where　he

had　placed　the　boy　for　the　last　few　years　unknown　to　his　wife。　　It

would　be　a　long　ride；　but　he　could　still　reach　Heavy　Tree　Hill

afterwards　before　Marshall　and　the　expert　arrived。　　And　he　had　a

feeling　he　had　never　felt　before　on　the　eve　of　a　desperate

adventure；that　he　must　see　the　boy　first。　　He　remembered　how　the

child　had　often　accompanied　him　in　his　flight；　and　how　he　had

gained　strength；　and；　it　seemed　to　him；　a　kind　of　luck；　from　the

touch　of　that　small　hand　in　his。　　Surely　it　was　necessary　now　that

at　least　his　mind　should　be　at　rest　regarding　HIM　on　the　eve　of　an

affair　of　this　moment。　　Perhaps　he　might　never　see　him　again。　　At

any　other　time；　and　under　the　influence　of　any　other　emotion；　he

would　have　scorned　such　a　sentimentalismhe　who　had　never　troubled

himself　either　with　preparation　for　the　future　or　consideration　for

the　past。　　But　at　that　moment　he　felt　both。　　He　drew　a　long　breath。

He　could　catch　the　next　train　to　the　Three　Boulders　and　ride　thence

to　San　Felipe。　　He　hurriedly　left　the　room；　settled　with　the

landlord；　and　galloped　to　the　station。　　By　the　irony　of　circumstances

the　only　horse　available　for　that　purpose　was　Mr。　Hamlin's　own。



By　two　o'clock　he　was　at　the　Three　Boulders；　where　he　got　a　fast

horse　and　galloped　into　San　Felipe　by　four。　　As　he　descended　the

last　slope　through　the　fastnesses　of　pines　towards　the　little

valley　overlooked　in　its　remoteness　and　purely　pastoral　simplicity

by　the　gold…seeking　immigrants；its　seclusion　as　one　of　the

furthest　northern　Californian　missions　still　preserved　through　its

insignificance　and　the　efforts　of　the　remaining　Brotherhood；　who

used　it　as　an　infirmary　and　a　school　for　the　few　remaining　Spanish

families；he　remembered　how　he　once　blundered　upon　it　with　the　boy

while　hotly　pursued　by　a　hue　and　cry　from　one　of　the　larger　towns；

and　how　he　found　sanctuary　there。　　He　remembered　how；　when　the

pursuit　was　over；　he　had　placed　the　boy　there　under　the　padre's

charge。　　He　had　lied　to　his　wife　regarding　the　whereabouts　of　her

son；　but　he　had　spoken　truly　regarding　his　free　expenditure　for

the　boy's　maintenance；　and　the　good　fathers　had　accepted；　equally

for　the　child's　sake　as　for　the　Church's　sake；　the　generous

〃restitution〃　which　this　coarse；　powerful；　ruffianly　looking　father

was　apparently　seeking　to　make。　　He　was　quite　aware　of　it　at　the

time；　and　had　equally　accepted　it　with　grim　cynicism；　but　it　now

came　back　to　him　with　a　new　and　smarting　significance。　　Might　THEY；

too；　not　succeed　in　weaning　the　boy's　affection　from　him；　or　if　the

mother　had　interfered；　would　they　not　side　with　her　in　claiming　an

equal　right？　　He　had　sometimes　laughed　to　himself　over　the　security

of　this　hiding…place；　so　unknown　and　so　unlikely　to　be　discovered

by　her；　yet　within　easy　reach　of　her　friends　and　his　enemies；　he

now　ground　his　teeth　over　the　mistake　which　his　doting　desire　to

keep　his　son　accessible　to　him　had　caused　him　to　make。　　He　put

spurs　to　his　horse；　dashed　down　the　little；　narrow；　ill…paved

street；　through　the　deserted　plaza；　and　pulled　up　in　a　cloud　of

dust　before　the　only　remaining　tower；　with　its　cracked　belfry；　of

the　half…ruined　Mission　church。　　A　new　dormitory　and　school…

building　had　been　extended　from　its　walls；　but　in　a　subdued；

harmonious；　modest　way；　quite　unlike　the　usual　glaring　white…pine

glories　of　provincial　towns。　　Steptoe　laughed　to　himself　bitterly。

Some　of　his　money　had　gone　in　it。



He　seized　the　horsehair　rope　dangling　from　a　bell　by　the　wall　and

rang　it　sharply。　　A　soft…footed　priest　appeared；Father　Dominico。

〃Eddy　Horncastle？　　Ah！　yes。　　Eddy；　dear　child；　is　gone。〃



〃Gone！〃　shouted　Steptoe　in　a　voi