the three partners-第29章

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and　trembling。　　For　it　was　Barker's　custom　to　endow　all　those　he

cared　for　with　his　own　sensitiveness；　and　it　was　not　like　him　to

reflect　that　the　woman　who　had　so　recklessly　speculated　against　his

opinion　would　scarcely　fear　his　reproaches　in　her　defeat。　　In　the

fullness　of　his　heart　he　telegraphed　to　her　in　case　she　had　not　yet

left　Boomville：　〃All　right。　　Have　heard　news。　　Understand　perfectly。

Don't　worry。　　Come　to　me。〃　　Then　he　left　the　hotel　by　the　stable

entrance　in　order　to　evade　the　guests　who　had　congregated　on　the

veranda；　and　made　his　way　to　a　little　wooded　crest　which　he　knew

commanded　a　view　of　the　two　roads　from　Boomville。　　Here　he

determined　to　wait　and　intercept　her　before　she　reached　the　hotel。

He　knew　that　many　of　the　guests　were　aware　of　his　wife's

speculations　with　Van　Loo；　and　that　he　was　her　broker。　　He　wished　to

spare　her　running　the　gauntlet　of　their　curious　stares　and　comments

as　she　drove　up　alone。　　As　he　was　climbing　the　slope　the　coach　from

Sacramento　dashed　past　him　on　the　road　below；　but　he　knew　that　it

had　changed　horses　at　Boomville　at　four　o'clock；　and　that　his　tired

wife　would　not　have　availed　herself　of　it　at　that　hour；　particularly

as　she　could　not　have　yet　received　the　fateful　news。　　He　threw

himself　under　a　large　pine；　and　watched　the　stagecoach　disappear　as

it　swept　round　into　the　courtyard　of　the　hotel。



He　sat　there　for　some　moments　with　his　eyes　bent　upon　the　two　forks

of　the　red　road　that　diverged　below　him；　but　which　appeared　to

become　whiter　and　more　dazzling　as　he　searched　their　distance。

There　was　nothing　to　be　seen　except　an　occasional　puff　of　dust

which　eventually　revealed　a　horseman　or　a　long　trailing　cloud　out

of　which　a　solitary　mule；　one　of　a　pack…train　of　six　or　eight；

would　momentarily　emerge　and　be　lost　again。　　Then　he　suddenly　heard

his　name　called；　and；　looking　up；　saw　Mrs。　Horncastle；　who　had

halted　a　few　paces　from　him　between　two　columns　of　the　long…drawn

aisle　of　pines。



In　that　mysterious　half…light　she　seemed　such　a　beautiful　and

goddess…like　figure　that　his　consciousness　at　first　was　unable　to

grasp　anything　else。　　She　was　always　wonderfully　well　dressed；　but

the　warmth　and　seclusion　of　this　mountain　morning　had　enabled　her

to　wear　a　light　gown　of　some　delicate　fabric　which　set　off　the

grace　of　her　figure；　and　even　pardoned　the　rural　coquetry　of　a

silken　sash　around　her　still　slender　waist。　　An　open　white　parasol

thrown　over　her　shoulder　made　a　nimbus　for　her　charming　head　and

the　thick　coils　of　hair　under　her　lace…edged　hat。　　He　had　never

seen　her　look　so　beautiful　before。　　And　that　thought　was　so　plainly

in　his　frank　face　and　eyes　as　he　sprang　to　his　feet　that　it　brought

a　slight　rise　of　color　to　her　own　cheek。



〃I　saw　you　climbing　up　here　as　I　passed　in　the　coach　a　few　minutes

ago；〃　she　said；　with　a　smile；　〃and　as　soon　as　I　had　shaken　the　dust

off　I　followed　you。〃



〃Where's　Kitty？〃　he　stammered。



The　color　faded　from　her　face　as　it　had　come；　and　a　shade　of

something　like　reproach　crept　into　her　dark　eyes。　　And　whatever　it

had　been　her　purpose　to　say；　or　however　carefully　she　might　have

prepared　herself　for　this　interview；　she　was　evidently　taken　aback

by　the　sudden　directness　of　the　inquiry。　　Barker　saw　this　as

quickly；　and　as　quickly　referred　it　to　his　own　rudeness。　　His　whole

soul　rushed　in　apology　to　his　face　as　he　said；　〃Oh；　forgive　me！　　I

was　anxious　about　Kitty；　indeed；　I　had　thought　of　coming　again　to

Boomville；　for　you've　heard　the　news；　of　course？　　Van　Loo　is　a

defaulter；　and　has　run　away　with　the　poor　child's　money。〃



Mrs。　Horncastle　had　heard　the　news　at　the　hotel。　　She　paused　a

moment　to　collect　herself；　and　then　said　slowly　and　tentatively；

with　a　watchful　intensity　in　her　eyes；　〃Mrs。　Barker　went；　I　think；

to　the　Divide〃



But　she　was　instantly　interrupted　by　the　eager　Barker。　　〃I　see。　　I

thought　of　that　at　once。　　She　went　directly　to　the　company's

offices　to　see　if　she　could　save　anything　from　the　wreck　before　she

saw　me。　　It　was　like　her；　poor　girl！　　And　youyou；〃　he　went　on

eagerly；　his　whole　face　beaming　with　gratitude；〃you；　out　of　your

goodness；　came　here　to　tell　me。〃　　He　held　out　both　hands　and　took

hers　in　his。



For　a　moment　Mrs。　Horncastle　was　speechless　and　vacillating。　　She

had　often　noticed　before　that　it　was　part　of　the　irony　of　the

creation　of　such　a　simple　nature　as　Barker's　that　he　was　not　only

open　to　deceit；　but　absolutely　seemed　to　invite　it。　　Instead　of

making　others　franker；　people　were　inclined　to　rebuke　his　credulity

by　restraint　and　equivocation　on　their　own　part。　　But　the　evasion

thus　offered　to　her；　although　only　temporary；　was　a　temptation　she

could　not　resist。　　And　it　prolonged　an　interview　that　a　ruthless

revelation　of　the　truth　might　have　shortened。



〃She　did　not　tell　me　she　was　going　there；〃　she　replied　still

evasively；　〃and；　indeed；〃　she　added；　with　a　burst　of　candor　still

more　dangerous；　〃I　only　learned　it　from　the　hotel　clerk　after　she

was　gone。　　But　I　want　to　talk　to　you　about　her　relations　to　Van

Loo；〃　she　said；　with　a　return　of　her　former　intensity　of　gaze；　〃and

I　thought　we　would　be　less　subject　to　interruption　here　than　at　the

hotel。　　Only　I　suppose　everybody　knows　this　place；　and　any　of　those

flirting　couples　are　likely　to　come　here。　　Besides；〃　she　added；

with　a　little　half…hysterical　laugh　and　a　slight　shiver；　as　she

looked　up　at　the　high　interlacing　boughs　above　her　head；　〃it's　as

public　as　the　aisles　of　a　church；　and　really　one　feels　as　if　one

were　'speaking　out'　in　meeting。　　Isn't　there　some　other　spot　a

little　more　secluded；　where　we　could　sit　down；〃　she　went　on；　as　she

poked　her　parasol　into　the　usual　black　gunpowdery　deposit　of　earth

which　mingled　with　the　carpet　of　pine…needles　beneath　her　feet；

〃and　not　get　all　sticky　and　dirty？〃



Barker's　eyes　sparkled。　　〃I　know　every　foot　of　this　hill；　Mrs。

Horncastle；〃　he　said；　〃and　if　you　will　follow　me　I'll　take　you　to

one　of　the　loveliest　nooks　you　ever　dreamed　of。　　It's　an　old　Indian

spring　now　forgotten；　and　I　think　known　only　to　me　and　the　birds。

It's　not　more　than　ten　minutes　from　here；　only〃he　hesitated　as　he

caught　sight　of　the　smart　French　bronze　buckled　shoe　and　silken

ankle　which　Mrs。　Horncastle's　gathering　up　of　her　dainty　skirts

around　her　had　disclosed〃it　may　be　a　little　rough　and　dusty　going

to　your　feet。〃



But　Mrs。　Horncastle　pointed　out　that　she　had　already　irretrievably

ruined　her　shoes　and　stockings　in　climbing　up　to　him；although

Barker　could　really　distinguish　no　diminution　of　their　freshness；

and　that　she　might　as　well　go　on。　　Whereat　they　both　passed　down

the　long　aisle　of　slope　to　a　little　hollow　of　manzanita；　which

again　opened　to　a　view　of　Black　Spur；　but　left　the　hotel　hidden。



〃What　time　did　Kitty　go？〃　began　Barker　eagerly；　when　they　were　half

down　the　slope。



But　here　Mrs。　Horncastle's　foot　slipped　upon　the　glassy　pine…

needles；　and　not　only　stopped　an　answer；　but　obliged　Barker　to　give

all　his　attention　to　keep　his　companion　from　falling　again　until

they　reached　the　open。　　Then　came　the　plunge　through　the　manzanita

thicket；　then　a　cool　wade　through　waist…deep　ferns；　and　then　they

emerged；　holding　each　other's　hand；　breathless　and　panting　before

the　spring。



It　did　not　belie　his　enthusiastic　description。　　A　triangular

hollow；　niched　in　a　shelf　of　the　mountain…side；　narrowed　to　a　point

from　which　the　overflow　of　the　spring　percolated　through　a　fringe

of　alder；　to　fall　in　what　seemed　from　the　valley　to　be　a　green

furrow　down　the　whole　length　of　the　mountain…side。　　Overhung　by

pines　above；　which　met　and　mingled　with　the　willows　that　everywhere

fringed　it；　it　made　the　one　cooling　shade　in　the　whole　basking

expanse　of　the　mountain；　and　yet　was　penetrated　throughout　by　the

intoxicating　spice　of　the　heated　pines。　　Flowering　reeds　and　long

lush　grasses　drew　a　magic　circle　round　an　open　bowl…like　pool　in

the　centre；　that　was　always　replenished　to　the　slow　murmur　of　an

unseen　rivulet　that　trickled　from　a　white…quartz　cavern　in　the

mountain…side　like　a　vein　opened　in　its　flank。　　Shadows　of　timid

wings　crossed　it；　quick　rustlings　disturbed　the　reeds；　but　nothing

more。　　It　was　silent；　but　breathing；　it　was　hidden　to　everything

but　the　sky　and　the　illimitable　distance。



They　threaded　their　way　around　it　on　the　spongy　carpet；　covered　by

delicate　lace…like　vines　that　seemed　to　caress　rather　than　trammel

their　moving　feet；　until　they　reached　an　open　space　before　the

pool。　　It　was　cushioned　and　matted　with　disintegrated　pine　bark；

and　here　they　sat　down。　　Mrs。　Horncastle　furled　her　parasol　and

laid　it　aside；　raised　both　hands　to　the　back　of　her　head　and　took

two　hat…pins　out；　which　she　placed　in　her　smiling　mouth；　removed

her　hat；　stuck　the　hat…pins　in　it；　and　handed　it　to　Barker；　who

gently　placed　it　on　the　top　of　a　tall　reed；　where　during　the　rest

of　that　momentous　meeting　it　swung　and　drooped　like　a　flower；

removed　her　gloves　slowly；　drank　still　smilingly　and　gratefully

nearly　a　wineglassful　of　the　water　which　Barker　brought　her　in　the

green　twisted　chalice　of　a　lily　leaf；　looked　the　picture　of

happiness；　and　then　burst　into　tears。



Barker　was　astounded；　dismayed；　even　terror…stricken。　　Mrs。

Horncastle　crying！　　Mrs。　Horncastle；　the　imperious；　the　collected；

the　coldly　critical；　the　cynical；　smiling　woman　of　the　world；

actually　crying！　　Other　women　might　cryKitty　had　cried　oftenbut

Mrs。　Horncastle！　　Yet；　there　she　was；　sobbing；　actually　sobbing

like　a　schoolgirl；　her　beautiful　shoulders　rising　and　falling　with

her　grief；　crying　unmistakably　through　her　long　white　fingers；

through　a　lace　pocket…handkerchief　which　she　had　hurriedly　produced

and　shaken　from　behind　her　like　a　conjurer's　trick；　her　beautiful

eyes　a　thousand　times　more　lustrous　for　the　sparkling　beads　that

brimmed　her　lashes　and　welled　over　like　the　pool　before　her。



〃Don't　mind　me；〃　she　murmured　behind　her　handkerchief。　　〃It's　very

foolish；　I　know。　　I　was　nervousworried；　I　suppose；　I'll　be　better

in　a　moment。　　Don't　notice　me；　please。〃



But　Barker　had　drawn　beside　her　and　was　trying；　after　the　fashion

of　his　sex；　to　take　her　handkerchief　away　in　apparently　the　firm

belief　that　this　action　would　stop　her　tears。　　〃But　tell　me　what　it

is。　　Do　Mrs。　Horncastle；　please；〃　he　pleaded　in　his　boyish　fashion。

〃Is　it　anything　I　can　do？　　Only　say　the　word；　only　tell　me

SOMETHING！〃



But　he　had　succeeded　in　partially　removing　the　handkerchief；　and　so

caught　a　glimpse　of　her　wet　eyes；　in　which　a　faint　smile　struggled

out　like　sunshine　through　rain。　　But　they　clouded　again；　although

she　didn't　cry；　and　her　breath　came　and　went　with　the　action　of　a

sob；　and　her　hands　still　remained　against　her　flushed　face。



〃I　was　only　going　to　talk　to　you　of　Kitty〃　（sob）〃but　I　suppose

I'm　weak〃　（sob）〃and　such　a　fool〃　（sob）　〃and　I　got　to　thinking　of

myself　and　my　own　sor