the three partners-第31章

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beaming　with　love　and　happiness；　and　his　clear　gray　eyes　glittering

with　an　almost　spiritual　prescienceshe；　woman　of　the　world　and

bitter　experience；　and　perfectly　cognizant　of　her　own　and　Kitty's

possibilities；　was；　nevertheless；　completely　carried　away　by　her

lover's　optimism。　　For　of　all　optimism　that　of　love　is　the　most

convincing。　　Dear　boy！for　he　was　but　a　boy　in　experienceonly

his　love　for　her　could　work　this　magic。　　So　she　gave　him　kiss　for

kiss；　largely　believing；　largely　hoping；　that　Mrs。　Barker　was　in

love　with　Van　Loo　and　would　NOT　return。　　And　in　this　hope　an

invincible　belief　in　the　folly　of　her　own　sex　soothed　and　sustained

her。



〃We　must　go　now；　dearest；〃　said　Barker；　pointing　to　the　sun　already

near　the　meridian。　　Three　hours　had　fled；　they　knew　not　how。　　〃I

will　bring　you　back　to　the　hill　again；　but　there　we　had　better

separate；　you　taking　your　way　alone　to　the　hotel　as　you　came；　and　I

will　go　a　little　way　on　the　road　to　the　Divide　and　return　later。

Keep　your　own　counsel　about　Kitty　for　her　sake　and　ours；　perhaps　no

one　else　may　know　the　truth　yet。〃　　With　a　farewell　kiss　they

plunged　again　hand　in　hand　through　the　cool　bracken　and　again

through　the　hot　manzanita　bushes；　and　so　parted　on　the　hilltop；　as

they　had　never　parted　before；　leaving　their　whole　world　behind

them。



Barker　walked　slowly　along　the　road　under　the　flickering　shade　of

wayside　sycamore；　his　sensitive　face　also　alternating　with　his

thought　in　lights　and　shadows。　　Presently　there　crept　towards　him

out　of　the　distance　a　halting；　vacillating；　deviating　buggy；

trailing　a　cloud　of　dust　after　it　like　a　broken　wing。　　As　it　came

nearer　he　could　see　that　the　horse　was　spent　and　exhausted；　and

that　the　buggy's　sole　occupanta　womanwas　equally　exhausted　in

her　monotonous　attempt　to　urge　it　forward　with　whip　and　reins　that

rose　and　fell　at　intervals　with　feeble　reiteration。　　Then　he

stepped　out　of　the　shadow　and　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　sunlit

road　to　await　it。　　For　he　recognized　his　wife。



The　buggy　came　nearer。　　And　then　the　most　exquisite　pang　he　had

ever　felt　before　at　his　wife's　hands　shot　through　him。　　For　as　she

recognized　him　she　made　a　wild　but　impotent　attempt　to　dash　past

him；　and　then　as　suddenly　pulled　up　in　the　ditch。



He　went　up　to　her。　　She　was　dirty；　she　was　disheveled；　she　was

haggard；　she　was　plain。　　There　were　rings　of　dust　round　her　tear…

swept　eyes　and　smudges　of　dust…dried　perspiration　over　her　fair

cheek。　　He　thought　of　the　beauty；　freshness；　and　elegance　of　the

woman　he　had　just　left；　and　an　infinite　pity　swept　the　soul　of　this

weak…minded　gentleman。　　He　ran　towards　her；　and　tenderly　lifting

her　in　her　shame…stained　garments　from　the　buggy；　said　hurriedly；

〃I　know　it　all；　poor　Kitty！　　You　heard　the　news　of　Van　Loo's

flight；　and　you　ran　over　to　the　Divide　to　try　and　save　some　of　your

money。　　Why　didn't　you　wait？　　Why　didn't　you　tell　me？〃



There　was　no　mistaking　the　reality　of　his　words；　the　genuine　pity

and　tenderness　of　his　action；　but　the　woman　saw　before　her　only　the

familiar　dupe　of　her　life；　and　felt　an　infinite　relief　mingled　with

a　certain　contempt　for　his　weakness　and　anger　at　her　previous　fears

of　him。



〃You　might　have　driven　over；　then；　yourself；〃　she　said　in　a　high；

querulous　voice；　〃if　you　knew　it　so　well；　and　have　spared　ME　this

horrid；　dirty；　filthy；　hopeless　expedition；　for　I　have　not　saved

anythingthere！　　And　I　have　had　all　this　disgusting　bother！〃



For　an　instant　he　was　sorely　tempted　to　lift　his　eyes　to　her　face；

but　he　checked　himself；　then　he　gently　took　her　dust…coat　from　her

shoulders　and　shook　it　out；　wiped　the　dust　from　her　face　and　eyes

with　his　own　handkerchief；　held　her　hat　and　blew　the　dust　from　it

with　a　vivid　memory　of　performing　the　same　service　for　Mrs。

Horncastle　only　an　hour　before；　while　she　arranged　her　hair；　and

then；　lifting　her　again　into　the　buggy；　said　quietly；　as　he　took

his　seat　beside　her　and　grasped　the　reins：



〃I　will　drive　you　to　the　hotel　by　way　of　the　stables；　and　you　can

go　at　once　to　your　room　and　change　your　clothes。　　You　are　tired；

you　are　nervous　and　worried；　and　want　rest。　　Don't　tell　me　anything

now　until　you　feel　quite　yourself　again。〃



He　whipped　up　the　horse；　who；　recognizing　another　hand　at　the

reins；　lunged　forward　in　a　final　effort；　and　in　a　few　minutes　they

were　at　the　hotel。



As　Mrs。　Horncastle　sat　at　luncheon　in　the　great　dining…room；　a

little　pale　and　abstracted；　she　saw　Mrs。　Barker　sweep　confidently

into　the　room；　fresh；　rosy；　and　in　a　new　and　ravishing　toilette。

With　a　swift　glance　of　conscious　power　towards　the　other　guests　she

walked　towards　Mrs。　Horncastle。　　〃Ah；　here　you　are；　dear；〃　she　said

in　a　voice　that　could　easily　reach　all　ears；　〃and　you've　arrived

only　a　little　before　me；　after　all。　　And　I've　had　such　an　AWFUL

drive　to　the　Divide！　　And　only　think！　poor　George　telegraphed　to　me

at　Boomville　not　to　worry；　and　his　dispatch　has　only　just　come　back

here。〃



And　with　a　glance　of　complacency　she　laid　Barker's　gentle　and

forgiving　dispatch　before　the　astonished　Mrs。　Horncastle。





CHAPTER　VIII。





As　the　day　advanced　the　excitement　over　the　financial　crisis

increased　at　Hymettus；　until；　in　spite　of　its　remote　and　peaceful

isolation；　it　seemed　to　throb　through　all　its　verandas　and

corridors　with　some　pulsation　from　the　outer　world。　　Besides　the

letters　and　dispatches　brought　by　hurried　messengers　and　by　coach

from　the　Divide；　there　was　a　crowd　of　guests　and　servants　around

the　branch　telegraph　at　the　new　Heavy　Tree　post…office　which　was

constantly　augmenting。　　Added　to　the　natural　anxiety　of　the　deeply

interested　was　the　stimulated　fever　of　the　few　who　wished　to　be　〃in

the　fashion。〃　　It　was　early　rumored　that　a　heavy　operator；　a　guest

of　the　hotel；　who　was　also　a　director　in　the　telegraph　company；　had

bought　up　the　wires　for　his　sole　use；　that　the　dispatches　were

doctored　in　his　interests　as　a　〃bear；〃　and　there　was　wild　talk　of

lynching　by　the　indignant　mob。　　Passengers　from　Sacramento；　San

Francisco；　and　Marysville　brought　incredible　news　and　the　wildest

sensations。　　Firm　after　firm　had　failed　in　the　great　cities。　　Old

established　houses　that　dated　back　to　the　〃spring　of　'49；〃　and　had

weathered　the　fires　and　inundations　of　their　perilous　Californian

infancy；　collapsed　before　this　mysterious；　invisible；　impalpable

breath　of　panic。　　Companies　rooted　in　respectability　and　sneered　at

for　old…fashioned　ways　were　discovered　to　have　shamelessly

speculated　with　trusts！　　An　eminent　deacon　and　pillar　of　the　church

was　found　dead　in　his　room　with　a　bullet　in　his　heart　and　a　damning

confession　on　the　desk　before　him！　　Foreign　bankers　were　sending

their　gold　out　of　the　country；　government　would　be　appealed　to　to

open　the　vaults　of　the　Mint；　there　would　be　an　embargo　on　all

bullion　shipment！　　Nothing　was　too　wild　or　preposterous　to　be

repeated　or　credited。



And　with　this　fever　of　sordid　passion　the　summer　temperature　had

increased。　　For　the　last　two　weeks　the　thermometer　had　stood

abnormally　high　during　the　day…long　sunshine；　and　the　metallic　dust

in　the　roads　over　mineral　ranges　pricked　the　skin　like　red…hot

needles。　　In　the　deepest　woods　the　aromatic　sap　stood　in　beads　on

felled　logs　and　splintered　tree…shafts；　even　the　mountain　night

breeze　failed　to　cool　these　baked　and　heated　fastnesses。　　There

were　ominous　clouds　of　smoke　by　day　that　were　pillars　of　fire　by

night　along　the　distant　valleys。　　Some　of　the　nearer　crests　were

etched　against　the　midnight　sky　by　dull　red　creeping　lines　like　a

dying　firework。　　The　great　hotel　itself　creaked　and　crackled　and

warped　though　all　its　painted；　blistered；　and　veneered　expanse；　and

was　filled　with　the　stifling　breath　of　desiccation。　　The　stucco

cracked　and　crumbled　away　from　the　cornices；　there　were　yawning

gaps　in　the　boarded　floors　beneath　the　Turkey　carpets。　　Plate…glass

windows　became　hopelessly　fixed　in　their　warped　and　twisted　sashes；

and　added　to　the　heat；　there　was　a　warm　incense　of　pine　sap　in　the

dining…room　that　flavored　all　the　cuisine。　　And　yet　the　babble　of

stocks　and　shares　went　on；　and　people　pricked　their　ears　over　their

soup　to　catch　the　gossip　of　the　last　arrival。



Demorest；　loathing　it　all　in　his　new…found　bitterness；　was

nevertheless　impatient　in　his　inaction；　and　was　eagerly　awaiting　a

telegram　from　Stacy；　Barker　had　disappeared　since　luncheon。

Suddenly　there　was　a　commotion　on　the　veranda　as　a　carriage　drove

up　with　a　handsome；　gray…haired　woman。　　In　the　buzzing　of　voices

around　him　Demorest　heard　the　name　of　Mrs。　Van　Loo。　　In　further

comments；　made　in　more　smothered　accents；　he　heard　that　Van　Loo　had

been　stopped　at　Canyon　Station；　but　that　no　warrant　had　yet　been

issued　against　him；　that　it　was　generally　believed　that　the　bank

dared　not　hold　him；　that　others　openly　averred　that　he　had　been

used　as　a　scapegoat　to　avert　suspicion　from　higher　guilt。　　And

certainly　Mrs。　Van　Loo's　calm；　confident　air　seemed　to　corroborate

these　assertions。



He　was　still　wondering　if　the　strange　coincidence　which　had　brought

both　mother　and　son　into　his　own　life　was　not　merely　a　fancy；　as

far　as　SHE　was　concerned；　when　a　waiter　brought　a　message　from　Mrs。

Van　Loo　that　she　would　be　glad　to　see　him　for　a　few　moments　in　her

room。　　Last　night　he　could　scarcely　have　restrained　his　eagerness

to　meet　her　and　elucidate　the　mystery　of　the　photograph；　now　he　was

conscious　of　an　equally　strong　revulsion　of　feeling；　and　a　dull

premonition　of　evil。　　However；　it　was　no　doubt　possible　that　the

man　had　told　her　of　his　previous　inquiries；　and　she　had　merely

acknowledged　them　by　that　message。



Demorest　found　Mrs。　Van　Loo　in　the　private　sitting…room　where　he

and　his　old　partners　had　supped　on　the　preceding　night。　　She

received　him　with　unmistakable　courtesy　and　even　a　certain　dignity

that　might　or　might　not　have　been　assumed。　　He　had　no　difficulty　in

recognizing　the　son's　mechanical　politeness　in　the　first；　but　he

was　puzzled　at　the　second。



〃The　manager　of　this　hotel；〃　she　began；　with　a　foreigner's

precision　of　English；　〃has　just　told　me　that　you　were　at　present

occupying　my　rooms　at　his　invitation；　but　that　you　wished　to　see　me

at　once　on　my　return；　and　I　believe　that　I　was　not　wrong　in

apprehending　that　you　preferred　to　hear　my　wishes　from　my　own　lips

rather　than　from　an　innkeeper。　　I　had　intended　to　keep　these　rooms

for　some　weeks；　but；　unfortunately　for　me；　though　fortunately　for

you；　the　present　terrible　financial　crisis；　which　has　most　unjustly

brought　my　son　into　such　scandalous　prominence；　will　oblige　me　to

return　to　San　Francisco　until　his　reputation　is　fully　cleared　of

these　foul　aspersions。　　I　shall　only　ask　you　to　allow　me　the

undisturbed　possession　of　these　rooms　for　a　couple　of　hours　until　I

can　pack　my　trunks　and　gather　up　a　few　souvenirs　that　I　almost

always　keep　with　me。〃



〃Pr