the three partners-第32章

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

always　keep　with　me。〃



〃Pray；　consider　that　your　wishes　are　my　own　in　respect　to　that；　my

dear　madam；〃　returned　Demorest　gravely；　〃and　that；　indeed；　I

protested　against　even　this　temporary　intrusion　upon　your

apartments；　but　I　confess　that　now　that　you　have　spoken　of　your

souvenirs　I　have　the　greatest　curiosity　about　one　of　them；　and　that

even　my　object　in　seeking　this　interview　was　to　gratify　it。　　It　is

in　regard　to　a　photograph　which　I　saw　on　the　chimney…piece　in　your

bedroom；　which　I　think　I　recognized　as　that　of　some　one　whom　I

formerly　knew。〃



There　was　a　sudden　look　of　sharp　suspicion　and　even　hard

aggressiveness　that　quite　changed　the　lady's　face　as　he　mentioned

the　word　〃souvenir；〃　but　it　quickly　changed　to　a　smile　as　she　put

up　her　fan　with　a　gesture　of　arch　deprecation；　and　said：



〃Ah！　　I　see。　　Of　course；　a　lady's　photograph。〃



The　reply　irritated　Demorest。　　More　than　that；　he　felt　a　sudden

sense　of　the　absolute　sentimentality　of　his　request；　and　the

consciousness　that　he　was　about　to　invite　the　familiar　confidence

of　this　strange　womanwhose　son　had　forged　his　namein　regard　to

HER！



〃It　was　a　Venetian　picture；〃　he　began；　and　stopped；　a　singular

disgust　keeping　him　from　voicing　the　name。



But　Mrs。　Van　Loo　was　less　reticent。　　〃Oh；　you　mean　my　dearest

frienda　lovely　picture；　and　you　know　her？　　Why；　yes；　surely。　　You

are　THE　Mr。　Demorest　who　　Of　course；　that　old　love…affair。　　Well；

you　are　a　marvel！　　Five　years　ago；　at　least；　and　you　have　not

forgotten！　　I　really　must　write　and　tell　her。〃



〃Write　and　tell　her！〃　　Then　it　was　all　a　lie　about　her　death！　　He

felt　not　only　his　faith；　his　hope；　his　future　leaving　him；　but　even

his　self…control。　　With　an　effort　he　said。



〃I　think　you　have　already　satisfied　my　curiosity。　　I　was　told　five

years　ago　that　she　was　dead。　　It　was　because　of　the　date　of　the

photographtwo　years　laterthat　I　ventured　to　intrude　upon　you。

I　was　anxious　only　to　know　the　truth。〃



〃She　certainly　was　very　much　living　and　of　the　world　when　I　saw　her

last；　two　years　ago；〃　said　Mrs。　Van　Loo；　with　an　easy　smile。　　〃I

dare　say　that　was　a　ruse　of　her　relativesa　very　stupid　oneto

break　off　the　affair；　for　I　think　they　had　other　plans。　　But；　dear

me！　now　I　remember；　was　there　not　some　little　quarrel　between　you

before？　　Some　letter　from　you　that　was　not　very　kind？　　My

impression　is　that　there　was　something　of　the　sort；　and　that　the

young　lady　was　indignant。　　But　only　for　a　time；　you　know。　　She　very

soon　forgot　it。　　I　dare　say　if　you　wrote　something　very　charming　to

her　it　might　not　be　too　late。　　We　women　are　very　forgiving；　Mr。

Demorest；　and　although　she　is　very　much　sought　after；　as　are　all

young　American　girls　whose　fathers　can　give　them　a　comfortable

'dot'；　her　parents　might　be　persuaded　to　throw　over　a　poor　prince

for　a　rich　countryman　in　the　end。　　Of　course；　you　know；　to　you

Republicans　there　is　always　something　fascinating　in　titles　and

blood；　and　our　dear　friend　is　like　other　girls。　　Still；　it　is　worth

the　risk。　　And　five　years　of　waiting　and　devotion　really　ought　to

tell。　　It's　quite　a　romance！　　Shall　I　write　to　her　and　tell　her　I

have　seen　you；　looking　well　and　prosperous？　　Nothing　more。　　Do　let

me！　　I　should　be　delighted。〃



〃I　think　it　hardly　worth　while　for　you　to　give　yourself　that

trouble；〃　said　Demorest　quietly；　looking　in　Mrs。　Van　Loo's　smiling

eyes；　〃now　that　I　know　the　story　of　the　young　lady's　death　was　a

forgery。　　And　I　will　not　intrude　further　on　your　time。　　Pray　give

yourself　no　needless　hurry　over　your　packing。　　I　may　go　to　San

Francisco　this　afternoon；　and　not　even　require　the　rooms　to…night。〃



〃At　least；　let　me　make　you　a　present　of　the　souvenir　as　an

acknowledgment　of　your　courtesy；〃　said　Mrs。　Van　Loo；　passing　into

her　bedroom　and　returning　with　the　photograph。　　〃I　feel　that　with

your　five　years　of　constancy　it　is　more　yours　than　mine。〃　　As　a

gentleman　Demorest　knew　he　could　not　refuse；　and　taking　the

photograph　from　her　with　a　low　bow；　with　another　final　salutation

he　withdrew。



Alone　by　himself　in　a　corner　of　the　veranda　he　was　surprised　that

the　interview　had　made　so　little　impression　on　him；　and　had　so

little　altered　his　conviction。　　His　discovery　that　the　announcement

of　his　betrothed's　death　was　a　fiction　did　not　affect　the　fact　that

though　living　she　was　yet　dead　to　him；　and　apparently　by　her　own

consent。　　The　contrast　between　her　life　and　his　during　those　five

years　had　been　covertly　accented　by　Mrs。　Van　Loo；　whether

intentionally　or　not；　and　he　saw　again　as　last　night　the　full

extent　of　his　sentimental　folly。　　He　could　not　even　condole　with

himself　that　he　was　the　victim　of　miserable　falsehoods　that　others

had　invented。　　SHE　had　accepted　them；　and　had　even　excused　her

desertion　of　him　by　that　last　deceit　of　the　letter。



He　drew　out　her　photograph　and　again　examined　it；　but　not　as　a

lover。　　Had　she　really　grown　stouter　and　more　self…complacent？　　Was

the　spirituality　and　delicacy　he　had　worshiped　in　her　purely　his

own　idiotic　fancy？　　Had　she　always　been　like　this？　　Yes。　　There　was

the　girl　who　could　weakly　strive；　weakly　revenge　herself；　and

weakly　forget。　　There　was　the　figure　that　he　had　expected　to　find

carved　upon　the　tomb　which　he　had　long　sought　that　he　might　weep

over。　　He　laughed　aloud。



It　was　very　hot；　and　he　was　stifling　with　inaction。　　What　was

Barker　doing；　and　why　had　not　Stacy　telegraphed　to　him？　　And　what

were　those　people　in　the　courtyard　doing？　　Were　they　discussing

news　of　further　disaster　and　ruin？　　Perhaps　he　was　even　now　a

beggar。　　Well；　his　fortune　might　go　with　his　faith。



But　the　crowd　was　simply　looking　at　the　roof　of　the　hotel；　and　he

now　saw　that　a　black　smoke　was　drifting　across　the　courtyard；　and

was　conscious　of　a　smell　of　soot　and　burning。　　He　stepped　down　from

the　veranda　among　the　mingled　guests　and　servants；　and　saw　that　the

smoke　was　only　pouring　from　a　chimney。　　He　heard；　too；　that　the

chimney　had　been　on　fire；　and　that　it　was　Mrs。　Van　Loo's　bedroom

chimney；　and　that　when　the　startled　servants　had　knocked　at　the

locked　door　she　had　told　them　that　she　was　only　burning　some　old

letters　and　newspapers；　the　refuse　of　her　trunks。　　There　was

naturally　some　indignation　that　the　hotel　had　been　so　foolishly

endangered；　in　such　scorching　weather；　and　the　manager　had　had　a

scene　with　her　which　resulted　in　her　leaving　the　hotel　indignantly

with　her　half…packed　boxes。　　But　even　after　the　smoke　had　died　away

and　the　fire　been　extinguished　in　the　chimney　and　hearth；　there　was

an　acrid　smell　of　smouldering　pine　penetrating　the　upper　floors　of

the　hotel　all　that　afternoon。



When　Mrs。　Van　Loo　drove　away；　the　manager　returned　with　Demorest　to

the　rooms。　　The　marble　hearth　was　smoked　and　discolored　and　still

littered　with　charred　ashes　of　burnt　paper。　　〃My　belief　is；〃　said

the　manager　darkly；　〃that　the　old　hag　came　here　just　to　burn　up　a

lot　of　incriminating　papers　that　her　son　had　intrusted　to　her

keeping。　　It　looks　mighty　suspicious。　　You　see　she　got　up　an　awful

lot　of　side　when　I　told　her　I　didn't　reckon　to　run　a　smelting

furnace　in　a　wooden　hotel　with　the　thermometer　at　one　hundred　in

the　office；　and　I　reckon　it　was　just　an　excuse　for　getting　off　in　a

hurry。〃



But　the　continued　delay　in　Stacy's　promised　telegram　had　begun　to

work　upon　Demorest's　usual　equanimity；　and　he　scarcely　listened　in

his　anxiety　for　his　old　partner。　　He　knew　that　Stacy　should　have

arrived　in　San　Francisco　by　noon。　　He　had　almost　determined　to　take

the　next　train　from　the　Divide　when　two　horsemen　dashed　into　the

courtyard。　　There　was　the　usual　stir　on　the　veranda　and　rush　for

news；　but　the　two　new　arrivals　turned　out　to　be　Barker；　on　a　horse

covered　with　foam；　and　a　dashing；　elegantly　dressed　stranger　on　a

mustang　as　carefully　groomed　and　as　spotless　as　himself。　　Demorest

instantly　recognized　Jack　Hamlin。



He　had　not　seen　Hamlin　since　that　day；　five　years　before；　when　the

latter　had　accompanied　the　three　partners　with　their　treasure　to

Boomville；　and　had　handed　him　the　mysterious　packet。　　As　the　two

men　dismounted　hurriedly　and　moved　towards　him；　he　felt　a

premonition　of　something　as　fateful　and　important　as　then。　　In

obedience　to　a　sign　from　Barker　he　led　them　to　a　more　secluded

angle　of　the　veranda。　　He　could　not　help　noticing　that　his　younger

partner's　face　was　mobile　as　ever；　but　more　thoughtful　and　older；

yet　his　voice　rang　with　the　old　freemasonry　of　the　camp；　as　he

said；　with　a　laugh；　〃The　signal　has　been　given；　and　it's　boot　and

saddle　and　away。〃



〃But　I　have　had　no　dispatch　from　Stacy；〃　said　Demorest　in　surprise。

〃He　was　to　telegraph　to　me　from　San　Francisco　in　any　emergency。〃



〃He　never　got　there　at　all；〃　said　Barker。　　〃Jack　ran　slap　into　Van

Loo　at　the　Divide；　and　sent　a　dispatch　to　Jim；　which　stopped　him

halfway　until　Jack　could　reach　him；　which　he　nearly　broke　his　neck

to　do；　and　then　Jack　finished　up　by　bringing　a　message　from　Stacy

to　us　that　we　should　all　meet　together　on　the　slope　of　Heavy　Tree；

near　the　Bar。　　I　met　Jack　just　as　I　was　riding　into　the　Divide；　and

came　back　with　him。　　He　will　tell　you　the　rest；　and　you　can　swear

by　what　Jack　says；　for　he's　white　all　through；〃　he　added；　laying

his　hand　affectionately　on　Hamlin's　shoulder。



Hamlin　winced　slightly。　　For　he　had　NOT　told　Barker　that　his　wife

was　with　Van　Loo；　nor　his　first　reason　for　interfering。　　But　he

related　how　he　had　finally　overtaken　Van　Loo　at　Canyon　Station；　and

how　the　fugitive　had　disclosed　the　conspiracy　of　Steptoe　and　Hall

against　the　bank　and　Marshall　as　the　price　of　his　own　release。　　On

this　news；　remembering　that　Stacy　had　passed　the　Divide　on　his　way

to　the　station；　he　had　first　sent　a　dispatch　to　him；　and　then　met

him　at　the　first　station　on　the　road。　　〃I　reckon；　gentlemen；〃　said

Hamlin；　with　an　unusual　earnestness　in　his　voice；　〃that　he'd　not

only　got　my　telegram；　but　ALL　THE　NEWS　that　had　been　flying　around

this　morning；　for　he　looked　like　a　man　to　whom　it　was　just　a　'toss…

up'　whether　he　took　his　own　life　then　and　there　or　was　willing　to

have　somebody　else　take　it　for　him；　for　he　said；　'I'll　go　myself；'

and　telegraphed　to　have　the　surveyor　stopped　from　coming。　　Then　he

told　me　to　tell　you　fellows；　and　ask　you　to　come　too。〃　　Jack

paused；　and　added　half　mischievously；　〃He　sort　of　asked　ME　what　I

would　take　to　stand　by　him　in　the　row；　if　there　was　one；　and　I　told

him　I'd　takewhiskey！　　You　see；　boys；　it's　a　kind　of　off…night

with　me；　and　I　wouldn't　mind　for　the　sake　of　old　times　to　finish

the　game　with　old　Steptoe　that　I　began　a　matter　of　five　years　ago。〃



〃All　right；〃　said　Demorest；　with　a　kindling　eye；　〃I　suppose　we'd

better　start　at　once。　　One　moment；〃　he　added。　　〃Barker　boy；　will

you　excuse　me　if　I　speak　a　word　to　Hamlin？〃　　As　Barker　nodded　and

walked　to　the　rails　of　the　veran