the three partners-第33章

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

walked　to　the　rails　of　the　veranda；　Demorest　took　Hamlin　aside；

〃You　and　I；〃　he　said　hurriedly；　〃are　SINGLE　men；　Barker　has　a　wife

and　child。　　This　is　likely　to　be　no　child's　play。〃



But　Jack　Hamlin　was　no　fool；　and　from　certain　leading　questions

which　Barker　had　already　put；　but　which　he　had　skillfully　evaded；

he　surmised　that　Barker　knew　something　of　his　wife's　escapade。　　He

answered　a　little　more　seriously　than　his　wont；　〃I　don't　think　as

regards　HIS　WIFE　that　would　make　much　difference　to　him　or　her　how

stiff　the　work　was。〃



Demorest　turned　away　with　his　last　pang　of　bitterness。　　It　needed

only　this　confirmation　of　all　that　Stacy　had　hinted；　of　what　he

himself　had　seen　in　his　brief　interview　with　Mrs。　Barker　since　his

return；　to　shake　his　last　remaining　faith。　　〃We'll　all　go　together；

then；〃　he　said；　with　a　laugh；　〃as　in　the　old　times；　and　perhaps

it's　as　well　that　we　have　no　woman　in　our　confidence。〃



An　hour　later　the　three　men　passed　quietly　out　of　the　hotel；

scarcely　noticed　by　the　other　guests；　who　were　also　oblivious　of

their　absence　during　the　evening。　　For　Mrs。　Barker；　quite　recovered

from　her　fatiguing　ride；　was　in　high　spirits　and　the　most　beautiful

and　spotless　of　summer　gowns；　and　was　considered　quite　a　heroine　by

the　other　ladies　as　she　dwelt　upon　the　terrible　heat　of　her　return

journey。　　〃Only　I　knew　Mr。　Barker　would　be　worriedand　the　poor

man　actually　walked　a　mile　down　the　Divide　road　to　meet　meI

believe　I　should　have　stayed　there　all　day。〃　　She　glanced　round　the

other　groups　for　Mrs。　Horncastle；　but　that　lady　had　retired　early。

Possibly　she　alone　had　noticed　the　absence　of　the　two　partners。



The　guests　sat　up　until　quite　late；　for　the　heat　seemed　to　grow

still　more　oppressive；　and　the　strange　smell　of　burning　wood

revived　the　gossip　about　Mrs。　Van　Loo　and　her　stupidity　in　setting

fire　to　her　chimney。　　Some　averred　that　it　would　be　days　before　the

smell　could　be　got　out　of　the　house；　others　referred　it　to　the

fires　in　the　woods；　which　were　now　dangerously　near。　　One　spoke　of

the　isolated　position　of　the　hotel　as　affording　the　greatest

security；　but　was　met　by　the　assertion　of　a　famous　mountaineer　that

the　forest　fires　were　wont　to　leap　from　crest　to　crest　mysteriously；

without　any　apparent　continuous　contact。　　This　led　to　more　or　less

light…hearted　conjecture　of　present　danger　and　some　amusing　stories

of　hotel　fires　and　their　ludicrous　revelations。　There　were　also　some

entertaining　speculations　as　to　what　they　would　do　and　what　they

would　try　to　save　in　such　an　emergency。



〃For　myself；〃　said　Mrs。　Barker　audaciously；　〃I　should　certainly　let

Mr。　Barker　look　after　Sta　and　confine　myself　entirely　to　getting

away　with　my　diamonds。　　I　know　the　wretch　would　never　think　of

them。〃



It　was　still　later　when；　exhausted　by　the　heat　and　some　reaction

from　the　excitement　of　the　day；　they　at　last　deserted　the　veranda

for　their　rooms；　and　for　a　while　the　shadowy　bulk　of　the　whole

building　was　picked　out　with　regularly　spaced　lights　from　its　open

windows；　until　now　these　finally　faded　and　went　out　one　by　one。　　An

hour　later　the　whole　building　had　sunk　to　rest。　　It　was　said　that

it　was　only　four　in　the　morning　when　a　yawning　porter；　having　put

out　the　light　in　a　dark；　upper　corridor；　was　amazed　by　a　dull　glow

from　the　top　of　the　wall；　and　awoke　to　the　fact　that　a　red　fire；　as

yet　smokeless　and　flameless；　was　creeping　along　the　cornice。　　He

ran　to　the　office　and　gave　the　alarm；　but　on　returning　with

assistance　was　stopped　in　the　corridor　by　an　impenetrable　wall　of

smoke　veined　with　murky　flashes。　　The　alarm　was　given　in　all　the

lower　floors；　and　the　occupants　rushed　from　their　beds　half　dressed

to　the　courtyard；　only　to　see；　as　they　afterwards　averred；　the

flames　burst　like　cannon　discharges　from　the　upper　windows　and

unite　above　the　crackling　roof。　　So　sudden　and　complete　was　the

catastrophe；　although　slowly　prepared　by　a　leak　in　the　overheated

chimney　between　the　floors；　that　even　the　excitement　of　fear　and

exertion　was　spared　the　survivors。　　There　was　bewilderment　and

stupor；　but　neither　uproar　nor　confusion。　　People　found　themselves

wandering　in　the　woods；　half　awake　and　half　dressed；　having

descended　from　the　balconies　and　leaped　from　the　windows；they

knew　not　how。　　Others　on　the　upper　floor　neither　awoke　nor　moved

from　their　beds；　but　were　suffocated　without　a　cry。　　From　the　first

an　instinctive　idea　of　the　hopelessness　of　combating　the

conflagration　possessed　them　all；　to　a　blind；　automatic　feeling　to

flee　the　building　was　added　the　slow　mechanism　of　the　somnambulist；

delicate　women　walked　speechlessly；　but　securely；　along　ledges　and

roofs　from　which　they　would　have　fallen　by　the　mere　light　of　reason

and　of　day。　　There　was　no　crowding　or　impeding　haste　in　their　dumb

exodus。　　It　was　only　when　Mrs。　Barker　awoke　disheveled　in　the

courtyard；　and　with　an　hysterical　outcry　rushed　back　into　the

hotel；　that　there　was　any　sign　of　panic。



Mrs。　Horncastle；　who　was　standing　near；　fully　dressed　as　from　some

night…long　vigil；　quickly　followed　her。　　The　half…frantic　woman　was

making　directly　for　her　own　apartments；　whose　windows　those　in　the

courtyard　could　see　were　already　belching　smoke。　　Suddenly　Mrs。

Horncastle　stopped　with　a　bitter　cry　and　clasped　her　forehead。　　It

had　just　flashed　upon　her　that　Mrs。　Barker　had　told　her　only　a　few

hours　before　that　Sta　had　been　removed　with　the　nurse　to　the　UPPER

FLOOR！　　It　was　not　the　forgotten　child　that　Mrs。　Barker　was

returning　for；　but　her　diamonds！　　Mrs。　Horncastle　called　her；　she

did　not　reply。　　The　smoke　was　already　pouring　down　the　staircase。

Mrs。　Horncastle　hesitated　for　a　moment　only；　and　then；　drawing　a

long　breath；　dashed　up　the　stairs。　　On　the　first　landing　she

stumbled　over　somethingthe　prostrate　figure　of　the　nurse。　　But

this　saved　her；　for　she　found　that　near　the　floor　she　could　breathe

more　freely。　　Before　her　appeared　to　be　an　open　door。　　She　crept

along　towards　it　on　her　hands　and　knees。　　The　frightened　cry　of　a

child；　awakened　from　its　sleep　in　the　dark；　gave　her　nerve　to　rise；

enter　the　room；　and　dash　open　the　window。　　By　the　flashing　light

she　could　see　a　little　figure　rising　from　a　bed。　　It　was　Sta。

There　was　not　a　moment　to　be　lost；　for　the　open　window　was

beginning　to　draw　the　smoke　from　the　passage。　　Luckily；　the　boy；　by

some　childish　instinct；　threw　his　arms　round　her　neck　and　left　her

hands　free。　　Whispering　him　to　hold　tight；　she　clambered　out　of　the

window。　　A　narrow　ledge　of　cornice　scarcely　wide　enough　for　her

feet　ran　along　the　house　to　a　distant　balcony。　　With　her　back　to

the　house　she　zigzagged　her　feet　along　the　cornice　to　get　away　from

the　smoke；　which　now　poured　directly　from　the　window。　　Then　she

grew　dizzy；　the　weight　of　the　child　on　her　bosom　seemed　to　be

toppling　her　forward　towards　the　abyss　below。　　She　closed　her　eyes；

frantically　grasping　the　child　with　crossed　arms　on　her　breast　as

she　stood　on　the　ledge；　until；　as　seen　from　below　through　the

twisting　smoke；　they　might　have　seemed　a　figure　of　the　Madonna　and

Child　niched　in　the　wall。　　Then　a　voice　from　above　called　to　her；

〃Courage！〃　and　she　felt　the　flap　of　a　twisted　sheet　lowered　from　an

upper　window　against　her　face。　　She　grasped　it　eagerly；　it　held

firmly。　　Then　she　heard　a　cry　from　below；　saw　them　carrying　a

ladder；　and　at　last　was　lifted　with　her　burden　from　the　ledge　by

powerful　hands。　　Then　only　did　she　raise　her　eyes　to　the　upper

window　whence　had　come　her　help。　　Smoke　and　flame　were　pouring　from

it。　　The　unknown　hero　who　had　sacrificed　his　only　chance　of　escape

to　her　remained　forever　unknown。



　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。



Only　four　miles　away　that　night　a　group　of　men　were　waiting　for　the

dawn　in　the　shadow　of　a　pine　near　Heavy　Tree　Bar。　　As　the　sky

glowed　redly　over　the　crest　between　them　and　Hymettus；　Hamlin

said：



〃Another　one　of　those　forest　fires。　　It's　this　side　of　Black　Spur；

and　a　big　one；　I　reckon。〃



〃Do　you　know；〃　said　Barker　thoughtfully；　〃I　was　thinking　of　the

time　the　old　cabin　burnt　up　on　Heavy　Tree。　　It　looks　to　be　about　in

the　same　place。〃



〃Hush！〃　said　Stacy　sharply。





CHAPTER　IX。





An　abandoned　tunnelan　irregular　orifice　in　the　mountain　flank

which　looked　like　a　dried…up　sewer　that　had　disgorged　through　its

opening　the　refuse　of　the　mountain　in　red　slime；　gravel；　and　a

peculiar　clay　known　as　〃cement；〃　in　a　foul　streak　down　its　side；　a

narrow　ledge　on　either　side；　broken　up　by　heaps　of　quartz；

tailings；　and　rock；　and　half　hidden　in　scrub；　oak；　and　myrtle；　a

decaying　cabin　of　logs；　bark；　and　cobblestonesthese　made　up　the

exterior　of　the　Marshall　claim。　　To　this　defacement　of　the

mountain；　the　rude　clearing　of　thicket　and　underbrush　by　fire　or

blasting；　the　lopping　of　tree…boughs　and　the　decapitation　of

saplings；　might　be　added　the　debris　and　ruins　of　half…civilized

occupancy。　　The　ground　before　the　cabin　was　covered　with　broken

boxes；　tin　cans；　the　staves　and　broken　hoops　of　casks；　and　the

cast…off　rags　of　blankets　and　clothing。　　The　whole　claim　in　its

unsavory；　unpicturesque　details；　and　its　vulgar　story　of　sordid；

reckless；　and　selfish　occupancy　and　abandonment；　was　a　foul　blot

on　the　landscape；　which　the　first　rosy　dawn　only　made　the　more

offending。　　Surely　the　last　spot　in　the　world　that　men　should

quarrel　and　fight　for！



So　thought　George　Barker；　as　with　his　companions　they　moved　in

single　file　slowly　towards　it。　　The　little　party　consisted　only　of

himself；　Demorest；　and　Stacy；　Marshall　and　Hamlinaccording　to　a

prearranged　planwere　still　in　ambush　to　join　them　at　the　first

appearance　of　Steptoe　and　his　gang。　　The　claim　was　yet　unoccupied；

they　had　secured　their　first　success。　　Steptoe's　followers；　unaware

that　his　design　had　been　discovered；　and　confident　that　they　could

easily　reach　the　claim　before　Marshall　and　the　surveyor；　had

lingered。　　Some　of　them　had　held　a　drunken　carouse　at　their

rendezvous　at　Heavy　Tree。　　Others　were　still　engaged　in　procuring

shovels　and　picks　and　pans　for　their　mock　equipment　as　miners；　and

this；　again；　gave　Marshall's　adherents　the　advantage。　　THEY　knew

that　their　opponents　would　probably　first　approach　the　empty　claim

encumbered　only　with　their　peaceful　implements；　while　they

themselves　had　brought　their　rifles　with　them。



Stacy；　who　by　tacit　consent　led　the　party；　on　reaching　the　claim　at

once　posted　Demorest　and　Barker　each　behind　a　separate　heap　of

quartz　tailings　on　the　ledge；　which　afforded　them　a　capital

breastwork；　and　stationed　himself　at　the　mouth　of　the　tunnel　which

was　nearest　the　trail。　　It　had　already　been　arranged　what　each　man

was　to　do。　　They　were　in　possession。　　For　the　rest　they　must　wait。

What　they　thought　at　that　moment　no　one　knew。　　Their　characteristic

appearance　had　slightly　chan