the three partners-第9章

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any　infelicity　in　the　interview　was　upon　himself　alone。　　But　Stacy

did　not　seem　to　be　in　a　particularly　accessible　mood　to　the　new

caller；　who　in　his　turn　appeared　to　be　slightly　irritated　by　having

been　kept　waiting　over　some　irksome　business。　　〃You　don't　seem　to

follow　me；〃　he　said　to　Stacy　after　reciting　his　business　perplexity。

〃Can't　you　suggest　something？〃



〃Well；　why　don't　you　get　hold　of　one　of　your　board　of　directors？〃

said　Stacy　abstractedly。　　〃There's　Captain　Drummond；　you　and　he　are

old　friends。　　You　were　comrades　in　the　Mexican　War；　weren't　you？〃



〃That　be　dd！〃　said　his　visitor　bitterly。　　〃All　his　interests

are　the　other　way；　and　in　a　trade　of　this　kind；　you　know；　Stacy；

that　a　man　would　sacrifice　his　own　brother。　　Do　you　suppose　that

he'd　let　up　on　a　sure　thing　that　he's　got　just　because　he　and　I

fought　side　by　side　at　Cerro　Gordo？　　Come！　what　are　you　giving　us？

You're　the　last　man　I　ever　expected　to　hear　that　kind　of　flapdoodle

from。　　If　it's　because　your　bank　has　got　some　other　interest　and

you　can't　advise　me；　why　don't　you　say　so？〃　　Nevertheless；　in　spite

of　Stacy's　abrupt　disclaimer；　he　left　a　few　minutes　later；　half

convinced　that　Stacy's　lukewarmness　was　due　to　some　adverse

influence。　　Other　callers　were　almost　as　quickly　disposed　of；　and

at　the　end　of　an　hour　Stacy　found　himself　again　alone。



But　not　apparently　in　a　very　satisfied　mood。　　After　a　few　moments

of　purely　mechanical　memoranda…making；　he　rose　abruptly　and　opened

a　small　drawer　in　a　cabinet；　from　which　he　took　a　letter　still　in

its　envelope。　　It　bore　a　foreign　postmark。　　Glancing　over　it

hastily；　his　eyes　at　last　became　fixed　on　a　concluding　paragraph。

〃I　hope；〃　wrote　his　correspondent；　〃that　even　in　the　rush　of　your

big　business　you　will　sometimes　look　after　Barker。　　Not　that　I

think　the　dear　old　chap　will　ever　go　wrongindeed；　I　often　wish　I

was　as　certain　of　myself　as　of　him　and　his　insight；　but　I　am　afraid

we　were　more　inclined　to　be　merely　amused　and　tolerant　of　his

wonderful　trust　and　simplicity　than　to　really　understand　it　for　his

own　good　and　ours。　　I　know　you　did　not　like　his　marriage；　and　were

inclined　to　believe　he　was　the　victim　of　a　rather　unscrupulous

father　and　a　foolish；　unequal　girl；　but　are　you　satisfied　that　he

would　have　been　the　happier　without　it；　or　lived　his　perfect　life

under　other　and　what　you　may　think　wiser　conditions？　　If　he　WROTE

the　poetry　that　he　LIVES　everybody　would　think　him　wonderful；　for

being　what　he　is　we　never　give　him　sufficient　credit。〃　　Stacy

smiled　grimly；　and　penciled　on　his　memorandum；　〃He　wants　it　to　the

amount　of　ten　thousand　dollars。〃　　〃Anyhow；〃　continued　the　writer；

〃look　after　him；　Jim；　for　his　sake；　your　sake；　and　the　sake　of

PHIL　DEMOREST。〃



Stacy　put　the　letter　back　in　its　envelope；　and　tossing　it　grimly

aside　went　on　with　his　calculations。　　Presently　he　stopped；

restored　the　letter　to　his　cabinet；　and　rang　a　bell　on　his　table。

〃Send　Mr。　North　here；〃　he　said　to　the　negro　messenger。　　In　a　few

moments　his　chief　book…keeper　appeared　in　the　doorway。



〃Turn　to　the　Branch　ledger　and　bring　me　a　statement　of　Mr。　George

Barker's　account。〃



〃He　was　here　a　moment　ago；〃　said　North；　essaying　a　confidential

look　towards　his　chief。



〃I　know　it；〃　said　Stacy　coolly；　without　looking　up。



〃He's　been　running　a　good　deal　on　wildcat　lately；〃　suggested　North。



〃I　asked　for　his　account；　and　not　your　opinion　of　it；〃　said　Stacy

shortly。



The　subordinate　withdrew　somewhat　abashed　but　still　curious；　and

returned　presently　with　a　ledger　which　he　laid　before　his　chief。

Stacy　ran　his　eyes　over　the　list　of　Barker's　securities；　it　seemed

to　him　that　all　the　wildest　schemes　of　the　past　year　stared　him　in

the　face。　　His　finger；　however；　stopped　on　the　Wide　West　Extension。

〃Mr。　Barker　will　be　wanting　to　sell　some　of　this　stock。　　What　is　it

quoted　at　now？〃



〃Sixty。〃



〃But　I　would　prefer　that　Mr。　Barker　should　not　offer　in　the　open

market　at　present。　　Give　him　seventy　for　itprivate　sale；　that

will　be　ten　thousand　dollars　paid　to　his　credit。　　Advise　the　Branch

of　this　at　once；　and　to　keep　the　transaction　quiet。〃



〃Yes；　sir；〃　responded　the　clerk　as　he　moved　towards　the　door。　　But

he　hesitated；　and　with　another　essay　at　confidence　said　insinuatingly；

〃I　always　thought；　sir；　that　Wide　West　would　recover。〃



Stacy；　perhaps　not　displeased　to　find　what　had　evidently　passed　in

his　subordinate's　mind；　looked　at　him　and　said　dryly；　〃Then　I　would

advise　you　also　to　keep　that　opinion　to　yourself。〃　　But；　clever　as

he　was；　he　had　not　anticipated　the　result。　　Mr。　North；　though　a

trusted　employee；　was　human。　　On　arriving　in　the　outer　office　he

beckoned　to　one　of　the　lounging　brokers；　and　in　a　low　voice　said；

〃I'll　take　two　shares　of　Wide　West；　if　you　can　get　it　cheap。〃



The　broker's　face　became　alert　and　eager。　　〃Yes；　but　I　say；　is

anything　up？〃



〃I'm　not　here　to　give　the　business　of　the　bank　away；〃　retorted

North　severely；　〃take　the　order　or　leave　it。〃



The　man　hurried　away。　　Having　thus　vindicated　his　humanity　by　also

passing　the　snub　he　had　received　from　Stacy　to　an　inferior；　he

turned　away　to　carry　out　his　master's　instructions；　yet　secure　in

the　belief　that　he　had　profited　by　his　superior　discernment　of　the

real　reason　of　that　master's　singular　conduct。　　But　when　he

returned　to　the　private　room；　in　hopes　of　further　revelations；　Mr。

Stacy　was　closeted　with　another　financial　magnate；　and　had

apparently　divested　his　mind　of　the　whole　affair。





CHAPTER　II。





When　George　Barker　returned　to　the　outer　ward　of　the　financial

stronghold　he　had　penetrated；　with　its　curving　sweep　of　counters；

brass　railings；　and　wirework　screens　defended　by　the　spruce　clerks

behind　them；　he　was　again　impressed　with　the　position　of　the　man　he

had　just　quitted；　and　for　a　moment　hesitated；　with　an　inclination

to　go　back。　　It　was　with　no　idea　of　making　a　further　appeal　to　his

old　comrade；　butwhat　would　have　been　odd　in　any　other　nature　but

hishe　was　affected　by　a　sense　that　HE　might　have　been　unfair　and

selfish　in　his　manner　to　the　man　panoplied　by　these　defenses；　and

who　was　in　a　measure　forced　to　be　a　part　of　them。　　He　would　like　to

have　returned　and　condoled　with　him。　　The　clerks；　who　were

heartlessly　familiar　with　the　anxious　bearing　of　the　men　who　sought

interviews　with　their　chief；　both　before　and　after；　smiled　with　the

whispered　conviction　that　the　fresh　and　ingenuous　young　stranger

had　been　〃chucked〃　like　others　until　they　met　his　kindly；　tolerant；

and　even　superior　eyes；　and　were　puzzled。　　Meanwhile　Barker；　who

had　that　sublime；　natural　quality　of　abstraction　over　small

impertinences　which　is　more　exasperating　than　studied　indifference；

after　his　brief　hesitation　passed　out　unconcernedly　through　the

swinging　mahogany　doors　into　the　blowy　street。　　Here　the　wind　and

rain　revived　him；　the　bank　and　its　curt　refusal　were　forgotten；　he

walked　onward　with　only　a　smiling　memory　of　his　partner　as　in　the

old　days。　　He　remembered　how　Stacy　had　burned　down　their　old　cabin

rather　than　have　it　fall　into　sordid　or　unworthy　handsthis　Stacy

who　was　now　condemned　to　sink　his　impulses　and　become　a　mere

machine。　　He　had　never　known　Stacy's　real　motive　for　that　act；

both　Demorest　and　Stacy　had　kept　their　knowledge　of　the　attempted

robbery　from　their　younger　partner；it　always　seemed　to　him　to　be

a　precious　revelation　of　Stacy's　inner　nature。　　Facing　the　wind　and

rain；　he　recalled　how　Stacy；　though　never　so　enthusiastic　about　his

marriage　as　Demorest；　had　taken　up　Van　Loo　sharply　for　some　foolish

sneer　about　his　own　youthfulness。　　He　was　affectionately　tolerant

of　even　Stacy's　dislike　to　his　wife's　relations；　for　Stacy　did　not

know　them　as　he　did。　　Indeed；　Barker；　whose　own　father　and　mother

had　died　in　his　infancy；　had　accepted　his　wife's　relations　with　a

loving　trust　and　confidence　that　was　supreme；　from　the　fact　that　he

had　never　known　any　other。



At　last　he　reached　his　hotel。　　It　was　a　new　one；　the　latest

creation　of　a　feverish　progress　in　hotel…building　which　had　covered

five　years　and　as　many　squares　with　large　showy　erections；　utterly

beyond　the　needs　of　the　community；　yet　each　superior　in　size　and

adornment　to　its　predecessor。　　It　struck　him　as　being　the　one

evidence　of　an　abiding　faith　in　the　future　of　the　metropolis　that

he　had　seen　in　nothing　else。　　As　he　entered　its　frescoed　hall　that

afternoon　he　was　suddenly　reminded；　by　its　challenging　opulency；　of

the　bank　he　had　just　quitted；　without　knowing　that　the　bank　had

really　furnished　its　capital　and　its　original　design。　　The　gilded

bar…rooms；　flashing　with　mirrors　and　cut　glass；　the　saloons；　with

their　desert　expanse　of　Turkey　carpet　and　oasis　of　clustered　divans

and　gilded　tables；　the　great　dining…room；　with　porphyry　columns；

and　walls　and　ceilings　shining　with　allegoryall　these　things

which　had　attracted　his　youthful　wonder　without　distracting　his

correct　simplicity　of　taste　he　now　began　to　comprehend。　　It　was　the

bank's　money　〃at　work。〃　　In　the　clatter　of　dishes　in　the　dining…

room　he　even　seemed　to　hear　again　the　chinking　of　coin。



It　was　a　short　cut　to　his　apartments　to　pass　through　a　smaller

public　sitting…room　popularly　known　as　〃Flirtation　Camp；〃　where

eight　or　ten　couples　generally　found　refuge　on　chairs　and　settees

by　the　windows；　half　concealed　by　heavy　curtains。　　But　the

occupants　were　by　no　means　youthful　spinsters　or　bachelors；　they

were　generally　married　women；　guests　of　the　hotel；　receiving　other

people's　husbands　whose　wives　were　〃in　the　States；〃　or　responsible

middle…aged　leaders　of　the　town。　　In　the　elaborate　toilettes　of　the

women；　as　compared　with　the　less　formal　business　suits　of　the　men；

there　was　an　odd　mingling　of　the　social　attitude　with　perhaps　more

mysterious　confidences。　　The　idle　gossip　about　them　had　never

affected　Barker；　rather　he　had　that　innate　respect　for　the　secrets

of　others　which　is　as　inseparable　from　simplicity　as　it　is　from

high　breeding；　and　he　scarcely　glanced　at　the　different　couples　in

his　progress　through　the　room。　　He　did　not　even　notice　a　rather

striking　and　handsome　woman；　who；　surrounded　by　two　or　three

admirers；　yet　looked　up　at　Barker　as　he　passed　with　self…conscious

lids　as　if　seeking　a　return　of　her　glance。　　But　he　moved　on

abstractedly；　and　only　stopped　when　he　suddenly　saw　the　familiar

skirt　of　his　wife　at　a　further　window；　and　halted　before　it。



〃Oh；　it's　YOU；〃　said　Mrs。　Barker；　with　a　half…nervous；　half…

impatient　laugh。　　〃Why；　I　thought　you'd　certainly　stay　half　the

afternoon　with　your　old　partner；　considering　that　you　haven't　met

for　three　years。〃



There　was　no　doubt　she　HAD　thought　so；　there　was　equally　no　doubt

that　the　conversation　she　was　carrying　on　with　her　companiona

good…looking；　portly　business　manwas　effectually　interrupted。

But　Barker　did　not　notice　it。　　〃Captain　Heath；　my　husband；〃　she

went