the three partners-第13章

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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　on；　carelessly　rising　and　smoothing　her　skirts。　　The　captain；

who　had　risen　too；　bowed　vaguely　at　the　introduction；　but　Barker

extended　his　hand　frankly。　　〃I　found　Stacy　busy；〃　he　said　in　answer

to　his　wife；　〃but　he　is　coming　to　dine　with　us　to…night。〃



〃If　you　mean　Jim　Stacy；　the　banker；〃　said　Captain　Heath；　brightening

into　greater　ease；　〃he's　the　busiest　man　in　California。　　I've　seen

men　standing　in　a　queue　outside　his　door　as　in　the　old　days　at　the

post…office。　　And　he　only　gives　you　five　minutes　and　no　extension。

So　you　and　he　were　partners　once？〃　he　said；　looking　curiously　at　the

still　youthful　Barker。



But　it　was　Mrs。　Barker　who　answered；　〃Oh　yes！　and　always　such　good

friends。　　I　was　awfully　jealous　of　him。〃　　Nevertheless；　she　did　not

respond　to　the　affectionate　protest　in　Barker's　eyes　nor　to　the

laugh　of　Captain　Heath；　but　glanced　indifferently　around　the　room

as　if　to　leave　further　conversation　to　the　two　men。　　It　was

possible　that　she　was　beginning　to　feel　that　Captain　Heath　was　as

de　trop　now　as　her　husband　had　been　a　moment　before。　　Standing

there；　however；　between　them　both；　idly　tracing　a　pattern　on　the

carpet　with　the　toe　of　her　slipper；　she　looked　prettier　than　she

had　ever　looked　as　Kitty　Carter。　　Her　slight　figure　was　more　fully

developed。　　That　artificial　severity　covering　a　natural　virgin

coyness　with　which　she　used　to　wait　at　table　in　her　father's　hotel

at　Boomville　had　gone；　and　was　replaced　by　a　satisfied　consciousness

of　her　power　to　please。　　Her　glance　was　freer；　but　not　as　frank　as

in　those　days。　　Her　dress　was　undoubtedly　richer　and　more　stylish；

yet　Barker's　loyal　heart　often　reverted　fondly　to　the　chintz　gown；

coquettishly　frilled　apron；　and　spotless　cuffs　and　collar　in　which

she　had　handed　him　his　coffee　with　a　faint　color　that　left　his　own

face　crimson。



Captain　Heath's　tact　being　equal　to　her　indifference；　he　had

excused　himself；　although　he　was　becoming　interested　in　this

youthful　husband。　　But　Mrs。　Barker；　after　having　asserted　her

husband's　distinction　as　the　equal　friend　of　the　millionaire；　was

by　no　means　willing　that　the　captain　should　be　further　interested

in　Barker　for　himself　alone；　and　did　not　urge　him　to　stay。　　As　he

departed　she　turned　to　her　husband；　and；　indicating　the　group　he

had　passed　the　moment　before；　said：



〃That　horrid　woman　has　been　staring　at　us　all　the　time。　　I　don't

see　what　you　see　in　her　to　admire。〃



Poor　Barker's　admiration　had　been　limited　to　a　few　words　of

civility　in　the　enforced　contact　of　that　huge　caravansary　and　in

his　quiet；　youthful　recognition　of　her　striking　personality。　　But

he　was　just　then　too　preoccupied　with　his　interview　with　Stacy　to

reply；　and　perhaps　he　did　not　quite　understand　his　wife。　　It　was

odd　how　many　things　he　did　not　quite　understand　now　about　Kitty；

but　that　he　knew　must　be　HIS　fault。　　But　Mrs。　Barker　apparently　did

not　require；　after　the　fashion　of　her　sex；　a　reply。　　For　the　next

moment；　as　they　moved　towards　their　rooms；　she　said　impatiently；

〃Well；　you　don't　tell　what　Stacy　said。　　Did　you　get　the　money？〃



I　grieve　to　say　that　this　soul　of　truth　and　frankness　liedonly　to

his　wife。　　Perhaps　he　considered　it　only　lying　to　HIMSELF；　a　thing

of　which　he　was　at　times　miserably　conscious。　　〃It　wasn't

necessary；　dear；〃　he　said；　〃he　advised　me　to　sell　my　securities　in

the　bank；　and　if　you　only　knew　how　dreadfully　busy　he　is。〃



Mrs。　Barker　curled　her　pretty　lip。　　〃It　doesn't　take　very　long　to

lend　ten　thousand　dollars！〃　she　said。　　〃But　that's　what　I　always

tell　you。　　You　have　about　made　me　sick　by　singing　the　praises　of

those　wonderful　partners　of　yours；　and　here　you　ask　a　favor　of　one

of　them　and　he　tells　you　to　sell　your　securities！　　And　you　know；

and　he　knows；　they're　worth　next　to　nothing。〃



〃You　don't　understand；　dear〃began　Barker。



〃I　understand　that　you've　given　your　word　to　poor　Harry；〃　said　Mrs。

Barker　in　pretty　indignation；　〃who's　responsible　for　the　Ditch

purchase。〃



〃And　I　shall　keep　it。　　I　always　do；〃　said　Barker　very　quietly；　but

with　that　same　singular　expression　of　face　that　had　puzzled　Stacy。

But　Mrs。　Barker；　who；　perhaps；　knew　her　husband　better；　said　in　an

altered　voice：



〃But　HOW　can　you；　dear？〃



〃If　I'm　short　a　thousand　or　two　I'll　ask　your　father。〃



Mrs。　Barker　was　silent。　　〃Father's　so　very　much　harried　now；　George。

Why　don't　you　simply　throw　the　whole　thing　up？〃



〃But　I've　given　my　word　to　your　cousin　Henry。〃



〃Yes；　but　only　your　WORD。　　There　was　no　written　agreement。　　And　you

couldn't　even　hold　him　to　it。〃



Barker　opened　his　frank　eyes　in　astonishment。　　Her　own　cousin；　too！

And　they　were　Stacy's　very　words！



〃Besides；〃　added　Mrs。　Barker　audaciously；　〃he　could　get　rid　of　it

elsewhere。　　He　had　another　offer；　but　he　thought　yours　the　best。

So　don't　be　silly。〃



By　this　time　they　had　reached　their　rooms。　　Barker；　apparently