the three partners-第14章

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So　don't　be　silly。〃



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

dismissing　the　subject　from　his　mind　with　characteristic　buoyancy；

turned　into　the　bedroom　and　walked　smilingly　towards　a　small　crib

which　stood　in　the　corner。　　〃Why；　he's　gone！〃　he　said　in　some

dismay。



〃Well；〃　said　Mrs。　Barker　a　little　impatiently；　〃you　didn't　expect

me　to　take　him　into　the　public　parlor；　where　I　was　seeing　visitors；

did　you？　　I　sent　him　out　with　the　nurse　into　the　lower　hall　to　play

with　the　other　children。〃



A　shade　momentarily　passed　over　Barker's　face。　　He　always　looked

forward　to　meeting　the　child　when　he　came　back。　　He　had　a　belief；

based　on　no　grounds　whatever；　that　the　little　creature　understood

him。　　And　he　had　a　father's　doubt　of　the　wholesomeness　of　other

people's　children　who　were　born　into　the　world　indiscriminately　and

not　under　the　exceptional　conditions　of　his　own。　　〃I'll　go　and

fetch　him；〃　he　said。



〃You　haven't　told　me　anything　about　your　interview；　what　you　did

and　what　your　good　friend　Stacy　said；〃　said　Mrs。　Barker；　dropping

languidly　into　a　chair。　　〃And　really　if　you　are　simply　running　away

again　after　that　child；　I　might　just　as　well　have　asked　Captain

Heath　to　stay　longer。〃



〃Oh；　as　to　Stacy；〃　said　Barker；　dropping　beside　her　and　taking　her

hand；　〃well；　dear；　he　was　awfully　busy；　you　know；　and　shut　up　in

the　innermost　office　like　the　agate　in　one　of　the　Japanese　nests　of

boxes。　　But；〃　he　continued；　brightening　up；　〃just　the　same　dear　old

Jim　Stacy　of　Heavy　Tree　Hill；　when　I　first　knew　you。　　Lord！　dear；

how　it　all　came　back　to　me！　　That　day　I　proposed　to　you　in　the

belief　that　I　was　unexpectedly　rich　and　even　bought　a　claim　for　the

boys　on　the　strength　of　it；　and　how　I　came　back　to　them　to　find

that　they　had　made　a　big　strike　on　the　very　claim。　　Lord！　I

remember　how　I　was　so　afraid　to　tell　them　about　youand　how　they

guessed　itthat　dear　old　Stacy　one　of　the　first。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Barker；　〃and　I　hope　your　friend　Stacy　remembered

that　but　for　ME；　when　you　found　out　that　you　were　not　rich；　you'd

have　given　up　the　claim；　but　that　I　really　deceived　my　own　father

to　make　you　keep　it。　　I've　often　worried　over　that；　George；〃　she

said　pensively；　turning　a　diamond　bracelet　around　her　pretty　wrist；

〃although　I　never　said　anything　about　it。〃



〃But；　Kitty　darling；〃　said　Barker；　grasping　his　wife's　hand；　〃I

gave　my　note　for　it；　you　know　you　said　that　was　bargain　enough；　and

I　had　better　wait　until　the　note　was　due；　and　until　I　found　I

couldn't　pay；　before　I　gave　up　the　claim。　　It　was　very　clever　of

you；　and　the　boys　all　said　so；　too。　　But　you　never　deceived　your

father；　dear；〃　he　said；　looking　at　her　gravely；　〃for　I　should　have

told　him　everything。〃



〃Of　course；　if　you　look　at　it　in　that　way；〃　said　his　wife

languidly；　〃it's　nothing；　only　I　think　it　ought　to　be　remembered

when　people　go　about　saying　papa　ruined　you　with　his　hotel　schemes。〃



〃Who　dares　say　that？〃　said　Barker　indignantly。



〃Well；　if　they　don't　SAY　it　they　look　it；〃　said　Mrs。　Barker；　with　a

toss　of　her　pretty　head；　〃and　I　believe　that's　at　the　bottom　of

Stacy's　refusal。〃



〃But　he　never　said　a　word；　Kitty；〃　said　Barker；　flushing。



〃There；　don't　excite　yourself；　George；〃　said　Mrs。　Barker　resignedly；

〃but　go　for　the　baby。　　I　know　you're　dying　to　go；　and　I　suppose　it's

time　Norah　brought　it　upstairs。〃



At　any　other　time　Barker　would　have　lingered　with　explanations；　but

just　then　a　deeper　sense　than　usual　of　some　misunderstanding　made

him　anxious　to　shorten　this　domestic　colloquy。　　He　rose；　pressed

his　wife's　hand；　and　went　out。　　But　yet　he　was　not　entirely

satisfied　with　himself　for　leaving　her。　　〃I　suppose　it　isn't　right

my　going　off　as　soon　as　I　come　in；〃　he　murmured　reproachfully　to

himself；　〃but　I　think　she　wants　the　baby　back　as　much　as　I；　only；

womanlike；　she　didn't　care　to　let　me　know　it。〃



He　reached　the　lower　hall；　which　he　knew　was　a　favorite　promenade

for　the　nurses　who　were　gathered　at　the　farther　end；　where　a　large

window　looked　upon　Montgomery　Street。　　But　Norah；　the　Irish　nurse；

was　not　among　them；　he　passed　through　several　corridors　in　his

search；　but　in　vain。　　At　last；　worried　and　a　little　anxious；　he

turned　to　regain　his　rooms　through　the　long　saloon　where　he　had

found　his　wife　previously。　　It　was　deserted　now；　the　last　caller

had　lefteven　frivolity　had　its　prescribed　limits。　　He　was

consequently　startled　by　a　gentle　murmur　from　one　of　the　heavily

curtained　window　recesses。　　It　was　a　woman's　voicelow；　sweet；

caressing；　and　filled　with　an　almost　pathetic　tenderness。　　And　it

was　followed　by　a　distinct　gurgling　satisfied　crow。



Barker　turned　instantly　in　that　direction。　　A　step　brought　him　to

the　curtain；　where　a　singular　spectacle　presented　itself。



Seated　on　a　lounge；　completely　absorbed　and　possessed　by　her

treasure；　was　the　〃horrid　woman〃　whom　his　wife　had　indicated　only　a

little　while　ago；　holding　a　babyKitty's　sacred　babyin　her

wanton　lap！　　The　child　was　feebly　grasping　the　end　of　the　slender

jeweled　necklace　which　the　woman　held　temptingly　dangling　from　a

thin　white　jeweled　finger　above　it。　　But　its　eyes　were　beaming　with

an　intense　delight；　as　if　trying　to　respond　to　the　deep；

concentrated　love　in　the　handsome　face　that　was　bent　above　it。



At　the　sudden　intrusion　of　Barker　she　looked　up。　　There　was　a　faint

rise　in　her　color；　but　no　loss　of　sell…possession。



〃Please　don't　scold　the　nurse；〃　she　said；　〃nor　say　anything　to　Mrs。

Barker。　　It　is　all　my　fault。　　I　thought　that　both　the　nurse　and

child　looked　dreadfully　bored　with　each　other；　and　I　borrowed　the

little　fellow　for　a　while　to　try　and　amuse　him。　　At　least　I　haven't

made　him　cry；　have　I；　dear？〃　　The　last　epithet；　it　is　needless　to

say；　was　addressed　to　the　little　creature　in　her　lap；　but　in　its

tender　modulation　it　touched　the　father's　quick　sympathies　as　if　he

had　shared　it　with　the　child。　　〃You　see；〃　she　said　softly；

disengaging　the　baby　fingers　from　her　necklace；　〃that　OUR　sex　is

not　the　only　one　tempted　by　jewelry　and　glitter。〃



Barker　hesitated；　the　Madonna…like　devotion　of　a　moment　ago　was

gone；　it　was　only　the　woman　of　the　world　who　laughingly　looked　up

at　him。　　Nevertheless　he　was　touched。　　〃Have　youeverhad　a

child；　Mrs。　Horncastle？〃　he　asked　gently　and　hesitatingly。　　He　had

a　vague　recollection　that　she　passed　for　a　widow；　and　in　his　simple

eyes　all　women　were　virgins　or　married　saints。



〃No；〃　she　said　abruptly。　　Then　she　added　with　a　laugh；　〃Or　perhaps

I　should　not　admire　them　so　much。　　I　suppose　it's　the　same　feeling

bachelors　have　for　other　people's　wives。　　But　I　know　you're　dying

to　take　that　boy　from　me。　　Take　him；　then；　and　don't　be　ashamed　to

carry　him　yourself　just　because　I'm　here；　you　know　you　would

delight　to　do　it　if　I　weren't。〃



Barker　bent　over　the　silken　lap　in　which　the　child　was　comfortably

nestling；　and　in　that　attitude　had　a　faint　consciousness　that　Mrs。

Horncastle　was　mischievously　breathing　into　his　curls　a　silent

laugh。　　Barker　lifted　his　firstborn　with　proud　skillfulness；　but

that　sagacious　infant　evidently　knew　when　he　was　comfortable；　and

in　a　paroxysm　of　objection　caught　his　father's　curls　with　one　fist；

while　with　the　other　he　grasped　Mrs。　Horncastle's　brown　braids　and

brought　their　heads　into　contact。　　Upon　which　humorous　situation

Norah；　the　nurse；　entered。



〃It's　all　right；　Norah；〃　said　Mrs。　Horncastle；　laughing；　as　she

disengaged　herself　from　the　linking　child。　　〃Mr。　Barker　has　claimed

the　baby；　and　has　agreed　to　forgive　you　and　me　and　say　nothing　to

Mrs。　Barker。〃　　Norah；　with　the　inscrutable　criticism　of　her　sex　on

her　sex；　thought　it　extremely　probable；　and　halted　with

exasperating　discretion。　　〃There；〃　continued　Mrs。　Horncastle；

playfully　evading　the　child's　further　advances；　〃go　with　papa；

that's　a　dear。　　Mr。　Barker　prefers　to　carry　him　back；　Norah。〃



〃But；〃　said　the　ingenuous　and　persistent　Barker；　s