the three partners-第16章

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them　in　to　dinner　as　she　leaned　upon　his　guest's　arm；　chatting

confidentially。　　He　was　only　uneasy　because　her　manner　had　a　slight

ostentation。



The　entrance　of　the　little　party　produced　a　quick　sensation

throughout　the　dining…room。　　Whispers　passed　from　table　to　table；

all　heads　were　turned　towards　the　great　financier　as　towards　a

magnet；　a　few　guests　even　shamelessly　faced　round　in　their　chairs

as　he　passed。　　Mrs。　Barker　was　pink；　pretty；　and　voluble　with

excitement；　Stacy　had　a　slight　mask　of　reserve；　Barker　was　the　only

one　natural　and　unconscious。



As　the　dinner　progressed　Barker　found　that　there　was　little　chance

for　him　to　invoke　his　old　partner's　memories　of　the　past。　　He

found；　however；　that　Stacy　had　received　a　letter　from　Demorest；　and

that　he　was　coming　home　from　Europe。　　His　letters　were　still　sad；

they　both　agreed　upon　that。　　And　then　for　the　first　time　that　day

Stacy　looked　intently　at　Barker　with　the　look　that　he　had　often

worn　on　Heavy　Tree　Hill。



〃Then　you　think　it　is　the　same　old　trouble　that　worries　him？〃　said

Barker　in　an　awed　and　sympathetic　voice。



〃I　believe　it　is；〃　said　Stacy；　with　an　equal　feeling。　　Mrs。　Barker

pricked　up　her　pretty　ears；　her　husband's　ready　sympathy　was

familiar　enough；　but　that　this　cold；　practical　Stacy　should　be

moved　at　anything　piqued　her　curiosity。



〃And　you　believe　that　he　has　never　got　over　it？〃　continued　Barker。



〃He　had　one　chance；　but　he　threw　it　away；〃　said　Stacy　energetically。

〃If；　instead　of　going　off　to　Europe　by　himself　to　brood　over　it；　he

had　joined　me　in　business；　he'd　have　been　another　man。〃



〃But　not　Demorest；〃　said　Barker　quickly。



〃What　dreadful　secret　is　this　about　Demorest？〃　said　Mrs。　Barker

petulantly。　　〃Is　he　ill？〃



Both　men　were　silent　by　their　old　common　instinct。　　But　it　was

Stacy　who　said　〃No〃　in　a　way　that　put　any　further　questioning　at　an

end；　and　Barker　was　grateful　and　for　the　moment　disloyal　to　his

Kitty。



It　was　with　delight　that　Mrs。　Barker　had　seen　that　the　attention　of

the　next　table　was　directed　to　them；　and　that　even　Mrs。　Horncastle

had　glanced　from　time　to　time　at　Stacy。　　But　she　was　not　prepared

for　the　evident　equal　effect　that　Mrs。　Horncastle　had　created　upon

Stacy。　　His　cold　face　warmed；　his　critical　eye　softened；　he　asked

her　name。　　Mrs。　Barker　was　voluble；　prejudiced；　and；　it　seemed；

misinformed。



〃I　know　it　all；〃　said　Stacy；　with　didactic　emphasis。　　〃Her　husband

was　as　bad　as　they　make　them。　　When　her　life　had　become　intolerable

WITH　HIM；　he　tried　to　make　it　shameful　WITHOUT　HIM　by　abandoning

her。　　She　could　get　a　divorce　a　dozen　times　over；　but　she　won't。〃



〃I　suppose　that's　what　makes　her　so　very　attractive　to　gentlemen；〃

said　Mrs。　Barker　ironically。



〃I　have　never　seen　her　before；〃　continued　Stacy；　with　business

precision；　〃although　I　and　two　other　men　are　guardians　of　her

property；　and　have　saved　it　from　the　clutches　of　her　husband。　　They

told　me　she　was　handsomeand　so　she　is。〃



Pleased　with　the　sudden　human　weakness　of　Stacy；　Barker　glanced　at

his　wife　for　sympathy。　　But　she　was　looking　studiously　another　way；

and　the　young　husband's　eyes；　still　full　of　his　gratification；　fell

upon　Mrs。　Horncastle's。　　She　looked　away　with　a　bright　color。

Whereupon　the　sanguine　Barkerperfectly　convinced　that　she

returned　Stacy's　admirationwas　seized　with　one　of　his　old　boyish

dreams　of　the　future；　and　saw　Stacy　happily　united　to　her；　and　was

only　recalled　to　the　dinner　before　him　by　its　end。　　Then　Stacy　duly

promenaded　the　great　saloon　with　Mrs。　Barker　on　his　arm；　visited

the　baby　in　her　apartments；　and　took　an　easy　leave。　　But　he　grasped

Barker's　hand　before　parting　in　quite　his　old　fashion；　and　said；

〃Come　to　lunch　with　me　at　the　bank　any　day；　and　we'll　talk　of　Phil

Demorest；〃　and　left　Barker　as　happy　as　if　the　appointment　were　to

confer　the　favor　he　had　that　morning　refused。　　But　Mrs。　Barker；　who

had　overheard；　was　more　dubious。



〃You　don't　suppose　he　asks　you　to　talk　with　you　about　Demorest　and

his　stupid　secret；　do　you？〃　she　said　scornfully。



〃Perhaps　not　only　about　that；〃　said　Barker；　glad　that　she　had　not

demanded　the　secret。



〃Well；〃　returned　Mrs。　Barker　as　she　turned　away；　〃he　might　just　as

well　lunch　here　and　talk　about　HERand　see　her；　too。〃



Meantime　Stacy　had　dropped　into　his　club；　only　a　few　squares

distant。　　His　appearance　created　the　same　interest　that　it　had

produced　at　the　hotel；　but　with　less　reserve　among　his　fellow

members。



〃Have　you　heard　the　news？〃　said　a　dozen　voices。　　Stacy　had　not；　he

had　been　dining　out。



〃That　infernal　swindle　of　a　Divide　Railroad　has　passed　the

legislature。〃



Stacy　instantly　remembered　Barker's　absurd　belief　in　it　and　his

reasons。　　He　smiled　and　said　carelessly；　〃Are　you　quite　sure　it's　a

swindle？〃



There　was　a　dead　silence　at　the　coolness　of　the　man　who　had　been

most　outspoken　against　it。



〃But；〃　said　a　voice　hesitatingly；　〃you　know　it　goes　nowhere　and　to

no　purpose。〃



〃But　that　does　not　prevent　it；　now　that　it's　a　fact；　from　going

anywhere　and　to　some　purpose；〃　said　Stacy；　turning　away。　　He　passed

into　the　reading…room　quietly；　but　in　an　instant　turned　and　quickly

descended　by　another　staircase　into　the　hall；　hurriedly　put　on　his

overcoat；　and　slipping　out　was　a　moment　later　re…entering　the

hotel。　　Here　he　hastily　summoned　Barker；　who　came　down；　flushed　and

excited。　　Laying　his　hand　on　Barker's　arm　in　his　old　dominant　way；

he　said：



〃Don't　delay　a　single　hour；　but　get　a　written　agreement　for　that

Ditch　property。〃



Barker　smiled。　　〃But　I　have。　　Got　it　this　afternoon。〃



〃Then　you　know？〃　ejaculated　Stacy　in　surprise。



〃I　only　know；〃　said　Barker；　coloring；　〃that　you　said　I　could　back

out　of　it　if　it　wasn't　signed；　and　that's　what　Kitty　said；　too。

And　I　thought　it　looked　awfully　mean　for　me　to　hold　a　man　to　that

kind　of　a　bargain。　　And　soyou　won't　be　mad；　old　fellow；　will

you？I　thought　I'd　put　it　beyond　any　question　of　my　own　good　faith

by　having　it　in　black　and　white。〃　　He　stopped；　laughing　and

blushing；　but　still　earnest　and　sincere。　　〃You　don't　think　me　a

fool；　do　you？〃　he　said　pathetically。



Stacy　smiled　grimly。　　〃I　think；　Barker　boy；　that　if　you　go　to　the

Branch　you'll　have　no　difficulty　in　paying　for　the　Ditch　property。

Good…night。〃



In　a　few　moments　he　was　back　at　the　club　again　before　any　one　knew

he　had　even　left　the　building。　　As　he　again　re…entered　the　smoking…

room　he　found　the　members　still　in　eager　discussion　about　the　new

railroad。　　One　was　saying；　〃If　they　could　get　an　extension；　and

carry　the　road　through　Heavy　Tree　Hill　to　Boomville　they'd　be　all

right。〃



〃I　quite　agree　with　you；〃　said　Stacy。





CHAPTER　III。





The　swaying；　creaking；　Boomville　coach　had　at　last　reached　the

level　ridge；　and　sank　forward　upon　its　springs　with　a　sigh　of

relief　and　the　slow　precipitation　of　the　red　dust　which　had　hung　in

clouds　around　it。　　The　whole　coach；　inside　and　out；　was　covered

with　this　impalpable　powder；　it　had　poured　into　the　windows　that

gaped　widely　in　the　insufferable　heat；　it　lay　thick　upon　the　novel

read　by　the　passenger　who　had　for　the　third　or　fourth　time　during

the　ascent　made　a　gutter　of　the　half…opened　book　and　blown　the　dust

away　in　a　single　puff；　like　the　smoke　from　a　pistol。　　It　lay　in

folds　and　creases　over　the　yellow　silk　duster　of　the　handsome　woman

on　the　back　seat；　and　when　she　endeavored　to　shake　it　off　enveloped

her　in　a　reddish　nimbus。　　It　grimed　the　handkerchiefs　of　others；

and　left　sanguinary　streaks　on　their　mopped　foreheads。　　But　as　the

coach　had　slowly　climbed　the　summit　the　sun　was　also　sinking　behind

the　Black　Spur　Range；　and　with　its　ultimate　disappearance　a

delicious　coolness　spread　itself　like　a　wave　across　the　ridge。　　The

passengers　drew　a　long　breath；　the　reader　closed　his　book；　the　lady

lifted　the　edge　of　her　veil　and　delicately　wiped　her　forehead；　over

which　a　few　damp