the three partners-第17章

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

which　a　few　damp　tendrils　of　hair　were　clinging。　　Even　a

distinguished…looking　man　who　had　sat　as　impenetrable　and　remote　as

a　statue　in　one　of　the　front　seats　moved　and　turned　his　abstracted

face　to　the　window。　　His　deeply　tanned　cheek　and　clearly　cut

features　harmonized　with　the　red　dust　that　lay　in　the　curves　of　his

brown　linen　dust…cloak；　and　completed　his　resemblance　to　a　bronze

figure。　　Yet　it　was　Demorest；　changed　only　in　coloring。　　Now；　as

five　years　ago；　his　abstraction　had　a　certain　quality　which　the

most　familiar　stranger　shrank　from　disturbing。　　But　in　the　general

relaxation　of　relief　the　novel…reader　addressed　him。



〃Well；　we　ain't　far　from　Boomville　now；　and　it's　all　down…grade　the

rest　of　the　way。　　I　reckon　you'll　be　as　glad　to　get　a　'wash　up'　and

a　'shake'　as　the　rest　of　us。〃



〃I　am　afraid　I　won't　have　so　early　an　opportunity；〃　said　Demorest；

with　a　faint；　grave　smile；　〃for　I　get　off　at　the　cross…road　to

Heavy　Tree　Hill。〃



〃Heavy　Tree　Hill！〃　repeated　the　other　in　surprise。　　〃You　ain't

goin'　to　Heavy　Tree　Hill？　　Why；　you　might　have　gone　there　direct　by

railroad；　and　have　been　there　four　hours　ago。　　You　know　there's　a

branch　from　the　Divide　Railroad　goes　there　straight　to　the　hotel　at

Hymettus。〃



〃Where？〃　said　Demorest；　with　a　puzzled　smile。



〃Hymettus。　　That's　the　fancy　name　they've　given　to　the　watering…

place　on　the　slope。　　But　I　reckon　you're　a　stranger　here？〃



〃For　five　years；〃　said　Demorest。　　〃I　fancy　I've　heard　of　the

railroad；　although　I　prefer　to　go　to　Heavy　Tree　this　way。　　But　I

never　heard　of　a　watering…place　there　before。〃



〃Why；　it's　the　biggest　boom　of　the　year。　　Folks　that　are　tired　of

the　fogs　of　'Frisco　and　the　heat　of　Sacramento　all　go　there。　　It's

four　thousand　feet　up；　with　a　hotel　like　Saratoga；　dancing；　and　a

band　plays　every　night。　　And　it　all　sprang　out　of　the　Divide

Railroad　and　a　crank　named　George　Barker；　who　bought　up　some　old

Ditch　property　and　ran　a　branch　line　along　its　levels；　and　made　a

junction　with　the　Divide。　　You　can　come　all　the　way　from　'Frisco　or

Sacramento　by　rail。　　It's　a　mighty　big　thing！〃



〃Yet；〃　said　Demorest；　with　some　animation；　〃you　call　the　man　who

originated　this　success　a　crank。　　I　should　say　he　was　a　genius。〃



The　other　passenger　shook　his　head。　　〃All　sheer　nigger　luck。　　He

bought　the　Ditch　plant　afore　there　was　a　ghost　of　a　chance　for　the

Divide　Railroad；　just　out　o'　pure　dd　foolishness。　　He　expected

so　little　from　it　that　he　hadn't　even　got　the　agreement　done　in

writin'；　and　hadn't　paid　for　it；　when　the　Divide　Railroad　passed

the　legislature；　as　it　never　oughter　done！　　For；　you　see；　the

blamedest　cur'ous　thing　about　the　whole　affair　was　that　this

'straw'　road　of　a　Divide；　all　pure　wildcat；　was　only　gotten　up　to

frighten　the　Pacific　Railroad　sharps　into　buying　it　up。　　And　the

road　that　nobody　ever　calculated　would　ever　have　a　rail　of　it　laid

was　pushed　on　as　soon　as　folks　knew　that　the　Ditch　plant　had　been

bought　up；　for　they　thought　there　was　a　big　thing　behind　it。　　Even

the　hotel　was；　at　first；　simply　a　kind　of　genteel　alms…house　that

this　yer　Barker　had　built　for　broken…down　miners！〃



〃Nevertheless；〃　continued　Demorest；　smiling；　〃you　admit　that　it　is

a　great　success？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　other；　a　little　irritated　by　some　complacency　in

Demorest's　smile；　〃but　the　success　isn't　HIS'N。　　Fools　has　ideas；

and　wise　men　profit　by　them；　for　that　hotel　now　has　Jim　Stacy's

bank　behind　it；　and　is　even　a　kind　of　country　branch　of　the　Brook

House　in　'Frisco。　　Barker's　out　of　it；　I　reckon。　　Anyhow；　HE

couldn't　run　a　hotel；　for　all　that　his　wifeshe　that's　one　of　the

big　'Frisco　swells　nowused　to　help　serve　in　her　father's。　　No；

sir；　it's　just　a　fool's　luck；　gettin'　the　first　taste　and　leavin'

the　rest　to　others。〃



〃I'm　not　sure　that　it's　the　worst　kind　of　luck；〃　returned　Demorest；

with　persistent　gravity；　〃and　I　suppose　he's　satisfied　with　it。〃

But　so　heterodox　an　opinion　only　irritated　his　antagonist　the　more；

especially　as　he　noticed　that　the　handsome　woman　in　the　back　seat

appeared　to　be　interested　in　the　conversation；　and　even　sympathetic

with　Demorest。　　The　man　was　in　the　main　a　good…natured　fellow　and

loyal　to　his　friends；　but　this　did　not　preclude　any　virulent

criticism　of　others；　and　for　a　moment　he　hated　this　bronze…faced

stranger；　and　even　saw　blemishes　in　the　handsome　woman's　beauty。

〃That　may　be　YOUR　idea　of　an　Eastern　man；〃　he　said　bluntly；　〃but　I

kin　tell　ye　that　Californy　ain't　run　on　those　lines。　　No；　sir。〃

Nevertheless；　his　curiosity　got　the　better　of　his　ill　humor；　and　as

the　coach　at　last　pulled　up　at　the　cross…road　for　Demorest　to

descend　he　smiled　affably　at　his　departing　companion。



〃You　allowed　just　now　that　you'd　bin　five　years　away。　　Whar　mout　ye

have　bin？〃



〃In　Europe；〃　said　Demorest　pleasantly。



〃I　reckoned　ez　much；〃　returned　his　interrogator；　smiling

significantly　at　the　other　passengers。　　〃But　in　what　place？〃



〃Oh；　many；〃　said　Demorest；　smiling　also。



〃But　what　place　war　ye　last　livin'　at？〃



〃Well；〃　said　Demorest；　descending　the　steps；　but　lingering　for　a

moment　with　his　hand　on　the　door　of　the　coach；　〃oddly　enough；　now

you　remind　me　of　itat　Hymettus！〃



He　closed　the　door；　and　the　coach　rolled　on。　　The　passenger

reddened；　glanced　indignantly　after　the　departing　figure　of

Demorest　and　suspiciously　at　the　others。　　The　lady　was　looking　from

the　window　with　a　faint　smile　on　her　face。



〃He　might　hev　given　me　a　civil　answer；〃　muttered　the　passenger；　and

resumed　his　novel。



When　the　coach　drew　up　before　Carter's　Hotel　the　lady　got　down；　and

the　curiosity　of　her　susceptible　companions　was　gratified　to　the

extent　of　learning　from　the　register　that　her　name　was　Horncastle。



She　was　shown　to　a　private　sitting…room；　which　chanced　to　be　the

one　which　had　belonged　to　Mrs。　Barker　in　the　days　of　her

maidenhood；　and　was　the　sacred；　impenetrable　bower　to　which　she

retired　when　her　daily　duties　of　waiting　upon　her　father's　guests

were　over。　　But　the　breath　of　custom　had　passed　through　it　since

then；　and　but　little　remained　of　its　former　maiden　glories；　except

a　few　schoolgirl　crayon　drawings　on　the　wall　and　an　unrecognizable

portrait　of　herself　in　oil；　done　by　a　wandering　artist　and　still

preserved　as　a　receipt　for　his　unpaid　bill。　　Of　these　facts　Mrs。

Horncastle　knew　nothing；　she　was　evidently　preoccupied；　and　after

she　had　removed　her　outer　duster　and　entered　the　room；　she　glanced

at　the　clock　on　the　mantel…shelf　and　threw　herself　with　an　air　of

resigned　abstraction　in　an　armchair　in　the　corner。　　Her　traveling…

dress；　although　unostentatious；　was　tasteful　and　well…fitting；　a

slight　pallor　from　her　fatiguing　journey；　and；　perhaps；　from　some

absorbing　thought；　made　her　beauty　still　more　striking。　　She　gave

even　an　air　of　elegance　to　the　faded；　worn　adornments　of　the　room；

which　it　is　to　be　feared　it　never　possessed　in　Miss　Kitty's

occupancy。　　Again　she　glanced　at　the　clock。　　There　was　a　tap　at　the

door。



〃Come　in。〃



The　door　opened　to　a　Chinese　servant　bearing　a　piece　of　torn　paper

with　a　name　written　on　it　in　lieu　of　a　card。



Mrs。　Horncastle　took　it；　glanced　at　the　name；　and　handed　the　paper

back。



〃There　must　be　some　mistake；〃　she　said。　　〃it　do　not　know　Mr。

Steptoe。〃



〃No；　but　you　know　ME　all　the　same；〃　said　a　voice　from　the　doorway

as　a　man　entered；　coolly　took　the　Chinese　servant　by　the　elbows　and

thrust　him　into　the　passage；　closing　the　door　upon　him。　　〃Steptoe

and　Horncastle　are　the　same　man；　only　I　prefer　to　call　myself

Steptoe　HERE。　　And　I　see　YOU'RE　down　on　the　register　as　'Horncastle。'

Well；　it's　plucky　of　you；　and　it's　not　a　bad　name　to　keep；　you　might

be　thankful　that　I　have　always　left　it　to　you。　　And　if　I　call　myself

Steptoe　here　it's　a　good　blind　against　any　of　your　swell　friends

knowing　you　met　your　HUSBAND　here。〃



In