the three partners-第25章

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The　sophistry　pleased　Barker；　even　though　it　put　him　into　a　certain

retaliating　attitude　towards　his　wife　which　he　was　not　aware　of

feeling。　　But；　as　Mrs。　Horncastle　put　it；　it　was　only　a　playful

attitude。



〃Certainly；〃　he　said。　　〃Don't　say　anything　about　it。〃



He　moved　to　the　door　with　his　soft；　broad…brimmed　hat　swinging

between　his　fingers。　　She　noticed　for　the　first　time　that　he　looked

taller　in　his　long　black　serape　and　riding…boots；　and；　oddly

enough；　much　more　like　the　hero　of　an　amorous　tryst　than　Van　Loo。

〃I　know；〃　she　said　brightly；　〃you　are　eager　to　get　back　to　your　old

friend；　and　it　would　be　selfish　for　me　to　try　to　keep　you　longer。

You　have　had　a　stupid　evening；　but　you　have　made　it　pleasant　to　me

by　telling　me　what　you　thought　of　me。　　And　before　you　go　I　want　you

to　believe　that　I　shall　try　to　keep　that　good　opinion。〃　　She　spoke

frankly　in　contrast　to　the　slight　worldly　constraint　of　Barker's

manner；　it　seemed　as　if　they　had　changed　characters。　　And　then　she

extended　her　hand。



With　a　low　bow；　and　without　looking　up；　he　took　it。　　Again　their

pulses　seemed　to　leap　together　with　one　accord　and　the　same

mysterious　understanding。　　He　could　not　tell　if　he　had　unconsciously

pressed　her　hand　or　if　she　had　returned　the　pressure。　But　when　their

hands　unclasped　it　seemed　as　if　it　were　the　division　of　one　flesh

and　spirit。



She　remained　standing　by　the　open　door　until　his　footsteps　passed

down　the　staircase。　　Then　she　suddenly　closed　and　locked　the　door

with　an　instinct　that　Mrs。　Barker　might　at　once　return　now　that　he

was　gone；　and　she　wished　to　be　a　moment　alone　to　recover　herself。

But　she　presently　opened　it　again　and　listened。　　There　was　a　noise

in　the　courtyard；　but　it　sounded　like　the　rattle　of　wheels　more

than　the　clatter　of　a　horseman。　　Then　she　was　overcomea　sudden

sense　of　pity　for　the　unfortunate　woman　still　hiding　from　her

husbandand　felt　a　momentary　chivalrous　exaltation　of　spirit。

Certainly　she　had　done　〃good〃　to　that　wretched　〃Kitty；〃　perhaps　she

had　earned　the　epithet　that　Barker　had　applied　to　her。　　Perhaps

that　was　the　meaning　of　all　this　happiness　to　her；　and　the　result

was　to　be　only　the　happiness　and　reconciliation　of　the　wife　and

husband。　　This　was　to　be　her　reward。　　I　grieve　to　say　that　the

tears　had　come　into　her　beautiful　eyes　at　this　satisfactory

conclusion；　but　she　dashed　them　away　and　ran　out　into　the　hall。　　It

was　quite　dark；　but　there　was　a　faint　glimmer　on　the　opposite　wall

as　if　the　door　of　Mrs。　Barker's　bedroom　were　ajar　to　an　eager

listener。　　She　flew　towards　the　glimmer；　and　pushed　the　door　open：

the　room　was　empty。　　Empty　of　Mrs。　Barker；　empty　of　her　dressing…

box；　her　reticule　and　shawl。　　She　was　gone。



Still；　Mrs。　Horncastle　lingered；　the　woman　might　have　got　frightened

and　retreated　to　some　further　room　at　the　opening　of　the　door　and

the　coming　out　of　her　husband。　　She　walked　along　the　passage；

calling　her　name　softly。　　She　even　penetrated　the　dreary；　half…lit

public　parlor；　expecting　to　find　her　crouching　there。　　Then　a　sudden

wild　idea　took　possession　of　her：　the　miserable　wife　had　repented　of

her　act　and　of　her　concealment；　and　had　crept　downstairs　to　await

her　husband　in　the　office。　　She　had　told　him　some　new　lie；　had

begged　him　to　take　her　with　him；　and　Barker；　of　course；　had

assented。　　Yes；　she　now　knew　why　she　had　heard　the　rattling　wheels

instead　of　the　clattering　hoofs　she　had　listened　for。　　They　had　gone

together；　as　he　first　proposed；　in　the　buggy。



She　ran　swiftly　down　the　stairs　and　entered　the　office。　　The

overworked　clerk　was　busy　and　querulously　curt。　　These　women　were

always　asking　such　idiotic　questions。　　Yes；　Mr。　Barker　had　just

gone。



〃With　Mrs。　Barker　in　the　buggy？〃　asked　Mrs。　Horncastle。



〃No；　as　he　cameon　horseback。　　Mrs。　Barker　left　HALF　AN　HOUR　AGO。〃



〃Alone？〃



This　was　apparently　too　much　for　the　long…suffering　clerk。　　He

lifted　his　eyes　to　the　ceiling；　and　then；　with　painful　precision；

and　accenting　every　word　with　his　pencil　on　the　desk　before　him；

said　deliberately；　〃Mrs。　George　Barkerleftherewith　her

escorttheman　shewasalwaysaskingforinthebuggyat

exactly9。35。〃　　And　he　plunged　into　his　work　again。



Mrs。　Horncastle　turned；　ran　up　the　staircase；　re…entered　the

sitting…room；　and　slamming　the　door　behind　her；　halted　in　the

centre　of　the　room；　panting；　erect；　beautiful；　and　menacing。　　And

she　was　alone　in　this　empty　roomthis　deserted　hotel。　　From　this

very　room　her　husband　had　left　her　with　a　brutality　on　his　lips。

From　this　room　the　fool　and　liar　she　had　tried　to　warn　had　gone　to

her　ruin　with　a　swindling　hypocrite。　　And　from　this　room　the　only

man　in　the　world　she　ever　cared　for　had　gone　forth　bewildered；

wronged；　and　abused；　and　she　knew　now　she　could　have　kept　and

comforted　him。





CHAPTER　IV。





When　Philip　Demorest　left　the　stagecoach　at　the　cross…roads　he

turned　into　the　only　wayside　house；　the　blacksmith's　shop；　and；

declaring　his　intention　of　walking　over　to　Hymettus；　asked

permission　to　leave　his　hand…bag　and　wraps　until　they　could　be　sent

after　him。　　The　blacksmith　was　surprised　that　this　〃likely

mannered；〃　distinguished…looking　〃city　man〃　should　WALK　eight　miles

when　he　could　ride；　and　tried　to　dissuade　him；　offering　his　own

buggy。　　But　he　was　still　more　surprised　when　Demorest；　laying　aside

his　duster；　took　off　his　coat；　and；　slinging　it　on　his　arm；

prepared　to　set　forth　with　the　good…humored　assurance　that　he　would

do　the　distance　in　a　couple　of　hours　and　get　in　in　time　for　supper。

〃I　wouldn't　be　too　sure　of　that；〃　said　the　blacksmith　grimly；　〃or

even　of　getting　a　room。　　They're　a　stuck…up　lot　over　there；　and

they　ain't　goin'　to　hump　themselves　over　a　chap　who　comes　traipsin'

along　the　road　like　any　tramp；　with　nary　baggage。〃　　But　Demorest

laughingly　accepted　the　risk；　and　taking　his　stout　stick　in　one

hand；　pressed　a　gold　coin　into　the　blacksmith's　palm；　which　was；

however；　declined　with　such　reddening　promptness　that　Demorest　as

promptly　reddened　and　apologized。　　The　habits　of　European　travel

had　been　still　strong　on　him；　and　he　felt　a　slight　patriotic　thrill

as　he　said；　with　a　grave　smile；　〃Thank　you；　then；　and　thank　you

still　more　for　reminding　me　that　I　am　among　my　own　'people；'〃　and

stepped　lightly　out　into　the　road。



The　air　was　still　deliciously　cool；　but　warmer　currents　from　the

heated　pines　began　to　alternate　with　the　wind　from　the　summit。　　He

found　himself　sometimes　walking　through　a　stratum　of　hot　air　which

seemed　to　exhale　from　the　wood　itself；　while　his　head　and　breast

were　swept　by　the　mountain　breeze。　　He　felt　the　old　intoxication　of

the　balmy…scented　air　again；　and　the　five　years　of　care　and

hopelessness　laid　upon　his　shoulders　since　he　had　last　breathed　its

fragrance　slipped　from　them　like　a　burden。　　There　had　been　but

little　change　here；　perhaps　the　road　was　wider　and　the　dust　lay

thicker；　but　the　great　pines　still　mounted　in　serried　ranks　on　the

slopes　as　before；　with　no　gaps　in　their　unending　files。　　Here　was

the　spot　where　the　stagecoach　had　passed　them　that　eventful　morning

when　they　were　coming　out　of　their　camp…life　into　the　world　of

civilization；　a　little　further　back；　the　spot　where　Jack　Hamlin　had

forced　upon　him　that　grim　memento　of　the　attempted　robbery　of　their

cabin；　which　he　had　kept　ever　since。　　He　half　smiled　again　at　the

superstitious　interest　that　had　made　him　keep　it；　with　the

intention　of　some　day　returning　to　bury　it；　with　all　recollections

of　the　deed；　under　the　site　of　the　old　cabin。　　As　he　went　on　in　the

vivifying　influence　of　the　air　and　scene；　new　life　seemed　to　course

through　his　veins；　his　step　seemed　to　grow　as　elastic　as　in　the　old

days　of　their　bitter　but　hopeful　struggle　for　fortune；　when　he　had

gayly　returned　from　his　weekly　tramp　to　Boomville　laden　with　the

scant　provision　procured　by　their　scant　earnings　and　dying　credit。

Those　were　the　days　when　HER　living　image　still　inspired