the three partners-第32章

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players。　　Even　in　fighting　Jack　was　fastidious；　and　did　not　like　to

have　his　stomach　for　a　real　difficulty　distended　and　vitiated　by

small　preliminary　indulgences。



He　was　just　emerging　from　the　wood　into　the　highroad　when　a　buggy

dashed　past　him；　containing　a　man　and　a　woman。　　The　woman　wore　a

thick　veil；　the　man　was　almost　undistinguishable　from　dust。　　The

glimpse　was　momentary；　but　dislike　has　a　keen　eye；　and　in　that

glimpse　Mr。　Hamlin　recognized　Van　Loo。　　The　situation　was　equally

clear。　　The　bent　heads　and　averted　faces；　the　dust　collected　in　the

heedlessness　of　haste；　the　early　hour；indicating　a　night…long

flight；all　made　it　plain　to　him　that　Van　Loo　was　running　away

with　some　woman。　　Mr。　Hamlin　had　no　moral　scruples；　but　he　had　the

ethics　of　a　sportsman；　which　he　knew　Mr。　Van　Loo　was　not。　　Whether

the　woman　was　an　innocent　schoolgirl　or　an　actress；　he　was

satisfied　that　Van　Loo　was　doing　a　mean　thing　meanly。　　Mr。　Hamlin

also　had　a　taste　for　mischief；　and　whether　the　woman　was　or　was　not

fair　game；　he　knew　that　for　HIS　purposes　Van　Loo　was。　　With　the

greatest　cheerfulness　in　the　world　he　wheeled　his　horse　and

cantered　after　them。



They　were　evidently　making　for　the　Divide　and　a　fresh　horse；　or　to

take　the　coach　due　an　hour　later。　　It　was　Mr。　Hamlin's　present

object　to　circumvent　this；　and；　therefore；　it　was　quite　in　his　way

to　return。　　Incidentally；　however；　the　superior　speed　of　his　horse

gave　him　the　opportunity　of　frequently　lunging　towards　them　at　a

furious　pace；　which　had　the　effect　of　frantically　increasing　their

own　speed；　when　he　would　pull　up　with　a　silent　laugh　before　he　was

fairly　discovered；　and　allow　the　sound　of　his　rapid　horse's　hoofs

to　die　out。　　In　this　way　he　amused　himself　until　the　straggling

town　of　the　Divide　came　in　sight；　when；　putting　his　spurs　to　his

horse　again；　he　managed；　under　pretense　of　the　animal　becoming

ungovernable；　to　twice　〃cross　the　bows〃　of　the　fugitives；

compelling　them　to　slacken　speed。　　At　the　second　of　these　passages

Van　Loo　apparently　lost　prudence；　and　slashing　out　with　his　whip；

the　lash　caught　slightly　on　the　counter　of　Hamlin's　horse。　　Mr。

Hamlin　instantly　acknowledged　it　by　lifting　his　hat　gravely；　and

speeded　on　to　the　hotel；　arriving　at　the　steps　and　throwing　himself

from　the　saddle　exactly　as　the　buggy　drove　up。　　With　characteristic

audacity；　he　actually　assisted　the　frightened　and　eager　woman　to

alight　and　run　into　the　hotel。　　But　in　this　action　her　veil　was

accidentally　lifted。　　Mr。　Hamlin　instantly　recognized　the　pretty

woman　who　had　been　pointed　out　to　him　in　San　Francisco　as　Mrs。

Barker；　the　wife　of　one　of　the　partners　whose　fortunes　had

interested　him　five　years　ago。　　It　struck　him　that　this　was　an

additional　reason　for　his　interference　on　Barker's　account；

although　personally　he　could　not　conceive　why　a　man　should　ever　try

to　prevent　a　woman　from　running　away　from　him。　　But　then　Mr。

Hamlin's　personal　experiences　had　been　quite　the　other　way。



It　was　enough；　however；　to　cause　him　to　lay　his　hand　lightly　on　Van

Loo's　arm　as　the　latter；　leaping　down；　was　about　to　follow　Mrs。

Barker　into　the　hotel。　　〃You'll　have　time　enough　now；〃　said　Hamlin。



〃Time　for　what？〃　said　Van　Loo　savagely。



〃Time　to　apologize　for　having　cut　my　horse　with　your　whip；〃　said

Jack　sweetly。　　〃We　don't　want　to　quarrel　before　a　woman。〃



〃I've　no　time　for　fooling！〃　said　Van　Loo；　endeavoring　to　pass。



But　Jack's　hand　had　slipped　to　Van　Loo's　wrist；　although　he　still

smiled　cheerfully。　　〃Ah！　　Then　you　DID　mean　it；　and　you　propose　to

give　me　satisfaction？〃



Van　Loo　paled　slightly；　he　knew　Jack's　reputation　as　a　duelist。

But　he　was　desperate。　　〃You　see　my　position；〃　he　said　hurriedly。

〃I'm　in　a　hurry；　I　have　a　lady　with　me。　　No　man　of　honor〃



〃You　do　me　wrong；〃　interrupted　Jack；　with　a　pained　expression；

〃you　do；　indeed。　　You　are　in　a　hurrywell；　I　have　plenty　of　time。

If　you　cannot　attend　to　me　now；　why　I　will　be　glad　to　accompany　you

and　the　lady　to　the　next　station。　　Of　course；〃　he　added；　with　a

smile；　〃at　a　proper　distance；　and　without　interfering　with　the

lady；　whom　I　am　pleased　to　recognize　as　the　wife　of　an　old　friend。

It　would　be　more　sociable；　perhaps；　if　we　had　some　general

conversation　on　the　road；　it　would　prevent　her　being　alarmed。　　I

might　even　be　of　some　use　to　YOU。　　If　we　are　overtaken　by　her

husband　on　the　road；　for　instance；　I　should　certainly　claim　the

right　to　have　the　first　shot　at　you。　　Boy！〃　he　called　to　the

hostler；　〃just　sponge　out　Pancho's　mouth；　will　you；　to　be　ready

when　the　buggy　goes？〃　　And；　loosening　his　grip　of　Van　Loo's　wrist；

he　turned　away　as　the　other　quickly　entered　the　hotel。



But　Mr。　Van　Loo　did　not　immediately　seek　Mrs。　Barker。　　He　had

already　some　experience　of　that　lady's　nerves　and　irascibility　on

the　drive；　and　had　begun　to　see　his　error　in　taking　so　dangerous　an

impediment　to　his　flight　from　the　country。　　And　another　idea　had

come　to　him。　　He　had　already　effected　his　purpose　of　compromising

her　with　him　in　that　flight；　but　it　was　still　known　only　to　few。

If　he　left　her　behind　for　the　foolish；　doting　husband；　would　not

that　devoted　man　take　her　back　to　avoid　a　scandal；　and　even　forbear

to　pursue　HIM　for　his　financial　irregularities？　　What　were　twenty

thousand　dollars　of　Mrs。　Barker's　money　to　the　scandal　of　Mrs。

Barker's　elopement？　　Again；　the　failure　to　realize　the　forgery　had

left　him　safe；　and　Barker　was　sufficiently　potent　with　the　bank　and

Demorest　to　hush　up　that　also。　　Hamlin　was　now　the　only　obstacle　to

his　flight；　but　even　he　would　scarcely　pursue　HIM　if　Mrs。　Barker

were　left　behind。　　And　it　would　be　easier　to　elude　him　if　he　did。



In　his　preoccupation　Van　Loo　did　not　see　that　he　had　entered　the

bar…room；　but；　finding　himself　there；　he　moved　towards　the　bar；　a

glass　of　spirits　would　revive　him。　　As　he　drank　it　he　saw　that　the

room　was　full　of　rough　men；　apparently　miners　or　packerssome　of

them　Mexican；　with　here　and　there　a　Kanaka　or　Australian。　　Two　men

more　ostentatiously　clad；　though　apparently　on　equal　terms　with　the

others；　were　standing　in　the　corner　with　their　backs　towards　him。

From　the　general　silence　as　he　entered　he　imagined　that　he　had　been

the　subject　of　conversation；　and　that　his　altercation　with　Hamlin

had　been　overheard。　　Suddenly　one　of　the　two　men　turned　and

approached　him。　　To　his　consternation　he　recognized　Steptoe；

Steptoe；　whom　he　had　not　seen　for　five　years　until　last　night；　when

he　had　avoided　him　in　the　courtyard　of　the　Boomville　Hotel。　　His

first　instinct　was　to　retreat；　but　it　was　too　late。　　And　the

spirits　had　warmed　him　into　temporary　recklessness。



〃You　ain't　goin'　to　be　backed　down　by　a　short…card　gambler；　are

yer？〃　said　Steptoe；　with　coarse　familiarity。



〃I　have　a　lady　with　me；　and　am　pressed　for　time；〃　said　Van　Loo

quickly。　　〃He　knows　it；　otherwise　he　would　not　have　dared〃



〃Well；　look　here；〃　said　Steptoe　roughly。　　〃I　ain't　particularly

sweet　on　you；　as　you　know；　but　I　and　these　gentlemen；〃　he　added；

glancing　around　the　room；　〃ain't　particularly　sweet　on　Mr。　Jack

Hamlin　neither；　and　we　kalkilate　to　stand　by　you　if　you　say　so。

Now；　I　reckon　you　want　to　get　away　with　the　woman；　and　the　quicker

the　better；　as　you're　afraid　there'll　be　somebody　after　you　afore

long。　　That's　the　way　it　pans　out；　don't　it？　　Well；　when　you're

ready　to　go；　and　you　just　tip　us　the　wink；　we'll　get　in　a　circle

round　Jack　and　cover　him；　and　if　he　starts　after　you　we'll　send　him

on　a　little　longer　journey！eh；　boys？〃



The　men　muttered　their　approval；　and　one　or　two　drew　their

revolvers　from　their　belts。　　Van　Loo's　heart；　which　had　leaped　at

first　at　this　proposal　of　help；　sank　at　this　failure　of　his　little

plan　of　abandoning　Mrs。　Barker。　　He　hesitated；　and　then　stammered；

〃Thank　you！　　Haste　is　everything　with　us　now；　but　I　shouldn't　mind

leaving　the　lady　among　CHIVALROUS　GENTLEMEN　like　yourselves　for　a

few　hours　only；　until　I　could　communicate　wi