the three partners-第38章

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Digger　Injin；　and　having　a　Digger　squaw　for　a　wife；　which　he　liked

better　than　her。　　Lord！　dad；　you　ought　to　have　seen　what　stuff　I

made　up。〃　　The　boy　burst　into　a　shrill；　half…feminine　laugh；　and

Steptoe；　catching　the　infection；　laughed　loudly　in　his　own　coarse；

brutal　fashion。



For　some　moments　they　sat　there　looking　in　each　other's　faces；

shaking　with　sympathetic　emotion；　the　father　forgetting　the　purpose

of　his　coming　there；　his　rage　over　Van　Loo's　visit；　and　even　the

rendezvous　to　which　his　horse　in　the　road　below　was　waiting　to

bring　him；　the　son　forgetting　their　retreat　from　Heavy　Tree　Hill

and　his　shameful　vagabond　wanderings　with　that　father　in　the　years

that　followed。　　The　sinking　sun　stared　blankly　in　their　faces；　the

protecting　pines　above　them　moved　by　a　stronger　gust　shook　a　few

cones　upon　them；　an　enormous　crow　mockingly　repeated　the　father's

coarse　laugh；　and　a　squirrel　scampered　away　from　the　strangely

assorted　pair　as　Steptoe；　wiping　his　eyes　and　forehead　with　his

pocket…handkerchief；　said：



〃And　did　you　send　it？〃



〃Oh！　Van　Loo　thought　it　too　strong。　　Said　that　those　sort　of　love…

sick　fools　made　more　fuss　over　little　things　than　they　did　over　big

things；　and　he　sort　of　toned　it　down；　and　fixed　it　up　himself。　　But

it　told。　　For　there　were　never　any　more　letters　in　the　post…office

in　her　handwriting；　and　there　wasn't　any　posted　to　her　in　his。〃



They　both　laughed　again；　and　then　Steptoe　rose。　　〃I　must　be　getting

along；〃　he　said；　looking　curiously　at　the　boy。　　〃I've　got　to　catch

a　train　at　Three　Boulders　Station。〃



〃Three　Boulders！〃　repeated　the　boy。　　〃I'm　going　there；　too；　on

Friday；　to　meet　Father　Cipriano。〃



〃I　reckon　my　work　will　be　all　done　by　Friday；〃　said　Steptoe

musingly。　　Standing　thus；　holding　his　boy's　hand；　he　was　thinking

that　the　real　fight　at　Marshall's　would　not　take　place　at　once；　for

it　might　take　a　day　or　two　for　Marshall　to　gather　forces。　　But　he

only　pressed　his　son's　hand　gently。



〃I　wish　you　would　sometimes　take　me　with　you　as　you　used　to；〃　said

the　boy　curiously。　　〃I'm　bigger　now；　and　wouldn't　be　in　your　way。



Steptoe　looked　at　the　boy　with　a　choking　sense　of　satisfaction　and

pride。　　But　he　said；　〃No；〃　and　then　suddenly　with　simulated　humor；

〃Don't　you　be　taken　in　by　any　letters　from　ME；　such　as　you　and　Van

Loo　used　to　write。　　You　hear？〃



The　boy　laughed。



〃And；〃　continued　Steptoe；　〃if　anybody　says　I　sent　for　you；　don't

you　believe　them。〃



〃No；〃　said　the　boy；　smiling。



〃And　don't　you　even　believe　I'm　dead　till　you　see　me　so。　　You

understand。　　By　the　way；　Father　Pedro　has　some　money　of　mine　kept

for　you。　　Now　hurry　back　to　school　and　say　you　met　me；　but　that　I

was　in　a　great　hurry。　　I　reckon　I　may　have　been　rather　rough　to　the

priests。〃



They　had　reached　the　lower　road　again；　and　Steptoe　silently

unhitched　his　horse。　　〃Good…by；〃　he　said；　as　he　laid　his　hand　on

the　boy's　arm。



〃Good…by；　dad。〃



He　mounted　his　horse　slowly。　　〃Well；〃　he　said　smilingly；　looking

down　the　road；　〃you　ain't　got　anything　more　to　say　to　me；　have

you？〃



〃No；　dad。〃



〃Nothin'　you　want？〃



〃Nothin'；　dad。〃



〃All　right。　　Good…by。〃



He　put　spurs　to　his　horse　and　cantered　down　the　road　without

looking　back。　　The　boy　watched　him　with　idle　curiosity　until　he

disappeared　from　sight；　and　then　went　on　his　way；　whistling　and

striking　off　the　heads　of　the　wayside　weeds　with　his　walking…stick。





CHAPTER　VII。





The　sun　arose　so　brightly　over　Hymettus　on　the　morning　after　the

meeting　of　the　three　partners　that　it　was　small　wonder　that

Barker's　impressionable　nature　quickly　responded　to　it；　and；

without　awakening　the　still　sleeping　child；　he　dressed　hurriedly；

and　was　the　first　to　greet　it　in　the　keen　air　of　the　slope　behind

the　hotel。　　To　his　pantheistic　spirit　it　had　always　seemed　as

natural　for　him　to　early　welcome　his　returning　brothers　of　the

woods　and　hills　as　to　say　good…morning　to　his　fellow　mortals。　　And；

in　the　joy　of　seeing　Black　Spur　rising　again　to　his　level　in　the

distance　before　him；　he　doffed　his　hat　to　it　with　a　return　of　his

old　boyish　habit；　laid　his　arm　caressingly　around　the　great　girth

of　the　nearest　pine；　clapped　his　hands　to　the　scampering　squirrels

in　his　path；　and　whistled　to　the　dipping　jays。　　In　this　way　he

quite　forgot　the　more　serious　affairs　of　the　preceding　night；　or；

rather；　saw　them　only　in　the　gilding　of　the　morning；　until；　looking

up；　he　perceived　the　tall　figure　of　Demorest　approaching　him；　and

then　it　struck　him　with　his　first　glance　at　his　old　partner's　face

that　his　usual　suave；　gentle　melancholy　had　been　succeeded　by　a

critical　cynicism　of　look　and　a　restrained　bitterness　of　accent。

Barker's　loyal　heart　smote　him　for　his　own　selfishness；　Demorest

had　been　hard　hit　by　the　discovery　of　the　forgery　and　Stacy's

concern　in　it；　and　had　doubtless　passed　a　restless　night；　while　he

（Barker）　had　forgotten　all　about　it。　　〃I　thought　of　knocking　at

your　door；　as　I　passed；〃　he　said；　with　sympathetic　apology；　〃but　I

was　afraid　I　might　disturb　you。　　Isn't　it　glorious　here？　　Quite

like　the　old　hill。　　Look　at　that　lizard；　he　hasn't　moved　since　he

first　saw　me。　　Do　you　remember　the　one　who　used　to　steal　our　sugar；

and　then　stiffen　himself　into　stone　on　the　edge　of　the　bowl　until

he　looked　like　an　ornamental　handle　to　it？〃　he　continued；

rebounding　again　into　spirits。



〃Barker；〃　said　Demorest　abruptly；　〃what　sort　of　woman　is　this　Mrs。

Van　Loo；　whose　rooms　I　occupy？〃



〃Oh；〃　said　Barker；　with　optimistic　innocence；　〃a　most　proper　woman；

old　chap。　　White…haired；　well…dressed；　with　a　little　foreign　accent

and　a　still　more　foreign　courtesy。　　Why；　you　don't　suppose　we'd〃



〃But　what　is　she　like？〃　said　Demorest　impatiently。



〃Well；〃　said　Barker　thoughtfully；　〃she's　the　kind　of　woman　who

might　be　Van　Loo's　mother；　I　suppose。〃



〃You　mean　the　mother　of　a　forger　and　a　swindler？〃　asked　Demorest

sharply。



〃There　are　no　mothers　of　swindlers　and　forgers；〃　said　Barker

gravely；　〃in　the　way　you　mean。　　It's　only　those　poor　devils；〃　he

said；　pointing；　nevertheless；　with　a　certain　admiration　to　a

circling　sparrow…hawk　above　him；　〃who　have　inherited　instincts。

What　I　mean　is　that　she　might　be　Van　Loo's　mother；　because　he

didn't　SELECT　her。〃



〃Where　did　she　come　from？　and　how　long　has　she　been　here？〃　asked

Demorest。



〃She　came　from　abroad；　I　believe。　　And　she　came　here　just　after　you

left。　　Van　Loo；　after　he　became　secretary　of　the　Ditch　Company；

sent　for　her　and　her　daughter　to　keep　house　for　him。　　But　you'll

see　her　to…day　or　to…morrow　probably；　when　she　returns。　　I'll

introduce　you；　she'll　be　rather　glad　to　meet　some　one　from　abroad；

and　all　the　more　if　he　happens　to　be　rich　and　distinguished；　and

eligible　for　her　daughter。〃　　He　stopped　suddenly　in　his　smile；

remembering　Demorest's　lifelong　secret。　　But　to　his　surprise　his

companion's　face；　instead　of　darkening　as　it　was　wont　to　do　at　any

such　allusion；　brightened　suddenly　with　a　singular　excitement　as　he

answered　dryly；　〃Ah　well；　if　the　girl　is　pretty；　who　knows！〃



Indeed；　his　spirits　seemed　to　have　returned　with　strange　vivacity

as　they　walked　back　to　the　hotel；　and　he　asked　many　other　questions

regarding　Mrs。　Van　Loo　and　her　daughter；　and　particularly　if　the

daughter　had　also　been　abroad。　　When　they　reached　the　veranda　they

found　a　few　early　risers　eagerly　reading　the　Sacramento　papers；

which　had　just　arrived；　or；　in　little　knots；　discussing　the　news。

Indeed；　they　would　probably　have　stopped　Barker　and　his　companion

had　not　Barker；　anxious　to　relieve　his　friend's　curiosity；　hurried

with　him　at　once　to　the　manager's　office。



〃Can　you　tell　me　exactly　when　you　expect　Mrs。　Van　Loo　to　return？〃

asked　Barker　quickly。



The　manager　with　difficulty　detached　himself　from　the　newspaper

which　he；　too；　was　anxiously　perusing；　and　said；　with　a　peculiar

smile；　〃Well　no！　she　WAS　to　return　to…day；　but　if　y