the three partners-第39章

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

smile；　〃Well　no！　she　WAS　to　return　to…day；　but　if　you're　wanting

to　keep　her　rooms；　I　should　say　there　wouldn't　be　any　trouble　about

it；　as　she'll　hardly　be　coming　back　here　NOW。　　She's　rather　high

and　mighty　in　style；　I　know；　and　a　determined　sort　of　critter；　but

I　reckon　she　and　her　daughter　wouldn't　care　much　to　be　waltzing

round　in　public　after　what　has　happened。〃



〃I　don't　understand　you；〃　said　Demorest　impatiently。　　〃WHAT　has

happened？〃



〃Haven't　you　heard　the　news？〃　said　the　manager　in　surprise。　　〃It's

in　all　the　Sacramento　papers。　　Van　Loo　is　a　defaulterhas

hypothecated　everything　he　had　and　skedaddled。〃



Barker　started。　　He　was　not　thinking　of　the　loss　of　his　wife's

moneyonly　of　HER　disappointment　and　mortification　over　it。　　Poor

girl！　　Perhaps　she　was　also　worrying　over　his　resentment；as　if

she　did　not　know　him！　　He　would　go　to　her　at　once　at　Boomville。

Then　he　remembered　that　she　was　coming　with　Mrs。　Horncastle；　and

might　be　already　on　her　way　here　by　rail　or　coach；　and　he　would

miss　her。　　Demorest　in　the　meantime　had　seized　a　paper；　and　was

intently　reading　it。



〃There's　bad　news；　too；　for　your　friend；　your　old　partner；〃　said

the　manager　half　sympathetically；　half　interrogatively。　　〃There　has

been　a　drop　out　in　everything　the　bank　is　carrying；　and　everybody

is　unloading。　　Two　firms　failed　in　'Frisco　yesterday　that　were

carrying　things　for　the　bank；　and　have　thrown　everything　back　on

it。　　There　was　an　awful　panic　last　night；　and　they　say　none　of　the

big　speculators　know　where　they　stand。　　Three　of　our　best　customers

in　the　hotel　rushed　off　to　the　bay　this　morning；　but　Stacy　himself

started　before　daylight；　and　got　the　through　night　express　to　stop

for　him　on　the　Divide　on　signal。　　Shall　I　send　any　telegrams　that

may　come　to　your　room？〃



Demorest　knew　that　the　manager　suspected　him　of　being　interested　in

the　bank；　and　understood　the　purport　of　the　question。　　He　answered；

with　calm　surprise；　that　he　was　expecting　no　telegrams；　and　added；

〃But　if　Mrs。　Van　Loo　returns　I　beg　you　to　at　once　let　me　know；〃　and

taking　Barker's　arm　he　went　in　to　breakfast。　　Seated　by　themselves；

Demorest　looked　at　his　companion。　　〃I'm　afraid；　Barker　boy；　that

this　thing　is　more　serious　to　Jim　than　we　expected　last　night；　or

than　he　cared　to　tell　us。　　And　you；　old　man；　I　fear　are　hurt　a

little　by　Van　Loo's　flight。　　He　had　some　money　of　your　wife's；

hadn't　he？〃



Barker；　who　knew　that　the　bulk　of　Demorest's　fortune　was　in　Stacy's

hands；　was　touched　at　this　proof　of　his　unselfish　thought；　and

answered　with　equal　unselfishness　that　he　was　concerned　only　by　the

fear　of　Mrs。　Barker's　disappointment。　　〃Why；　Lord！　Phil；　whether

she's　lost　or　saved　her　money　it's　nothing　to　me。　　I　gave　it　to　her

to　do　what　she　liked　with　it；　but　I'm　afraid　she'll　be　worrying

over　what　I　think　of　it；as　if　she　did　not　know　me！　　And　I'm　half

a　mind；　if　it　were　not　for　missing　her；　to　go　over　to　Boomville；

where　she's　stopping。〃



〃I　thought　you　said　she　was　in　San　Francisco？〃　said　Demorest

abstractedly。



Barker　colored。　　〃Yes；〃　he　answered　quickly。　　〃But　I've　heard　since

that　she　stopped　at　Boomville　on　the　way。〃



〃Then　don't　let　ME　keep　you　here；〃　returned　Demorest。　　〃For　if　Jim

telegraphs　to　me　I　shall　start　for　San　Francisco　at　once；　and　I

rather　think　he　will。　　I　did　not　like　to　say　so　before　those　panic…

mongers　outside　who　are　stampeding　everything；　so　run　along；　Barker

boy；　and　ease　your　mind　about　the　wife。　　We　may　have　other　things

to　think　about　soon。〃



Thus　adjured；　Barker　rose　from　his　half…finished　breakfast　and

slipped　away。　　Yet　he　was　not　quite　certain　what　to　do。　　His　wife

must　have　heard　the　news　at　Boomville　as　quickly　as　he　had；　and；　if

so；　would　be　on　her　way　with　Mrs。　Horncastle；　or　she　might　be

waiting　for　himknowing；　too；　that　he　had　heard　the　newsin　fear

and　trembling。　　For　it　was　Barker's　custom　to　endow　all　those　he

cared　for　with　his　own　sensitiveness；　and　it　was　not　like　him　to

reflect　that　the　woman　who　had　so　recklessly　speculated　against　his

opinion　would　scarcely　fear　his　reproaches　in　her　defeat。　　In　the

fullness　of　his　heart　he　telegraphed　to　her　in　case　she　had　not　yet

left　Boomville：　〃All　right。　　Have　heard　news。　　Understand　perfectly。

Don't　worry。　　Come　to　me。〃　　Then　he　left　the　hotel　by　the　stable

entrance　in　order　to　evade　the　guests　who　had　congregated　on　the

veranda；　and　made　his　way　to　a　little　wooded　crest　which　he　knew

commanded　a　view　of　the　two　roads　from　Boomville。　　Here　he

determined　to　wait　and　intercept　her　before　she　reached　the　hotel。

He　knew　that　many　of　the　guests　were　aware　of　his　wife's

speculations　with　Van　Loo；　and　that　he　was　her　broker。　　He　wished　to

spare　her　running　the　gauntlet　of　their　curious　stares　and　comments

as　she　drove　up　alone。　　As　he　was　climbing　the　slope　the　coach　from

Sacramento　dashed　past　him　on　the　road　below；　but　he　knew　that　it

had　changed　horses　at　Boomville　at　four　o'clock；　and　that　his　tired

wife　would　not　have　availed　herself　of　it　at　that　hour；　particularly

as　she　could　not　have　yet　received　the　fateful　news。　　He　threw

himself　under　a　large　pine；　and　watched　the　stagecoach　disappear　as

it　swept　round　into　the　courtyard　of　the　hotel。



He　sat　there　for　some　moments　with　his　eyes　bent　upon　the　two　forks

of　the　red　road　that　diverged　below　him；　but　which　appeared　to

become　whiter　and　more　dazzling　as　he　searched　their　distance。

There　was　nothing　to　be　seen　except　an　occasional　puff　of　dust

which　eventually　revealed　a　horseman　or　a　long　trailing　cloud　out

of　which　a　solitary　mule；　one　of　a　pack…train　of　six　or　eight；

would　momentarily　emerge　and　be　lost　again。　　Then　he　suddenly　heard

his　name　called；　and；　looking　up；　saw　Mrs。　Horncastle；　who　had

halted　a　few　paces　from　him　between　two　columns　of　the　long…drawn

aisle　of　pines。



In　that　mysterious　half…light　she　seemed　such　a　beautiful　and

goddess…like　figure　that　his　consciousness　at　first　was　unable　to

grasp　anything　else。　　She　was　always　wonderfully　well　dressed；　but

the　warmth　and　seclusion　of　this　mountain　morning　had　enabled　her

to　wear　a　light　gown　of　some　delicate　fabric　which　set　off　the

grace　of　her　figure；　and　even　pardoned　the　rural　coquetry　of　a

silken　sash　around　her　still　slender　waist。　　An　open　white　parasol

thrown　over　her　shoulder　made　a　nimbus　for　her　charming　head　and

the　thick　coils　of　hair　under　her　lace…edged　hat。　　He　had　never

seen　her　look　so　beautiful　before。　　And　that　thought　was　so　plainly

in　his　frank　face　and　eyes　as　he　sprang　to　his　feet　that　it　brought

a　slight　rise　of　color　to　her　own　cheek。



〃I　saw　you　climbing　up　here　as　I　passed　in　the　coach　a　few　minutes

ago；〃　she　said；　with　a　smile；　〃and　as　soon　as　I　had　shaken　the　dust

off　I　followed　you。〃



〃Where's　Kitty？〃　he　stammered。



The　color　faded　from　her　face　as　it　had　come；　and　a　shade　of

something　like　reproach　crept　into　her　dark　eyes。　　And　whatever　it

had　been　her　purpose　to　say；　or　however　carefully　she　might　have

prepared　herself　for　this　interview；　she　was　evidently　taken　aback

by　the　sudden　directness　of　the　inquiry。　　Barker　saw　this　as

quickly；　and　as　quickly　referred　it　to　his　own　rudeness。　　His　whole

soul　rushed　in　apology　to　his　face　as　he　said；　〃Oh；　forgive　me！　　I

was　anxious　about　Kitty；　indeed；　I　had　thought　of　coming　again　to

Boomville；　for　you've　heard　the　news；　of　course？　　Van　Loo　is　a

defaulter；　and　has　run　away　with　the　poor　child's　money。〃



Mrs。　Horncastle　had　heard　the　news　at　the　hotel。　　She　paused　a

moment　to　collect　herself；　and　then　said　slowly　and　tentatively；

with　a　watchful　intensity　in　her　eyes；　〃Mrs。　Barker　went；　I　think；

to　the　Divide〃



But　she　was　instantly　interrupted　by　the　eager　Barker。　　〃I　see。　　I

thought　of　that　at　once。　　She　went　directly　to　the　company's

offices　to　see　if　she　could　save　anything　from　the　wreck　before　she

saw　me。　　It　was