the three partners-第42章

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Perhaps；〃　she　went　on　distractedly；　〃you　love　her　the　more　that　you

have　lost　her。　　It　is　the　way　of　menand　women。〃



〃If　I　had　loved　her　truly；〃　said　Barker；　lifting　his　frank　eyes　to

hers；　〃I　could　not　have　touched　YOUR　lips。　　I　could　not　even　have

wished　toas　I　did　three　years　agoas　I　did　last　night。　　Then　I

feared　it　was　my　weakness；　now　I　know　it　was　my　love。　　I　have

thought　of　it　ever　since；　even　while　waiting　my　wife's　return　here；

knowing　that　I　did　not　and　never　could　have　loved　her。　　But　for

that　very　reason　I　must　try　to　save　her　for　her　own　sake；　if　I

cannot　save　her　for　mine；　and　if　I　fail；　dearest；　it　shall　not　be

said　that　we　climbed　to　happiness　over　her　back　bent　with　the

burden　of　her　shame。　　If　I　loved　you　and　told　you　so；　thinking　her

still　guiltless　and　innocent；　how　could　I　profit　now　by　her　fault？〃



Mrs。　Horncastle　saw　too　late　her　mistake。　　〃Then　you　would　take　her

back？〃　she　said　frenziedly。



〃To　my　homewhich　is　hersyes。　　To　my　heartno。　　She　never　was

there。〃



〃And　I；〃　said　Mrs。　Horncastle；　with　a　quivering　lip；〃where　do　I

go　when　you　have　settled　this？　　Back　to　my　past　again？　　Back　to　my

husbandless；　childless　life？〃



She　was　turning　away；　but　Barker　caught　her　in　his　arms　again。

〃No！〃　he　said；　his　whole　face　suddenly　radiating　with　hope　and

youthful　enthusiasm。　　〃No！　　Kitty　will　help　us；　we　will　tell　her

all。　　You　do　not　know　her；　dearest；　as　I　dohow　good　and　kind　she

is；　in　spite　of　all。　　We　will　appeal　to　her；　she　will　devise　some

means　by　which；　without　the　scandal　of　a　divorce；　she　and　I　may　be

separated。　　She　will　take　dear　little　Sta　with　herit　is　only

right；　poor　girl；　but　she　will　let　me　come　and　see　him。　　She　will

be　a　sister　to　us；　dearest。　　Courage！　　All　will　come　right　yet。

Trust　to　me。〃



An　hysterical　laugh　came　to　Mrs。　Horncastle's　lips　and　then

stopped。　　For　as　she　looked　up　at　him　in　his　supreme　hopefulness；

his　divine　confidence　in　himself　and　othersat　his　handsome　face

beaming　with　love　and　happiness；　and　his　clear　gray　eyes　glittering

with　an　almost　spiritual　prescienceshe；　woman　of　the　world　and

bitter　experience；　and　perfectly　cognizant　of　her　own　and　Kitty's

possibilities；　was；　nevertheless；　completely　carried　away　by　her

lover's　optimism。　　For　of　all　optimism　that　of　love　is　the　most

convincing。　　Dear　boy！for　he　was　but　a　boy　in　experienceonly

his　love　for　her　could　work　this　magic。　　So　she　gave　him　kiss　for

kiss；　largely　believing；　largely　hoping；　that　Mrs。　Barker　was　in

love　with　Van　Loo　and　would　NOT　return。　　And　in　this　hope　an

invincible　belief　in　the　folly　of　her　own　sex　soothed　and　sustained

her。



〃We　must　go　now；　dearest；〃　said　Barker；　pointing　to　the　sun　already

near　the　meridian。　　Three　hours　had　fled；　they　knew　not　how。　　〃I

will　bring　you　back　to　the　hill　again；　but　there　we　had　better

separate；　you　taking　your　way　alone　to　the　hotel　as　you　came；　and　I

will　go　a　little　way　on　the　road　to　the　Divide　and　return　later。

Keep　your　own　counsel　about　Kitty　for　her　sake　and　ours；　perhaps　no

one　else　may　know　the　truth　yet。〃　　With　a　farewell　kiss　they

plunged　again　hand　in　hand　through　the　cool　bracken　and　again

through　the　hot　manzanita　bushes；　and　so　parted　on　the　hilltop；　as

they　had　never　parted　before；　leaving　their　whole　world　behind

them。



Barker　walked　slowly　along　the　road　under　the　flickering　shade　of

wayside　sycamore；　his　sensitive　face　also　alternating　with　his

thought　in　lights　and　shadows。　　Presently　there　crept　towards　him

out　of　the　distance　a　halting；　vacillating；　deviating　buggy；

trailing　a　cloud　of　dust　after　it　like　a　broken　wing。　　As　it　came

nearer　he　could　see　that　the　horse　was　spent　and　exhausted；　and

that　the　buggy's　sole　occupanta　womanwas　equally　exhausted　in

her　monotonous　attempt　to　urge　it　forward　with　whip　and　reins　that

rose　and　fell　at　intervals　with　feeble　reiteration。　　Then　he

stepped　out　of　the　shadow　and　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　sunlit

road　to　await　it。　　For　he　recognized　his　wife。



The　buggy　came　nearer。　　And　then　the　most　exquisite　pang　he　had

ever　felt　before　at　his　wife's　hands　shot　through　him。　　For　as　she

recognized　him　she　made　a　wild　but　impotent　attempt　to　dash　past

him；　and　then　as　suddenly　pulled　up　in　the　ditch。



He　went　up　to　her。　　She　was　dirty；　she　was　disheveled；　she　was

haggard；　she　was　plain。　　There　were　rings　of　dust　round　her　tear…

swept　eyes　and　smudges　of　dust…dried　perspiration　over　her　fair

cheek。　　He　thought　of　the　beauty；　freshness；　and　elegance　of　the

woman　he　had　just　left；　and　an　infinite　pity　swept　the　soul　of　this

weak…minded　gentleman。　　He　ran　towards　her；　and　tenderly　lifting

her　in　her　shame…stained　garments　from　the　buggy；　said　hurriedly；

〃I　know　it　all；　poor　Kitty！　　You　heard　the　news　of　Van　Loo's

flight；　and　you　ran　over　to　the　Divide　to　try　and　save　some　of　your

money。　　Why　didn't　you　wait？　　Why　didn't　you　tell　me？〃



There　was　no　mistaking　the　reality　of　his　words；　the　genuine　pity

and　tenderness　of　his　action；　but　the　woman　saw　before　her　only　the

familiar　dupe　of　her　life；　and　felt　an　infinite　relief　mingled　with

a　certain　contempt　for　his　weakness　and　anger　at　her　previous　fears

of　him。



〃You　might　have　driven　over；　then；　yourself；〃　she　said　in　a　high；

querulous　voice；　〃if　you　knew　it　so　well；　and　have　spared　ME　this

horrid；　dirty；　filthy；　hopeless　expedition；　for　I　have　not　saved

anythingthere！　　And　I　have　had　all　this　disgusting　bother！〃



For　an　instant　he　was　sorely　tempted　to　lift　his　eyes　to　her　face；

but　he　checked　himself；　then　he　gently　took　her　dust…coat　from　her

shoulders　and　shook　it　out；　wiped　the　dust　from　her　face　and　eyes

with　his　own　handkerchief；　held　her　hat　and　blew　the　dust　from　it

with　a　vivid　memory　of　performing　the　same　service　for　Mrs。

Horncastle　only　an　hour　before；　while　she　arranged　her　hair；　and

then；　lifting　her　again　into　the　buggy；　said　quietly；　as　he　took

his　seat　beside　her　and　grasped　the　reins：



〃I　will　drive　you　to　the　hotel　by　way　of　the　stables；　and　you　can

go　at　once　to　your　room　and　change　your　clothes。　　You　are　tired；

you　are　nervous　and　worried；　and　want　rest。　　Don't　tell　me　anything

now　until　you　feel　quite　yourself　again。〃



He　whipped　up　the　horse；　who；　recognizing　another　hand　at　the

reins；　lunged　forward　in　a　final　effort；　and　in　a　few　minutes　they

were　at　the　hotel。



As　Mrs。　Horncastle　sat　at　luncheon　in　the　great　dining…room；　a

little　pale　and　abstracted；　she　saw　Mrs。　Barker　sweep　confidently

into　the　room；　fresh；　rosy；　and　in　a　new　and　ravishing　toilette。

With　a　swift　glance　of　conscious　power　towards　the　other　guests　she

walked　towards　Mrs。　Horncastle。　　〃Ah；　here　you　are；　dear；〃　she　said

in　a　voice　that　could　easily　reach　all　ears；　〃and　you've　arrived

only　a　little　before　me；　after　all。　　And　I've　had　such　an　AWFUL

drive　to　the　Divide！　　And　only　think！　poor　George　telegraphed　to　me

at　Boomville　not　to　worry；　and　his　dispatch　has　only　just　come　back

here。〃



And　with　a　glance　of　complacency　she　laid　Barker's　gentle　and

forgiving　dispatch　before　the　astonished　Mrs。　Horncastle。





CHAPTER　VIII。





As　the　day　advanced　the　excitement　over　the　financial　crisis

increased　at　Hymettus；　until；　in　spite　of　its　remote　and　peaceful

isolation；　it　seemed　to　throb　through　all　its　verandas　and

corridors　with　some　pulsation　from　the　outer　world。　　Besides　the

letters　and　dispatches　brought　by　hurried　messengers　and　by　coach

from　the　Divide；　there　was　a　crowd　of　guests　and　servants　around

the　branch　telegraph　at　the　new　Heavy　Tree　post…office　which　was

constantly　augmenting。　　Added　to　the　natural　anxiety　of　the　deeply

interested　was　the　stimulated　fever　of　the　few　who　wished　to　be　〃in

the　fashion。〃　　It　was　early　rumored　that　a　heavy　operator；　a　guest

of　the　hotel；　who　was　also　a　director　in　the　telegraph　company；　had

bought　up　the　wires　for　his　sole　use；　that　the　dispatches　were

doctored　in　his　interests　as　a　〃bear；〃　and　there　was　wild