the three partners-第43章

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

lynching　by　the　indignant　mob。　　Passengers　from　Sacramento；　San

Francisco；　and　Marysville　brought　incredible　news　and　the　wildest

sensations。　　Firm　after　firm　had　failed　in　the　great　cities。　　Old

established　houses　that　dated　back　to　the　〃spring　of　'49；〃　and　had

weathered　the　fires　and　inundations　of　their　perilous　Californian

infancy；　collapsed　before　this　mysterious；　invisible；　impalpable

breath　of　panic。　　Companies　rooted　in　respectability　and　sneered　at

for　old…fashioned　ways　were　discovered　to　have　shamelessly

speculated　with　trusts！　　An　eminent　deacon　and　pillar　of　the　church

was　found　dead　in　his　room　with　a　bullet　in　his　heart　and　a　damning

confession　on　the　desk　before　him！　　Foreign　bankers　were　sending

their　gold　out　of　the　country；　government　would　be　appealed　to　to

open　the　vaults　of　the　Mint；　there　would　be　an　embargo　on　all

bullion　shipment！　　Nothing　was　too　wild　or　preposterous　to　be

repeated　or　credited。



And　with　this　fever　of　sordid　passion　the　summer　temperature　had

increased。　　For　the　last　two　weeks　the　thermometer　had　stood

abnormally　high　during　the　day…long　sunshine；　and　the　metallic　dust

in　the　roads　over　mineral　ranges　pricked　the　skin　like　red…hot

needles。　　In　the　deepest　woods　the　aromatic　sap　stood　in　beads　on

felled　logs　and　splintered　tree…shafts；　even　the　mountain　night

breeze　failed　to　cool　these　baked　and　heated　fastnesses。　　There

were　ominous　clouds　of　smoke　by　day　that　were　pillars　of　fire　by

night　along　the　distant　valleys。　　Some　of　the　nearer　crests　were

etched　against　the　midnight　sky　by　dull　red　creeping　lines　like　a

dying　firework。　　The　great　hotel　itself　creaked　and　crackled　and

warped　though　all　its　painted；　blistered；　and　veneered　expanse；　and

was　filled　with　the　stifling　breath　of　desiccation。　　The　stucco

cracked　and　crumbled　away　from　the　cornices；　there　were　yawning

gaps　in　the　boarded　floors　beneath　the　Turkey　carpets。　　Plate…glass

windows　became　hopelessly　fixed　in　their　warped　and　twisted　sashes；

and　added　to　the　heat；　there　was　a　warm　incense　of　pine　sap　in　the

dining…room　that　flavored　all　the　cuisine。　　And　yet　the　babble　of

stocks　and　shares　went　on；　and　people　pricked　their　ears　over　their

soup　to　catch　the　gossip　of　the　last　arrival。



Demorest；　loathing　it　all　in　his　new…found　bitterness；　was

nevertheless　impatient　in　his　inaction；　and　was　eagerly　awaiting　a

telegram　from　Stacy；　Barker　had　disappeared　since　luncheon。

Suddenly　there　was　a　commotion　on　the　veranda　as　a　carriage　drove

up　with　a　handsome；　gray…haired　woman。　　In　the　buzzing　of　voices

around　him　Demorest　heard　the　name　of　Mrs。　Van　Loo。　　In　further

comments；　made　in　more　smothered　accents；　he　heard　that　Van　Loo　had

been　stopped　at　Canyon　Station；　but　that　no　warrant　had　yet　been

issued　against　him；　that　it　was　generally　believed　that　the　bank

dared　not　hold　him；　that　others　openly　averred　that　he　had　been

used　as　a　scapegoat　to　avert　suspicion　from　higher　guilt。　　And

certainly　Mrs。　Van　Loo's　calm；　confident　air　seemed　to　corroborate

these　assertions。



He　was　still　wondering　if　the　strange　coincidence　which　had　brought

both　mother　and　son　into　his　own　life　was　not　merely　a　fancy；　as

far　as　SHE　was　concerned；　when　a　waiter　brought　a　message　from　Mrs。

Van　Loo　that　she　would　be　glad　to　see　him　for　a　few　moments　in　her

room。　　Last　night　he　could　scarcely　have　restrained　his　eagerness

to　meet　her　and　elucidate　the　mystery　of　the　photograph；　now　he　was

conscious　of　an　equally　strong　revulsion　of　feeling；　and　a　dull

premonition　of　evil。　　However；　it　was　no　doubt　possible　that　the

man　had　told　her　of　his　previous　inquiries；　and　she　had　merely

acknowledged　them　by　that　message。



Demorest　found　Mrs。　Van　Loo　in　the　private　sitting…room　where　he

and　his　old　partners　had　supped　on　the　preceding　night。　　She

received　him　with　unmistakable　courtesy　and　even　a　certain　dignity

that　might　or　might　not　have　been　assumed。　　He　had　no　difficulty　in

recognizing　the　son's　mechanical　politeness　in　the　first；　but　he

was　puzzled　at　the　second。



〃The　manager　of　this　hotel；〃　she　began；　with　a　foreigner's

precision　of　English；　〃has　just　told　me　that　you　were　at　present

occupying　my　rooms　at　his　invitation；　but　that　you　wished　to　see　me

at　once　on　my　return；　and　I　believe　that　I　was　not　wrong　in

apprehending　that　you　preferred　to　hear　my　wishes　from　my　own　lips

rather　than　from　an　innkeeper。　　I　had　intended　to　keep　these　rooms

for　some　weeks；　but；　unfortunately　for　me；　though　fortunately　for

you；　the　present　terrible　financial　crisis；　which　has　most　unjustly

brought　my　son　into　such　scandalous　prominence；　will　oblige　me　to

return　to　San　Francisco　until　his　reputation　is　fully　cleared　of

these　foul　aspersions。　　I　shall　only　ask　you　to　allow　me　the

undisturbed　possession　of　these　rooms　for　a　couple　of　hours　until　I

can　pack　my　trunks　and　gather　up　a　few　souvenirs　that　I　almost

always　keep　with　me。〃



〃Pray；　consider　that　your　wishes　are　my　own　in　respect　to　that；　my

dear　madam；〃　returned　Demorest　gravely；　〃and　that；　indeed；　I

protested　against　even　this　temporary　intrusion　upon　your

apartments；　but　I　confess　that　now　that　you　have　spoken　of　your

souvenirs　I　have　the　greatest　curiosity　about　one　of　them；　and　that

even　my　object　in　seeking　this　interview　was　to　gratify　it。　　It　is

in　regard　to　a　photograph　which　I　saw　on　the　chimney…piece　in　your

bedroom；　which　I　think　I　recognized　as　that　of　some　one　whom　I

formerly　knew。〃



There　was　a　sudden　look　of　sharp　suspicion　and　even　hard

aggressiveness　that　quite　changed　the　lady's　face　as　he　mentioned

the　word　〃souvenir；〃　but　it　quickly　changed　to　a　smile　as　she　put

up　her　fan　with　a　gesture　of　arch　deprecation；　and　said：



〃Ah！　　I　see。　　Of　course；　a　lady's　photograph。〃



The　reply　irritated　Demorest。　　More　than　that；　he　felt　a　sudden

sense　of　the　absolute　sentimentality　of　his　request；　and　the

consciousness　that　he　was　about　to　invite　the　familiar　confidence

of　this　strange　womanwhose　son　had　forged　his　namein　regard　to

HER！



〃It　was　a　Venetian　picture；〃　he　began；　and　stopped；　a　singular

disgust　keeping　him　from　voicing　the　name。



But　Mrs。　Van　Loo　was　less　reticent。　　〃Oh；　you　mean　my　dearest

frienda　lovely　picture；　and　you　know　her？　　Why；　yes；　surely。　　You

are　THE　Mr。　Demorest　who　　Of　course；　that　old　love…affair。　　Well；

you　are　a　marvel！　　Five　years　ago；　at　least；　and　you　have　not

forgotten！　　I　really　must　write　and　tell　her。〃



〃Write　and　tell　her！〃　　Then　it　was　all　a　lie　about　her　death！　　He

felt　not　only　his　faith；　his　hope；　his　future　leaving　him；　but　even

his　self…control。　　With　an　effort　he　said。



〃I　think　you　have　already　satisfied　my　curiosity。　　I　was　told　five

years　ago　that　she　was　dead。　　It　was　because　of　the　date　of　the

photographtwo　years　laterthat　I　ventured　to　intrude　upon　you。

I　was　anxious　only　to　know　the　truth。〃



〃She　certainly　was　very　much　living　and　of　the　world　when　I　saw　her

last；　two　years　ago；〃　said　Mrs。　Van　Loo；　with　an　easy　smile。　　〃I

dare　say　that　was　a　ruse　of　her　relativesa　very　stupid　oneto

break　off　the　affair；　for　I　think　they　had　other　plans。　　But；　dear

me！　now　I　remember；　was　there　not　some　little　quarrel　between　you

before？　　Some　letter　from　you　that　was　not　very　kind？　　My

impression　is　that　there　was　something　of　the　sort；　and　that　the

young　lady　was　indignant。　　But　only　for　a　time；　you　know。　　She　very

soon　forgot　it。　　I　dare　say　if　you　wrote　something　very　charming　to

her　it　might　not　be　too　late。　　We　women　are　very　forgiving；　Mr。

Demorest；　and　although　she　is　very　much　sought　after；　as　are　all

young　American　girls　whose　fathers　can　give　them　a　comfortable

'dot'；　her　parents　might　be　persuaded　to　throw　over　a　poor　prince

for　a　rich　countryman　in　the　end。　　Of　course；　you　know；　to　you

Republicans　there　is　always　something　fascinating　in　titles　and

blood；　and　our　dear　friend　is　like　other　girls。　　Sti