the three partners-第5章

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been　grave　and　thoughtful；　and　Stacy；　with　the　irritating

recollection　of　Van　Loo's　criticisms　in　his　mind；　had　refrained

from　his　usual　rallying　of　Barker。　　Oddly　enough；　they　spoke

chiefly　of　Jack　Hamlin；till　then　personally　a　stranger　to　them；

on　account　of　his　infelix　reputation；and　even　the　critical

Demorest　expressed　a　wish　they　had　known　him　before。　　〃But　you

never　know　the　real　value　of　anything　until　you're　quitting　it　or

it's　quitting　you；〃　he　added　sententiously。



Barker　and　Stacy　both　stared　at　their　companion。　　It　was　unlike

Demorest　to　regret　anythingparticularly　a　mere　social　diversion。



〃They　say；〃　remarked　Stacy；　〃that　if　you　had　known　Jack　Hamlin

earlier　and　professionally；　a　great　deal　of　real　value　would　have

quitted　you　before　he　did。〃



〃Don't　repeat　that　rot　flung　out　by　men　who　have　played　Jack's　game

and　lost；〃　returned　Demorest　derisively。　　〃I'd　rather　trust　him

than〃　　He　stopped；　glanced　at　the　meditative　Barker；　and　then

concluded　abruptly；　〃the　whole　caboodle　of　his　critics。〃



They　were　silent　for　a　few　moments；　and　then　seemed　to　have　fallen

into　their　former　dreamy　mood　as　they　relapsed　into　their　old　seats

again。　　At　last　Stacy　drew　a　long　breath。　　〃I　wish　we　had　sent

those　nuggets　off　with　the　others　this　morning。〃



〃Why？〃　said　Demorest　suddenly。



〃Why？　　Well；　dn　it　all！　they　kind　of　oppress　me；　don't　you　see。

I　seem　to　feel　'em　here；　on　my　chestall　the　three；〃　returned

Stacy　only　half　jocularly。　　〃It's　their　dd　specific　gravity；　I

suppose。　　I　don't　like　the　idea　of　sleeping　in　the　same　room　with

'em。　　They're　altogether　too　much　for　us　three　men　to　be　left　alone

with。〃



〃You　don't　mean　that　you　think　that　anybody　would　attempt〃said

Demorest。



Stacy　curled　a　fighting　lip　rather　superciliously。　　〃No；　I　don't

think　THATI　rather　wish　I　did。　　It's　the　blessed　chunks　of　solid

gold　that　seem　to　have　got　US　fast；　don't　you　know；　and　are　going

to　stick　to　us　for　good　or　ill。　　A　sort　of　Frankenstein　monster

that　we've　picked　out　of　a　hole　from　below。〃



〃I　know　just　what　Stacy　means；〃　said　Barker　breathlessly；　rounding

his　gray　eyes。　　〃I've　felt　it；　too。　　Couldn't　we　make　a　sort　of

cache　of　itbury　it　just　outside　the　cabin　for　to…night？　　It　would

be　sort　of　putting　it　back　into　its　old　place；　you　know；　for　the

time　being。　　IT　might　like　it。〃



The　other　two　laughed。　　〃Rather　rough　on　Providence；　Barker　boy；〃

said　Stacy；　〃handing　back　the　Heaven…sent　gift　so　soon！　　Besides；

what's　to　keep　any　prospector　from　coming　along　and　making　a　strike

of　it？　　You　know　that's　mining　lawif　you　haven't　preempted　the

spot　as　a　claim。〃



But　Barker　was　too　staggered　by　this　material　statement　to　make　any

reply；　and　Demorest　arose。　　〃And　I　feel　that　you'd　both　better　be

turning　in；　as　we've　got　to　get　up　early。〃　　He　went　to　the　corner

of　the　cabin；　and　threw　the　blanket　back　over　the　pan　and　its

treasure。　　〃There　that'll　keep　the　chunks　from　getting　up　to　ride

astride　of　you　like　a　nightmare。〃　　He　shut　the　door　and　gave　a

momentary　glance　at　its　cheap　hinges　and　the　absence　of　bolt　or

bar。　　Stacy　caught　his　eye。　　〃We'll　miss　this　security　in　San

Franciscoperhaps　even　in　Boomville；〃　he　sighed。



It　was　scarcely　ten　o'clock；　but　Stacy　and　Barker　had　begun　to

undress　themselves　with　intervals　of　yawning　and　desultory　talk；

Barker　continuing　an　amusing　story；　with　one　stocking　off　and　his

trousers　hanging　on　his　arm；　until　at　last　both　men　were　snugly

curled　up　in　their　respective　bunks。　　Presently　Stacy's　voice　came

from　under　the　blankets：



〃Hallo！　aren't　you　going　to　turn　in　too？〃



〃Not　yet；〃　said　Demorest　from　his　chair　before　the　fire。　　〃You　see

it's　the　last　night　in　the　old　shanty；　and　I　reckon　I'll　see　the

rest　of　it　out。〃



〃That's　so；〃　said　the　impulsive　Barker；　struggling　violently　with

his　blankets。　　〃I　tell　you　what；　boys：　we　just　ought　to　make　a

watch…night　of　ita　regular　vigil；　you　knowuntil　twelve　at

least。　　Hold　on！　　I'll　get　up；　too！〃　　But　here　Demorest　arose；

caught　his　youthful　partner's　bare　foot　which　went　searching

painfully　for　the　ground　in　one　hand；　tucked　it　back　under　the

blankets；　and　heaping　them　on　the　top　of　him；　patted　the　bulk　with

an　authoritative；　paternal　air。



〃You'll　just　say　your　prayers　and　go　to　sleep；　sonny。　　You'll　want

to　be　fresh　as　a　daisy　to　appear　before　Miss　Kitty　to…morrow　early；

and　you　can　keep　your　vigils　for　to…morrow　night；　after　dinner；　in

the　back　drawing…room。　　I　said　'Good…night；'　and　I　mean　it！〃



Protesting　feebly；　Barker　finally　yielded　in　a　nestling　shiver　and

a　sudden　silence。　　Demorest　walked　back　to　his　chair。　　A　prolonged

snore　came　from　Stacy's　bunk；　then　everything　was　quiet。　　Demorest

stirred　up　the　fire；　cast　a　huge　root　upon　it；　and；　leaning　back　in

his　chair；　sat　with　half…closed　eyes　and　dreamed。



It　was　an　old　dream　that　for　the　past　three　years　had　come　to　him

daily；　sometimes　even　overtaking　him　under　the　shade　of　a　buckeye

in　his　noontide　rest　on　his　claim；a　dream　that　had　never　yet

failed　to　wait　for　him　at　night　by　the　fireside　when　his　partners

were　at　rest；　a　dream　of　the　past；　but　so　real　that　it　always　made

the　present　seem　the　dream　through　which　he　was　moving　towards　some

sure　awakening。



It　was　not　strange　that　it　should　come　to　him　to…night；　as　it　had

often　come　before；　slowly　shaping　itself　out　of　the　obscurity　as

the　vision　of　a　fair　young　girl　seated　in　one　of　the　empty　chairs

before　him。　　Always　the　same　pretty；　childlike　face；　fraught　with　a

half…frightened；　half…wondering　trouble；　always　the　same　slender；

graceful　figure；　but　always　glimmering　in　diamonds　and　satin；　or

spiritual　in　lace　and　pearls；　against　his　own　rude　and　sordid

surroundings；　always　silent　with　parted　lips；　until　the　night　wind

smote　some　chord　of　recollection；　and　then　mingled　a　remembered

voice　with　his　own。　　For　at　those　times　he　seemed　to　speak　also；

albeit　with　closed　lips；　and　an　utterance　inaudible　to　all　but　her。



〃Well？〃　he　said　sadly。



〃Well？〃　the　voice　repeated；　like　a　gentle　echo　blending　with　his

own。



〃You　know　it　all　now；〃　he　went　on。　　〃You　know　that　it　has　come　at

last；all　that　I　had　worked　for；　prayed　for；　all　that　would　have

made　us　happy　here；　all　that　would　have　saved　you　to　me　has　come　at

last；　and　all　too　late！〃



〃Too　late！〃　echoed　the　voice　with　his。



〃You　remember；〃　he　went　on；　〃the　last　day　we　were　together。　　You

remember　your　friends　and　family　would　have　you　give　me　upa

penniless　man。　　You　remember　when　they　reproached　you　with　my

poverty；　and　told　you　that　it　was　only　your　wealth　that　I　was

seeking；　that　I　then　determined　to　go　away　and　never　to　return　to

claim　you　until　that　reproach　could　be　removed。　　You　remember；

dearest；　how　you　clung　to　me　and　bade　me　stay　with　you；　even　fly

with　you；　but　not　to　leave　you　alone　with　them。　　You　wore　the　same

dress　that　day；　darling；　your　eyes　had　the　same　wondering　childlike

fear　and　trouble　in　them；　your　jewels　glittered　on　you　as　you

trembled；　and　I　refused。　　In　my　pride；　or　rather　in　my　weakness　and

cowardice；　I　refused。　　I　came　away　and　broke　my　heart　among　these

rocks　and　ledges；　yet　grew　strong；　and　you；　my　love；　YOU；　sheltered

and　guarded　by　those　you　loved；　YOU〃　　He　stopped　and　buried　his

face　in　his　hands。　　The　night　wind　breathed　down　the　chimney；　and

from　the　stirred　ashes　on　the　hearth　came　the　soft　whisper；　〃I

died。〃



〃And　then；〃　he　went　on；　〃I　cared　for　nothing。　　Sometimes　my　heart

awoke　for　this　young　partner　of　mine　in　his　innocent；　trustful　love

for　a　girl　that　even　in　her　humble　station　was　far　beyond　his

hopes；　and　I　pitied　myself　in　him。　　Home；　fortune；　friends；　I　no

longer　cared　forall　were　forgotten。　　And　now　they　are　returning

to　meonly　that　I　may　see　the　hollowness　and　vanity　of　them；　and

taste　the　bitterness　for　which　I　have　sacrificed　you。　　And　here；　on

this　last　night　of　my　exile；　I　am　confronted　with　only　the

jealousy；　th