the three partners- 第31部分

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　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　conscio