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Loo's fear of scandal and his utter unmanliness。 She knew he was
not in love with Mrs。 Barker； and this puzzled her when she
considered the evident risk he was running now。 Her face； however；
betrayed nothing。 She drew back from Mrs。 Barker； and； with an
indifferent and graceful gesture towards the door； said； as she
leaned against the mantel； 〃Go； then； and see this much…abused
gentleman； and then go together with him and make peace with your
husbandeven on those terms。 If I have saved you from the
consequences of your folly I shall be willing to bear even HIS
blame。〃
〃Whatever I do；〃 said Mrs。 Barker； rising hotly； 〃I shall not stay
here any longer to be insulted。〃 She flounced out of the room and
swept down the staircase into the office。 Here she found an
overworked clerk； and with crimson cheeks and flashing eyes wanted
to know why in her own father's hotel she had found her own
sitting…room engaged； and had been obliged to wait half an hour
before she could be shown into a decent apartment to remove her hat
and cloak in； and how it was that even the gentleman who had kindly
escorted her had evidently been unable to procure her any
assistance。 She said this in a somewhat high voice； which might
have reached the ears of that gentleman had he been in the
vicinity。 But he was not； and she was forced to meet the somewhat
dazed apologies of the clerk alone； and to accompany the
chambermaid to a room only a few paces distant from the one she had
quitted。 Here she hastily removed her outer duster and hat； washed
her hands； and consulted her excited face in the mirror； with the
door ajar and an ear sensitively attuned to any step in the
corridor。 But all this was effected so rapidly that she was at
last obliged to sit down in a chair near the half…opened door； and
wait。 She waited five minutestenbut still no footstep。 Then
she went out into the corridor and listened； and then； smoothing
her face； she slipped downstairs； past the door of that hateful
room； and reappeared before the clerk with a smiling but somewhat
pale and languid face。 She had found the room very comfortable；
but it was doubtful whether she would stay over night or go on to
Hymettus。 Had anybody been inquiring for her？ She expected to
meet friends。 No！ And her escortthe gentleman who came with
herwas possibly in the billiard…room or the bar？
〃Oh no！ He was gone；〃 said the clerk。
〃Gone！〃 echoed Mrs。 Barker。 〃Impossible！ He washe was here only
a moment ago。〃
The clerk rang a bell sharply。 The stableman appeared。
〃That tall； smooth…faced man； in a high hat； who came with the
lady；〃 said the clerk severely and concisely；〃didn't you tell me
he was gone？〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 said the stableman。
〃Are you sure？〃 interrupted Mrs。 Barker； with a dazzling smile
that； however； masked a sudden tightening round her heart。
〃Quite sure； miss；〃 said the stableman； 〃for he was in the yard
when Steptoe came； after missing the coach。 He wanted a buggy to
take him over to the Divide。 We hadn't one； so he went over to the
other stables； and he didn't come back； so I reckon he's gone。 I
remember it； because Steptoe came by a minute after he'd gone； in
another buggy； and as he was going to the Divide； too； I wondered
why the gentleman hadn't gone with him。〃
〃And he left no message for me？ He said nothing？〃 asked Mrs。
Barker； quite breathless； but still smiling。
〃He said nothin' to me but 'Isn't that Steptoe over there？' when
Steptoe came in。 And I remember he said it kinder suddentas if
he was reminded o' suthin' he'd forgot； and then he asked for a
buggy。 Ye see； miss；〃 added the man； with a certain rough
consideration for her disappointment； 〃that's mebbe why he clean
forgot to leave a message。〃
Mrs。 Barker turned away； and ascended the stairs。 Selfishness is
quick to recognize selfishness； and she saw in a flash the reason
of Van Loo's abandonment of her。 Some fear of discovery had
alarmed him； perhaps Steptoe knew her husband； perhaps he had heard
of Mrs。 Horncastle's possession of the sitting…room； perhapsfor
she had not seen him since their playful struggle at the doorhe
had recognized the woman who was there； and the selfish coward had
run away。 Yes； Mrs。 Horncastle was right： she had been only a
miserable dupe。
Her cheeks blazed as she entered the room she had just quitted； and
threw herself in a chair by the window。 She bit her lip as she
remembered how for the last three months she had been slowly
yielding to Van Loo's cautious but insinuating solicitation； from a
flirtation in the San Francisco hotel to a clandestine meeting in
the street； from a ride in the suburbs to a supper in a fast
restaurant after the theatre。 Other women did it who were
fashionable and rich； as Van Loo had pointed out to her。 Other
fashionable women also gambled in stocks； and had their private
broker in a 〃Charley〃 or a 〃Jack。〃 Why should not Mrs。 Barker have
business with a 〃Paul〃 Van Loo； particularly as this fast craze
permitted secret meetings？for business of this kind could not be
conducted in public； and permitted the fair gambler to call at
private offices without fear and without reproach。 Mrs。 Barker's
vanity； Mrs。 Barker's love of ceremony and form； Mrs。 Barker's
snobbishness； were flattered by the attentions of this polished
gentleman with a foreign name； which even had the flavor of
nobility； who never picked up her fan and handed it to her without
bowing； and always rose when she entered the room。 Mrs。 Barker's
scant schoolgirl knowledge was touched by this gentleman； who spoke
French fluently； and delicately explained to her the libretto of a
risky opera bouffe。 And now she had finally yielded to a meeting
out of San Franciscoand an ostensible visitstill as a
speculatorto one or two mining districtswith HER BROKER。 This
was the boldest of her stepsan original idea of the fashionable
Van Loowhich； no doubt； in time would become a craze； too。 But
it was a long stepand there was a streak of rustic decorum in
Mrs。 Barker's naturethe instinct that made Kitty Carter keep a
perfectly secluded and distinct sitting…room in the days when she
served her father's gueststhat now had impelled her to make it a
proviso that the first step of her journey should be from her old
home in her father's hotel。 It was this instinct of the proprieties
that had revived in her suddenly at the door of the old sitting…room。
Then a new phase of the situation flashed upon her。 It was hard
for her vanity to accept Van Loo's desertion as voluntary and
final。 What if that hateful woman had lured him away by some trick
or artfully designed message？ She was capable of such meanness to
insure the fulfillment of her prophecy。 Or； more dreadful thought；
what if she had some hold on his affectionsshe had said that he
had pursued her； or； more infamous still； there were some secret
understanding between them； and that sheMrs。 Barkerwas the dupe
of them both！ What was she doing in the hotel at such a moment？
What was her story of going to Hymettus but a lie as transparent as
her own？ The tortures of jealousy； which is as often the incentive
as it is the result of passion； began to rack her。 She had
probably yet known no real passion for this man； but with the
thought of his abandoning her； and the conception of his
faithlessness； came the wish to hold and keep him that was
dangerously near it。 What if he were even then in that room； the
room where she had said she would not stay to be insulted； and
they； thus secured against her intrusion； were laughing at her now？
She half rose at the thought； but a sound of a horse's hoofs in the
stable…yard arrested her。 She ran to the window which gave upon
it； and； crouching down beside it； listened eagerly。 The clatter
of hoofs ceased； the stableman was talking to some one； suddenly
she heard the stableman say； 〃Mrs。 Barker is here。〃 Her heart
leaped；Van Loo had returned。
But here the voice of the other man which she had not yet heard
arose for the first time clear and distinct。 〃Are you quite sure？
I didn't know she left San Francisco。〃
The room reeled around her。 The voice was George Barker's； her
husband！ 〃Very well；〃 he continued。 〃You needn't put up my horse
for the night。 I may take her back a little later in the buggy。〃
In another moment she had swept down the passage； and burst into
the other room。 Mrs。 Horncastle was sitting by the table with a
book in her hand。 She started as the half…maddened woman closed
the door； locked it behind her； and cast herself on her knees at
her feet。
〃My husband is here；〃 she gasped。 〃What shall I do？ In heaven's
name help me！〃
〃Is Van Loo still here？〃 said Mrs。 Horncastle quickly。
〃No； gone。 He went when I came。〃
Mrs。 Horncastle caught her hand and looked intently into her
frightened face。 〃Then what