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shy little laugh and an innocent attempt at gallantry which the very
directness of his simple nature made atrociously obvious；〃I mean
what you've made lots of young fellows feel。 There used to be a
picture of Colonel Brigg on the mantelpiece； in full uniform； and
signed by himself 'for Kitty；' and Lord！ how jealous I was of it；
for Kitty never took presents from gentlemen； and nobody even was
allowed in here； though she helped her father all over the hotel。
She was awfully strict in those days；〃 he interpolated； with a
thoughtful look and a half…sigh； 〃but then she wasn't married。 I
proposed to her in this very room！ Lord！ I remember how frightened
I was。〃 He stopped for an instant； and then said with a certain
timidity； 〃Do you mind my telling you something about it？〃
Mrs。 Horncastle was hardly prepared to hear these ingenuous
domestic details； but she smiled vaguely； although she could not
suppress a somewhat impatient movement with her hands。 Even Barker
noticed it； but to her surprise moved a little nearer to her； and
in a half…entreating way said； 〃I hope I don't bore you； but it's
something confidential。 Do you know that she first REFUSED me？〃
Mrs。 Horncastle smiled； but could not resist a slight toss of her
head。 〃I believe they all do when they are sure of a man。〃
〃No！〃 said Barker eagerly； 〃you don't understand。 I proposed to
her because I thought I was rich。 In a foolish moment I thought I
had discovered that some old stocks I had had acquired a fabulous
value。 She believed it； too； but because she thought I was now a
rich man and she only a poor girla mere servant to her father's
guestsshe refused me。 Refused me because she thought I might
regret it in the future； because she would not have it said that
she had taken advantage of my proposal only when I was rich enough
to make it。〃
〃Well？〃 said Mrs。 Horncastle incredulously； gazing straight before
her； 〃and then？〃
〃In about an hour I discovered my error； that my stocks were
worthless； that I was still a poor man。 I thought it only honest
to return to her and tell her； even though I had no hope。 And then
she pitied me； and cried； and accepted me。 I tell it to you as her
friend。〃 He drew a little nearer and quite fraternally laid his
hand upon her own。 〃I know you won't betray me； though you may
think it wrong for me to have told it； but I wanted you to know how
good she was and true。〃
For a moment Mrs。 Horncastle was amazed and discomfited； although
she saw； with the inscrutable instinct of her sex； no inconsistency
between the Kitty of those days and the Kitty now shamefully hiding
from her husband in the same hotel。 No doubt Kitty had some good
reason for her chivalrous act。 But she could see the unmistakable
effect of that act upon the more logically reasoning husband； and
that it might lead him to be more merciful to the later wrong。 And
there was a keener irony that his first movement of unconscious
kindliness towards her was the outcome of his affection for his
undeserving wife。
〃You said just now she was more practical than you；〃 she said
dryly。 〃Apart from this evidence of it； what other reasons have
you for thinking so？ Do you refer to her independence or her
dealings in the stock market？〃 she added； with a laugh。
〃No；〃 said Barker seriously； 〃for I do not think her quite
practical there； indeed； I'm afraid she is about as bad as I am。
But I'm glad you have spoken； for I can now talk confidentially
with you； and as you and she are both in the same ventures； perhaps
she will feel less compunction in hearing from youas your own
opinionwhat I have to tell you than if I spoke to her myself。 I
am afraid she trusts implicitly to Van Loo's judgment as her
broker。 I believe he is strictly honorable； but the general
opinion of his business insight is not high。 Theyperhaps I ought
to say HEhave been at least so unlucky that they might have
learned prudence。 The loss of twenty thousand dollars in three
months〃
〃Twenty thousand！〃 echoed Mrs。 Horncastle。
〃Yes。 Why； you knew that； it was in the mine you and she visited；
or； perhaps；〃 he added hastily； as he flushed at his indiscretion；
〃she didn't tell you that。〃
But Mrs。 Horncastle as hastily said； 〃Yesyesof course； only I
had forgotten the amount；〃 and he continued：
〃That loss would have frightened any man； but you women are more
daring。 Only Van Loo ought to have withdrawn。 Don't you think so？
Of course I couldn't say anything to him without seeming to condemn
my own wife； I couldn't say anything to HER because it's her own
money。〃
〃I didn't know that Mrs。 Barker had any money of her own；〃 said
Mrs。 Horncastle。
〃Well； I gave it to her；〃 said Barker； with sublime simplicity；
〃and that would make it all the worse for me to speak about it。〃
Mrs。 Horncastle was silent。 A new theory flashed upon her which
seemed to reconcile all the previous inconsistencies of the
situation。 Van Loo； under the guise of a lover； was really
possessing himself of Mrs。 Barker's money。 This accounted for the
risks he was running in this escapade； which were so incongruous to
the rascal's nature。 He was calculating that the scandal of an
intrigue would relieve him of the perils of criminal defalcation。
It was compatible with Kitty's innocence； though it did not relieve
her vanity of the part it played in this despicable comedy of
passion。 All that Mrs。 Horncastle thought of now was the effect of
its eventful revelation upon the man before her。 Of course； he
would overlook his wife's trustfulness and business ignoranceit
would seem so like his own unselfish faith！ That was the fault of
all unselfish goodness； it even took the color of adjacent evil；
without altering the nature of either。 Mrs。 Horncastle set her
teeth tightly together； but her beautiful mouth smiled upon Barker；
though her eyes were bent upon the tablecloth before her。
〃I shall do all I can to impress your views upon her；〃 she said at
last； 〃though I fear they will have little weight if given as my
own。 And you overrate my general influence with her。〃
Her handsome head drooped in such a thoughtful humility that Barker
instinctively drew nearer to her。 Besides； she had not lifted her
dark lashes for some moments； and he had the still youthful habit
of looking frankly into the eyes of those he addressed。
〃No；〃 he said eagerly； 〃how could I？ She could not help but love
you and do as you would wish。 I can't tell you how glad and
relieved I am to find that you and she have become such friends。
You know I always thought you beautiful； I always thought you so
cleverI was even a little frightened of you； but I never until
now knew you were so GOOD。 No； stop！ Yes； I DID know it。 Do you
remember once in San Francisco； when I found you with Sta in your
lap in the drawing…room？ I knew it then。 You tried to make me
think it was a whimthe fancy of a bored and worried woman。 But I
knew better。 And I knew what you were thinking then。 Shall I tell
you？〃
As her eyes were still cast down； although her mouth was still
smiling； in his endeavors to look into them his face was quite near
hers。 He fancied that it bore the look she had worn once before。
〃You were thinking；〃 he said in a voice which had grown suddenly
quite hesitating and tremulous；he did not know why；〃that the
poor little baby was quite friendless and alone。 You were pitying
ityou know you werebecause there was no one to give it the
loving care that was its due； and because it was intrusted to that
hired nurse in that great hotel。 You were thinking how you would
love it if it were yours； and how cruel it was that Love was sent
without an object to waste itself upon。 You were： I saw it in your
face。〃
She suddenly lifted her eyes and looked full into his with a look
that held and possessed him。 For a moment his whole soul seemed to
tremble on the verge of their lustrous depths； and he drew back
dizzy and frightened。 What he saw there he never clearly knew；
but； whatever it was； it seemed to suddenly change his relations to
her； to the room； to his wife； to the world without。 It was a
glimpse of a world of which he knew nothing。 He had looked frankly
and admiringly into the eyes of other pretty women； he had even
gazed into her own before； but never with this feeling。 A sudden
sense that what he had seen there he had himself evoked； that it
was an answer to some question he had scarcely yet formulated； and
that they were both now linked by an understanding and consciousness
that was irretrievable； came over him。 He rose awkwardly and went
to the window。 She rose also； but more leisurely and easily； moved
one of the books on the table； smoothed out her skirts； and changed
her seat to a little sofa。 It is the woman who always comes out of
these crucial moments unruffled。
〃I suppose yo