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however； declined with such reddening promptness that Demorest as
promptly reddened and apologized。 The habits of European travel
had been still strong on him； and he felt a slight patriotic thrill
as he said； with a grave smile； 〃Thank you； then； and thank you
still more for reminding me that I am among my own 'people；'〃 and
stepped lightly out into the road。
The air was still deliciously cool； but warmer currents from the
heated pines began to alternate with the wind from the summit。 He
found himself sometimes walking through a stratum of hot air which
seemed to exhale from the wood itself； while his head and breast
were swept by the mountain breeze。 He felt the old intoxication of
the balmy…scented air again； and the five years of care and
hopelessness laid upon his shoulders since he had last breathed its
fragrance slipped from them like a burden。 There had been but
little change here； perhaps the road was wider and the dust lay
thicker； but the great pines still mounted in serried ranks on the
slopes as before； with no gaps in their unending files。 Here was
the spot where the stagecoach had passed them that eventful morning
when they were coming out of their camp…life into the world of
civilization； a little further back； the spot where Jack Hamlin had
forced upon him that grim memento of the attempted robbery of their
cabin； which he had kept ever since。 He half smiled again at the
superstitious interest that had made him keep it； with the
intention of some day returning to bury it； with all recollections
of the deed； under the site of the old cabin。 As he went on in the
vivifying influence of the air and scene； new life seemed to course
through his veins； his step seemed to grow as elastic as in the old
days of their bitter but hopeful struggle for fortune； when he had
gayly returned from his weekly tramp to Boomville laden with the
scant provision procured by their scant earnings and dying credit。
Those were the days when HER living image still inspired his heart
with faith and hope； when everything was yet possible to youth and
love； and before the irony of fate had given him fortune with one
hand only to withdraw HER with the other。 It was strange and cruel
that coming back from his quest of rest and forgetfulness he should
find only these youthful and sanguine dreams revive with his
reviving vigor。 He walked on more hurriedly as if to escape them；
and was glad to be diverted by one or two carryalls and char…a…
bancs filled with gayly dressed pleasure partiesevidently
visitors to Hymettuswhich passed him on the road。 Here were the
first signs of change。 He recalled the train of pack…mules of the
old days； the file of pole…and…basket carrying Chinese； the squaw
with the papoose strapped to her shoulder； or the wandering and
foot…sore prospector； who were the only wayfarers he used to meet。
He contrasted their halts and friendly greetings with the insolent
curiosity or undisguised contempt of the carriage folk； and smiled
as he thought of the warning of the blacksmith。 But this did not
long divert him； he found himself again returning to his previous
thought。 Indeed； the face of a young girl in one of the carriages
had quite startled him with its resemblance to an old memory of his
lost love as he saw her；her frail； pale elegance encompassed in
laces as she leaned back in her drive through Fifth Avenue； with
eyes that lit up and became transfigured only as he passed。 He
tried to think of his useless quest in search of her last resting…
place abroad； how he had been baffled by the opposition of her
surviving relations； already incensed by the thought that her
decline had been the effect of her hopeless passion。 He tried to
recall the few frigid lines that reconveyed to him the last letter
he had sent her； with the announcement of her death and the hope
that 〃his persecutions〃 would now cease。 A wild idea had sometimes
come to him out of the very insufficiency of his knowledge of this
climax； but he had always put it aside as a precursor of that
madness which might end his ceaseless thought。 And now it was
returning to him； here； thousands of miles away from where she was
peacefully sleeping； and even filling him with the vigor of
youthful hope。
The brief mountain twilight was giving way now to the radiance of
the rising moon。 He endeavored to fix his thoughts upon his
partners who were to meet him at Hymettus after these long years of
separation。
Hymettus！ He recalled now the odd coincidence that he had
mischievously used as a gag to his questioning fellow traveler； but
now he had really come from a villa near Athens to find his old
house thus classically rechristened after it； and thought of it
with a gravity he had not felt before。 He wondered who had named
it。 There was no suggestion of the soft； sensuous elegance of the
land he had left in those great heroics of nature before him。
Those enormous trees were no woods for fauns or dryads； they had
their own godlike majesty of bulk and height； and as he at last
climbed the summit and saw the dark…helmeted head of Black Spur
before him； and beyond it the pallid； spiritual cloud of the
Sierras； he did not think of Olympus。 Yet for a moment he was
startled； as he turned to the right； by the Doric…columned facade
of a temple painted by the moonbeams and framed in an opening of
the dark woods before him。 It was not until he had reached it that
he saw that it was the new wooden post…office of Heavy Tree Hill。
And now the buildings of the new settlement began to faintly
appear。 But the obscurity of the shadow and the equally disturbing
unreality of the moonlight confused him in his attempts to
recognize the old landmarks。 A broad and well…kept winding road
had taken the place of the old steep； but direct trail to his
cabin。 He had walked for some moments in uncertainty； when a
sudden sweep of the road brought the full crest of the hill above
and before him； crowned with a tiara of lights； overtopping a long
base of flashing windows。 That was all that was left of Heavy Tree
Hill。 The old foreground of buckeye and odorous ceanothus was
gone。 Even the great grove of pines behind it had vanished。
There was already a stir of life in the road； and he could see
figures moving slowly along a kind of sterile； formal terrace
spread with a few dreary marble vases and plaster statues which had
replaced the natural slope and the great quartz buttresses of
outcrop that supported it。 Presently he entered a gate； and soon
found himself in the carriage drive leading to the hotel veranda。
A number of fair promenaders were facing the keen mountain night
wind in wraps and furs。 Demorest had replaced his coat； but his
boots were red with dust； and as he ascended the steps he could see
that he was eyed with some superciliousness by the guests and with
considerable suspicion by the servants。 One of the latter was
approaching him with an insolent smile when a figure darted from
the vestibule； and； brushing the waiter aside； seized Demorest's
two hands in his and held him at arm's length。
〃Demorest； old man！〃
〃Stacy； old chap！〃
〃But where's your team？ I've had all the spare hostlers and hall…
boys listening for you at the gate。 And where's Barker？ When he
found you'd given the dead…cut to the railroadHIS railroad； you
knowhe loped over to Boomville after you。〃
Demorest briefly explained that he had walked by the old road and
probably missed him。 But by this time the waiters； crushed by the
spectacle of this travel…worn stranger's affectionate reception by
the great financial magnate； were wildly applying their brushes and
handkerchiefs to his trousers and boots until Stacy again swept
them away。
〃Get off； all of you！ Now； Phil； you come with me。 The house is
full； but I've made the manager give you a lady's drawing…room
suite。 When you telegraphed you'd meet us HERE there was no chance
to get anything else。 It's really Mrs。 Van Loo's family suite； but
they were sent for to go to Marysville yesterday； and so we'll run
you in for the night。〃
〃But〃protested Demorest。
〃Nonsense！〃 said Stacy； dragging him away。 〃We'll pay for it； and
I reckon the old lady won't object to taking her share of the
damage either； or she isn't Van Loo's mother。 Come。〃
Demorest felt himself hurried forward by the energetic Stacy；
preceded by the obsequious manager； through a corridor to a
handsomely furnished suite； into whose bathroom Stacy incontinently
thrust him。
〃There！ Wash up； and by the time you're ready Barker ought to be
back； and we'll have supper。 It's waiting for us in the other
room。〃
〃But how about Barker； the dear boy？〃 persisted Demorest； holding
open the door。 〃Tell me； is he well and happy？〃
〃About as well as we all are；〃 said Stacy quickly； yet with a
certain dry significance。 〃Never mind n