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But here Mrs。 Horncastle's foot slipped upon the glassy pine…
needles； and not only stopped an answer； but obliged Barker to give
all his attention to keep his companion from falling again until
they reached the open。 Then came the plunge through the manzanita
thicket； then a cool wade through waist…deep ferns； and then they
emerged； holding each other's hand； breathless and panting before
the spring。
It did not belie his enthusiastic description。 A triangular
hollow； niched in a shelf of the mountain…side； narrowed to a point
from which the overflow of the spring percolated through a fringe
of alder； to fall in what seemed from the valley to be a green
furrow down the whole length of the mountain…side。 Overhung by
pines above； which met and mingled with the willows that everywhere
fringed it； it made the one cooling shade in the whole basking
expanse of the mountain； and yet was penetrated throughout by the
intoxicating spice of the heated pines。 Flowering reeds and long
lush grasses drew a magic circle round an open bowl…like pool in
the centre； that was always replenished to the slow murmur of an
unseen rivulet that trickled from a white…quartz cavern in the
mountain…side like a vein opened in its flank。 Shadows of timid
wings crossed it； quick rustlings disturbed the reeds； but nothing
more。 It was silent； but breathing； it was hidden to everything
but the sky and the illimitable distance。
They threaded their way around it on the spongy carpet； covered by
delicate lace…like vines that seemed to caress rather than trammel
their moving feet； until they reached an open space before the
pool。 It was cushioned and matted with disintegrated pine bark；
and here they sat down。 Mrs。 Horncastle furled her parasol and
laid it aside； raised both hands to the back of her head and took
two hat…pins out； which she placed in her smiling mouth； removed
her hat； stuck the hat…pins in it； and handed it to Barker； who
gently placed it on the top of a tall reed； where during the rest
of that momentous meeting it swung and drooped like a flower；
removed her gloves slowly； drank still smilingly and gratefully
nearly a wineglassful of the water which Barker brought her in the
green twisted chalice of a lily leaf； looked the picture of
happiness； and then burst into tears。
Barker was astounded； dismayed； even terror…stricken。 Mrs。
Horncastle crying！ Mrs。 Horncastle； the imperious； the collected；
the coldly critical； the cynical； smiling woman of the world；
actually crying！ Other women might cryKitty had cried oftenbut
Mrs。 Horncastle！ Yet； there she was； sobbing； actually sobbing
like a schoolgirl； her beautiful shoulders rising and falling with
her grief； crying unmistakably through her long white fingers；
through a lace pocket…handkerchief which she had hurriedly produced
and shaken from behind her like a conjurer's trick； her beautiful
eyes a thousand times more lustrous for the sparkling beads that
brimmed her lashes and welled over like the pool before her。
〃Don't mind me；〃 she murmured behind her handkerchief。 〃It's very
foolish； I know。 I was nervousworried； I suppose； I'll be better
in a moment。 Don't notice me； please。〃
But Barker had drawn beside her and was trying； after the fashion
of his sex； to take her handkerchief away in apparently the firm
belief that this action would stop her tears。 〃But tell me what it
is。 Do Mrs。 Horncastle； please；〃 he pleaded in his boyish fashion。
〃Is it anything I can do？ Only say the word； only tell me
SOMETHING！〃
But he had succeeded in partially removing the handkerchief； and so
caught a glimpse of her wet eyes； in which a faint smile struggled
out like sunshine through rain。 But they clouded again； although
she didn't cry； and her breath came and went with the action of a
sob； and her hands still remained against her flushed face。
〃I was only going to talk to you of Kitty〃 （sob）〃but I suppose
I'm weak〃 （sob）〃and such a fool〃 （sob） 〃and I got to thinking of
myself and my own sorrows when I ought to be thinking only of you
and Kitty。〃
〃Never mind Kitty；〃 said Barker impulsively。 〃Tell me about
yourselfyour own sorrows。 I am a brute to have bothered you
about her at such a moment； and now until you have told me what is
paining you so I shall not let you speak of her。〃 He was perfectly
sincere。 What were Kitty's possible and easy tears over the loss
of her money to the unknown agony that could wrench a sob from a
woman like this？ 〃Dear Mrs。 Horncastle；〃 he went on as
breathlessly； 〃think of me now not as Kitty's husband； but as your
true friend。 Yes； as your BEST and TRUEST friend； and speak to me
as you would speak to him。〃
〃You will be my friend？〃 she said suddenly and passionately；
grasping his hand； 〃my best and truest friend？ and if I tell you
all；everything； you will not cast me from you and hate me？〃
Barker felt the same thrill from her warm hand slowly possess his
whole being as it had the evening before； but this time he was
prepared and answered the grasp and her eyes together as he said
breathlessly； 〃I will beI AM your friend。〃
She withdrew her hand and passed it over her eyes。 After a moment
she caught his hand again； and； holding it tightly as if she feared
he might fly from her； bit her lip； and then slowly； without
looking at him； said； 〃I lied to you about myself and Kitty that
night； I did not come with her。 I came alone and secretly to
Boomville to seeto see the man who is my husband。〃
〃Your husband！〃 said Barker in surprise。 He had believed； with the
rest of the world； that there had been no communication between
them for years。 Yet so intense was his interest in her that he did
not notice that this revelation was leaving now no excuse for his
wife's presence at Boomville。
Mrs。 Horncastle went on with dogged bitterness； 〃Yes； my husband。
I went to him to beg and bribe him to let me see my child。 Yes； MY
child；〃 she said frantically； tightening her hold upon his hand；
〃for I lied to you when I once told you I had none。 I had a child；
and； more than that； a child who at his birth I did not dare to
openly claim。〃
She stopped breathlessly； stared at his face with her former
intensity as if she would pluck the thought that followed from his
brain。 But he only moved closer to her； passed his arm over her
shoulders with a movement so natural and protecting that it had a
certain dignity in it； and； looking down upon her bent head with
eyes brimming with sympathy； whispered； 〃Poor； poor child！〃
Whereat Mrs。 Horncastle again burst into tears。 And then； with her
head half drawn towards his shoulder； she told him all；all that
had passed between her and her husband；even all that they had
then but hinted at。 It was as if she felt she could now； for the
first time； voice all these terrible memories of the past which had
come back to her last night when her husband had left her。 She
concealed nothing； she veiled nothing； there were intervals when
her tears no longer flowed； and a cruel hardness and return of her
old imperiousness of voice and manner took their place； as if she
was doing a rigid penance and took a bitter satisfaction in laying
bare her whole soul to him。 〃I never had a friend；〃 she whispered；
〃there were women who persecuted me with their jealous sneers；
there were men who persecuted me with their selfish affections。
When I first saw YOU； you seemed something so apart and different
from all other men that； although I scarcely knew you； I wanted to
tell you； even then； all that I have told you now。 I wanted you to
be my friend； something told me that you could；that you could
separate me from my past； that you could tell me what to do； that
you could make me think as you thought； see life as YOU saw it； and
trust always to some goodness in people as YOU did。 And in this
faith I thought that you would understand me now； and even forgive
me all。〃
She made a slight movement as if to disengage his arm； and；
possibly； to look into his eyes； which she knew instinctively were
bent upon her downcast head。 But he only held her the more tightly
until her cheek was close against his breast。 〃What could I do？〃
she murmured。 〃A man in sorrow and trouble may go to a woman for
sympathy and support and the world will not gainsay or misunderstand
him。 But a womanweaker； more helpless； credulous； ignorant； and
craving for lightmust not in her agony go to a man for succor and
sympathy。〃
〃Why should she not？〃 burst out Barker passionately； releasing her
in his attempt to gaze into her face。 〃What man dare refuse her？〃
〃Not THAT；〃 she said slowly； but with still averted eyes； 〃but
because the world would say she LOVED him。〃
〃And what should she care for the opinion of a world that stands
aside and lets her suffer？ Why should she heed its wretched
babble？〃 he went on in flashi