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There was no mistaking the reality of his words； the genuine pity
and tenderness of his action； but the woman saw before her only the
familiar dupe of her life； and felt an infinite relief mingled with
a certain contempt for his weakness and anger at her previous fears
of him。
〃You might have driven over； then； yourself；〃 she said in a high；
querulous voice； 〃if you knew it so well； and have spared ME this
horrid； dirty； filthy； hopeless expedition； for I have not saved
anythingthere！ And I have had all this disgusting bother！〃
For an instant he was sorely tempted to lift his eyes to her face；
but he checked himself； then he gently took her dust…coat from her
shoulders and shook it out； wiped the dust from her face and eyes
with his own handkerchief； held her hat and blew the dust from it
with a vivid memory of performing the same service for Mrs。
Horncastle only an hour before； while she arranged her hair； and
then； lifting her again into the buggy； said quietly； as he took
his seat beside her and grasped the reins：
〃I will drive you to the hotel by way of the stables； and you can
go at once to your room and change your clothes。 You are tired；
you are nervous and worried； and want rest。 Don't tell me anything
now until you feel quite yourself again。〃
He whipped up the horse； who； recognizing another hand at the
reins； lunged forward in a final effort； and in a few minutes they
were at the hotel。
As Mrs。 Horncastle sat at luncheon in the great dining…room； a
little pale and abstracted； she saw Mrs。 Barker sweep confidently
into the room； fresh； rosy； and in a new and ravishing toilette。
With a swift glance of conscious power towards the other guests she
walked towards Mrs。 Horncastle。 〃Ah； here you are； dear；〃 she said
in a voice that could easily reach all ears； 〃and you've arrived
only a little before me； after all。 And I've had such an AWFUL
drive to the Divide！ And only think！ poor George telegraphed to me
at Boomville not to worry； and his dispatch has only just come back
here。〃
And with a glance of complacency she laid Barker's gentle and
forgiving dispatch before the astonished Mrs。 Horncastle。
CHAPTER VIII。
As the day advanced the excitement over the financial crisis
increased at Hymettus； until； in spite of its remote and peaceful
isolation； it seemed to throb through all its verandas and
corridors with some pulsation from the outer world。 Besides the
letters and dispatches brought by hurried messengers and by coach
from the Divide； there was a crowd of guests and servants around
the branch telegraph at the new Heavy Tree post…office which was
constantly augmenting。 Added to the natural anxiety of the deeply
interested was the stimulated fever of the few who wished to be 〃in
the fashion。〃 It was early rumored that a heavy operator； a guest
of the hotel； who was also a director in the telegraph company； had
bought up the wires for his sole use； that the dispatches were
doctored in his interests as a 〃bear；〃 and there was wild talk of
lynching by the indignant mob。 Passengers from Sacramento； San
Francisco； and Marysville brought incredible news and the wildest
sensations。 Firm after firm had failed in the great cities。 Old
established houses that dated back to the 〃spring of '49；〃 and had
weathered the fires and inundations of their perilous Californian
infancy； collapsed before this mysterious； invisible； impalpable
breath of panic。 Companies rooted in respectability and sneered at
for old…fashioned ways were discovered to have shamelessly
speculated with trusts！ An eminent deacon and pillar of the church
was found dead in his room with a bullet in his heart and a damning
confession on the desk before him！ Foreign bankers were sending
their gold out of the country； government would be appealed to to
open the vaults of the Mint； there would be an embargo on all
bullion shipment！ Nothing was too wild or preposterous to be
repeated or credited。
And with this fever of sordid passion the summer temperature had
increased。 For the last two weeks the thermometer had stood
abnormally high during the day…long sunshine； and the metallic dust
in the roads over mineral ranges pricked the skin like red…hot
needles。 In the deepest woods the aromatic sap stood in beads on
felled logs and splintered tree…shafts； even the mountain night
breeze failed to cool these baked and heated fastnesses。 There
were ominous clouds of smoke by day that were pillars of fire by
night along the distant valleys。 Some of the nearer crests were
etched against the midnight sky by dull red creeping lines like a
dying firework。 The great hotel itself creaked and crackled and
warped though all its painted； blistered； and veneered expanse； and
was filled with the stifling breath of desiccation。 The stucco
cracked and crumbled away from the cornices； there were yawning
gaps in the boarded floors beneath the Turkey carpets。 Plate…glass
windows became hopelessly fixed in their warped and twisted sashes；
and added to the heat； there was a warm incense of pine sap in the
dining…room that flavored all the cuisine。 And yet the babble of
stocks and shares went on； and people pricked their ears over their
soup to catch the gossip of the last arrival。
Demorest； loathing it all in his new…found bitterness； was
nevertheless impatient in his inaction； and was eagerly awaiting a
telegram from Stacy； Barker had disappeared since luncheon。
Suddenly there was a commotion on the veranda as a carriage drove
up with a handsome； gray…haired woman。 In the buzzing of voices
around him Demorest heard the name of Mrs。 Van Loo。 In further
comments； made in more smothered accents； he heard that Van Loo had
been stopped at Canyon Station； but that no warrant had yet been
issued against him； that it was generally believed that the bank
dared not hold him； that others openly averred that he had been
used as a scapegoat to avert suspicion from higher guilt。 And
certainly Mrs。 Van Loo's calm； confident air seemed to corroborate
these assertions。
He was still wondering if the strange coincidence which had brought
both mother and son into his own life was not merely a fancy； as
far as SHE was concerned； when a waiter brought a message from Mrs。
Van Loo that she would be glad to see him for a few moments in her
room。 Last night he could scarcely have restrained his eagerness
to meet her and elucidate the mystery of the photograph； now he was
conscious of an equally strong revulsion of feeling； and a dull
premonition of evil。 However； it was no doubt possible that the
man had told her of his previous inquiries； and she had merely
acknowledged them by that message。
Demorest found Mrs。 Van Loo in the private sitting…room where he
and his old partners had supped on the preceding night。 She
received him with unmistakable courtesy and even a certain dignity
that might or might not have been assumed。 He had no difficulty in
recognizing the son's mechanical politeness in the first； but he
was puzzled at the second。
〃The manager of this hotel；〃 she began； with a foreigner's
precision of English； 〃has just told me that you were at present
occupying my rooms at his invitation； but that you wished to see me
at once on my return； and I believe that I was not wrong in
apprehending that you preferred to hear my wishes from my own lips
rather than from an innkeeper。 I had intended to keep these rooms
for some weeks； but； unfortunately for me； though fortunately for
you； the present terrible financial crisis； which has most unjustly
brought my son into such scandalous prominence； will oblige me to
return to San Francisco until his reputation is fully cleared of
these foul aspersions。 I shall only ask you to allow me the
undisturbed possession of these rooms for a couple of hours until I
can pack my trunks and gather up a few souvenirs that I almost
always keep with me。〃
〃Pray； consider that your wishes are my own in respect to that； my
dear madam；〃 returned Demorest gravely； 〃and that； indeed； I
protested against even this temporary intrusion upon your
apartments； but I confess that now that you have spoken of your
souvenirs I have the greatest curiosity about one of them； and that
even my object in seeking this interview was to gratify it。 It is
in regard to a photograph which I saw on the chimney…piece in your
bedroom； which I think I recognized as that of some one whom I
formerly knew。〃
There was a sudden look of sharp suspicion and even hard
aggressiveness that quite changed the lady's face as he mentioned
the word 〃souvenir；〃 but it quickly changed to a smile as she put
up her fan with a gesture of arch deprecation； and said：
〃Ah！ I see。 Of course； a lady's photograph。〃
The reply irritated Demorest。 More than that； he felt a sudden
sense of the absolute sentimentality of his request；