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sense of the absolute sentimentality of his request； and the
consciousness that he was about to invite the familiar confidence
of this strange womanwhose son had forged his namein regard to
HER！
〃It was a Venetian picture；〃 he began； and stopped； a singular
disgust keeping him from voicing the name。
But Mrs。 Van Loo was less reticent。 〃Oh； you mean my dearest
frienda lovely picture； and you know her？ Why； yes； surely。 You
are THE Mr。 Demorest who Of course； that old love…affair。 Well；
you are a marvel！ Five years ago； at least； and you have not
forgotten！ I really must write and tell her。〃
〃Write and tell her！〃 Then it was all a lie about her death！ He
felt not only his faith； his hope； his future leaving him； but even
his self…control。 With an effort he said。
〃I think you have already satisfied my curiosity。 I was told five
years ago that she was dead。 It was because of the date of the
photographtwo years laterthat I ventured to intrude upon you。
I was anxious only to know the truth。〃
〃She certainly was very much living and of the world when I saw her
last； two years ago；〃 said Mrs。 Van Loo； with an easy smile。 〃I
dare say that was a ruse of her relativesa very stupid oneto
break off the affair； for I think they had other plans。 But； dear
me！ now I remember； was there not some little quarrel between you
before？ Some letter from you that was not very kind？ My
impression is that there was something of the sort； and that the
young lady was indignant。 But only for a time； you know。 She very
soon forgot it。 I dare say if you wrote something very charming to
her it might not be too late。 We women are very forgiving； Mr。
Demorest； and although she is very much sought after； as are all
young American girls whose fathers can give them a comfortable
'dot'； her parents might be persuaded to throw over a poor prince
for a rich countryman in the end。 Of course； you know； to you
Republicans there is always something fascinating in titles and
blood； and our dear friend is like other girls。 Still； it is worth
the risk。 And five years of waiting and devotion really ought to
tell。 It's quite a romance！ Shall I write to her and tell her I
have seen you； looking well and prosperous？ Nothing more。 Do let
me！ I should be delighted。〃
〃I think it hardly worth while for you to give yourself that
trouble；〃 said Demorest quietly； looking in Mrs。 Van Loo's smiling
eyes； 〃now that I know the story of the young lady's death was a
forgery。 And I will not intrude further on your time。 Pray give
yourself no needless hurry over your packing。 I may go to San
Francisco this afternoon； and not even require the rooms to…night。〃
〃At least； let me make you a present of the souvenir as an
acknowledgment of your courtesy；〃 said Mrs。 Van Loo； passing into
her bedroom and returning with the photograph。 〃I feel that with
your five years of constancy it is more yours than mine。〃 As a
gentleman Demorest knew he could not refuse； and taking the
photograph from her with a low bow； with another final salutation
he withdrew。
Alone by himself in a corner of the veranda he was surprised that
the interview had made so little impression on him； and had so
little altered his conviction。 His discovery that the announcement
of his betrothed's death was a fiction did not affect the fact that
though living she was yet dead to him； and apparently by her own
consent。 The contrast between her life and his during those five
years had been covertly accented by Mrs。 Van Loo； whether
intentionally or not； and he saw again as last night the full
extent of his sentimental folly。 He could not even condole with
himself that he was the victim of miserable falsehoods that others
had invented。 SHE had accepted them； and had even excused her
desertion of him by that last deceit of the letter。
He drew out her photograph and again examined it； but not as a
lover。 Had she really grown stouter and more self…complacent？ Was
the spirituality and delicacy he had worshiped in her purely his
own idiotic fancy？ Had she always been like this？ Yes。 There was
the girl who could weakly strive； weakly revenge herself； and
weakly forget。 There was the figure that he had expected to find
carved upon the tomb which he had long sought that he might weep
over。 He laughed aloud。
It was very hot； and he was stifling with inaction。 What was
Barker doing； and why had not Stacy telegraphed to him？ And what
were those people in the courtyard doing？ Were they discussing
news of further disaster and ruin？ Perhaps he was even now a
beggar。 Well； his fortune might go with his faith。
But the crowd was simply looking at the roof of the hotel； and he
now saw that a black smoke was drifting across the courtyard； and
was conscious of a smell of soot and burning。 He stepped down from
the veranda among the mingled guests and servants； and saw that the
smoke was only pouring from a chimney。 He heard； too； that the
chimney had been on fire； and that it was Mrs。 Van Loo's bedroom
chimney； and that when the startled servants had knocked at the
locked door she had told them that she was only burning some old
letters and newspapers； the refuse of her trunks。 There was
naturally some indignation that the hotel had been so foolishly
endangered； in such scorching weather； and the manager had had a
scene with her which resulted in her leaving the hotel indignantly
with her half…packed boxes。 But even after the smoke had died away
and the fire been extinguished in the chimney and hearth； there was
an acrid smell of smouldering pine penetrating the upper floors of
the hotel all that afternoon。
When Mrs。 Van Loo drove away； the manager returned with Demorest to
the rooms。 The marble hearth was smoked and discolored and still
littered with charred ashes of burnt paper。 〃My belief is；〃 said
the manager darkly； 〃that the old hag came here just to burn up a
lot of incriminating papers that her son had intrusted to her
keeping。 It looks mighty suspicious。 You see she got up an awful
lot of side when I told her I didn't reckon to run a smelting
furnace in a wooden hotel with the thermometer at one hundred in
the office； and I reckon it was just an excuse for getting off in a
hurry。〃
But the continued delay in Stacy's promised telegram had begun to
work upon Demorest's usual equanimity； and he scarcely listened in
his anxiety for his old partner。 He knew that Stacy should have
arrived in San Francisco by noon。 He had almost determined to take
the next train from the Divide when two horsemen dashed into the
courtyard。 There was the usual stir on the veranda and rush for
news； but the two new arrivals turned out to be Barker； on a horse
covered with foam； and a dashing； elegantly dressed stranger on a
mustang as carefully groomed and as spotless as himself。 Demorest
instantly recognized Jack Hamlin。
He had not seen Hamlin since that day； five years before； when the
latter had accompanied the three partners with their treasure to
Boomville； and had handed him the mysterious packet。 As the two
men dismounted hurriedly and moved towards him； he felt a
premonition of something as fateful and important as then。 In
obedience to a sign from Barker he led them to a more secluded
angle of the veranda。 He could not help noticing that his younger
partner's face was mobile as ever； but more thoughtful and older；
yet his voice rang with the old freemasonry of the camp； as he
said； with a laugh； 〃The signal has been given； and it's boot and
saddle and away。〃
〃But I have had no dispatch from Stacy；〃 said Demorest in surprise。
〃He was to telegraph to me from San Francisco in any emergency。〃
〃He never got there at all；〃 said Barker。 〃Jack ran slap into Van
Loo at the Divide； and sent a dispatch to Jim； which stopped him
halfway until Jack could reach him； which he nearly broke his neck
to do； and then Jack finished up by bringing a message from Stacy
to us that we should all meet together on the slope of Heavy Tree；
near the Bar。 I met Jack just as I was riding into the Divide； and
came back with him。 He will tell you the rest； and you can swear
by what Jack says； for he's white all through；〃 he added； laying
his hand affectionately on Hamlin's shoulder。
Hamlin winced slightly。 For he had NOT told Barker that his wife
was with Van Loo； nor his first reason for interfering。 But he
related how he had finally overtaken Van Loo at Canyon Station； and
how the fugitive had disclosed the conspiracy of Steptoe and Hall
against the bank and Marshall as the price of his own release。 On
this news； remembering that Stacy had passed the Divide on his way
to the station； he had first sent a dispatch to him； and then met
him at the first station on the road。 〃I reckon； gentlemen；〃 said
Hamlin； with an unusual earnestness in his voice； 〃that he'