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him at the first station on the road。 〃I reckon； gentlemen；〃 said
Hamlin； with an unusual earnestness in his voice； 〃that he'd not
only got my telegram； but ALL THE NEWS that had been flying around
this morning； for he looked like a man to whom it was just a 'toss…
up' whether he took his own life then and there or was willing to
have somebody else take it for him； for he said； 'I'll go myself；'
and telegraphed to have the surveyor stopped from coming。 Then he
told me to tell you fellows； and ask you to come too。〃 Jack
paused； and added half mischievously； 〃He sort of asked ME what I
would take to stand by him in the row； if there was one； and I told
him I'd takewhiskey！ You see； boys； it's a kind of off…night
with me； and I wouldn't mind for the sake of old times to finish
the game with old Steptoe that I began a matter of five years ago。〃
〃All right；〃 said Demorest； with a kindling eye； 〃I suppose we'd
better start at once。 One moment；〃 he added。 〃Barker boy； will
you excuse me if I speak a word to Hamlin？〃 As Barker nodded and
walked to the rails of the veranda； Demorest took Hamlin aside；
〃You and I；〃 he said hurriedly； 〃are SINGLE men； Barker has a wife
and child。 This is likely to be no child's play。〃
But Jack Hamlin was no fool； and from certain leading questions
which Barker had already put； but which he had skillfully evaded；
he surmised that Barker knew something of his wife's escapade。 He
answered a little more seriously than his wont； 〃I don't think as
regards HIS WIFE that would make much difference to him or her how
stiff the work was。〃
Demorest turned away with his last pang of bitterness。 It needed
only this confirmation of all that Stacy had hinted； of what he
himself had seen in his brief interview with Mrs。 Barker since his
return； to shake his last remaining faith。 〃We'll all go together；
then；〃 he said； with a laugh； 〃as in the old times； and perhaps
it's as well that we have no woman in our confidence。〃
An hour later the three men passed quietly out of the hotel；
scarcely noticed by the other guests； who were also oblivious of
their absence during the evening。 For Mrs。 Barker； quite recovered
from her fatiguing ride； was in high spirits and the most beautiful
and spotless of summer gowns； and was considered quite a heroine by
the other ladies as she dwelt upon the terrible heat of her return
journey。 〃Only I knew Mr。 Barker would be worriedand the poor
man actually walked a mile down the Divide road to meet meI
believe I should have stayed there all day。〃 She glanced round the
other groups for Mrs。 Horncastle； but that lady had retired early。
Possibly she alone had noticed the absence of the two partners。
The guests sat up until quite late； for the heat seemed to grow
still more oppressive； and the strange smell of burning wood
revived the gossip about Mrs。 Van Loo and her stupidity in setting
fire to her chimney。 Some averred that it would be days before the
smell could be got out of the house； others referred it to the
fires in the woods； which were now dangerously near。 One spoke of
the isolated position of the hotel as affording the greatest
security； but was met by the assertion of a famous mountaineer that
the forest fires were wont to leap from crest to crest mysteriously；
without any apparent continuous contact。 This led to more or less
light…hearted conjecture of present danger and some amusing stories
of hotel fires and their ludicrous revelations。 There were also some
entertaining speculations as to what they would do and what they
would try to save in such an emergency。
〃For myself；〃 said Mrs。 Barker audaciously； 〃I should certainly let
Mr。 Barker look after Sta and confine myself entirely to getting
away with my diamonds。 I know the wretch would never think of
them。〃
It was still later when； exhausted by the heat and some reaction
from the excitement of the day； they at last deserted the veranda
for their rooms； and for a while the shadowy bulk of the whole
building was picked out with regularly spaced lights from its open
windows； until now these finally faded and went out one by one。 An
hour later the whole building had sunk to rest。 It was said that
it was only four in the morning when a yawning porter； having put
out the light in a dark； upper corridor； was amazed by a dull glow
from the top of the wall； and awoke to the fact that a red fire； as
yet smokeless and flameless； was creeping along the cornice。 He
ran to the office and gave the alarm； but on returning with
assistance was stopped in the corridor by an impenetrable wall of
smoke veined with murky flashes。 The alarm was given in all the
lower floors； and the occupants rushed from their beds half dressed
to the courtyard； only to see； as they afterwards averred； the
flames burst like cannon discharges from the upper windows and
unite above the crackling roof。 So sudden and complete was the
catastrophe； although slowly prepared by a leak in the overheated
chimney between the floors； that even the excitement of fear and
exertion was spared the survivors。 There was bewilderment and
stupor； but neither uproar nor confusion。 People found themselves
wandering in the woods； half awake and half dressed； having
descended from the balconies and leaped from the windows；they
knew not how。 Others on the upper floor neither awoke nor moved
from their beds； but were suffocated without a cry。 From the first
an instinctive idea of the hopelessness of combating the
conflagration possessed them all； to a blind； automatic feeling to
flee the building was added the slow mechanism of the somnambulist；
delicate women walked speechlessly； but securely； along ledges and
roofs from which they would have fallen by the mere light of reason
and of day。 There was no crowding or impeding haste in their dumb
exodus。 It was only when Mrs。 Barker awoke disheveled in the
courtyard； and with an hysterical outcry rushed back into the
hotel； that there was any sign of panic。
Mrs。 Horncastle； who was standing near； fully dressed as from some
night…long vigil； quickly followed her。 The half…frantic woman was
making directly for her own apartments； whose windows those in the
courtyard could see were already belching smoke。 Suddenly Mrs。
Horncastle stopped with a bitter cry and clasped her forehead。 It
had just flashed upon her that Mrs。 Barker had told her only a few
hours before that Sta had been removed with the nurse to the UPPER
FLOOR！ It was not the forgotten child that Mrs。 Barker was
returning for； but her diamonds！ Mrs。 Horncastle called her； she
did not reply。 The smoke was already pouring down the staircase。
Mrs。 Horncastle hesitated for a moment only； and then； drawing a
long breath； dashed up the stairs。 On the first landing she
stumbled over somethingthe prostrate figure of the nurse。 But
this saved her； for she found that near the floor she could breathe
more freely。 Before her appeared to be an open door。 She crept
along towards it on her hands and knees。 The frightened cry of a
child； awakened from its sleep in the dark； gave her nerve to rise；
enter the room； and dash open the window。 By the flashing light
she could see a little figure rising from a bed。 It was Sta。
There was not a moment to be lost； for the open window was
beginning to draw the smoke from the passage。 Luckily； the boy； by
some childish instinct； threw his arms round her neck and left her
hands free。 Whispering him to hold tight； she clambered out of the
window。 A narrow ledge of cornice scarcely wide enough for her
feet ran along the house to a distant balcony。 With her back to
the house she zigzagged her feet along the cornice to get away from
the smoke； which now poured directly from the window。 Then she
grew dizzy； the weight of the child on her bosom seemed to be
toppling her forward towards the abyss below。 She closed her eyes；
frantically grasping the child with crossed arms on her breast as
she stood on the ledge； until； as seen from below through the
twisting smoke； they might have seemed a figure of the Madonna and
Child niched in the wall。 Then a voice from above called to her；
〃Courage！〃 and she felt the flap of a twisted sheet lowered from an
upper window against her face。 She grasped it eagerly； it held
firmly。 Then she heard a cry from below； saw them carrying a
ladder； and at last was lifted with her burden from the ledge by
powerful hands。 Then only did she raise her eyes to the upper
window whence had come her help。 Smoke and flame were pouring from
it。 The unknown hero who had sacrificed his only chance of escape
to her remained forever unknown。
。 。 。 。 。 。
Only four miles away that night a group of men were waiting for the
dawn in the shadow of a pine near Heavy Tree Bar。 As the sky
glowed redly over the crest between them and Hymettus；