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magnificence that his heart failed him at the last moment； and
mumbling an apology to the elegant receiving teller； fled with his
greasy chamois pouch of gold…dust to deposit his treasure in the
dingy Mint around the corner。 Perhaps there was something of this
feeling； mingled with a certain simple…minded fascination； in the
hesitation of a stranger of a higher class who entered the bank
that rainy morning and finally tendered his card to the important
negro messenger。
The card preceded him through noiselessly swinging doors and across
heavily carpeted passages until it reached the inner core of Mr。
James Stacy's private offices； and was respectfully laid before
him。 He was not alone。 At his side； in an attitude of polite and
studied expectancy； stood a correct…looking young man； for whom Mr。
Stacy was evidently writing a memorandum。 The stranger glanced
furtively at the card with a curiosity hardly in keeping with his
suggested good breeding； but Stacy did not look at it until he had
finished his memorandum。
〃There；〃 he said； with business decision； 〃you can tell your people
that if we carry their new debentures over our limit we will expect
a larger margin。 Ditches are not what they were three years ago
when miners were willing to waste their money over your rates。
They don't gamble THAT WAY any more； and your company ought to know
it； and not gamble themselves over that prospect。〃 He handed the
paper to the stranger； who bowed over it with studied politeness；
and backed towards the door。 Stacy took up the waiting card； read
it； said to the messenger； 〃Show him in；〃 and in the same breath
turned to his guest： 〃I say； Van Loo； it's George Barker！ You know
him。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Van Loo； with a polite hesitation as he halted at the
door。 〃He wasI thinkerin your employ at Heavy Tree Hill。〃
〃Nonsense！ He was my partner。 And you must have known him since
at Boomville。 Come！ He got forty shares of Ditch stockthrough
youat 110； which were worth about 80！ SOMEBODY must have made
money enough by it to remember him。〃
〃I was only speaking of him socially；〃 said Van Loo； with a
deprecating smile。 〃You know he married a young womanthe hotel…
keeper's daughter； who used to wait at the tableand after my
mother and sister came out to keep house for me at Boomville it was
quite impossible for me to see much of him； for he seldom went out
without his wife； you know。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Stacy dryly； 〃I think you didn't like his marriage。
But I'm glad your disinclination to see him isn't on account of
that deal in stocks。〃
〃Oh no；〃 said Van Loo。 〃Good…by。〃
But； unfortunately； in the next passage he came upon Barker； who
with a cry of unfeigned pleasure； none the less sincere that he was
feeling a little alien in these impressive surroundings； recognized
him。 Nothing could exceed Van Loo's protest of delight at the
meeting； nothing his equal desolation at the fact that he was
hastening to another engagement。 〃But your old partner；〃 he added；
with a smile； 〃is waiting for you； he has just received your card；
and I should be only keeping you from him。 So glad to see you；
you're looking so well。 Good…by！ Good…by！〃
Reassured； Barker no longer hesitated； but dashed with his old
impetuousness into his former partner's room。 Stacy； already
deeply absorbed in other business； was sitting with his back
towards him； and Barker's arms were actually encircling his neck
before the astonished and half…angry man looked up。 But when his
eyes met the laughing gray ones of Barker above him he gently
disengaged himself with a quick return of the caress； rose； shut
the door of an inner office； and returning pushed Barker into an
armchair in quite the old suppressive fashion of former days。 Yes；
it was the same Stacy that Barker looked at； albeit his brown beard
was now closely cropped around his determined mouth and jaw in a
kind of grave decorum； and his energetic limbs already attuned to
the rigor of clothes of fashionable cut and still more rigorous
sombreness of color。
〃Barker boy；〃 he began； with the familiar twinkle in his keen eyes
which the younger partner remembered； 〃I don't encourage stag
dancing among my young men during bank hours； and you'll please to
remember that we are not on Heavy Tree Hill〃
〃Where；〃 broke in Barker enthusiastically； 〃we were only overlooked
by the Black Spur Range and the Sierran snow…line； where the
nearest voice that came to you was quarter of a mile away as the
crow flies and nearly a mile by the trail。〃
〃And was generally an oath！〃 said Stacy。 〃But you're in San
Francisco NOW。 Where are you stopping？〃 He took up a pencil and
held it over a memorandum pad awaitingly。
〃At the Brook House。 It's〃
〃Hold on！ 'Brook House；'〃 Stacy repeated as he jotted it down。
〃And for how long？〃
〃Oh； a day or two。 You see； Kitty〃
Stacy checked him with a movement of his pencil in the air； and
then wrote down； 〃'Day or two。' Wife with you？〃
〃Yes； and oh； Stacy； our boy！ Ah！〃 he went on； with a laugh；
knocking aside the remonstrating pencil； 〃you must listen！ He's
just the sweetest； knowingest little chap living。 Do you know what
we're going to christen him？ Well； he'll be Stacy Demorest Barker。
Good names； aren't they？ And then it perpetuates the dear old
friendship。〃
Stacy picked up the pencil again； wrote 〃Wife and child S。 D。 B。；〃
and leaned back in his chair。 〃Now； Barker；〃 he said briefly； 〃I'm
coming to dine with you tonight at 7。30 sharp。 THEN we'll talk
Heavy Tree Hill； wife； baby； and S。 D。 B。 But here I'm all for
business。 Have you any with me？〃
Barker； who was easily amused； had extracted a certain entertainment
out of Stacy's memorandum； but he straightened himself with a look
of eager confidence and said； 〃Certainly； that's just what it is
business。 Lord！ Stacy； I'm ALL business now。 I'm in everything。
And I bank with you； though perhaps you don't know it； it's in your
Branch at Marysville。 I didn't want to say anything about it to you
before。 But Lord！ you don't suppose that I'd bank anywhere else
while you are in the businesschecks； dividends； and all that； but
in this matter I felt you knew； old chap。 I didn't want to talk to
a banker nor to a bank； but to Jim Stacy； my old partner。〃
〃Barker；〃 said Stacy curtly； 〃how much money are you short of？〃
At this direct question Barker's always quick color rose； but； with
an equally quick smile； he said； 〃I don't know yet that I'm short
at all。〃
〃But I do！〃
〃Look here； Jim： why； I'm just overloaded with shares and stocks；〃
said Barker； smiling。
〃Not one of which you could realize on without sacrifice。 Barker；
three years ago you had three hundred thousand dollars put to your
account at San Francisco。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Barker； with a quiet reminiscent laugh。 〃I remember I
wanted to draw it out in one check to see how it would look。〃
〃And you've drawn out all in three years； and it looks dd bad。〃
〃How did you know it？〃 asked Barker； his face beaming only with
admiration of his companion's omniscience。
〃How did I know it？〃 retorted Stacy。 〃I know YOU； and I know the
kind of people who have unloaded to you。〃
〃Come； Stacy；〃 said Barker； 〃I've only invested in shares and
stocks like everybody else； and then only on the best advice I
could get： like Van Loo's； for instance；that man who was here
just now； the new manager of the Empire Ditch Company； and
Carter's； my own Kitty's father。 And when I was offered fifty
thousand Wide West Extensions； and was hesitating over it； he told
me YOU were in it tooand that was enough for me to buy it。〃
〃Yes； but we didn't go into it at his figures。〃
〃No；〃 said Barker； with an eager smile； 〃but you SOLD at his
figures； for I knew that when I found that YOU； my old partner； was
in it； don't you see； I preferred to buy it through your bank； and
did at 110。 Of course； you wouldn't have sold it at that figure if
it wasn't worth it then； and neither I nor you are to blame if it
dropped the next week to 60； don't you see？〃
Stacy's eyes hardened for a moment as he looked keenly into his
former partner's bright gray ones； but there was no trace of irony
in Barker's。 On the contrary； a slight shade of sadness came over
them。 〃No；〃 he said reflectively； 〃I don't think I've ever been
foolish or followed out my OWN ideas； except once； and that was
extravagant； I admit。 That was my idea of building a kind of
refuge； you know； on the site of our old cabin； where poor miners
and played…out prospectors waiting for a strike could stay without
paying anything。 Well； I sunk twenty thousand dollars in that； and
might have lost more； only CarterKitty's fatherpersuaded me
he's an awful clever old fellowinto turning it into a kind of
branch hotel of Boomville； while using it as a hotel to take poor
c