Evening star., 1897-06-12

morning. for he looked like man to whom
1t was just toss up whether he took his
own life then and there, or was willing to
have somebody else take 1t for him. for he
said, I'll go myself and telegraph to have
the surveyor stopped from coming. Then
ne told me to tell you fellows and ask you
to come. too" Jack paused. and added.
half mischievousiy. "He sort of asked me
row. If there was one. and told him I'd
take-whisky! You see, boys, It's q kind
of off night with me. and I wouldn't mind
for the sake of old times to finish the game
five years ago.
"All right" said Demorest, with a kim
Cling eye; Il suppose we'd better start at
once. One moment" he added. Barker,
speak a word to Hamlin"' AS Barker
nodded and walked to the rails of the We
randa Demorest took Hamlin aside. lyon
ard l." he said hurriedly. "are single men
Barker has wife and child. This is like
ly 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 wifes escaDade. He an
swered a little more seriously than his
wont. II don't think as regards his wifs
that would make much difference to him
or her how stiff the work was"
Demorest turned away with his last pang
of bitterness. 1t needed only this con-
f1rmation Of all that Stacy had hinted, Of
what he himself had seen in his brief in
terview with Mrs. Barker since his return
to shake his last remaining faith. We'll
oil go together, then," he said with q
LAT gh. 'as in the old times and perhaps
It's as well that We have no woman in
cur confidence
An hour later the three men passed quiet
]y out of the hotel. scarcely noticed by the
ether guests. who were oblivious of their
absence during the evening. For Mrs.
Gar Faxfo
tide, was IN high spirits and the most
beautiful and spotless of summer gowns,
and was considered quite heroine by the
other ladies as she dwelt upon the terrible
heat of her return journey. "Only that I
knew Mr.. Barker would be worried-and
the poor man actually walked a mile down
the Divide road to meet mel believe I
should have stayed there all day. She
glanced round the other groups for Mrs.
Hcrncastle. but that lady had early retired.
Possibly she alone had noticed the absence
OF the two partners.
They sat up until quite late for the heat
appeared 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 1t would be days be-
fore the smell could be got out of the
hCrse; others referred it to the fires in the
woods. which were now dangerously near.
One spoke CT the Isolated position Of the
hotel 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 mystic
riously without any apparent continuous
contact. Ttis led to more or less light
hearted conjecture of present danger and
some tmusing stories of hotel fires and
tfeir ludicrouS revelations. There were
also some entertaining speculations as to
what they would do and what they would
try to save in such emergency.
For myself" said Mrs. Barker auda-
ciously. Il should certainly let Mr.. Barker
look after Sta and confne myself entirely
to getting away with my diamonds. know
the wretch would never think Of them"
1t was still later. when exhausted by the
heat and some reaction from the excite
ment Of the day. that they at last deserted
the veranda for their rooms, and for a
while the shadowy bulk of the whole build
ing was picked out with regularly spaced
lights from It's open windows. until now
these finally faded and went out one by one
An hour later the whole building had sunk
to rest. 1t was said that 1t was only 4 in
the morning when a yawning porter, hav-
irg put out the light in dark, upper cor
ridor, was amazed by dull glow from the
top of the wall, and awoke to the fact that
a red fire, as yet smokeless and fameless.
vas 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 flames. The
alarm was given in all the lower floors.