Evening star., 1897-05-08

NJ.
You know you and zhe aaways get along
best without me-" ,m
In another moment Barker had burst
into the room. and in'his 4rst tempestuous
greeting of Demoresa the iaatter saw little
change in his younger partner as he held
him at arms length % look at him. why,
Barker. old boy, you haven't got a bit older
since the day when-you remember-you
bonds, and then came back and burst upon
US like this to tell us-you were a beggar"
YES" laughed Barker. land all the
while you fellows were holding four aces
up your sleeve in the shape Of the big
strike"
And you. Georgy.l old tboy." returned
Demorest. swinging -Barkers two hands
backward and forward. rwere holding a
royal flush up yours m the shape of your
engagement to Kitty.
The fresh color died out of Barkers
cheek, even while the frank laugh was still
on his mouth. He turned his face for a
moment toward the window and a swift
and almost Involuntary glance passed be-
tween the others. But he almost as quickly
turned his glistening eyes back to Demor-
est again, and said eagerly: 'Yes, dear
Kitty! You shall see her and the baby to-
morrow
Then they fell upon the supper with the
appetites Of the past, and for some mo-
ments they all talked eagerly and even
noisily together, all at the same time. with
the even spirit of the past. They recalled
every detail Of their old life; eagerly and
impetuously recounted the old struggles,
hopes and disappointments gave the
strange Importance OF schoolboys to un-
important events, and a mystic meaning to
a shibboleth of their own; roared over old
jokes with delight they had never since
given to new; reawakened idiotic nick
names and by-words with intense enjoy
ment; grew grave, anxious and agonized
over forgotten names, trifing dates, use
less distances, ineffective records and
feeble chronicles of their domestic econ
omy. 1t was the thoughtful and melan-
choly Demorest who remembered the exact
color and price paid for a certain shirt
bought from a greaser peddler amidst the
envy of his companions: 1t was the finan-
cial magnate. Stacy. who could inform
them what were the exact days they mad
salaratus bread and when fapjacks: it was
the thoughtless and mercurial Barker who
called with unheard-of accuracy. amid the
applause of the others. the full name of
the Indian squaw who assisted al their
washing. Even then they were almost
feverishly lotn to leave the subject, as if
the past, at least, was secure to them still,
and they were even doubtful Of their own
free and full accord in the present. Then
they slipped rather reluctantly into their
later experiences, but with scarcely the
same freedom or spontaneity; and it was
noticeable that these records were elected
from Barker by Stacy or from Stacy by
Barker for the information of Demorest
often with chatting and only under good
kumored protest Tell Demorest how you
broke the Copper Ring" from the ad
miring Barker or Tell Demorest how
your id foolishness in buying up the
right and plant of the Ditch Company got
you control OF the railroad" from the mis-
chievous Stacy, were challenges in point
Presently they left the table, and to
the astonshment of the walters who re-
moved the cloth, common briarwood pipes
thoughtfully provided by Barker in COM
memoration of the past, were lit, and they
ranged themselves in armchairs before the
nre quite OncOnSciOuSly in their
tudes. The two windows on either side of
the hearth gave them the same view that
the open door of the old cabin had made
familiar to them-the league-long valley
below, the shadowy bulk of the Black Spur
rising in the diStance.a and. still more re-
mote. the palld snow.line that scared even
beyond its crest.
AS in the old time they were for many
moments silent; and then, as in the old
time, 1t vas the irrebressible Barker who
broke the silence. But Stacy does not tell
you anything about his friend, the beauti-
full Mrs. Horncastle. You know he's the
California-a woman noble and gener-
Gus as she is handsome. And think of it.
He's protecting her from her brute of
husband, and looking after her property.
Isn't 1t good and cfiNalrouS of him."
The irrepressibe laughter of the two men
brought only wonder and -reproachful in
dignation into the widely opened eyes of
Barker: He was perfectly sincere. He had
Mrs. Horncastle in his ride from Boomville
and, strange to say, yet characteristic Of
his nature, IL was the equally natural out
come of his interview with her and the sin
gular effect that she had upon him. That
he (Barker) thoroughly sympathized with
her only convinced him that Stacy must
feel the same for her, and that no doubt
she must respond to him equally. And
how noble IL was in his old partner, with
his advantages of position in the world
and his protecting relations to her, not to
avail himself of this influence upon her
generous nature. If he hmself-a mar
ried man and the husband of Kitty-was
so conscious of her charms, how much
greater it must be to the free and mex
perienced Stacy.
The italics We're in Barker's thought for
in those matters he felt that Stacy and
even Demorest. occupied in other things,
had not his knowledge. There was no idea
or consciousness of heroically sacrificing
himself or Mrs. Horncastle in this: 1 am
superior morality in himself in giving up
the possibility of loving her. Ever since
Stacy had first seen her he had fancied
that Stacy liked ner-ndeed, Kitty fancied
it, too-and it seemed almost providential
now that he should know now assist his
old partner to happiness. For it was in
conceivable that Stacy should not be able
to rescue this woman from her shameful
bonds, or that she should not consent to
it through his (Barker's) arguments and
entreates. To champion of danes this
seemed only right and proper. In his un-
failing optimism he translated Stacy's
laugh as embarrassment and Demorests
as only ignorance Of the real question. But
DemOrest had noticed if he had not, that
Stacys laugh was little nervously pro-
longed for a man of his temDerament, and
that he had cast very keen glance at
Barker. A messenger arriving with a tele-
gram brought from Boomville called Stacy
momentarily away, and Barker was not
slow to take advantage of his absence.
II wish, PHIL he said hitching his chair
closer to DeMorest, that you would think
seriously Of this matter, and try to per-
srade Stacy-who, 1 believe, is more inter-
ested in Mrs. Horncastle than he cares to
show-to put little of that determination
In love that ne has shown in business.
She's an awfully fine woman. and in every
way suited to him, and he is letting an abb
Surd sense of pride and honor keep him
from influencing her to get rid Of her i'm
possible husband. There's no reason" con-
tinued Barker in a burst of enthusiastic
simplicity, that because she has found
some she likes better and who would
treat her better, that she should continue
to stick to that beast whom all California
would gladly see her divorced from. 1 nev-
er could understand that kind of argument,
could your Demorest looked at his COM
panions glowing cheek and kindling eye
with a smile.
"a good deal depends upon the side from
Gut fray 20 rknr