Omaha daily bee., 1897-05-09

| turbing unteality of the moonlight confused
hin, in his attempts to recognize the old
landmarks, broad and well kept winding
road had taken the place of the old steep
but direct, trail to his cabin. He had walked
for some moments in uncertainty, when Q
sudden sweep of the road brought the full
crest of the hill above and before him
| crowned with tiara of lights over-topping
J long base OF flashing windows. That wac
all that was left of Heavy Tree Hill. The
| old foreground of buckeye" and odorous
ceanothus was gone. Even the great grove
| OF pines behind 1t had vanished.
There was already stir OF lie IN @ tne
| road and he could see figures moving slowly
| along a kind of sterile, formal terrace
spread with few dreary marble vases and
plaster statues which had replaced the ma
tural slope and the great quartz buttresses
! of outcrop that supported it. Presently he
| entered gate and soon found himsell III tne
| carriage drive leading to the hotel veranda.
| A number of fair promenaders were facihg
| the keen mountain night wind In wraps ahu
| furs. Demorest had replaced ms coat, puI
| his boots were red with dust, ana as ne
| ascended the steps he could see that ne was
| eyed with some superciliOusness by tne
guests and considerable suspicion by the
| servants One of the latter wac approach
ing him with an insolent smile when hsure
darted from the vestibule and, brushing the
waiter aside. seized Demorests two hanus
[ n his and held him at arm iehSIh'
| "Demorest, old man!
STACY old chap"
mHmt where's your team? I've had all the
spare 'ostlers and hall boys listening lot you
| at the gate And where's Barker? Nheh
he found you'd given the dead cut to the ran
! road-his railroad, you know-he lopeu oNe'
| to Boomville after you. -,
| Demorest briefly explained that he had
walked by the old road and prooaolv asel missel
him. But by this time the WATERS, crusne,t
by the spectacle of this travel-worn stranger 5
| inn hV
| maCnate. were wildly applying their brushes
and handkerchiefs to his trousers and boots
until Stacy again swept them away ,,o
Get off all of you Now, Phil, you come
! with me. The house is full, but We maze
| the manager give you a lady's drawing room
| suite When you telegraphed youu NEE,
| us here there was no chance to get anything
| else It's really Mrs Van Loo's family suite
| but they were sent for to go to MarysViile
Yesterday, and SO well run you in for the
| night"
SBut-" protested Demorest; ,,m
away. well pay for it, and l reckon the
old lady won't object to taking her snare OF
| the damage either, or she ISL van i'o'
mother Come"
Demorest felt himself hurried forward by
the energetic Stacy, preceded by the oosequ,-
! CHS manager, through a corridor, to hand-
sornely furnished suite, into whose bathroom
| Stacy incontnently thrust him.
| "There Wash up, and by the time you re
ready Barker ought to be back. and Wen
have supper. It's waiting for us IN 'he
| other room.' ,on
"But how about Barker, the dear boy?''
persisted Demorest, holding open the door
! ''Tell me, is he we'll and happy
| "About as well as we all are, salu stacy
quickly. yet with certain dry sign ,l. !,
| "Never mind now; wait until you see MIN
| The door closed. When Demorest had nm
! ished washing and wiped away the last red
! stain of the mountain road, he found stacy
| seated by the window of the larger sitting
room In the center table was spread iot
| supper. bright tire or hickory ioss puI iieu
| in a marble hearth between two large WIN
| dows that gave upon the distant outline Of
| Black Spur AS Stacy turned toward hlm'
| 1y the light of the shaded lamp and flicker
| ing fire Demorest had good look at the
| face of his old friend and partner.
II was as keen and energetic as ever, with
norhaps an even more hawk-like activity
visible in the eye and nostril, but 1t was
more thoughtful and reticent in the lines OF
the mouth under the closely clipped beard
and moustache. and when he looked up at
first there we're two deep lines or burrows
across his low. broad forehead. He fancied
too, that there a little of the old hght-
ing look in his eye, but it softened quickly
as Demorest approached, and he burst OUT
with his curt but honest single syllabled
laugh "Ha! You look a little less like
rowing Apache than you did when you came
| really thought the walters were going to
chuck you. And you are tanned! Darned II
you don't look like the profile stamped on
Continental penny! But here's luck and
| welcome back, old mani"
Demorest passed his arm around the neck
of his seated partner and grasping his up
raised hand, said, looking down with smile,
"And now about Barker?"
80. Barker-d-m him! He's the same un-
shakable, interchangeable. ungrow-u able Bar
ker! With the devils own luck, too! Waltz
ing into risks and watzing out of em
With fads enough to put him in the insane
asylum if people did not prefer to keep him
everybod until they actually believe in
themselves and-shake him! And he's got a
wife that's making a fool of herself, and
shouldn't wonder in time, of him.
Demorest pressed his hand over his part
ncrs mouth Come, Jim! You know you
never really liked that marriage, simply be-
cause you thought that old man Carter made
a good thing of it. And you never seem to
have taken into consideration the happiness
Barker got out of it. For he did love the
girl. And he still is happy is he not?" he
added, quickly, as stacy uttered grunt.
''As happy as man can be who has his
child here with nurse while his wife is
galliVanting in San Francisco and throwing
her money-and Lord knows what else-away
at the bidding of a smooth-tongued, shady
operator"
Docs he complain of it?" asked Dem
crest
"Not he; the fool trusts her!" said Stacy
curtly.
Demorest laughed. THAT is happiness!
Come, Jim, don't let us begrudge him that,
But I've heard that his affairs have again
prospered."
"He built this railroad and this hotel. The
bank owns both now. He didn't care keep
ing money in them after they were a success;
said he wasn't an engineer nor a hotel
keeper, and drew 1t out TO find something
new. But here he comes" he added, as a
horseman dashed into the drive before the
hotel, Question him yourself. You know
you and he always get along best without
me-"
In another moment Barker had burst into
the room, and in his first tempestuous greet
ing Of Demorest the latter saw little change
in his younger partner as he held him at
arms length TO look at him. "Why Barker
boy, you haven't got bit older since the
day when-you remember-you went over TO
Boomyile to cash your bonds, and then came
back and burst upon us like this to tell us
you were beggar,"
Yes" laughed Barker, "and all the while
you fellows were holding four aces up your
sleeve in the shape of the big strike"
And you, Georgy, old boy, returned Dem
crest, swinging Barkels Two hands backward
and forward were holding royal flush up
yours in 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 moment to-
ward the window and swift ard almost in
voluntary glance uasgal bnt Waan tho hprs