The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-06
saved o~nythine-thsroi And I have had all thi,

disgusting bothorl'
his eyes to hor face, but he Checked himself;
then, he gently took her dust coat from her
SSpq insc sr and 1 shook Gi 4 op Sls w o%n hanS assS lrG%
hold her hat and blow the dust from 1t with a
vivid memory Of performing the Ssfoeo sc rhHc
she arranged her hair; end then, lifting her
again into the buggy. said quietly as no took
ms iS viii drive drive g You I to tfho hotel b way Of the
stables, and you can go at once to your room
S Sns n SrSosS and ySdp wo SiHspp'i and want rest. Don't
tell me anything now until you feel quite your
lie whipped up the horse, which, recognising
another hand al. the reins. hinged Forward IN a
final effort, and In a few minutes they werc at
Ks Mrs. TIorncnstle sgt at luncheon In the
s great . dining Mrs r pom "a a little pale aDf sRa gSi int" tSs;
toilet, With q swift glance OF conscious power
toward the other guests she walked toward Mrs.
in a voice that could easily reach all ears; " and
And I've had such an awful drive to the ID;
yldo.' And only thinkl poor George toleRrnphed
s so tel h SS 1nYs" just como hack hoffc.
And with q slnqec Of Triumph s she lSi th Ba pstSn.
ished Mrs. HorncHstlc.
CHAPTER VIII.
As tho day advanced tho excitement over the
financial crisis Increased .ot Hymettps until, in
spitn OF its remote and peaceful isolation. II
Corridors with some pnflsntion from the outer
world. Besides the letters and dispatches
brought ;n. BY sn hgGFiH s ,S inGsSS %ns c- and By r sSsss
and servants around the branch telegraph Mt tho
new Heavy Tree Post Office. which was con
issied fever Of the few who wished 70 be IN the
operator, a guest. of tho hotel. who was also q
director !, In the g, Telegraph Leg g company had sssn sSsISSnt
were dOrfDrnl In his intcrDsta ma n Dear, and
there Was wild talk Of "iynSSinsa' BY the iindis.
Rsnt mob o p9ssMGn ns from hr snS5nm insfsd SSe
firm had failed in the great cities; Old.
the d5ss and iniunaasioa. q their psril;
this mysterious, Invisible, impalpablo breathe of
panic. Companies rooted in responsibility and
snSsF to have at fs s6a 1,aifssS:S sneau Mays w witS slssSsi
An eminent deacon and pillar OF the church was
found dead in his room with n bullet In his heart
and n damning confession on the 6esk before
out of tho country: the Government would DO
there Would be an Dp embareo ON all bullion ship.
Inent! Nothing was too wild or preposterous to
And with this fever OF sordid passion the tenn
pteratnre had increased. For the last two weeks
the Cit, t=he I'm a. s}dna had sars STOOD s ab9 Ths NY, n alfn
dust in the roads over mineral ranges pricked
the skin like rcd.hot needles; In the deepest
WOMB lo lpiiht oNp okoon III ttNo.o ANNSA
logs and splintcred tree shafts; even the noun:
tain night breeze failed Ia cool these baked and
Of smoke BY day that were pillars Of IRE
by night along the distant valleys; Some
midnight sky by dull red creeping lines like a
diving frcwork. Tho great hotel Itself creaked
and cracked md warped through all It's painted;
with the sitting breath OF desiccation.. The
stucco cracked and crumblcd away from the cor,
floors beneath the Turkish carpets. Plate glass
windows became hopeiessly fixed in their warped
and twisted sashes and added to the heat; there
was n warm incense Of pine sap in the dining
room that favored nl the cuisine. And yet the
prickcd their ears over their soup to catch the
gossip of the last arrival.
Demorest: loathinS I, all in his n me-, ;n "" bit:
stacy; Barker had disappeared since luncheon.
as u carriage drove up with n handsome. gray:
haired woman. In the buzzing OF voices around
him Demorest heard the name OF Mrs. Van Loo:
accents. he heard that Van Loo had been stopped
been issued against him; that il was generally
believed that the bank dared not hold him; that
others openly averred that he had been used rs
u scapegoat to avert suspicion from higher guilt.
And certainly Mrs. Van Loo's calm: confident
air seemed 20 corroborate these assertions.
He was still wondering IL the strange coinci-
Gence which had brought both mother and son
into his own life was not merely q fancy as far
message from Mrs. Van Loo that she would be
glnd to sec him for q few moments In her room.
Last night he could scarcely have restrained his
eagcrness to meet her and eiucidatc the mystery
OF the photograph; now no was conscious OF an
e hamilton s.f ot syi fIVI MaweS Se te ft MSs nma d + aIat P pos.
sible that the man had told her of his previous
Inquiries, and she had merely acknowledged
Demorest found Mrs. Van Loo in tho private
sitting room on the prececdins night: She re;
even a certain dignity that might or might not
have been assumed. He had no diticulty'in
the first. but he was pulled at The second. ~
The manager Of this hotel" y she began, with
a foreigners precision OF English, "hns just told
me that you were al present occupying my
rooms at his invitation. but that you wished TO
see me at once on my return, and ] believe that
ferred 10 hear my wishes from my own lips
rather than from all innkoeper. | had intended
t%unately for me, though fortunately for you, the
prcsen! terrible financial crisis which has, most
prominencc. Will obiise me to return to san
Francisco until his reputation is fully, cleared
at slld 5R"T me ,o the as ans,s3nsbed SR pes. Sn!E ase Of y tGe SO
rooms for q couple of hours until l can pack my
trunks and gather ny a few souvenirs that ! nj
Pray consider that your wishes are my own
II respect to that: my dear madam" returned
tested against even this temporary Intrusion
upon Your apartments: but | confess that now
greatest curiosity about one Of them. and that
even my object in seeking this interview was
M TO S5Sst i ssM IT. on 1t ,i Is in saI rsSsTd n 10 g Of Fh SoST Ssa.
room, which l think / recognized rs that OF
some one whom | formerly knew"
There was u sudden look OF sharp suspicion
and even hard aggressiveness that quite
changed the lady's face rs he mentioned the
word souvenir but 1t quickly changed 10 u
smile as she put up her fan with n gesture of
arch depreciation. and said:
All see. or course. n lady's. photograph
The reply irritRtcd DemoresS. More than that.
he felt a sudden sense OF the absolute sentiment
tally OF his request. and the consciousness that
he was about TO invite the familiar confidence
OF this strange woman-whOse son had forged
his name-in regard to her.
1t was a Venetian picture" he began. and
stopped, a singular disgust keeping him from
voicing tho name.
But Mrs. Van Loo was less reticent. 20. you
mean my dearest friends lovely picture: and
YOU know heri why. yos, surely. You ere the
affair. Well. you are a marvel, Five years
ago, at least. and you have not forgotten. l
really must write and tell her."
Write and tell her!'' Then It was all a lie
about her death!, lie, felt not only his faith. his
hope, his future leaving him. but even his self,
control. With an effort he said:
81 think YOU have satisfied my curiosity. ]
was told five years ago that she WAS dead. IL