The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-18
CHAPTER II.

When George Barker returned to the outer
ward Of the inaLcial stronghold he had
tiers. brass ratings, and wirework screens de-
fended by the spruce clerks behind them, he
man he had just aui tied. and FOR a moment
hesitated. with an inclination to go back. It
was with no idea of making q further appeal
been odd in fny other nature but his-he was
affected by n asnse that no might have been
panoplied by these defences, and who was in
a measure forced TO be n part OF them. He
would like to have returned and condolcd with
who sought interviews, with their CHIEF, both
conviction that the fresh and ingenious young
stranger had been "chucked" like others. un-
s I'll saGg % eys,, n and k weSs pa s2isssnt' M sna sSns
Barker. who had that sublime natural quality
Of abstraction over small iIn pcrtincnces which
after his brief hesitation. passed out uncon-
s,rnedly through the swinging mahogany
and rain I'M revived him: tho bank and II It's curt
refusal were forgotten; he walked onward
With only a smiling memory OF his partner as
had burned down their old cabin rather than
IL should fall intn sordid or unworthy hands
his impulses and become q mere machine. He
had never known Stacy's real motive for that
fGs; 1ssa De 81 nG sSs s S4s ssssT n ncbb kept i t1sm
him to 30 a precious revelation Of siacy's
recalled how Stacy, though meyer so enthu.
siastic about his marriage as Demoreet, mad
snoer abou: his own youthfulnsss. He wa. al.
tectionately tolerant Of even s;acy's dislike
, p his .. wif f. d TslAtio as.. for STACY did IS not know 70
father and mother had died in his infancy,
had accepted his wife's relations with u loving
the fact that he had never known any Other.
At last he reached his hotel. II was q new
H In So ssf 5 5atsii %sr. %sieS S e. I d ssSsr,sA a pr"s sssss
lions. utterly bSyond the reeds Of tho com.
msnt 70 It's predecessor. Il struck BIN as
being the one evidence of an abiding, faith in
IN tn' n safdrs ." sls sn0 @ ns he ente enai ia ia n frese eeea
hall that afternoon he was suddenly re-
minded, by its CHALLENGING opalsncy,. Of tho
and its original design. The gilded barroumA,
looms. With their desert eSDsnse Of TURKEY car
pei, and oasis NJ clustered divans and Rilded
s soSl9si the and sFe %ai dsn ans f esliiS;as w, .hin InrDs MitS
bis Youthful Wonder Without distractins 6 HS
comprehend. il was the banks money at
work" In the clatter of dishes in tho dining
room he even seemed to hear again tho chink-
II was a short cut TO his apartments TO pass
through a smaller public sitting room. popular
and settees by the windows. half concealed by
heavy curtains, But the occupants were by no
means youthful spinsters or bachelOrA: they
were generally married women, guests of tho
hotel. receiving other peoples. husbands. whose
wiyea were in the States" or respon-ible
middle-aged leaders OF the town. In the elab-
crate toilets OF tho women. as compared with
the lesS formal business suits of the men. there
MAS an odd minRlinR OF the social attitude With
perhaps more mysterious condolences. The
idle gossip about them had never affected Bar
I0rs rather ha had that innaIA FeaDaCf for the
senrets OF Others Wbinh IA az insenspsbis frnm
simplicity as II is from high breeding. and he
scarcely glanced at the different couples In his
progress through the room. He did not even
notice q rather striking and handsome woman
who. surrounded. by two or three admirers.
yet looked up with sell 'conscious lids NJ Bar