Evening star., 1897-04-17

been "chucked" like others, until they met
hts kindly. tolerant and even superior eyes.
and were puzzled. Meanwhile Barker. who
straction over small impertinences which
is more exasperating Hfhh studied indfffer-
ence, after his brief hesitation passed out
unconcernedly through the swinging ma
hosany doors into the blowy street Here
the wind and rain ragi9ed him; the bank
and its curt refusaflfu6ere forgotten;. ne
walked onward with only smiling MEM
ory of his partner as IN the old days. He
remembered how Stacy had burned down
their old cabin ratheS .ytlan it should fall
into sordid or unworthy hands-this Stacy,
who was now condemned to sink his i'm
pulses and become q mere machine He
had never known Stacys real motive for
that act; both Demorest and Stacy had
kept their knowledge Of the attempted rob-
berry from their younger partner; 1t al
ways seemed to him to be precious reve-
lation of Stacy's inner nature. Facing the
wind and rain. he recalled how Stacy.
marriage as Demorest, had taken up Van
Loo sharply for some foolish sneer about
his own youthfulncss. He was affection
ateiy tolerant of even Stacys dislike to his
wife's relations. for Stacy did not know
them as he did Indeed. Barker. whose own
father and mother had died In his infancy,
had accepted his wife's relations with a
loving trust and confidence that was su-
preme from the fact that he had never
known any other.
At last he reached his hotel. 1t was a
progress in hotel building which had COW
cred five years and as many squares with
large, snowy erecticns. utterly beyond the
needs Of the community, yet each superior
in size and adornment to It's predecessor.
1t struck him being the one evidence of
an abiding faith in the future of the me-
tropolis that he had seen In nothing else.
AS he entered it's frescoed hall that after
noon he was suddenly reminded by it's
challenging opulency, of the bank he had
just quilted. without knowing that the
bank had really furnished its capital and
its original design. The gilded bar rooms.
flashing with mirrors and cut glass: the
saloons, with their desert expanse of Tur-
key carpet and oasis of clustered divans
and giided tables; the great dining room,
with porphyry columns, and walls and cell
ings shining with allegory-all these things
which had attracted his youthful wonder
without distracting his correct simplicity
of taste he now began to comprehend. 1t
was the banks money "at work.. In the
clatter of dishes in the dining room he even
seemed to hear again the chinking Of coin
1t was a short cut to his apartments to
pass through smaller public sitting room.
popularity known as Filtration Camp
where eight or ten couples generally found
refuge chairs and settees by the win
dows, half concealed by heavy curtains.
But the occupants were by no means
youthful spinsters or bachelors: they were
generally married women. guests of the
hotel, receiving other peoples husbands,
whose wives were in ''the states" or re-
sponsible middle-aged leaders of the town.
in the elaborate toilets of the women, as
compared with the less formal business
suits of the men, there was an odd ming
ling of the social attitude with perhaps
more mysterious condolences. The idle gos-
sip about them had never affected Barker;
rather he had that innate respect for the
secrets of others which Is as inseparable
from simplicity as it is from high breeding.
and he scarcely glanced at the different
couples in his progress through the room.
He did not even notice rather striking and
handsome woman who, surrounded by two
or three admirers. yet looked up at Barker
as he passed with self-conscious lids. as If
seeking return of her glance. But he
moved on abstractedly, and only stopped
when he saw suddenly the familiar skirt
of his wife at further window. and halted
before it.
"Oh. it's you." said Mrs. Barker, with a
half nervous. half-imbatfcht laugh why.
L thought you'd certainly stay half the af-
ternoon with your old partner. considering
that you haven't met for three years"
There was no doubt she had thought so;
there was equally no doubt that the con-
versation she was carrying on with her
companion-a good-looking. portly business
man-was effectually interrupted But Bark
er did not notice it. Capt, Heath. my hus-
band, she went on, careIessly rising and
had risen. too, bowed vaguely at the intro
duction, but Barker. extended his hand
frankly. Il found Stacy busy" he said in
answer ,i to his wife: but he is coming to
IF you mean Jim Stacy, the banker"
said Capt. Heath, Frightening into greater
ease. "he's the busiest man in California.
Tve seen men standing In a queue outside
his door, as ir the old days at the post Of
nee, And he only giYes you five minutes
and no extension. so you and he were
partners once?' he said looking curiously
at the still youthful Barker.
But Ii was Mrs. Barker who answered
"Oh. yes. and always such good friends 1
was awfully jealous Of him. Neverthe-
less she did not respond to the affection
ate protest in Barkers eyes nor to the
laugh OF Capt. Heath but glanced indif-
rerently around the room, as If to leave
1urther conversation to the two men. 1t
was impossible that she was beginning to
feel that Capt Heath was as de trop now
as her husband had been a moment before
Standing there, however between them
DOM, idiy tracing pattern on the carpet
with the toe OF her slipper she looked pret-
tler than she had ever looked as Kitty Car
ter. Her slight figure was more fully de-
veloped. That artificial severity covering
a natural virgin coyness. with which she
USED to walt at table in her fathers hotel
at Boomville, had gone, and was replaced
by satisfied consciousness Of her power to
please. Her glance was freer. but not as
frank as IN those days. Her dress was un-
1ounteaIy richer and more stylish. yet
Barker's loyal heart often reverted fondIy
to the chintz gown, coquettishly frilIed
apron and spotless cuffs and collar in which
she had handed him his coffee. with faint
~S.o' ehol WI OWN lace crimson.
Capt. Heath's tact being equal to her in
dinerence. he had excused himself. al
though he was becoming interested in this
Youthful husband. But Mrs. Barker, after
haplng asserted her husbands distinction
as the equal friend Of the millionaire, was
ny no means willing that the captain
should be interested in Barker for himself
alcne. and Gid not urge him to stay. AS ne
departed she turned to her husband and,
ino,cating the group he had passed the
moment before, said:
Ihat horrid woman has been staring at
US all the time. 1 don't see what you see
In her to admire"
Poor Barkers admiration had been lin
lted to few words of civility in the en-
forced contact OF that huge caravansary
ana IN bis quiet. youthful recognition of
ner striking personality. But he was then
100 preoccupied with his interview with
stacy to reply. and perhaps he did not
quite understand his wife. It was odd how
maiy things he did not quite understand
now ABOUT Kitty but that he knew must
De ms fault. But Mrs Barker apparently
olo not require. after the fashion OF her
sex, a reply. For the next moment, as
tney moved toward their rooms, she said
impatient1y: Well, you don't tell what
sGcy SAID Did you get the money!
erleve to say that this soul of truth
ana frankness lied. only to his wife. Per-
-..yvv 1rrf,,