The sun., 1897-05-09
THREE PARTNERS;
o..
The By Strike on Heavy Tree Hill.
Ry ERET HARTE.
Copyright, 1896, by Bret Harts.
CHAPTER ".

When Philip Dcmorcst left the stage coach
at tho Cross Roads he turned into the only way
side house. tho blacksmith h . shop, and, declaring
his intention OF walking over to IFymottus,
asked permission TO leave his handbag and
wraps until they could be sent after him. Tho
blacksmith was surprised that this " likely msn.
ncred," distinguished.looking "cty man !"
should walk eight miles when be could ride, and
tried to dissuado him, offering his own buggy.
But he was still more surprised when Domorest
laying aside his duster, took Oft his coat and
singing 1t on his arm. prepared to set forth with
the good humored assurance that he would do
tho distance In u couple OF hours and get In In
time for supper. IL wouldn't be too sure Of
that" said tho blacksmith grimly, or even of
getting n room. They're II stuck-up lot over
there, and they amt going to hump themselves
over n chap who comes trapcsin along the road
like any tramp. with marry baggage
But Dcmorest laughingly accepted the risk
and. taking his stout stick in one hand pressed
egoh coin into the blacksmth's palm. which
was however, declined with such reddcnng
promptpc4 that Dcmorest promptly rcd
dened ard apologized. Tho habits of European
travel h, d been still strong on him, and he felt
n slight ID ,triotic thrill as he sad with grave
smile, " n iank you, then; ana thank you still
more for reminding me that am among my
own people," and stepped lightly out into the
road.
The air wa,i still delicDusy cool, but warmer
currents from the heated pines began to alter.
nate with the wind from the summit. He found
himself sometim mes walking through a stratum
of hot air. whi n seemed to exhale from the
wood itself, while his head and breast were
swept by the mountain b'ceZc. He felt tho old
intoxication of the bnlnty scented air again, and
the five years of care and hopclcssness laid upon
his shoulders sine he had last brcathed its fra
GRANGE slipped from them like burden.
There had been but little change here: per-
haps the road was widor and the dust lay thicker,
but the great pines still mounted in serried ranks
on the slopes as before, with no gaps in their un-
ending files. Here was the spot where the stage
coach had passed them that eventful morning
when they were comin. out of their camp life
into the world Of civil ization; little further
back the spot where Jack Hamlin had forced
upon him that grim nemcnto of the attempted
robbery of their cabin, which he had kept ever
since. He half smile, again at the supersti-
tious interest that hat made him keep it, with
the intention of some duy returning to bury il.
with all rccolections of the deed. under the
site of tho old cabin. As he went in the
vivifying Influence OF the air and scene. life
seemed to course through his veins; his step
seemed to grow elastic as in the old days OF
their bitter but hopeful struggle for fortune,
when he hal gayly returned from his weekly
tramp to Boon,vllc laden with the scant provi-
sion procured by their scant earnings and dying
credit. Those were tho days when her living
image still insL ued his heart with faith and
hope: when everything was yet possible to youth
and love, and before the irony of fate had
given him fortune with one hand only to with
draw her with the other. 1t was strange and
cruel that coming back flpm his quest of rest
and forgctfulness he should find only these
youthful and sanguiie dre,lns revive with his
reviving vigor. He walked more hurriedly
as IL to escape thorn, and was glad to be di-
verted by one or two passing carryalls and char.
a-bancs filed with g1yy dressed pleasure par.
ties-evidcntly visitors to Hymettus - which
passed him on the road. Here were the first
signs OF change He recalled the train Of pack
mules Of the old days. the file OF poe-and basket
carrying Chinese, the squaw with the pappoose
strapped to her shoulders. or the wandering and
footsore prospcctor who were the only way
farers he used to meet. He contrasted their
halts and friendly greetings with the insolent
curiosity or undisguiscd contempt OF the carriage
folk. and smiled as he thought of the warnings
of the blacksmith. But this did not long divert
him: he found himself again returning to his
previous thought.
Indeed the face Of the young girl in one Of tho
carriages had quite startled him with its resem-
blance to an old memory of his lost love as he
saw her-her frail. pale eleg Ince encompassed in
laces she leaned back in her drive through
Fifth avenue, with eyes that lit up and became
transhgured only he passed. He tried to
think Of his useless quest in search of her last
resting place abroad; how he had been baffied
by the opposition of her Surviving relatives,
already inccnsed by the thought that her decline
had been the effect Of her hopeless passion. He
tried to recall the few frigid lines that recon-
veycd to him tho last letter he had sent her.
with he announcement OF her death and the
hope that his prosecutions would now cease.
A anmatimRS
out Of the very insufficiency of his knowledge OF
this climax, but he had always put Il aside as a a
ceaseess thought. And now it was returning to
him here. thousands OF miles away from where
him with the vigor of youthful hope.
The brief mountain twilight was giving way
deavored to Gx his thoughts upon his partners,
who were to meet him at HymeCtus after these
S MyiSnettns SS Il He recalled now the odd coinc
dence that he had mischieyously. used a gag
had really come from villa near Athens to find
his old house thus classicaly rechristened after
lit beiors He hSd named it,
gss9 Ss s SaS Of o ho S soft osa
heroics of nature before him Those enormous
}Fees were no woods for fauns or dryads; they
haa haa bea5 gGafbs he Of enSas SS
the summit and saw ths dark; ;heimeted
bead e ssGf sPa SeGs od d hm ho nd
ras. he did not think Of Olympus. Yet for, a
moment he was startled as he turned to the
right by the Doric,columned facade of tomple
painted by the moohbeams and framed In an
opening OF the dark woods before him. 1t was
not until he had reached 1t that he saw 1t was
the new wooden Post Office Of Heavy Tree HILL
And now the buildings Of the new settlement
the shadow and the equally disturbing unreal
fly Of the moonlight confused hin, In his at;
and welkept 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 a sudden of the road brought the
full crest OF the hill above and before him.
crowned with a tiara OF lights. oyertopping q
long base of flashing windows. That was all
that was left OF Heavy Tree Hill. The old fore.
ground OF buckeye and odorous ceanothus
was gone. Even the great grove OF pines behind
II had vanished.
There was already a stir OF life IN the road, and
he could see figures moving slowly along kind
Of sterile. formal terrace spread with few
dreary marble vases and plaster statues which
hae replaced the natural slope and tho great
qusr:z buttresses OF outcrQp that supported 1t.
Pressnu; he eDtored a gate and soon found him.