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haven't the ten thousand dollars； and I came to you。〃
Stacy slowly settled himself back in his chair； and put both hands
in his pockets。 〃Not a cent； Barker； not a cent。〃
〃I'm not asking it of the BANK；〃 said Barker； with a smile； 〃for I
could have gone to the bank for it。 But as this was something
between us； I am asking you； Stacy； as my old partner。〃
〃And I am answering you； Barker； as your old partner； but also as
the partner of a hundred other men； who have even a greater right
to ask me。 And my answer is； not a cent！〃
Barker looked at him with a pale； astonished face and slightly
parted lips。 Stacy rose； thrust his hands deeper in his pockets；
and standing before him went on：
〃Now look here！ It's time you should understand me and yourself。
Three years ago； when our partnership was dissolved by accident； or
mutual consent； we will say； we started afresh； each on our own
hook。 Through foolishness and bad advice you have in those three
years hopelessly involved yourself as you never would have done had
we been partners； and yet in your difficulty you ask me and my new
partners to help you out of a difficulty in which they have no
concern。〃
〃Your NEW partners？〃 stammered Barker。
〃Yes； my new partners； for every man who has a share； or a deposit；
or an interest； or a dollar in this bank is my PARTNEReven you；
with your securities at the Branch； are one； and you may say that
in THIS I am protecting you against yourself。〃
〃But you have moneyyou have private means。〃
〃None to speculate with as you wish me toon account of my
position； none to give away foolishly as you expect me toon
account of precedent and example。 I am a soulless machine taking
care of capital intrusted to me and my brains； but decidedly NOT to
my heart nor my sentiment。 So my answer is； not a cent！〃
Barker's face had changed； his color had come back； but with an
older expression。 Presently； however； his beaming smile returned；
with the additional suggestion of an affectionate toleration which
puzzled Stacy。
〃I believe you're right； old chap；〃 he said； extending his hand to
the banker； 〃and I wish I had talked to you before。 But it's too
late now； and I've given my word。〃
〃Your WORD！〃 said Stacy。 〃Have you no written agreement？〃
〃No。 My word was accepted。〃 He blushed slightly as if conscious
of a great weakness。
〃But that isn't legal nor business。 And you couldn't even hold the
Ditch Company to it if THEY chose to back out。〃
〃But I don't think they will；〃 said Barker simply。 〃And you see my
word wasn't given entirely to THEM。 I bought the thing through my
wife's cousin； Henry Spring； a broker； and he makes something by
it； from the company； on commission。 And I can't go back on HIM。
What did you say？〃
Stacy had only groaned through his set teeth。 〃Nothing；〃 he said
briefly； 〃except that I'm coming； as I said before； to dine with
you to…night； but no more BUSINESS。 I've enough of that with
others； and there are some waiting for me in the outer office now。〃
Barker rose at once； but with the same affectionate smile and
tender gravity of countenance； and laid his hand caressingly on
Stacy's shoulder。 〃It's like you to give up so much of your time
to me and my foolishness and be so frank with me。 And I know it's
mighty rough on you to have to be a mere machine instead of Jim
Stacy。 Don't you bother about me。 I'll sell some of my Wide West
Extension and pull the thing through myself。 It's all right； but
I'm sorry for you； old chap。〃 He glanced around the room at the
walls and rich paneling； and added； 〃I suppose that's what you have
to pay for all this sort of thing？〃
Before Stacy could reply； a waiting visitor was announced for the
second time； and Barker； with another hand…shake and a reassuring
smile to his old partner； passed into the hall； as if the onus of
any infelicity in the interview was upon himself alone。 But Stacy
did not seem to be in a particularly accessible mood to the new
caller； who in his turn appeared to be slightly irritated by having
been kept waiting over some irksome business。 〃You don't seem to
follow me；〃 he said to Stacy after reciting his business perplexity。
〃Can't you suggest something？〃
〃Well； why don't you get hold of one of your board of directors？〃
said Stacy abstractedly。 〃There's Captain Drummond； you and he are
old friends。 You were comrades in the Mexican War； weren't you？〃
〃That be dd！〃 said his visitor bitterly。 〃All his interests
are the other way； and in a trade of this kind； you know； Stacy；
that a man would sacrifice his own brother。 Do you suppose that
he'd let up on a sure thing that he's got just because he and I
fought side by side at Cerro Gordo？ Come！ what are you giving us？
You're the last man I ever expected to hear that kind of flapdoodle
from。 If it's because your bank has got some other interest and
you can't advise me； why don't you say so？〃 Nevertheless； in spite
of Stacy's abrupt disclaimer； he left a few minutes later； half
convinced that Stacy's lukewarmness was due to some adverse
influence。 Other callers were almost as quickly disposed of； and
at the end of an hour Stacy found himself again alone。
But not apparently in a very satisfied mood。 After a few moments
of purely mechanical memoranda…making； he rose abruptly and opened
a small drawer in a cabinet； from which he took a letter still in
its envelope。 It bore a foreign postmark。 Glancing over it
hastily； his eyes at last became fixed on a concluding paragraph。
〃I hope；〃 wrote his correspondent； 〃that even in the rush of your
big business you will sometimes look after Barker。 Not that I
think the dear old chap will ever go wrongindeed； I often wish I
was as certain of myself as of him and his insight； but I am afraid
we were more inclined to be merely amused and tolerant of his
wonderful trust and simplicity than to really understand it for his
own good and ours。 I know you did not like his marriage； and were
inclined to believe he was the victim of a rather unscrupulous
father and a foolish； unequal girl； but are you satisfied that he
would have been the happier without it； or lived his perfect life
under other and what you may think wiser conditions？ If he WROTE
the poetry that he LIVES everybody would think him wonderful； for
being what he is we never give him sufficient credit。〃 Stacy
smiled grimly； and penciled on his memorandum； 〃He wants it to the
amount of ten thousand dollars。〃 〃Anyhow；〃 continued the writer；
〃look after him； Jim； for his sake； your sake； and the sake of
PHIL DEMOREST。〃
Stacy put the letter back in its envelope； and tossing it grimly
aside went on with his calculations。 Presently he stopped；
restored the letter to his cabinet； and rang a bell on his table。
〃Send Mr。 North here；〃 he said to the negro messenger。 In a few
moments his chief book…keeper appeared in the door