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and accenting every word with his pencil on the desk before him；
said deliberately； 〃Mrs。 George Barkerleftherewith her
escorttheman shewasalwaysaskingforinthebuggyat
exactly9。35。〃 And he plunged into his work again。
Mrs。 Horncastle turned； ran up the staircase； re…entered the
sitting…room； and slamming the door behind her； halted in the
centre of the room； panting； erect； beautiful； and menacing。 And
she was alone in this empty roomthis deserted hotel。 From this
very room her husband had left her with a brutality on his lips。
From this room the fool and liar she had tried to warn had gone to
her ruin with a swindling hypocrite。 And from this room the only
man in the world she ever cared for had gone forth bewildered；
wronged； and abused； and she knew now she could have kept and
comforted him。
CHAPTER IV。
When Philip Demorest left the stagecoach at the cross…roads he
turned into the only wayside house； the blacksmith's shop； and；
declaring his intention of walking over to Hymettus； asked
permission to leave his hand…bag and wraps until they could be sent
after him。 The blacksmith was surprised that this 〃likely
mannered；〃 distinguished…looking 〃city man〃 should WALK eight miles
when he could ride； and tried to dissuade him； offering his own
buggy。 But he was still more surprised when Demorest； laying aside
his duster； took off his coat； and； slinging it on his arm；
prepared to set forth with the good…humored assurance that he would
do the distance in a couple of hours and get in in time for supper。
〃I wouldn't be too sure of that；〃 said the blacksmith grimly； 〃or
even of getting a room。 They're a stuck…up lot over there； and
they ain't goin' to hump themselves over a chap who comes traipsin'
along the road like any tramp； with nary baggage。〃 But Demorest
laughingly accepted the risk； and taking his stout stick in one
hand； pressed a gold coin into the blacksmith's palm； which was；
however； declined with such reddening promptness that Demorest as
promptly reddened and apologized。 The habits of European travel
had been still strong on him； and he felt a slight patriotic thrill
as he said； with a grave smile； 〃Thank you； then； and thank you
still more for reminding me that I am among my own 'people；'〃 and
stepped lightly out into the road。
The air was still deliciously cool； but warmer currents from the
heated pines began to alternate with the wind from the summit。 He
found himself sometimes walking through a stratum of hot air which
seemed to exhale from the wood itself； while his head and breast
were swept by the mountain breeze。 He felt the old intoxication of
the balmy…scented air again； and the five years of care and
hopelessness laid upon his shoulders since he had last breathed its
fragrance slipped from them like a burden。 There had been but
little change here； perhaps the road was wider and the dust lay
thicker； but the great pines still mounted in serried ranks on the
slopes as before； with no gaps in their unending files。 Here was
the spot where the stagecoach had passed them that eventful morning
when they were coming out of their camp…life into the world of
civilization； a little further back； the spot where Jack Hamlin had
forced upon him that grim memento of the attempted robbery of their
cabin； which he had kept ever since。 He half smiled again at the
superstitious interest that had made him keep it； with the
intention of some day returning to bury it； with all recollections
of the deed； under the site of the old cabin。 As he went on in the
vivifying influence of the air and scene； new life seemed to course
through his veins； his step seemed to grow as elastic as in the old
days of their bitter but hopeful struggle for fortune； when he had
gayly returned from his weekly tramp to Boomville laden with the
scant provision procured by their scant earnings and dying credit。
Those were the days when HER living image still inspired 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 withdraw HER with the other。 It was strange and cruel
that coming back from his quest of rest and forgetfulness he should
find only these youthful and sanguine dreams revive with his
reviving vigor。 He walked on more hurriedly as if to escape them；
and was glad to be diverted by one or two carryalls and char…a…
bancs filled with gayly dressed pleasure partiesevidently
visitors to Hymettuswhich 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 pole…and…basket carrying Chinese； the squaw
with the papoose strapped to her shoulder； or the wandering and
foot…sore prospector； who were the only wayfarers he used to meet。
He contrasted their halts and friendly greetings with the insolent
curiosity or undisguised contempt of the carriage folk； and smiled
as he thought of the warning of the blacksmith。 But this did not
long divert him； he found himself again returning to his previous
thought。 Indeed； the face of a young girl in one of the carriages
had quite startled him with its resemblance to an old memory of his
lost love as he saw her；her frail； pale elegance encompassed in
laces as she leaned back in her drive through Fifth Avenue； with
eyes that lit up and became transfigured only as he passed。 He
tried to think of his useless quest in search of her last resting…
place abroad； how he had been baffled by the opposition of her
surviving relations； already incensed by the thought that her
decline had been the effect of her hopeless passion。 He tried to
recall the few frigid lines that reconveyed to him the last letter
he had sent her； with the announcement of her death and the hope
that 〃his persecutions〃 would now cease。 A wild idea had sometimes
come to him out of the very insufficiency of his knowledge of this
climax； but he had always put it aside as a precursor of that
madness which might end his ceaseless thought。 And now it was
returning to him； here； thousands of miles away from where she was
peacefully sleeping； and even filling him with the vigor of
youthful hope。
The brief mountain twilight was giving way now to the radiance of
the rising moon。 He endeavored to fix his thoughts upon his
partners who were to meet him at Hymettus after these long years of
separation。
Hymettus！ He recalled now the odd coincidence that he had
mischievously used as a gag to his questioning fellow traveler； but
now he had really come from a villa near Athens to find his old
house thus classically rechristened after it； and thought of it
with a gravity he had not felt before。 He wondered who had named
it。 There was no suggestion of the soft； sensuous elegance of the
land he had left in those great heroics of nature before him。
Those enormous trees were no woods for fauns or dryads； they had
their own god