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Loo at the Divide； and sent a dispatch to Jim； which stopped him
halfway until Jack could reach him； which he nearly broke his neck
to do； and then Jack finished up by bringing a message from Stacy
to us that we should all meet together on the slope of Heavy Tree；
near the Bar。 I met Jack just as I was riding into the Divide； and
came back with him。 He will tell you the rest； and you can swear
by what Jack says； for he's white all through；〃 he added； laying
his hand affectionately on Hamlin's shoulder。
Hamlin winced slightly。 For he had NOT told Barker that his wife
was with Van Loo； nor his first reason for interfering。 But he
related how he had finally overtaken Van Loo at Canyon Station； and
how the fugitive had disclosed the conspiracy of Steptoe and Hall
against the bank and Marshall as the price of his own release。 On
this news； remembering that Stacy had passed the Divide on his way
to the station； he had first sent a dispatch to him； and then met
him at the first station on the road。 〃I reckon； gentlemen；〃 said
Hamlin； with an unusual earnestness in his voice； 〃that he'd not
only got my telegram； but ALL THE NEWS that had been flying around
this morning； for he looked like a man to whom it was just a 'toss…
up' whether he took his own life then and there or was willing to
have somebody else take it for him； for he said； 'I'll go myself；'
and telegraphed to have the surveyor stopped from coming。 Then he
told me to tell you fellows； and ask you to come too。〃 Jack
paused； and added half mischievously； 〃He sort of asked ME what I
would take to stand by him in the row； if there was one； and I told
him I'd takewhiskey！ You see； boys； it's a kind of off…night
with me； and I wouldn't mind for the sake of old times to finish
the game with old Steptoe that I began a matter of five years ago。〃
〃All right；〃 said Demorest； with a kindling eye； 〃I suppose we'd
better start at once。 One moment；〃 he added。 〃Barker boy； will
you excuse me if I speak a word to Hamlin？〃 As Barker nodded and
walked to the rails of the veranda； Demorest took Hamlin aside；
〃You and I；〃 he said hurriedly； 〃are SINGLE men； Barker has a wife
and child。 This is likely to be no child's play。〃
But Jack Hamlin was no fool； and from certain leading questions
which Barker had already put； but which he had skillfully evaded；
he surmised that Barker knew something of his wife's escapade。 He
answered a little more seriously than his wont； 〃I don't think as
regards HIS WIFE that would make much difference to him or her how
stiff the work was。〃
Demorest turned away with his last pang of bitterness。 It needed
only this confirmation of all that Stacy had hinted； of what he
himself had seen in his brief interview with Mrs。 Barker since his
return； to shake his last remaining faith。 〃We'll all go together；
then；〃 he said； with a laugh； 〃as in the old times； and perhaps
it's as well that we have no woman in our confidence。〃
An hour later the three men passed quietly out of the hotel；
scarcely noticed by the other guests； who were also oblivious of
their absence during the evening。 For Mrs。 Barker； quite recovered
from her fatiguing ride； was in high spirits and the most beautiful
and spotless of summer gowns； and was considered quite a heroine by
the other ladies as she dwelt upon the terrible heat of her return
journey。 〃Only I knew Mr。 Barker would be worriedand the poor
man actually walked a mile down the Divide road to meet meI
believe I should have stayed there all day。〃 She glanced round the
other groups for Mrs。 Horncastle； but that lady had retired early。
Possibly she alone had noticed the absence of the two partners。
The guests sat up until quite late； for the heat seemed to grow
still more oppressive； and the strange smell of burning wood
revived the gossip about Mrs。 Van Loo and her stupidity in setting
fire to her chimney。 Some averred that it would be days before the
smell could be got out of the house； others referred it to the
fires in the woods； which were now dangerously near。 One spoke of
the isolated position of the hotel as affording the greatest
security； but was met by the assertion of a famous mountaineer that
the forest fires were wont to leap from crest to crest mysteriously；
without any apparent continuous contact。 This led to more or less
light…hearted conjecture of present danger and some amusing stories
of hotel fires and their ludicrous revelations。 There were also some
entertaining speculations as to what they would do and what they
would try to save in such an emergency。
〃For myself；〃 said Mrs。 Barker audaciously； 〃I should certainly let
Mr。 Barker look after Sta and confine myself entirely to getting
away with my diamonds。 I know the wretch would never think of
them。〃
It was still later when； exhausted by the heat and some reaction
from the excitement of the day； they at last deserted the veranda
for their rooms； and for a while the shadowy bulk of the whole
building was picked out with regularly spaced lights from its open
windows； until now these finally faded and went out one by one。 An
hour later the whole building had sunk to rest。 It was said that
it was only four in the morning when a yawning porter； having put
out the light in a dark； upper corridor； was amazed by a dull glow
from the top of the wall； and awoke to the fact that a red fire； as
yet smokeless and flameless； was creeping along the cornice。 He
ran to the office and gave the alarm； but on returning with
assistance was stopped in the corridor by an impenetrable wall of
smoke veined with murky flashes。 The alarm was given in all the
lower floors； and the occupants rushed from their beds half dressed
to the courtyard； only to see； as they afterwards averred； the
flames burst like cannon discharges from the upper windows and
unite above the crackling roof。 So sudden and complete was the
catastrophe； although slowly prepared by a leak in the overheated
chimney between the floors； that even the excitement of fear and
exertion was spared the survivors。 There was bewilderment and
stupor； but neither uproar nor confusion。 People found themselves
wandering in the woods； half awake and half dressed； having
descended from the balconies and leaped from the windows；they
knew not how。 Others on the upper floor neither awoke nor moved
from their beds； but were suffocated without a cry。 From the first
an instinctive idea of the hopelessness of combating the
conflagration possessed them all； to a blind； automatic feeling to
flee the building was added the slow mechanism of the somnambulist；
delicate women walked speechlessly； but securely； along ledges and
roofs from which they would have fallen by the mere light of reason
and of day。 There was no crowding or impeding haste in their dumb
exodus。 It was only when Mrs。 Barker awoke disheveled in the
courtyard； and with an hysterical outcry rushed back into the
hot