And he still is happy, is he not?" he added quickly, as Stacy
uttered a grunt.
"As happy as a man can be who has his child here with a nurse while his
wife is gallivanting in San Francisco, and throwing her money--and
Lord knows what else--away at the bidding of a smooth-tongued, shady
operator."
"Does HE complain of it?" asked Demorest.
"Not he; the fool trusts her!" said Stacy curtly.
Demorest laughed. "That is happiness! Come, Jim! don't let us begrudge
him that. But I've heard that his affairs have again prospered."
"He built this railroad and this hotel. The bank owns both now. He
didn't care to keep money in them after they were a success; said he
wasn't an engineer nor a hotel-keeper, and drew it out to find something
new. But here he comes," he added, as a horseman dashed into the drive
before the hotel. "Question him yourself. You know you and he always get
along best without me."
In another moment Barker had burst into the room, and in his first
tempestuous greeting of Demorest the latter saw little change in his
younger partner as he held him at arm's length to look at him. "Why,
Barker boy, you haven't got a bit older since the day when--you
remember--you went over to Boomville to cash your bonds, and then came
back and burst upon us like this to tell us you were a beggar."
"Yes," laughed Barker, "and all the while you fellows were holding four
aces up your sleeve in the shape of the big strike.
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