If you cannot attend to me now； why I will be glad to accompany you
and the lady to the next station。 Of course；〃 he added； with a
smile； 〃at a proper distance； and without interfering with the
lady； whom I am pleased to recognize as the wife of an old friend。
It would be more sociable； perhaps； if we had some general
conversation on the road； it would prevent her being alarmed。 I
might even be of some use to YOU。 If we are overtaken by her
husband on the road； for instance； I should certainly claim the
right to have the first shot at you。 Boy！〃 he called to the
hostler； 〃just sponge out Pancho's mouth； will you； to be ready
when the buggy goes？〃 And； loosening his grip of Van Loo's wrist；
he turned away as the other quickly entered the hotel。
But Mr。 Van Loo did not immediately seek Mrs。 Barker。 He had
already some experience of that lady's nerves and irascibility on
the drive； and had begun to see his error in taking so dangerous an
impediment to his flight from the country。 And another idea had
come to him。 He had already effected his purpose of compromising
her with him in that flight； but it was still known only to few。
If he left her behind for the foolish； doting husband； would not
that devoted man take her back to avoid a scandal； and even forbear
to pursue HIM for his financial irregularities？ What were twenty
thousand dollars of Mrs。 Barker's money to the scandal of Mrs。
Barker's elopement？ Again； the failure to realize the forgery had
left him safe； and Barker was sufficiently potent with the bank and
Demorest to hush up that also。 Hamlin was now the only obstacle to
his flight； but even he would scarcely pursue HIM if Mrs。 Barker
were left behind。 And it would be easier to elude him if he did。
In his preoccupation Van Loo did not see that he had entered the
bar…room； but； finding himself there； he moved towards the bar； a
glass of spirits would revive him。 As he drank it he saw that the
room was full of rough men； apparently miners or packerssome of
them Mexican； with here and there a Kanaka or Australian。 Two men
more ostentatiously clad； though apparently on equal terms with the
others； were standing in the corner with their backs towards him。
From the general silence as he entered he imagined that he had been
the subject of conversation； and that his altercation with Hamlin
had been overheard。 Suddenly one of the two men turned and
approached him。 To his consternation he recognized Steptoe；
Steptoe； whom he had not seen for five years until last night； when
he had avoided him in the courtyard of the Boomville Hotel。 His
first instinct was to retreat； but it was too late。 And the
spirits had warmed him into temporary recklessness。
〃You ain't goin' to be backed down by a short…card gambler； are
yer？〃 said Steptoe； with coarse familiarity。
〃I have a lady with me； and am pressed for time；〃 said Van Loo
quickly。 〃He knows it； otherwise he would not have dared〃
〃Well； look here；〃 said Steptoe roughly。 〃I ain't particularly
sweet on you； as you know； but I and these gentlemen；〃 he added；
glancing around the room； 〃ain't particularly sweet on Mr。 Jack
Hamlin neither； and we kalkilate to stand by you if you say so。
Now； I reckon you want to get away with the woman； and the quicker
the better； as you're afraid there'll be somebody after you afore
long。 That's the way it pans out； don't it？ Well； when you're
ready to go； and you just tip us the wink； we'll get in a circle
round Jack and cover him； and if he starts after you we'll send him
on a little longer journey！eh； boys？〃
The men muttered their approval； and one or two drew their
revolvers from their belts。 Van Loo's heart； which had leaped at
first at this proposal of help； sank at this failure of his little
plan of abandoning Mrs。 Barker。 He hesitated； and then stammered；
〃Thank you！ Haste is everything with us now； but I shouldn't mind
leaving the lady among CHIVALROUS GENTLEMEN like yourselves for a
few hours only； until I could communicate with my friends and
return to properly chastise this scoundrel。〃
Steptoe drew in his breath with a slight whistle； and gazed at Van
Loo。 He instantly understood him。 But the plea did not suit
Steptoe； who； for purposes of his own； wished to put Mrs。 Barker
beyond her husband's possible reach。 He smiled grimly。 〃I think
you'd better take the woman with you；〃 he said。 〃I don't think；〃
he added in a lower voice； 〃that the boys would like your leaving
her。 They're very high…toned； they are！〃 he concluded ironically。
〃Then；〃 said Van Loo； with another desperate idea； 〃could you not
let us have saddle…horses instead of the buggy？ We could travel
faster； and in the event of pursuit and anything happening to ME；〃
he added loftily； 〃SHE at least could escape her pursuer's
vengeance。〃
This suited Steptoe equally well； as long as the guilty couple fled
TOGETHER； and in the presence of witnesses。 But he was not
deceived by Van Loo's heroic suggestion of self…sacrifice。 〃Quite
right；〃 he said sarcastically； 〃it shall be done； and I've no doubt
ONE of you will escape。 I'll send the horses round to the back
door and keep the buggy in front。 That will keep Jack there； TOO；
with the boys handy。〃
But Mr。 Hamlin had quite as accurate an idea of Mr。 Van Loo's
methods and of his OWN standing with Steptoe's gang of roughs as
Mr。 Steptoe himself。 More than that； he also had a hold on a
smaller but more devoted and loyal following than Steptoe's。 The
employees and hostlers of the hotel worshiped him。 A single word
of inquiry revealed to him the fact that the buggy was NOT going
on； but that Mr。 Van Loo and Mrs。 Barker WEREon two horses； a
temporary side…saddle having been constructed out of a mule's pack…
tree。 At which Mr。 Hamlin； with his usual audacity； walked into
the bar…room； and going to the bar leaned carelessly against it。
Then turning to the lowering faces around him； he said； with a
flash of his white teeth； 〃Well； boys； I'm calculating to leave the
Divide in a few minutes to follow some friends in the buggy； and it
seems to me only the square thing to stand the liquor for the
crowd； without prejudice to any feeling or roughness there may be
against me。 Everybody who knows me knows that I'm generally there
when the band plays； and I'm pretty sure to turn up for THAT sort
of thing。 So you'll just consider that I've had a good game on the
Divide； and I'm reckoning it's only fair to leave a little of it
behind me here； to 'sweeten the pot' until I call again。 I only
ask you； gentlemen； to drink success to my friends in the buggy as
early and as often as you can。〃 He flung two gold pieces on the
counter and paused； smiling。
He was right in his conjecture。 Even the men who would have
willingly 〃held him up〃 a moment after； at the bidding of Steptoe；
saw no reason for declining a free drink 〃without prejudice。〃 And
it was a part of the irony of the situation that Steptoe and Van
Loo were also obliged to participate to keep in with their
partisans。 It was； however； an opportune diversion to Van Loo； who
managed to get nearer the door leading to the back entrance of the
hotel； and to Mr。 Jack Hamlin； who was watching him； as the men
closed up to the bar。
The toast was drunk with acclamation； followed by another and yet
another。 Steptoe and Van Loo； who had kept their heads cool； were
both wondering if Hamlin's intention were to intoxicate and
incapacitate the crowd at the crucial moment； and Steptoe smiled
grimly over his superior knowledge of their alcoholic capacity。
But suddenly there was the greater diversion of a shout from the
road； the on…coming of a cloud of red dust； and the halt of another
vehicle before the door。 This time it was no jaded single horse
and dust…stained buggy； but a double team of four spirited
trotters； whose coats were scarcely turned with foam； before a
light station wagon containing a single man。 But that man was
instantly recognized by every one of the outside loungers and
stable…boys as well as the staring crowd within the saloon。 It was
James Stacy； the millionaire and banker。 No one but himself knew
that he had covered half the distance of a night…long ride from
Boomville in two hours。 But before they could voice their
astonishment Stacy had thrown a letter to the obsequious landlord；
and then gathering up the reins had sped away to the railroad
station half a mile distant。
〃Looks as if the Boss of Creation was in a hurry；〃 said one of the
eager gazers in the doorway。 〃Somebody goin' to get smashed；
sure。〃
〃More like as if he was just humpin' himself to keep from getting
smashed；〃 said Steptoe。 〃The bank hasn't got over the effect of
their smart deal in the Wheat Trust。 Everything they had in their
hands tumbled yesterday in Sacramento。 Men like me and you ain't
goin' to trust their money to be 'jockey