know him! He would go to her at once at Boomville. Then he remembered
that she was coming with Mrs. Horncastle, and might be already on
her way here by rail or coach, and he would miss her. Demorest in the
meantime had seized a paper, and was intently reading it.

"There's bad news, too, for your friend, your old partner," said the
manager half sympathetically, half interrogatively. "There has been a
drop out in everything the bank is carrying, and everybody is unloading.
Two firms failed in 'Frisco yesterday that were carrying things for the
bank, and have thrown everything back on it. There was an awful panic
last night, and they say none of the big speculators know where they
stand. Three of our best customers in the hotel rushed off to the bay
this morning, but Stacy himself started before daylight, and got the
through night express to stop for him on the Divide on signal. Shall I
send any telegrams that may come to your room?"

Demorest knew that the manager suspected him of being interested in the
bank, and understood the purport of the question. He answered, with calm
surprise, that he was expecting no telegrams, and added, "But if Mrs.
Van Loo returns I beg you to at once let me know," and taking Barker's
arm he went in to breakfast. Seated by themselves, Demorest looked at
his companion. "I'm afraid, Barker boy, that this thing is more serious
to Jim than we expected last night, or than he cared to tell us. And
you, old man, I fear are hurt a little by Van Loo's flight. He had some
money of your wife's, hadn't he?"

Barker, who knew that the bulk of Demorest's fortune was in Stacy's
hands, was touched at this proof of his unselfish thought, and answered
with equal unselfishness that he was concerned only by the fear of Mrs.
Barker's disappointment. "Why, Lord! Phil, whether she's lost or saved
her money it's nothing to me. I gave it to her to do what she liked with
it, but I'm afraid she'll be worrying over what I think of it,--as if
she did not know me! And I'm half a mind, if it were not for missing
her, to go over to Boomville, where she's stopping."

"I thought you said she was in San Francisco?" said Demorest
abstractedly.

Barker colored. "Yes," he answered quickly. "But I've heard since that
she stopped at Boomville on the way."

"Then don't let ME keep you here," returned Demorest. "For if Jim
telegraphs to me I shall start for San Francisco at once, and I rather
think he will. I did not like to s