be Van
Loo's mother, because he didn't SELECT her."

"Where did she come from? and how long has she been here?" asked
Demorest.

"She came from abroad, I believe. And she came here just after you left.
Van Loo, after he became secretary of the Ditch Company, sent for her
and her daughter to keep house for him. But you'll see her to-day or
to-morrow probably, when she returns. I'll introduce you; she'll be
rather glad to meet some one from abroad, and all the more if he happens
to be rich and distinguished, and eligible for her daughter." He stopped
suddenly in his smile, remembering Demorest's lifelong secret. But to
his surprise his companion's face, instead of darkening as it was
wont to do at any such allusion, brightened suddenly with a singular
excitement as he answered dryly, "Ah well, if the girl is pretty, who
knows!"

Indeed, his spirits seemed to have returned with strange vivacity
as they walked back to the hotel, and he asked many other questions
regarding Mrs. Van Loo and her daughter, and particularly if the
daughter had also been abroad. When they reached the veranda they found
a few early risers eagerly reading the Sacramento papers, which had just
arrived, or, in little knots, discussing the news. Indeed, they would
probably have stopped Barker and his companion had not Barker, anxious
to relieve his friend's curiosity, hurried with him at once to the
manager's office.

"Can you tell me exactly when you expect Mrs. Van Loo to return?" asked
Barker quickly.

The manager with difficulty detached himself from the newspaper which
he, too, was anxiously perusing, and said, with a peculiar smile, "Well
no! she WAS to return to-day, but if you're wanting to keep her rooms,
I should say there wouldn't be any trouble about it, as she'll hardly be
coming back here NOW. She's rather high and mighty in style, I know, and
a determined sort of critter, but I reckon she and her daughter wouldn't
care much to be waltzing round in public after what has happened."

"I don't understand you," said Demorest impatiently. "WHAT has
happened?"

"Haven't you heard the news?" said the manager in surprise. "It's in
all the Sacramento papers. Van Loo is a defaulter--has hypothecated
everything he had and skedaddled."

Barker started. He was not thinking of the loss of his wife's
money--only of HER disappointment and mortification over it. Poor girl!
Perhaps she was also worrying over his resentment,--as if she did not