children of the whirlwind-第11节

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Yes；　despite　him　and　all　he　could　do；　she　was　going　to　go　the　brilliant；　exciting　way　she　had　planned！

In　fairness　to　Maggie　it　must　be　remembered　that　despite　her　assumed　maturity　and　self…confident　wisdom；　she　really　was　only　eighteen；　and　perhaps　did　not　yet　fully　know　herself；　and　had　all　the　world　yet　to　learn。　And　it　must　be　remembered　that　she　believed　herself　entirely　in　the　right。　This　was　a　world　where　strength　and　cunning　were　the　qualities　that　counted；　and　every　one　was　trying　to　outwit　his　neighbor；　and　all　who　acted　otherwise　were　either　weak…witted　fools　or　else　pretenders　who　saw　in　their　hypocrisy　the　keenest　game　of　all。　Living　under　the　influence　of　Old　Jimmie；　and　later　of　Barney；　and　of　the　environment　in　which　she　had　been　bred；　these　beliefs　had　come　to　be　her　religion。　She　was　thoroughly　orthodox；　and　had　the　defensive　and　aggressive　fervor　which　is　the　temper　of　militant　orthodoxy。

And　so　more　keenly　than　ever；　because　she　was　more　determined　than　ever；　Maggie　studied　the　groups　of　well…dressed　men　and　women　who　ate　and　danced　at　the　Ritzmore；　among　whom　she　circulated　in　her　short；　smart　skirt　with　her　cigarette　tray　swung　from　her　neck　by　a　broad　purple　ribbon。　Particularly　she　liked　the　after…theater　crowd；　for　then　only　evening　wear　was　permitted　in　the　supper…room　and　the　people　were　at　their　liveliest。　She　liked　to　watch　the　famous　professional　couple　do　their　specialties　on　the　glistening　central　space　with　the　agile　spot…lights　always　bathing　them；　and　then　watch　the　smartly　dressed　guests　take　the　floor　with　the　less　practiced　and　more　humble　steps。　Sometime　soon　she　was　going　to　have　clothes　as　smart　as　any　of　these。　Soon　she　would　be　one　of　these　brilliant　people；　and　have　a　life　more　exciting　than　any。　Very　soonfor　her　apprenticeship　was　almost　over！

Barney　Palmer　had　these　last　few　months；　since　he　had　discovered　in　Maggie　a　star　who　only　needed　coaching　and　then　an　opportunity；　made　it　a　practice　to　come　for　Maggie　occasionally　when　one　o'clock；　New　York's　curfew　hour；　dispersed　the　pleasure…seekers　and　ended　Maggie's　day　of　work；　or　rather　her　day　of　intensive　schooling　for　her　greater　life。　On　the　night　of　his　return　from　Chicago；　which　was　a　week　after　his　break　with　Larry；　Barney　reported　to　take　Maggie　home。　He　was　in　swagger　evening　clothes　and　he　asked　the　starter　for　a　taxi；　with　an　almost　lordly　air　and　for　the　service　of　a　white…gloved　gesture　to　a　chauffeur；　he　carelessly　handed　the　starter　（who；　by　the　way；　was　a　richer　man　than　Barney）　a　crisp　dollar　bill。　Barney　was　trying　to　make　his　best　impression。

〃Seen　much　of　that　stiff；　Larry　Brainard？〃　he　asked　when　the　cab　was　headed　southward。

His　tone；　which　he　tried　to　make　merely　contemptuous；　conveyed　the　deep　wrath　which　he　still　felt　whenever　his　mind　reverted　to　Larry。　Maggie　reserved　to　herself　the　privilege　of　thinking　of　Larry　just　as　she　pleased；　but　being　the　kind　of　girl　she　was；　she　could　not　help　being　also　a　bit　of　a　coquette。

〃I　didn't　think　he　was　such　a　stiff；　Barney；〃　she　said　in　an　irritatingly　pleasant　voice。　〃His　prison　clothes　were　bad；　but　now　that　he's　dressed　right　I　think　he　looks　awfully　nice。　You　and　father　have　always　said　he　looked　the　perfect　swell。〃

〃See　herehas　he　been　talking　to　you？〃　Barney　demanded　savagely。

〃A　little。　Yes；　several　times。　In　fact　he　said　quite　a　lot　that　night　after　you'd　gone。〃

〃What　did　he　say？〃

〃He　said　he　was　not　only　going　to　go　straight；　but〃in　her　provocative；　teasing　voice〃he　was　going　to　make　me　go　straight。〃

〃What's　that？　Tell　me　just　what　he　said！〃　demanded　Barney；　his　wrath　suddenly　flaring　into　furious　jealousy。

Maggie　told　him　in　detail；　in　fact　told　him　the　scene　in　greater　detail　and　with　a　greater　length　than　had　been　the　actuality。　Also　she　censored　the　scene　by　omitting　her　own　opposition　to　Larry's　determination。　She　enjoyed　playing　with　Barney；　the　exercise　of　the　power　she　had　over　Barney's　passions。

〃And　you　stood　for　all　that！〃　cried　Barney。　By　this　time　they　were　far　down　town。　〃You　listen　to　me；　Maggie：　What　I　said　to　Larry's　face　that　night　at　the　Duchess's　still　stands。　I　think　he's　yellow　and　has　turned　against　his　old　pals。　I　tell　you　what；　I'm　going　to　watch　that　guy！〃

〃You　won't　find　it　hard　to　watch　him；　Barney。　Larry　never　hides　himself。〃

〃Oh；　I'll　watch　him　all　right！　And　you；　Maggiewhy；　you　talk　as　though　you　liked　that　line　of　talk　he　gave　you！〃

〃Larry　talks　welland　I　did　like　it；　rather。〃

〃See　here！　You're　not　falling　for　him？　You're　not　going　to　let　him　make　you　go　straight？〃

Maggie　certainly　had　no　intention　of　letting　any　such　thing　come　to　pass；　but　she　could　not　check　her　innocent…toned　baiting。

〃How　do　I　know　what　he'll　make　me　do？　He's　clever　and　handsome；　you　know。〃

Barney　gripped　her　shoulder　fiercely。　〃Maggieare　you　falling　in　love　with　him？〃

〃How　do　I　know；　when〃

〃Maggie！〃　He　gripped　her　more　tightly；　and　his　phrases　tumbled　out　fiercely；　rapidly。　〃You're　not　going　to　do　anything　of　the　sort！　If　he　goes　straightif　you　go　straighthow　can　he　ever　help　you？　He　can't！　And　it　will　be　your　finishthe　finish　of　all　the　big　things　we've　talked　about。　Listen：　since　Larry　threw　us　down；　I've　taken　hold　of　things　and　will　soon　be　ready　to　spring　something　big。　Just　a　few　days　now　and　you'll　be　out　of　that　dirty　street；　and　you'll　be　in　swell　clothes　doing　swell　workand　it　will　mean　the　best　restaurants；　theaters；　swell　times！〃

The　car　had　turned　into　the　narrow；　cobbled　street　and　had　paused　before　the　Duchess's。　Suddenly　Barney　caught　her　into　his　arms。

〃And；　Maggie；　you're　going　to　be　mine！　We'll　have　a　nifty　little　place；　all　right！　You　know　I'm　dippy　about　you。。。。And；　Maggie；　I　don't　even　want　you　to　go　back　in　there　where　Larry　Brainard　is。　Let's　drive　back　uptown　and　start　in　together　now！　To…night！〃

It　was　not　the　fact　that　he　had　not　suggested　marriage　which　stirred　Maggie：　men　and　women　in　Barney's　class　lived　together；　and　sometimes　they　were　married　and　sometimes　they　were　not。　It　was　something　else；　something　of　which　she　was　not　definitely　conscious：　but　she　felt　no　such　momentary　thrill；　no　momentary；　dazing　surrender；　as　she　had　felt　the　night　when　Larry　had　similarly　held　her。

〃Stop　that；　Barney！〃　she　gasped。　〃Let　me　go！〃　She　struggled　fiercely；　and　then　tore　herself　free。

〃What's　wrong　with　you？〃　panted　Barney。　〃You're　mine；　ain't　you？〃

〃You　leave　me　alone！　I'm　going　to　get　out！〃

She　had　the　door　open；　and　was　stepping　out　when　he　caught　her　sleeve。　But　she　pulled　so　determinedly　that　to　have　held　her　would　have　meant　nothing　better　than　ripping　the　sleeve　out　of　her　coat。　So　he　freed　her　and　followed　her　across　the　sidewalk　to　the　Duchess's　door。

〃What's　the　idea？〃　he　demanded；　choking　with　fierce　jealousy。　〃It's　not　Larry；　after　all？　You're　not　going　to　let　him　make　you　go　straight？〃

She　had　recovered　her　poise；　and　she　replied　banteringly：

〃As　I　said；　how　can　I　tell　what　he's　going　to　make　me　do？〃

She　heard　him　draw　a　deep；　quivering　breath　between　clenched　teeth；　but　she　could　not　see　how　his　figure　tensed　and　how　his　face　twisted　into　a　glower。

〃Get　this；　Maggie：　Larry　Brainard　is　never　going　to　be　able　to　make　you　do　anything。　You　get　that？〃

〃Yes；　I　get　it；　Barney；　good…night；〃　she　said　lightly。

And　Maggie　slipped　through　the　door　and　left　Barney　trembling　in　the　little　street。




CHAPTER　IX


Maggie；　as　she　mounted　to　her　room；　was　hardly　conscious　of　the　ring　of　menace　in　Barney's　voice；　but　once　she　was　in　bed；　his　tone　and　his　words　came　back　to　her　and　stirred　a　strange　uneasiness　in　her　mind。　Barney　was　angry；　Barney　was　cunning；　Barney　would　stop　at　nothing　to　gain　his　ends。　What　might　be　behind　his　threatening　words？

The　next　morning　as　she　was　coming　in　with　milk　for　her　breakfast　coffee；　she　met　Larry　in　the　Duchess's　room　behind　the　pawnshop。　He　smilingly　planted　himself　squarely　in　her　way。

〃See　here；　Maggiearen't　you　ever　going　to　speak　to　a　fellow？〃

Something　within　her　surged　up　impelling　her　to　tell　him　of　Barney's　savage　yet　unformulated　threat。　The　warning　got　as　far　as　her　tongue；　and　there　halted；　struggling。

Her　strange；　fixed　look　startled　Larry。　〃Why；　what's　the　matter；　Maggie？〃　he　exclaimed。

But　her　pride；　her　settled　determination　to　unbend　to　him　in　no　way　and　to　have　no　dealings　with　him；　were　stronger　than　her　impulse；　and　the　struggling　warning　remained　unuttered。

〃Nothing's　the　matter；〃　she　said；　and　brushed　past　him　and　hurried　up　the　stairway。

At　times　during　the　day；　while　tutoring　with　Mr。　Bronson；　Larry　thought　of　Maggie's　strange　look。　And　his　mind　was　upon　it　late　in　the　afternoon　when　he　entered　the　little　street。　But　as　he　neared　his　grandmother's　house　all　such　thought　was　banished　by　Detective　Gavegan　of　the　Central　Office　stepping　from　the　pawnshop　and　blocking　the　door　with　his　big　figure。　There　was　grim；　triumphant　purpose　on　the　hard　features　of　Gavegan；　conceited　by　nature　and　trained　to　harsh　dominance　by　long　rule　as　a　petty　autocrat。

〃Hello；　Gavegan；〃　Larry　greeted　him　pleasantly。　〃Gee；　but　you　look　tickled！　Did　the　Duchess　give　you　a　bigger　loan　than　you　expected　on　the　Carnegie　medal　you　just　hocked？〃

〃You'll　soon　be　cuttin'　out　your　li