children of the whirlwind-第15节

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　own。

He　did　not　pause　to　reconnoiter。　Time　was　of　the　essence　of　his　safety；　risks　had　to　be　taken。　He　plunged　out　of　his　holearound　the　first　corneraround　the　nextand　thus　wove　in　and　out；　working　westward；　till　at　last；　on　turning　a　corner　into　a　lighted　street；　he　saw　possible　relief　in　two　stray　taxicabs　before　a　little　East　Side　restaurant；　one　of　which　was　just　leaving。

〃Taxi！〃　he　called　breathlessly。

The　chauffeur　of　the　moving　car　swung　back　beside　the　curb　and　opened　the　door。　But　even　as　he　started　to　enter　he　saw　Little　Mick　and　Lefty　Ed　turn　into　the　street　behind　him。　However；　the　brightness　of　this　street　ill…accorded　with　the　anonymity　with　which　their　art　is　most　safely　and　profitably　practiced；　so　Larry　got　in　without　a　bullet　flicking　at　him。

〃Forty…Second　Street　and　Broadway；〃　he　called　to　the　chauffeur　as　he　closed　the　door。

The　car　started　off。　Looking　back　through　the　little　window　he　saw　Lefty　Ed　enter　the　other　taxicab；　and　saw　Little　Mick　standing　on　the　curb。　He　understood。　Little　Mick　was　to　send　out　the　alarm；　while　Lefty　was　to　follow　the　trail。

Let　Lefty　follow。　At　least　Larry　now　had　a　few　minutes　to　consider　some　plan　which　should　look　beyond　the　safety　of　the　immediate　moment。　He　was　well…dressed；　albeit　somewhat　wet　and　soiled；　he　had　money　in　his　pockets。　What　should　he　do？

Yes；　what　should　he　do？　The　more　he　considered　it　the　more　ineluctable　did　his　situation　become。　By　now　Gavegan　had　sent　out　his　alarm；　within　a　few　moments　every　policeman　on　duty　would　have　instructions　to　watch　for　him。　He　might　escape　for　the　time；　at　least；　these　allies　of　his　one…time　pals　by　going　to　a　hotel　and　taking　a　room　there；　but　to　walk　into　a　hotel　would　be　to　walk　into　arrest。　On　the　other　hand；　he　might　evade　the　police　if　he　sought　refuge　in　one　of　his　old　haunts；　or　perhaps　with　old　Bronson；　but　then　his　angered　pals　knew　of　these　haunts；　and　to　enter　one　of　them　would　be　to　offer　himself　freely　to　their　vengeance。

There　were　other　citiesbut　then　how　was　he　to　get　to　them？　He　saw　Manhattan　for　what　it　was　to　a　man　who　was　a　fugitive　from　justice　and　injustice：　an　island；　a　trap；　with　only　a　few　outlets　and　inlets　for　its　millions：　two　railway　stationsa　few　ferriesa　few　bridgesa　few　tunnels：　and　at　every　one　of　them　policemen　watching　for　him。　He　could　not　leave　New　York。　And　yet　how　in　God's　name　was　he　to　stay　here？

He　thought　of　Maggie。　So　she　wanted　the　life　of　dazzling；　excitement；　of　brilliant　adventure；　did　she？　He　wondered　how　she　would　like　a　little　of　the　real　thingsuch　as　this？

As　he　neared　Forty…Second　Street　he　still　was　without　definite　plan　which　would　guarantee　him　safety；　and　there　was　Lefty　hanging　on　doggedly。　An　idea　came　which　would　at　least　extend　his　respite　and　give　him　more　time　for　thought。　He　opened　the　door　of　his　cab　and　thrust　a　ten…dollar　note　into　the　instinctively　ready　hand　of　his　driver。

〃Keep　the　changeand　give　me　a　swing　once　around　Central　Park；　slowing　down　on　those　hilly　turns　on　the　west　side。〃

〃I　gotcha。〃

The　car　entered　the　park　at　the　Plaza　and　sped　up　the　shining；　almost　empty　drive。　Larry　kept　watch；　now　on　the　trailing　Lefty；　now　on　the　best　chance　for　execution　of　his　ideaall　the　way　up　the　east　side　and　around　the　turn　at　the　north　end。　As　the　car；　now　south…bound；　swung　up　the　hill　near　One　Hundred　and　Fifth　Street；　at　whose　crest　there　is　a　sharp　curve　with　thick…growing；　overhanging　trees；　Larry　opened　the　right　door　and　said：

〃Show　me　a　little　speed；　driver；　as　soon　as　you　pass　this　curve！〃

〃I　gotcha；〃　replied　the　chauffeur。

The　slowing　car　hugged　the　inside　of　the　sharp　turn；　Larry　holding　the　door　open　and　waiting　his　moment。　The　instant　the　taxi　made　the　curve　Lefty's　car　was　cut　from　view；　and　that　instant　Larry　sprang　from　the　running…board；　slamming　the　door　behind　him；　landed　on　soft　earth　and　scuttled　in　among　the　trees。　Crouching　in　the　shadows　he　saw　his　car　speed　away　as　per　his　orders；　and　the　moment　after　he　saw　Lefty's　car；　evidently　taken　by　surprise　by　this　obvious　attempt　at　escape；　leap　forward　in　hot　pursuit。

Larry　slipped　farther　in　among　the　trees　and　sat　down；　his　back　against　a　tree。　This　was　better。　For　the　time　he　was　safe。

He　drew　a　long　breath。　Then　for　a　moment　what　he　had　just　been　through　this　last　hour　came　back　to　him　in　an　almost　amusing　light：　as　something　grotesquely　impossiblemuch　like　those　helter…skelter；　utterly　unreal　chases　which；　with　slight　variations　of　personalities　and　costumes；　were　the　chief　plots　for　the　motion…picture　drama　in　its　crude　childhood。　But　though　there　seemed　a　likeness；　there　was　a　tremendous　difference。　For　this　was　real！　Every　one　was　in　earnest！

Again　he　thought　of　Maggie。　What　would　she　think；　what　would　be　her　attitude；　if　she　knew　the　truth　about　him？the　truth　about　those　she　had　gone　with　and　the　life　she　had　gone　into？　Would　she　be　inclined　toward　HIM；　would　she　help　him？。。。

Again　he　thought　of　what　he　should　do。　Now　that　he　commanded　a　composure　which　had　not　been　his　during　the　stress　of　his　flight；　he　examined　every　aspect　with　greater　care。　But　the　conclusions　of　composure　were　the　same　as　those　of　excitement。　He　could　not　gain　entrance　to　one　of　the　great　hotels　and　remain　in　his　room；　unidentified　among　its　thousands　of　strangers；　he　could　not　find　asylum　in　one　of　his　old　haunts；　he　dared　not　try　to　leave　Manhattan。　He　was　a　prisoner；　whose　only　privilege　was　a　larger　but　most　uncertain　liberty。

And　that　liberty　was　becoming　penetratingly　uncomfortable。　An　hour　had　passed；　the　ground　on　which　he　sat　was　wet　and　cold；　and　the　misty　air　was　assuming　a　distressing　kinship　with　departed　winter　and　was　making　shivering　assaults　upon　his　bones。　At　the　best；　he　realized；　he　could　not　hope　to　remain　secure　in　this　cultivated　wilderness　beyond　daylight。　With　the　coming　of　morning　he　would　certainly　be　the　prey　of　either　his　pals　or　the　police。　And　if　they　did　not　beat　him　from　his　hiding；　plain　mortal　hunger　would　drive　him　out　into　the　open　streets。　If　he　was　to　do　anything　at　all；　he　must　do　it　while　he　still　had　the　moderate　protection　of　the　night。

And　then　for　the　first　time　there　came　to　him　remembrance　of　Hunt's　rapid　injunction；　given　him　in　the　hurly…burly　of　escape　when　no　thoughts　could　impress　the　upper　surface　of　his　mind　save　those　of　the　immediate　moment。　〃If　you're　trapped；　call　Plaza　nine…double…o…one　and　say　'Benvenuto　Cellini。'〃

Larry　had　no　idea　what　that　swift　instruction　might　be　about。　And　the　chance　seemed　a　slender；　fantastical　one；　even　if　he　could　safely　get　to　a　public　telephone。　But　it　seemed　his　only　chance。

He　arose；　and；　keeping　as　much　as　he　could　to　the　wilder　regions　of　the　park；　and　making　the　utmost　use　of　shadows　when　he　had　to　cross　a　path　or　a　drive；　he　stole　southward。　He　remembered　a　drug…store　at　Eighty…Fourth　Street　and　Columbus　Avenue；　peculiarly　suited　to　his　purpose；　for　it　had　a　side　entrance　on　Eighty…Fourth　Street　and　was　in　a　neighborhood　where　policemen　were　infrequent。

Fortune　favored　him。　At　length　he　reached　Eighty…Fourth　Street　and　peered　over　the　wall。　Central　Park　West　was　practically　empty　of　automobiles；　for　the　theaters　had　not　yet　discharged　their　crowds　and　no　policeman　was　in　sight。　He　vaulted　the　wall；　a　minute　later　he　was　in　a　booth　in　the　drug…store；　had　dropped　his　nickel　in　the　slot；　and　was　asking　for　Plaza　nine…double…o…one。

〃Hello；　sir！〃　responded　the　very　correct　voice　of　a　man。

〃Benvenuto　Cellini；〃　said　Larry。

〃Hold　the　wire；　sir；〃　said　the　voice。

Larry　held　the　wire；　wondering。　After　a　moment　the　same　correct　voice　asked　where　Larry　was　speaking　from。　Larry　gave　the　exact　information。

〃Stay　right　in　the　booth；　and　keep　on　talking；　say　anything　you　like；　the　wire　here　will　be　kept　open；〃　continued　the　voice。　〃We'll　not　keep　you　waiting　long；　sir。〃

The　voice　ceased。　Larry　began　to　chat　about　topics　of　the　day；　about　invented　friends　and　engagements；　well　knowing　that　his　stream　of　talk　was　not　being　heard　unless　Central　was　〃listening　in〃；　and　knowing　also　that；　to　any　one　looking　into　the　glass　door　of　his　booth；　he　was　giving　a　most　unsuspicious　appearance　of　a　busy　man。　And　while　he　talked；　his　wonder　grew。　What　was　about　to　happen？　What　was　this　Benvenuto　Cellini　business　all　about？

He　had　been　talking　for　fifteen　minutes　or　more　when　the　glass　door　of　the　booth　was　opened　from　without　and　a　man's　voice　remarked：

〃When　you　are　through；　sir；　we　will　be　going。〃

The　voice　was　the　same　he　had　heard　over　the　wire。　Larry　hung　up　and　followed　the　man　out　the　side　door；　noting　only　that　he　had　a　lean；　respectful　face。　At　the　curb　stood　a　limousine；　the　door　of　which　was　opened　by　the　man　for　Larry。　Larry　stepped　in。

〃Are　you　followed；　sir？〃　inquired　the　man。

〃I　don't　know。〃

〃We'd　better　make　certain。　If　you　are；　we'll　lose　them；　sir。　We'll　stop　somewhere　and　change　our　license　plates　again。〃

Instead　of　getting　into　the　unlighted　body　with　him；　as　Larry　had　expected；　the　man　closed　the　door；　mounted　to　the　seat　beside　the　chauffeur；　and　the　car　shot　west　and　turned　up　Riverside　Drive。

One　may　break　the　speed　laws　in　New　York　if　one　has　the　speed；　and　if　one　has　the　ability　to　get　away　with　it。　This　car　had　both。