children of the whirlwind-第24节

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ght　as　well　hang　up。〃

She　obeyed；　and　set　the　instrument　upon　its　little　table。

〃Larrywhere　have　you　been　all　this　while？〃

He　was　now　conscious　enough　to　note　that　there　was　tense　concern　in　her　manner。　He　exulted　at　it；　and　crossed　and　took　her　hand。

〃Right　here　in　New　York；　Maggie。〃

〃In　hiding？〃

〃In　mighty　good　hiding。〃

〃But；　Larrydon't　you　know　it's　dangerous　for　you　to　come　out？　And　to　come　here　of　all　places？〃

〃I　couldn't　help　myself。　I　simply　had　to　see　you；　Maggie。〃

He　was　still　holding　her　hand；　and　there　was　an　instinctive　grip　of　her　fingers　about　his。　For　a　momentthe　moment　during　which　her　outer　or　more　conscious　self　was　startled　into　forgetfulnessthey　gazed　at　each　other　silently　and　steadily；　eye　into　eye。

And　then　the　things　the　Duchess　had　said　crept　back　into　his　mind；　and　he　said：

〃Maggie；　I've　come　to　take　you　out　of　all　this。　Get　readylet's　leave　at　once。〃

That　broke　the　spell。　She　jerked　away　from　him；　and　instantly　she　was　the　old　Maggie：　the　Maggie　who　had　jeered　at　him　and　defied　him　the　night　of　his　return　from　prison　when　he　had　announced　his　new　plan　the　Maggie　who　had　flaunted　him　as　〃stool〃　and　〃squealer〃　the　evening　she　had　left　the　Duchess's　to　enter　upon　this　new　career。

〃No；　you're　not　going　to　take　me　out　of　this！〃　she　flung　at　him。　〃I　told　you　once　before　that　I　wasn't　going　your　way！　I　told　you　that　I　was　going　my　own　way！　That　held　for　then；　and　it　holds　for　now；　and　it　will　hold　for　always！〃

The　softer　mood　which　had　come　upon　him　by　surprise　at　sight　of　her　and　filled　him；　now　gave　way　to　grim　determination。　〃Yes；　you　are　coming　my　waysometime；　if　not　now！　And　now　if　I　can　make　you！〃

Their　embattled　gazes　gripped　each　other。　But　now　Larry　was　seeing　more　than　just　Maggie。　He　was　also　taking　in　the　room。　It　was　close　kin　to　the　room　in　which　he　had　left　Miss　Grierson：　ornate；　undistinguished；　and　very　expensive。　He　noted　one　slight　difference：　a　tiny　hallway　giving　on　the　corridor；　its　inner　door　now　opened。

But　the　greatest　difference　was　what　he　saw　over　Maggie's　smooth　white　shoulders：　a　table　all　set　with　china　and　glass　and　silver；　and　arranged　for　five。

〃Maggie；　what's　this　game　you're　up　to？〃　he　demanded。

〃It's　none　of　your　business！〃　she　said　fiercely；　but　in　a　low　tone　for　both　were　instinctively　remembering　Miss　Grierson　in　the　adjoining　room。　And　then　she　added　proudly：　〃But　it's　big！　Bigger　than　anything　you　ever　dreamed　of！　And　you　can　see　I　am　putting　it　across　so　far　and　I'll　be　putting　it　across　at　the　finish！　Compare　it　to　the　cheap　line　you　talked　about。　Bah！〃

〃Listen；　Maggie！〃　In　his　intensity　he　gripped　her　bare　forearm。　〃This　is　bad　business；　and　if　you　had　any　sense　you'd　know　it！　Don't　you　think　I　get　the　layout？　Barney　is　your　cousin；　Old　Jimmie　is　your　uncle；　that　dame　in　the　next　room　and　this　suite　and　your　swell　clothes　to　help　put　up　a　front！　And　your　sickness　that　wouldn't　let　you　go　to　the　theater　is　just　a　fake；　so　that；　not　wanting　to　disappoint　them　entirely；　you'd　have　an　excuse　for　having　supper　hereand　thus　adroitly　draw　some　person　into　the　trap　of　a　more　intimate　relationship。　It's　a　clever　and　classy　layout。　Maggie；　exactly　what's　your　game？〃

〃I'll　not　tell　you！〃

〃Who's　that　man　that's　coming　here？〃

〃I'll　not　tell　you！〃

〃Is　he　the　sucker　you're　out　to　trim？〃

〃I'll　not　tell　you！〃

〃You　will　tell　me！〃　he　cried　dominantly。　〃And　you're　going　to　get　out　of　all　this！　You　hear　me？　It　may　look　good　to　you　now。　But　I　tell　you　it　has　only　one　finish！　And　that's　a　rotten　finish！〃

She　tore　free　from　his　punishing　grip；　and　pantingly　glared　at　himher　former　defiance　now　an　egoistic　fury。

〃I　won't　have　you　interfering　with　my　life！you　fake　preacher！you　stool；　you　squealer！〃　she　flung　at　him　madly。　〃Stoolsquealer！〃　she　repeated。　〃I　tell　you　I'm　going　my　own　wayand　it's　a　big　wayand　I　tell　you　again　nothing　you　can　say　or　do　can　stop　me！　If　I　could　have　my　best　wish；　all　I'd　wish　for　would　be　something　to　keep　you　from　always　interferingsomething　to　get　you　out　of　my　way！〃

Panting；　she　paused。　Her　tense　figure；　with　hands　closing　and　unclosing；　expressed　the　very　acme　of　furious　defianceof　desire　to　annihilateof　ultimate　hatred。　Larry　was　astounded　by　the　very　extent；　the　profundity；　of　her　passion。　And　so　they　stood；　silent　except　for　their　quick　breathing；　eyes　fixed　upon　eyes；　for　several　moments。

And　then　a　key　sounded　in　the　outer　door　of　the　little　hallway。　Instantly　there　was　an　almost　unbelievable　transformation　in　Maggie。　From　an　imperious；　uncontrollable　fury；　she　changed　to　a　white；　quivering　thing。

〃Barney！〃　she　whispered；　and　sprang　to　the　inner　door　of　the　little　hallway；　closed　and　locked　it。

She　turned　on　Larry　a　face　that　was　ghastly　in　its　pallor。

〃Barney　always　carries　a　pistol；〃　she　whispered。

They　had　heard　the　outer　door　close　with　a　click　of　its　automatic　lock。　They　now　heard　the　knob　of　the　inner　door　turn　and　tugged　at；　and　then　heard　Barney　call：　〃What's　the　matter；　Maggie？　Let　us　in。〃

Maggie　made　a　supreme　effort　to　reply　in　a　controlled　voice：

〃Just　a　minute。　I'm　not　quite　ready。〃

Then　a　second　voice　sounded　from　the　other　side　of　the　door：

〃Don't　keep　us　too　long；　Maggie。　Please！〃

There　was　a　distantly　familiar　quality　to　Larry　in　that　second　voice。　But　he　did　not　try　to　place　it　then：　he　was　too　poignantly　concerned　in　his　own　situation；　and　in　the　bewildering　change　in　Maggie。

She　slipped　a　hand　through　his　arm。　〃Oh；　La…Larry；　why　did　you　ever　take　such　a　risk！〃　she　breathed。　Her　whisper　was　piteous；　aquiver　with　fright。　〃Come　this　way！〃　and　she　quickly　pulled　him　into　the　room　where　he　had　met　Miss　Grierson　and　to　the　door　by　which　he　had　entered。

Maggie　opened　this　door。　〃They're　all　in　the　little　hallwayI　don't　think　they'll　see　you；〃　her　rapid；　agitated　whisper　went　on。　〃Don't　take　the　elevators　in　this　corridor；　they're　in　plain　sight。　There　are　elevators　just　around　the　corner。　Take　them；　they're　safer。　Good…bye；　Larryand；　oh；　Larry；　don't　ever　take　such　a　risk　again！〃

With　that　she　pushed　him　out　and　closed　the　door。

Larry　followed　her　instructions　about　the　elevator；　he　used　the　same　precautions　in　leaving　that　he　had　used　in　coming；　and　twenty　minutes　later　he　was　back　in　his　room　in　the　Sherwood　apartment。　For　an　hour　or　more　he　sat　motionlessthinkingthinking：　asking　himself　questions；　but　in　his　tumultuous　state　of　mind　and　emotions　not　able　to　keep　to　a　question　long　enough　to　reason　out　its　possible　answer。

Just　what　was　that　game　in　which　Maggie　was　involved？a　game　which　required　that　Grantham　setting；　that　eminently　respectable　companion；　and　Maggie's　accouterment　as　a　young　lady　of　obvious　wealth。

Whose　was　that　vaguely　familiar　second　voice？that　voice　which　he　still　could　not　place。

But　what　he　thought　about　most　of　all　was　something　very　different。　What　had　caused　that　swift　change　in　Maggie？from　a　fury　that　was　both　fire　and　granite；　to　that　pallid；　quivering；　whispering　girl　who　had　so　rapidly　led　him　safely　out　of　his　danger。

To　and　fro；　back　and　forth；　shuttled　these　questions。　Toward　two　o'clock　he　stood　up；　mind　still　absorbed；　and　mechanically　started　to　undress。　He　then　observed　the　roll　of　paintings　Hunt　had　given　him。　Better　for　them　if　they　were　flattened　out。　Mechanically　he　removed　string　and　paper。　There　on　top　was　the　Italian　mother　he　had　asked　for。　A　great　paintinga　truly　great　painting。　Mechanically　he　lifted　this　aside　to　see　what　was　the　second　painting　Hunt　had　included。　Larry　gave　a　great　start　and　the　Italian　mother　went　flapping　to　the　floor。

The　second　painting　was　of　Maggie；　the　one　on　which　Hunt　had　been　working　the　day　Larry　had　come　back：　Maggie　in　her　plain　working　clothes；　looking　out　at　the　world　confidently；　conqueringly；　the　painting　in　which　Hunt；　his　brain　teeming　with　ideas；　had　tried　to　express　the　Maggie　that　was；　the　many　Maggies　that　were　in　her；　and　the　Maggie　that　was　yet　to　be。




CHAPTER　XVIII


The　next　morning　Larry　tried　to　force　his　mind　to　attend　strictly　to　Miss　Sherwood's　affairs。　But　in　this　effort　he　was　less　than　fifty　per　cent　effective。　His　experience　of　the　night　before　had　been　too　exciting；　too　provocative　of　speculation；　too　involved　with　what　he　frankly　recognized　to　be　the　major　interest　of　his　life；　to　allow　him　to　apply　himself　with　perfect　and　unperturbed　concentration　to　the　day's　routine。　Constantly　he　was　seeing　the　transformed　Maggie　in　the　cerise　evening　gown　with　the　fan　of　green　plumesseeing　her　elaborate　setting　in　her　suite　at　the　Granthamhearing　that　vaguely　familiar　but　unplaceable　voice　outside　her　doorrecalling　the　frenzied　effort　with　which　Maggie　had　so　swiftly　effected　his　escape。

This　last　matter　puzzled　him　greatly。　If　she　were　so　angered　at　him　as　she　had　declared；　if　she　so　distrusted　him；　why　had　she　not　given　him　up　when　she　had　had　him　at　her　mercy？　Could　it　be　that；　despite　her　words；　she　had　an　unacknowledged　liking　for　him？　He　did　not　dare　let　himself　believe　this。

Again　and　again　he　thought　of　this　adventure　in　whose　very　middle　Maggie　now　was；　and　of　whose　successful　issue　she　had　proudly　boasted　to　him。　It　was　indeed　something　big；　as　she　had　said；　that　establishment　at　the　Grantham