children of the whirlwind-第27节

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tisfaction。

〃What　was　the　matter　with　you　to…night；　Maggie？〃　he　demanded。　〃You　didn't　play　up　to　your　usual　form。〃

〃If　you　don't　like　the　way　I　did　it；　you　may　get　some　one　else；〃　Maggie　snapped　back。

〃Aw；　don't　get　sore。　If　I'm　stage…managing　this　show；　I　guess　it's　my　business　to　tell　you　how　to　act　the　part；　and　to　tell　you　when　you're　endangering　the　success　of　the　piece　by　giving　a　poor　performance。〃

〃Maybe　you'd　better　get　some　one　else　to　take　my　part　right　now。〃

Maggie's　tone　and　look　were　implacable。　Barney　moved　uneasily。　That　was　the　worst　about　Maggie：　she　wouldn't　take　advice　from　any　one　unless　the　advice　were　a　coincidence　with　or　an　enlargement　of　her　own　wishes；　and　she　was　particularly　temperish　to…night。　He　hastened　to　appease　her。

〃I　guess　the　best　of　us　have　our　off　days。　It's　all　right　unless〃　Barney　hesitated；　business　fear　and　jealousy　suddenly　seizing　him　〃unless　the　way　you　acted　tonight　means　you　don't　intend　to　go　through　with　it？〃

〃Why　shouldn't　I　go　through　with　it？〃

〃No　reason。　Unless　you　acted　as　you　did　to…night　because〃again　Barney　hesitated；　again　jealousy　prompted　him　on〃because　you've　heard　in　some　way　from　Larry　Brainard。　Have　you　heard　from　Larry？〃

Maggie　met　his　gaze　without　flinching。　She　would　take　the　necessary　measures　in　the　morning　with　Miss　Grierson　to　keep　that　lady　from　indiscreet　talking。

〃I　have　not　heard　from　Larry；　and　if　I　had；　it　wouldn't　be　any　of　your　business；　Barney　Palmer！〃

He　chose　to　ignore　the　verbal　slap　in　his　face　of　her　last　phrase。　〃No；　I　guess　you　haven't　heard　from　Larry。　And　I　guess　none　of　us　will　hear　from　himnot　for　a　long　time。　He's　certainly　fixed　himself　for　fair！〃

〃He　sure　has；〃　agreed　Old　Jimmie。

Maggie　said　nothing。

〃Seems　to　me　we've　got　this　young　Sherwood　hooked；〃　said　Old　Jimmie；　who　had　been　impatient　during　this　unprofitable　bickering。　〃Seems　to　me　it's　time　to　settle　just　how　we're　going　to　get　his　dough。　How　about　it；　Barney？〃

〃Plenty　of　time　for　that；　Jimmie。　This　is　a　big　fish；　and　we've　got　to　be　absolutely　sure　we've　got　him　hooked　so　he　can't　get　off。　We've　got　to　play　safe　here；　it's　worth　waiting　for；　believe　me。　Besides；　all　the　while　Maggie's　getting　practice。〃

〃Seems　to　me　we　ought　to　make　our　clean…up　quick。　So　thatso　that〃

〃See　hereyou　think　you　got　some　other　swell　game　you　want　to　use　Maggie　in？〃

Old　Jimmie's　shifty　gaze　wavered　before　Barney's　glare。

〃No。　But　she's　my　daughter；　ain't　she？〃

〃Yes。　But　who's　running　this？〃　Barney　demanded。　Thank　Heavens；　Old　Jimmie　was　one　person　he　did　not　have　to　treat　like　a　prima　donna！

〃You　are。〃

〃Then　shut　up；　and　let　me　run　it！〃

〃You　might　at　least　tell　if　you've　decided　how　you're　going　to　run　it；〃　persisted　Old　Jimmie。

〃Will　you　shut　up！〃　snapped　Barney。

Old　Jimmie　said　no　more。　And　having　asserted　his　supremacy　over　at　least　one　of　the　two；　Barney　relented　and　condescended　to　talk；　lounging　back　in　his　chair　with　that　self…conscious　grace　which　had　helped　make　him　a　figure　of　increasing　note　in　the　gayer　restaurants　of　New　York。

It　did　not　enter　into　Barney's　calculations；　present　or　for　the　future；　to　make　Maggie　the　mistress　of　any　man。　Not　that　Barney　was　restrained　by　moral　considerations。　The　thing　was　just　bad　business。　Such　a　woman　makes　but　comparatively　little；　and　what　is　worse；　if　she　chooses；　she　makes　it　all　for　herself。　And　Barney；　in　his　cynical　wisdom　of　his　poor　world；　further　knew　that　the　average　man　enticed　into　this　poor　trap；　after　the　woman　has　said　yes；　and　after　the　first　brief　freshness　has　lost　its　bloom；　becomes　a　tight…wad　and　there　is　little　real　money　to　be　got　from　him　for　any　one。

〃It's　like　this：　once　we've　got　this　Sherwood　bird　safely　hooked；〃　expanded　Barney　with　the　air　of　an　authority；　flicking　off　his　cigarette　ash　with　his　best　restaurant　manner；　〃we　can　play　the　game　a　hundred　ways。　But　the　marriage　proposition　is　the　best　bet；　and　there　are　two　best　ways　of　working　that。〃

〃Which　d'you　think　we　ought　to　use；　Barney？〃　inquired　Old　Jimmie。

But　Barney　went　on　as　if　the　older　man　had　not　asked　a　question。　〃Both　ways　depend　upon　Sherwood　being　crazy　in　love；　and　upon　his　coming　across　with　a　proposal　and　sticking　to　it。　The　first　way；　after　being　proposed　to；　Maggie　must　break　down　and　confess　she's　married　to　a　man　she　doesn't　love　and　who　doesn't　love　her。　This　husband　would　probably　give　her　a　divorce；　but　he's　a　cagy　guy　and　is　out　for　the　coin；　and　if　he　smelled　that　she　wanted　to　remarry　some　one　with　money　he　would　demand　a　large　price　for　her　freedom。　Maggie　must　further　confess　that　she　really　has　no　money；　and　is　therefore　helpless。　Then　Sherwood　offers　to　meet　the　terms　of　this　brute　of　a　husband。　If　Sherwood　falls　for　this　we　shove　in　a　dummy　husband　who　takes　Sherwood's　doughand　a　big　bank　roll　it　will　be！and　that'll　be　the　last　Sherwood'll　ever　see　of　Maggie。〃

Old　Jimmie　nodded。　〃When　it's　worked　right；　that　always　brings　home　the　kale。〃

〃The　only　question　is；〃　continued　Barney；　〃can　Maggie　put　that　stuff　over？　How　about　it；　Maggie？　Think　you're　good　enough　to　handle　a　proposition　like　that？〃

Looking　the　handsome　Barney　straight　in　the　eyes；　Maggie　for　the　moment　thought　only　of　his　desire　to　manage　her　and　of　the　challenge　in　his　tone。　Larry　and　the　appeal　he　had　made　to　her　were　forgotten；　as　was　also　Dick　Sherwood。

〃Anything　you're　good　enough　to　think　up；　Barney　Palmer；　I　guess　I'm　good　enough　to　put　over；〃　she　answered　coolly。

And　then：　〃What's　the　other　way？〃　she　asked。

〃Old　stuff。　Have　to　be　a　sure…enough　marriage。　Sherwoods　are　big…time　people；　you　know；　a　sister　who's　a　regular　somebody。　After　marriage；　family　permitted　to　learn　truthperhaps　something　much　worse　than　truth。　Family　horrified。　They　pay　Maggie　a　big　wad　for　a　separation　same　as　so　many　horrified　families　get　rid　of　daughters…in…law　they　don't　like。　Which　of　the　ways　suits　you　best；　Maggie？〃

Maggie　shrugged　her　shoulders　with　indifference。　It　suited　her　present　mood　to　maintain　her　attitude　of　being　equal　to　any　enterprise。

〃Which　do　you　like　best；　Barney？〃　Old　Jimmie　asked。

〃The　second　is　safer。　But　then　it's　slower；　and　there　would　be　lawyers'　fees　which　would　eat　into　our　profits；　and　then　because　of　the　publicity　we　might　have　to　wait　some　time　before　it　would　be　safe　to　use　Maggie　again。　The　first　plan　isn't　so　complicated；　it's　quick；　and　at　once　we've　got　Maggie　free　to　use　in　other　operations。　The　first　looks　the　best　bet　to　mebut；　as　I　said；　we　don't　have　to　decide　yet。　We　can　let　developments　help　make　the　actual　decision　for　us。〃

Barney　did　not　add　that　a　further　reason　for　his　objecting　to　the　second　plan　was　that　he　didn't　want　Maggie　actually　tied　in　marriage　to　any　man。　That　was　a　relationship　his　hopes　were　reserving　for　himself。

Barney's　inborn　desire　for　acknowledged　chieftainship　again　craved　assertion　and　pressed　him　on　to　say：

〃You　see；　Maggie；　how　much　depends　on　you。　You've　got　a　whale　of　a　chance　for　a　beginner。　I　hope　you　take　a　big　brace　over　to…night　and　play　up　to　the　possibilities　of　your　part。〃

〃You　take　care　of　your　end；　and　I'll　take　care　of　mine！〃　was　her　sharp　retort。

Barney　was　flustered　for　a　moment　by　his　second　failure　to　dominate　Maggie。　〃Oh；　well；　we'll　not　row；〃　he　tried　to　say　easily。　〃We　understand　each　other；　and　we're　each　trying　to　help　the　other　fellow's　gamethat's　the　main　point。〃

The　two　men　left；　Jimmie　without　kissing　his　daughter　good…night。　This　caused　Maggie　no　surprise。　A　kiss；　not　the　lack　of　it；　would　have　been　the　thing　that　would　have　excited　wonder　in　Maggie。

Barney　went　away　well　satisfied　on　the　whole　with　the　manner　in　which　the　affair　was　progressing；　and　with　his　management　of　it　and　of　Maggie。　Maggie　was　obstinate；　to　be　sure；　but　he'd　soon　work　that　out　of　her。　He　was　now　fully　convinced　of　the　soundness　of　his　explanation　of　Maggie's　poor　performance　of　that　night：　she　had　just　had　an　off　day。

As　for　Maggie；　after　they　had　gone　she　sat　up　long；　thinkingand　her　thoughts　reverted　irresistibly　to　Larry。　His　visit　had　been　most　distracting。　But　she　was　not　going　to　let　it　affect　her　purpose。　If　anything；　she　was　more　determined　than　ever　to　be　what　she　had　told　him　she　was　going　to　be；　to　prove　to　him　that　he　could　not　influence　her。

She　tried　to　keep　her　mind　off　Larry；　but　she　could　not。　He　was　for　her　so　many　questions。　How　had　he　escaped？thrown　off　both　police　and　old　friends？　Where　was　he　now？　What　was　he　doing？　And　when　and　how　was　he　going　to　reappear　and　interfere？for　Maggie　had　no　doubt；　now　that　she　knew　him　to　be　in　New　York；　that　he　would　come　again；　and　again　try　to　check　her。

And　there　was　a　matter　which　she　no　more　understood　than　Larry；　and　this　was　another　of　her　questions：　Why　had　she　gone　into　a　panic　and　aided　his　escape？

Of　course；　she　now　and　then　thought　of　Dick　Sherwood。　She　rather　liked　Dick。　But　thus　far　she　regarded　him　exactly　as　her　scheme　of　life　had　presented　him　to　her：　as　a　pleasant　dupe　who；　in　an　exciting　play　in　which　she　had　the　thrilling　lead；　was　to　be　parted　from　his　money。　She　was　rather　sorry　for　him；　but　this　was　business；　and　her　sorrow　was　not　going　to　interfere　with　what　she　was　going　to　do。

Maggie　Cameron；　at　this　perio