children of the whirlwind-第28节

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er　sorrow　was　not　going　to　interfere　with　what　she　was　going　to　do。

Maggie　Cameron；　at　this　period　of　her　life；　was　not　deeply　introspective。　She　did　not　realize　what；　according　to　other　standards；　this　thing　was　which　she　was　doing。　She　was　merely　functioning　as　she　had　been　taught　to　function。　And　if　any　change　was　beginning　in　her；　she　was　thus　far　wholly　unconscious　of　it。




CHAPTER　XX


Larry's　new　problem　was　the　most　difficult　and　delicate　dilemma　of　his　lifethis　divided　loyalty：　to　balk　Maggie　and　the　two　men　behind　her　without　revealing　the　truth　about　Maggie　to　Dick；　to　protect　Dick　without　betraying　Maggie。　It　certainly　was　a　trying；　baffling　situation。

He　had　no　such　foolish　idea　that　he　could　change　Maggie　by　exposing　her。　At　best　he　would　merely　render　her　incapable　of　continuing　this　particular　course；　he　would　increase　her　bitterness　and　hostility　to　him。　Anyhow；　according　to　the　remnants　of　his　old　code；　that　wouldn't　be　playing　fairparticularly　after　her　aiding　his　escape　when　he　had　been　trapped。

Upon　only　one　point　was　he　clear；　and　on　this　he　became　more　settled　with　every　hour：　whatever　he　did　he　must　do　with　the　idea　of　a　fundamental　awakening　in　Maggie。　Merely　to　foil　her　in　this　one　scheme　would　be　to　solve　the　lesser　part　of　his　problem；　Maggie　would　be　left　unchanged；　or　if　changed　at　all　the　change　would　be　toward　a　greater　hardness；　and　his　major　problem　would　be　made　more　difficult　of　solution。

He　considered　many　ways。　He　thought　of　seeing　Maggie　again；　and　once　more　appealing　to　her。　That　he　vetoed；　not　because　of　the　danger　to　himself；　but　because　he　knew　Maggie　would　not　see　him；　and　if　he　again　did　break　in　upon　her　unexpectedly；　in　her　obstinate　pride　she　would　heed　nothing　he　said。　He　thought　of　seeing　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie　and　somehow　so　throwing　the　fear　of　God　into　that　pair　that　they　would　withdraw　Maggie　from　the　present　enterprise；　but　even　if　he　succeeded　in　so　hazardous　an　undertaking；　again　Maggie　would　be　left　unchanged。　He　thought　of　showing　Miss　Sherwood　the　hidden　portrait　of　Maggie；　of　telling　her　all　and　asking　her　aid；　but　this　he　also　vetoed；　for　it　seemed　a　betrayal　of　Maggie。

He　kept　going　back　to　one　plan：　not　a　plan　exactly；　but　the　idea　upon　which　the　right　plan　might　be　based。　If　only　he　could　adroitly；　with　his　hand　remaining　unseen；　place　Maggie　in　a　situation　where　circumstances　would　appeal　conqueringly　to　her　best　self；　to　her　latent　sense　of　honorthat　was　the　idea！　But　cudgel　his　brain　as　he　would；　Larry　could　not　just　then　develop　a　working　plan　whose　foundation　was　that　idea。

But　even　if　Larry　had　had　a　brilliant　plan　it　would　hardly　have　been　possible　for　him　to　have　devoted　himself　to　its　execution；　for　two　days　after　his　visit　to　Maggie　at　the　Grantham；　the　Sherwoods　moved　out　to　their　summer　place　some　forty　miles　from　the　city　on　the　North　Shore　of　Long　Island；　and　Larry　was　so　occupied　with　routine　duties　pertaining　to　this　migration　that　at　the　moment　he　had　time　for　little　else。　Cedar　Crest　was　individual　yet　typical　of　the　better　class　of　Long　Island　summer　residences。　It　was　a　long　white　building　of　many　piazzas　and　many　wings；　set　on　a　bluff　looking　over　the　Sound；　with　a　broad　stretch　of　silken　lawn；　and　about　it　gardens　in　their　June　glory；　and　behind　the　house　a　couple　of　hundred　acres　of　scrub　pine。

On　the　following　day；　according　to　a　plan　that　had　been　worked　out　between　Larry　and　Miss　Sherwood；　Joe　Ellison　appeared　at　Cedar　Crest　and　was　given　the　assistant　gardener's　cottage　which　stood　apart　on　the　bluff　some　three　hundred　yards　east　of　the　house。　He　was　a　tall；　slightly　bent；　white…haired　man；　apparently　once　a　man　of　physical　strength　and　dominance　of　character　and　with　the　outer　markings　of　a　gentleman；　but　now　seemingly　a　mere　shadow　of　the　forceful　man　of　his　prime。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　Joe　Ellison　had　barely　escaped　that　greatest　of　prison　scourges；　tuberculosis。

The　roses　were　given　over　to　his　care。　For　a　few　brief　years　during　the　height　of　his　prosperity　he　had　owned　a　small　place　in　New　Jersey　and　during　that　period　had　seemingly　been　the　country　gentleman。　Flowers　had　been　his　hobby；　so　that　now　he　could　have　had　no　work　which　would　have　more　suited　him　than　this　guardianship　of　the　roses。　For　himself　he　desired　no　better　thing　than　to　spend　what　remained　of　his　life　in　this　sunlit　privacy　and　communion　with　growing　things。

He　gripped　Larry's　hand　when　they　were　first　alone　in　the　little　cottage。　〃Thanks；　Larry；　I'll　not　forget　this；〃　he　said。　He　said　little　else。　He　did　not　refer　to　his　prison　life；　or　what　had　gone　before　it。　He　had　never　asked　Larry；　even　while　in　prison　together；　about　Larry's　previous　activities　and　associates；　and　he　asked　no　questions　now。　Apparently　it　was　the　desire　of　this　silent　man　to　have　the　bones　of　his　own　past　remain　buried；　and　to　leave　undisturbed　the　graves　of　others'　mistakes。

A　retiring；　unobtrusive　figure；　he　settled　quickly　to　his　work。　He　seemed　content；　even　happy；　and　at　times　there　was　a　far…away；　exultant　look　in　his　gray　eyes。　Miss　Sherwood　caught　this　on　several　occasions；　it　puzzled　her；　and　she　spoke　of　it　to　Larry。　Larry　understood　what　lay　behind　Joe's　bearing；　and　since　the　thing　had　never　been　told　to　him　as　a　secret　he　retold　that　portion　of　Joe's　history　he　had　recited　to　the　Duchess：　of　a　child　who　had　been　brought　up　among　honorable　people；　protected　from　the　knowledge　that　her　father　was　a　convicta　child　Joe　never　expected　to　see　and　did　not　even　know　how　to　find。

Joe　Ellison　became　a　figure　that　moved　Miss　Sherwood　deeply：　content　to　busy　himself　in　his　earthly　obscurity；　ever　dreaming　and　gloating　over　his　one　great　sustaining　thoughtthat　he　had　given　his　child　the　best　chance　which　circumstances　permitted；　that　he　had　removed　himself　from　his　child's　life；　that　some　unknown　where　out　in　the　world　his　child　was　growing　to　maturity　among　clean；　wholesome　people；　that　he　never　expected　to　make　himself　known　to　his　child。　The　situation　also　moved　Larry　profoundly　whenever　he　looked　at　his　old　friend；　merging　into　a　kindly　fellowship　with　the　earth。

But　while　busy　with　new　affairs　at　Cedar　Crest；　Larry　was　all　the　while　thinking　of　Maggie；　and　particularly　of　his　own　dilemma　regarding　Maggie　and　Dick。　But　the　right　plan　still　refused　to　take　form　in　his　brain。　However；　one　important　detail　occurred　to　him　which　required　immediate　attention。　If　his　procedure　in　regard　to　Hunt's　pictures　succeeded　in　drawing　the　painter　from　his　hermitage；　nothing　was　more　likely　than　that　Hunt　unexpectedly　would　happen　upon　Maggie　in　the　company　of　Dick　Sherwood。　That　might　be　a　catastrophe　to　Larry's　unformed　plan；　it　had　to　be　forestalled　if　possible。　Such　a　matter　could　not　be　handled　in　a　letter；　with　the　police　opening　all　mail　coming　to　the　Duchess's　house。　So　once　more　he　decided　upon　a　secret　visit　to　the　Duchess's　house。　He　figured　that　such　a　visit　would　be　comparatively　without　risk；　since　the　police　and　Barney　Palmer　and　the　gangsters　Barney　had　put　upon　his　trail　all　still　believed　him　somewhere　in　the　West。

Accordingly；　a　few　nights　after　they　had　settled　at　Cedar　Crest；　he　motored　into　New　York　in　a　roadster　Miss　Sherwood　had　placed　at　his　disposal；　and　after　the　necessary　precautions　he　entered　Hunt's　studio。　The　room　was　dismantled；　and　Hunt　sat　among　his　packed　belongings　smoking　his　pipe。

〃Well；　young　fellow；〃　growled　Hunt　after　they　had　shaken　hands；　〃you　see　you've　driven　me　from　my　happy　home。〃

〃Then　Mr。　Graham　has　been　to　see　you？〃

〃Yes。　And　he　put　up　to　me　your　suggestion　about　a　private　exhibition。　And　I　fell　for　it。　And　I've　got　to　go　back　among　the　people　I　used　to　know。　And　wear　good　clothes　and　put　on　a　set　of　standardized　good　manners。　Hell！〃

〃You　don't　like　it？〃

〃I　suppose；　if　the　exhibition　is　a　go；　I'll　like　grinning　at　the　bunch　that　thought　I　couldn't　paint。　You　bet　I'll　like　that！　You；　young　fellowI　suppose　you're　here　to　gloat　over　me　and　to　try　to　collect　your　five　thousand。〃

〃I　never　gloat　over　doing　such　an　easy　job　as　that　was。　And　I'm　not　here　to　collect　my　bet。　As　far　as　money　is　concerned；　I'm　here　to　give　you　some。〃　And　he　handed　Hunt　the　check　made　out　to　〃cash〃　which　Mr。　Graham　had　sent　him　for　the　Italian　mother。

〃Better　keep　that　on　account　of　what　I　owe　you；〃　advised　Hunt。

〃I'd　rather　you'd　hold　it　for　me。　And　better　still；　I'd　rather　call　the　bet　off　in　favor　of　a　new　bargain。〃

〃What's　the　new　proposition　for　swindling　me？〃

〃You　need　a　business　nursemaid。　What　commission　do　you　pay　dealers？〃

〃Been　paying　those　burglars　forty　per　cent。〃

〃That's　too　much　for　doing　nothing。　Here's　my　proposition。　Give　me　ten　per　cent　to　act　as　your　personal　agent；　and　I'll　guarantee　that　your　total　percentage　for　commissions　will　be　less　than　at　present；　and　that　your　prices　will　be　doubled。　Of　course　I　can't　do　much　while　the　police　and　others　are　so　darned　interested　in　me；　so　if　you　accept　we'll　just　date　the　agreement　from　the　time　I'm　cleared。〃

〃You're　on；　sonand　we'll　just　date　the　agreement　from　the　present　moment；　A。D。〃　Again　Hunt　gripped　Larry's　hand。　〃You're　all　to　the　good；　Larryand　I'm　not　giving　you　half　enough。〃

That　provided　Larry　with　the　opening　he　had　desired。　〃You