children of the whirlwind-第35节

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　about　her　except　her　dress；　and　only　a　few　weeks　had　passed　since　he　had　been　seeing　her　daily　down　at　the　Duchess's；　and　since　she　had　been　his　model；　and　he　had　studied　every　line　and　expression　of　her　face　with　those　sharp　painter's　eyes　of　his。

And　so　as　the　two　chatted；　she　putting　in　a　stumbling　phrase　when　they　turned　to　her；　Maggie　Carlisle；　Maggie　Cameron；　Maggie　Ellison；　that　gallant　and　all…confident　adventuress　who　till　the　present　had　never　admitted　herself　seriously　disturbed　by　a　problem；　sat　limply　in　her　chair；　a　very　young　girl；　indeed；　and　wondered　how　this　thing　could　possibly　be。




CHAPTER　XXIV


Presently　Miss　Sherwood　said　something　about　tea；　excused　herself；　and　disappeared　within　the　house。　Maggie　saw　that　Hunt　watched　Miss　Sherwood　till　she　was　safely　within　doors；　then　she　was　aware　that　he　was　gazing　steadily　at　her；　then　she　saw　him　execute　a　slow；　solemn　wink。

Maggie　almost　sprang　from　her　chair。

〃Shall　we　take　a　little　stroll；　Miss　Cameron？〃　Hunt　asked。　〃I　think　it　will　be　some　time　before　Miss　Sherwood　will　want　us　for　tea。〃

〃Yesthank　you；〃　Maggie　stammered。

Hunt　led　her　down　a　walk　of　white　gravel　to　where　a　circle　of　Hiawatha　roses　were　trained　into　a　graceful　mosque；　now　daintily　glorious　with　its　solid　covering　of　yellow…hearted　red　blooms。　Within　this　retreat　was　a　rustic　bench；　and　on　this　Hunt　seated　her　and　took　a　place　beside　her。　He　looked　her　over　with　the　cool；　direct；　studious　eyes　which　reminded　her　of　his　gaze　when　he　had　been　painting　her。

〃Well；　Maggie；〃　he　finally　commented；　〃you　certainly　look　the　part　you　picked　out　for　yourself；　and　you　seem　to　be　putting　it　over。　Always　had　an　idea　you　could　handle　something　big　if　you　went　after　it。　How　d'you　like　the　life；　being　a　swell　lady　crook？〃


She　had　hardly　heard　his　banter。　She　needed　to　ask　him　no　questions　about　his　presence　here；　his　ease　of　bearing　had　conveyed　to　her　unconsciously　from　the　first　instant　that　her　previous　half…　contemptuous　estimate　of　him　had　been　altogether　wrong　and　that　he　was　now　in　his　natural　element。　Her　first　question　went　straight　to　the　cause　of　her　amazement。

〃Didn't　you　recognize　me　when　you　first　saw　me　with　Miss　Sherwood？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Weren't　you　surprised？〃

〃Nope；〃　he　answered　with　deliberate　monosyllabicness。

〃Why　not？〃

〃I'd　been　wised　up　that　I'd　be　likely　to　meet　youand　here。〃

〃Here！　By　whom？〃

〃By　advice　of　counsel　I　must　decline　to　answer。〃

〃Why　didn't　you　tell　Miss　Sherwood　who　I　am　and　show　me　up？〃

〃Because　I'd　been　requested　not　to　tell。〃

〃Requested　by　whom？〃

〃Maggie；〃　he　drawled；　〃you　seem　to　be　making　a　go　of　this　lady　crook　businessbut　I　think　you　might　have　been　even　more　of　a　shining　light　as　a　criminal　cross…examiner。　However；　I　refuse　to　be　cross…examined　further。　By　the　way；〃　he　drawled　on；　〃how　goes　it　with　those　dear　souls；　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie？〃

She　ignored　his　question。

〃Please！　Who　asked　you　not　to　tell？〃

There　was　a　sudden　glint　of　good…humored　malice　in　his　eyes。　〃Mind　if　I　smoke？〃

〃No。〃

He　drew　out　a　silver　cigarette　case　and　opened　it。　〃Empty！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃Excuse　me　while　I　get　something　from　the　house　to　smoke。　I'll　be　right　back。〃

Without　waiting　for　her　permission　he　stepped　out　of　the　arbor　and　she　heard　his　footsteps　crunching　up　the　gravel　path。　Maggie　waited　his　return　in　pulsing　suspense。　Her　situation　had　been　developing　beyond　anything　she　had　ever　dreamed　of；　she　was　aquiver　as　to　what　might　happen　next。　So　absorbed　was　she　in　her　chaos　of　feeling　and　thoughts　that　she　did　not　even　hear　the　humble　symphony　of　the　hundreds　of　bees　drawing　their　treasure　from　the　golden　hearts　of　the　roses；　and　did　not　see；　across　the　path　a　score　of　yards　away；　the　tall　figure　of　Joe　Ellison　among　the　rosebushes；　pruning…shears　in　hand；　with　which　he　had　been　cutting　out　dead　blossoms；　gazing　at　her　with　that　hungry；　admiring；　speculative　look　with　which　he　had　regarded　the　young　women　upon　the　beach。

Presently　she　heard　Hunt's　footsteps　coming　down　the　path。　Then　she　detected　a　second　pair。　Dick　accompanying　him；　she　thought。　And　then　Hunt　appeared　before　her；　and　was　saying　in　his　big　voice：　〃Miss　Cameron；　permit　me　to　present　my　friend；　Mr。　Brandon。〃　And　then　he　added　in　a　lowered　voice；　grinning　with　the　impish　delight　of　an　overgrown　boy　who　is　playing　a　trick：　〃Thought　I'd　better　go　through　the　motions　of　introducing　you　people；　so　it　would　look　as　if　you'd　just　met　for　the　first　time。〃　And　with　that　he　was　gone。

Maggie　had　risen　galvanically。　For　the　moment　she　could　only　stare。　Then　she　got　out　his　name。

〃Larry！〃　she　whispered。　〃You　here？〃

〃Yes。〃

Astounded　as　she　was；　she　had　caught　instantly　the　total　lack　of　amazement　on　Larry's　part。

〃You'reyou're　not　surprised　to　see　me？〃

〃No；〃　he　said　evenly。　〃I　knew　you　were　here。　And　before　that　I　knew　you　were　coming。〃

That　was　almost　too　much　for　Maggie。　Hunt　had　known　and　Larry　had　known；　both　were　people　belonging　to　her　old　life；　both　the　last　people　she　expected　to　meet　in　such　circumstances。　She　could　only　stare　at　himentirely　taken　aback　by　this　meeting。

And　indeed　it　was　a　strangely　different　meeting　from　the　last　time　she　had　seen　him；　at　the　Grantham；　strangely　different　from　those　earlier　meetings　down　at　the　Duchess's　when　both　had　been　grubs　as　yet　unmetamorphosized。　Now　standing　in　the　arbor　they　looked　a　pair　of　weekend　guests；　in　keeping　with　the　place。　For；　as　Maggie　had　noted；　Larry　in　his　well…cut　flannels　was　as　greatly　transformed　as　Hunt。

It　was　Larry　who　ended　the　silence。　〃Shall　we　sit　down？〃

She　mechanically　sank　to　the　bench；　still　staring　at　him。

〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　she　managed　to　breathe。

〃I　belong　here。〃

〃Belong　here？〃

〃I　work　here；〃　he　explained。　〃I'm　called　'Mr。　Brandon；'　but　Miss　Sherwood　knows　exactly　who　I　am　and　what　I've　been。〃

〃How　long　have　you　been　here？〃

〃Since　that　night　when　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie　took　you　away　to　begin　your　new　careerthe　same　night　that　I　ran　away　from　those　gunmen　who　thought　I　was　a　squealer；　and　from　Casey　and　Gavegan。〃

〃And　all　the　while　that　Barney　and　my　father　and　the　police　have　thought　you　hiding　some　place　in　the　West；　you've　been　with　the　Sherwoods？〃

〃Yes。　And　I've　got　to　remain　in　hiding　until　something　happens　that　will　clear　me。　If　the　police　or　Barney　and　his　friends　learn　where　I　amyou　can　guess　what　will　happen。〃

She　nodded。

〃Hunt　got　me　here；〃　he　went　on　to　explain。　〃I'm　assisting　in　trying　to　get　the　Sherwood　business　affairs　in　better　shape。　I　might　as　well　tell　you；　Maggie；〃　he　added　quietly；　〃that　Dick　Sherwood　is　my　very　good　friend。〃

〃Dick　Sherwood！〃　she　breathed。

〃And　I　might　as　well　tell　you；〃　he　went　on；　〃that　since　that　night　at　the　Grantham　when　I　heard　his　voice；　I've　known　that　Dick　is　the　sucker　you　and　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie　are　trying　to　trim。〃

She　half　rose；　and　her　voice　sounded　sharply：　〃Then　you've　got　me　caught　in　a　trap！　You've　told　them　about　me？〃

〃No。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃Not　so　loud；　or　we　may　attract　attention；〃　he　warned　her。　〃I　haven't　told　because　you　had　your　chance　to　give　me　away　to　Barney　that　night　at　the　Grantham。　And　you　didn't　give　me　away。〃

She　sank　slowly　back　to　the　bench。　〃Is　that　your　only　reason？〃

〃No；〃　he　answered　truthfully。　〃Exposing　you　would　merely　mean　that　you'd　feel　harder　toward　meand　harder　toward　every　one　else。　I　don't　want　that。〃

She　pondered　this　a　moment。　〃Thenyou're　not　going　to　tell？〃

He　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　expect　to。　I　want　you　to　be　free　to　decide　what　you're　going　to　dothough　I　hope　you'll　decide　not　to　go　through　with　this　thing　you're　doing。〃

She　made　no　response。　Larry　had　spoken　with　control　until　now；　but　his　next　words　burst　from　him。

〃Don't　you　see　what　a　situation　it's　put　me　in；　Maggietrying　to　play　square　with　my　friends；　the　Sherwoods；　and　trying　to　play　square　with　you？〃

Again　she　did　not　answer。

〃Maggie；　you're　too　good　for　what　you're　doingit's　all　a　terrible　mistake！〃　he　cried　passionately。　Then　he　remembered　himself；　and　spoke　with　more　composure。　〃Oh；　I　know　there's　not　much　use　in　talking　to　you　nowwhile　you　feel　as　you　do　about　yourselfand　while　you　feel　as　you　do　about　me。　But　you　know　I　love　you；　and　want　to　marry　you　when〃　He　halted。

〃When？〃　she　prompted；　almost　involuntarily。

〃When　you　see　things　differentlyand　when　I　can　go　around　the　world　a　free　man；　not　a　fugitive　from　Barney　and　his　gunmen　and　the　police。〃

Again　Maggie　was　silent　for　a　moment。　It　was　as　if　she　were　trying　to　press　out　of　her　mind　what　he　had　said　about　loving　her。　Truly　this　was；　indeed；　different　from　their　previous　meetings。　Before；　there　had　almost　invariably　been　a　defiant　attitude；　a　dispute；　a　quarrel。　Now　she　had　no　desire　to　quarrel。

Finally　she　said　with　an　effort　to　be　that　self…controlled　person　which　she　had　established　as　her　model：

〃You　seem　to　have　your　chance　here　to　put　over　what　you　boasted　to　me　about。　You　remember　making　good　in　a　straight　way。〃

〃Yes。　And　I　shall　make　goodif　only　they　will　let　me　alone。〃　He　paused　an　instant。　〃But　I　have　no　illusions　about　the　present；〃　he　went　on　quietly。　〃I'm　in　quiet　water　for　a　time；　I've　got　a　period　of　safety；　and　I'm　using　this　chance　to