children of the whirlwind-第36节

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　quietly。　〃I'm　in　quiet　water　for　a　time；　I've　got　a　period　of　safety；　and　I'm　using　this　chance　to　put　in　some　hard　work。　But　presently　the　police　and　Barney　and　the　others　will　learn　where　I　am。　Then　I'll　have　all　that　fight　over　againonly　the　next　time　it'll　be　harder。〃

She　was　startled　into　a　show　of　interest。　〃You　think　that's　really　going　to　happen？〃

〃It's　bound　to。　There's　no　escaping　it。　If　for　no　other　reason；　I　myself　won't　be　able　to　stand　being　penned　up　indefinitely。　Something　will　happen；　I　don't　know　what；　which　will　pull　me　out　into　the　open　worldand　then　for　me　the　deluge！〃

He　made　this　prediction　grimly。　He　was　not　a　fatalist；　but　it　had　been　borne　in　upon　him　recently　that　this　thing　was　inescapable。　As　for　him；　when　that　time　came；　he　was　going　to　put　up　the　best　fight　that　was　in　him。

He　caught　the　strained　look　which　had　come　into　Maggie's　face；　and　it　prompted　him　suddenly　to　lean　toward　her　and　say：

〃Maggie；　do　you　still　think　I'm　a　stool　and　a　squealer？〃

〃I〃

She　broke　off。　She　had　a　surging　impulse　to　go　on　and　say　something　to　Larry。　A　great　deal。　She　was　not　conscious　of　what　that　great　deal　was。　She　was　conscious　only　of　the　impulse。　There　was　too　great　a　turmoil　within　her；　begotten　by　the　strain　of　her　visit　on　Miss　Sherwood　and　these　unexpected　meetings；　for　any　motive；　impulse；　or　decision　to　emerge　to　even　a　brief　supremacy。　And　so；　during　this　period　when　her　brain　would　not　operate；　she　let　herself　be　swept　on　by　the　momentum　of　the　forces　which　had　previously　determined　her　directionher　pride；　her　self…confidence；　her　ambition；　the　alliance　of　fortune　between　her　and　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie。

They　were　sitting　in　this　silence　when　footsteps　again　sounded　on　the　gravel；　and　a　shadow　blotted　the　arbor　floor。

〃Excuse　me；　Larry；〃　said　a　man's　voice。

〃Sure。　What　is　it；　Joe？〃

Before　her　Maggie　saw　the　tall；　thin　man　in　overalls；　his　removed　broad…brimmed　hat　revealing　his　white　hair；　whom　she　had　noticed　a　little　earlier　working　among　the　flowers。　He　held　a　bunch　of　the　choicest　pickings　from　the　abundant　rose　gardens；　their　stems　bound　in　maple　leaves　as　temporary　protection　against　their　thorns。　He　was　gazing　at　Maggie；　respectful；　hungry　admiration　in　his　somber　eyes。

〃I　thought　perhaps　the　young　lady　might　care　for　these。〃　He　held　out　the　roses　to　her。　And　then　quickly；　to　forestall　refusal：　〃I　cut　out　more　than　we　can　use　for　the　house。　And　I'd　like　to　have　you　have　them。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　and　Maggie　took　the　flowers。

For　an　instant　their　eyes　held。　In　every　outward　circumstance　the　event　was　a　commonplacethis　meeting　of　father　and　daughter；　not　knowing　each　other。　It　was　hardly　more　than　a　commonplace　to　Maggie：　just　a　tall；　white…haired　gardener　respectfully　offering　her　roses。　And　it　was　hardly　more　to　Joe　Ellison：　just　a　tribute　evoked　by　his　hungry　interest　in　every　well…seeming　girl　of　the　approximate　age　of　his　daughter。

At　the　moment's　end　Joe　Ellison　had　bowed　and　started　back　for　his　flower　beds。　〃Who　is　that　man？〃　asked　Maggie；　gazing　after　him。　〃I　never　saw　such　eyes。〃

〃We　used　to　be　pals　in　Sing　Sing；〃　Larry　replied。　He　went　on　to　give　briefly　some　of　the　details　of　Joe　Ellison's　story；　never　dreaming　how　he　and　Maggie　were　entangled　in　that　story；　nor　how　they　were　to　be　involved　in　its　untanglement。　Perhaps　they　were　fortunate　in　this　ignorance。　Within　the　boundaries　of　what　they　did　know　life　already　held　enough　of　problems　and　complications。

Larry　had　just　finished　his　condensed　history　when　Dick　Sherwood　appeared　and　ordered　them　to　the　veranda　for　tea。　There　were　just　the　five　of　them；　Miss　Sherwood；　Maggie；　Hunt；　Dick；　and　Larry。　Miss　Sherwood　was　as　gracious　as　before；　and　she　seemingly　took　Maggie's　strained　manner　and　occasional　confusions　as　further　proof　of　her　genuineness。　Dick　beamed　at　the　impression　she　was　making　upon　his　sister。

As　for　Maggie；　she　was　living　through　the　climax　of　that　afternoon's　strain。　And　she　dared　not　show　it。　She　forced　herself　to　do　her　best　acting；　sipping　her　tea　with　a　steady　hand。　And　what　made　her　situation　harder　was　that　two　of　the　party；　Larry　and　Hunt；　were　treating　her　with　the　charmed　deference　they　might　accord　a　charming　stranger；　when　a　word　from　either　of　them　might　destroy　the　fragile　edifice　of　her　deception。

At　last　it　was　over；　and　all　was　ready　for　her　to　start　back　to　town　with　Dick。　When　Miss　Sherwood　kissed　her　and　warmly　begged　her　to　come　again　soon；　the　very　last　of　her　control　seemed　to　be　slipping　from　herbut　she　held　on。　Larry　and　Hunt　she　managed　to　say　goodbye　to　in　the　manner　of　her　new　acquaintanceship。

〃Isn't　she　simply　splendid！〃　exclaimed　Miss　Sherwood　when　Dick　had　stepped　into　the　car　and　the　two　had　started　away。

Larry　pretended　not　to　have　heard。　He　felt　precariously　guilty　toward　this　woman　who　had　befriended　him。　The　next　instant　he　had　forgotten　Miss　Sherwood　and　his　pulsing　thoughts　were　all　on　Maggie　in　that　speeding　car。　She　had　been　profoundly　shaken　by　that　afternoon's　experience；　this　much　he　knew。　But　what　was　going　to　be　the　real　effect　upon　her　of　his　carefully　thought…out　design？　Was　it　going　to　be　such　as　to　save　her　and　Dick？and　eventually　win　her　for　himself？

In　the　presence　of　Miss　Sherwood　Larry　tried　to　behave　as　if　nothing　had　happened　more　than　the　pleasant　interruption　of　an　informal　tea：　but　beneath　that　calm　all　his　senses　were　waiting　breathless；　so　to　speak；　for　news　of　what　had　happened　within　Maggie；　and　what　might　be　happening　to　her。




CHAPTER　XXV


When　Maggie　sped　away　from　Cedar　Crest　in　the　low　seat　of　the　roadster　beside　the　happy　Dick；　she　felt　herself　more　of　a　criminal　than　at　any　time　in　her　life；　and　a　criminal　that　miraculously　was　making　her　escape　out　of　an　inescapable　set　of　circumstances。

Beyond　her　relief　at　this　escape　she　did　not　know　these　first　few　minutes　what　she　thought　or　felt。　Too　much　had　happened；　and　what　had　happened　had　all　turned　out　so　differently　from　what　she　had　expected；　for　her　to　set　in　orderly　array　this　chaos　of　reactions　within　herself　and　read　the　meaning　of　that　afternoon's　visit。　She　managed；　with　a　great　effort；　to　keep　under　control　the　outer　extremities　of　her　senses；　and　thus　respond　with　the　correct　〃yes〃　or　〃no〃　or　〃indeed〃　when　some　response　from　her　was　required　by　Dick's　happy　conversation。

Near　Roslyn　they　swung　off　the　turnpike　into　an　unfrequented；　shady　road。　Dick　steered　to　one　side　beneath　a　locust…tree　and　silenced　the　motor。

〃Why　are　you　stopping？〃　she　asked　in　sudden　alarm。

〃So　we　can　talk　without　a　piece　of　impertinent　machinery　roaring　interruptions　at　us；〃　replied　Dick　with　forced　lightness。　And　then　in　a　voice　he　could　not　make　light：　〃I　want　to　talk　to　you　aboutabout　my　sister。　Isn't　she　splendid？〃

〃She　is！〃　There　was　no　wavering　of　her　thoughts　as　Maggie　emphatically　said　this。

〃I'm　mighty　glad　you　like　her。　She　certainly　liked　you。　She's　all　the　family　I've　got；　and　since　you　two　hit　it　off　so　well　together　I　hope…　…I　hope；　Maggie〃

And　then　Dick　plunged　into　it；　stammeringly；　but　earnestly。　He　told　her　how　much　he　loved　her；　in　old　phrases　that　his　boyish　ardor　made　vibrantly　new。　He　loved　her！　And　if　she　would　marry　him；　her　influence　would　make　him　take　the　brace　all　his　friends　had　urged　upon　him。　She'd　make　him　a　man！　And　she　could　see　how　pleased　it　would　make　his　sister。　And　he　would　do　his　best　to　make　Maggie　happyhis　very　best！

The　young　super…adventuressshe　herself　had　mentally　used　the　word　〃adventuress〃　in　thinking　of　herself；　as　being　more　genteel　and　mentally　aristocratic　than　the　cruder　words　by　which　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie　and　their　kind　designated　a　woman　accomplicethis　young　super…　adventuress；　who　had　schemed　all　this　so　adroitly；　and　worked　toward　it　with　the　best　of　her　brain　and　her　conscious　charm；　was　seized　with　new　panic　as　she　listened　to　the　eager　torrent　of　his　imploring　words；　as　she　gazed　into　the　quivering　earnestness　of　his　frank；　blue…eyed　face。　She　wished　she　could　get　out　of　the　machine　and　run　away　or　sink　through　the　floor…boards　of　the　car。　For　she　really　liked　Dick。

〃I'mI'm　not　so　good　as　you　think；〃　she　whispered。　And　then　some　unsuspected　force　within　her　impelled　her　to　say：　〃Dick；　if　you　knew　the　truth〃

He　caught　her　shoulders。　〃I　know　all　the　truth　about　you　I　want　to　know！　You're　wonderful；　and　I　love　you！　Will　you　marry　me？　Answer　that。　That's　all　I　want　to　know！〃

He　had　checked　the　confession　that　impulsively　had　surged　toward　her　lips。　Silent；　her　eyes　wide；　her　breath　coming　sharply；　she　sat　gazing　at　him。　。　。　。　And　then　from　out　the　portion　of　her　brain　where　were　stored　her　purposes；　and　the　momentum　of　her　pride　and　determination；　there　flashed　the　realization　that　she　had　won！　The　thing　that　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie　had　prepared　and　she　had　so　skillfully　worked　toward；　was　at　last　achieved！　She　had　only　to　say　〃yes；〃　and　either　of　those　two　plans　which　Barney　had　outlined　could　at　once　be　put　in　operation…　…and　there　could　be　no　doubt　of　the　swift　success　of　either。　Dick's　eager；　trusting　face　was　guarantee　that　there　would　come　no　obstruction　from　him。

She　felt　that　in　some　strange　way　she　had　been　caught　in　a　trap。　Yes；　what　they　had　worked　for；　they　had　won！　An