children of the whirlwind-第39节

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honest　values　for　honest　returnsand　that　was　not　Charity　at　all。

The　project　of　reforming　the　shiftless　character　of　the　Sherwood　properties；　and　of　relieving　even　in　a　small　degree　New　York's　housing　congestion；　appealed　at　once　to　her　imagination　and　her　sensible　idealism。

〃A　splendid　plan！〃　she　exclaimed；　regarding　Larry　with　those　wise；　humorous　eyes　of　hers；　which　were　now　very　serious　and　penetrating。　〃You　have　been　working　much　harder　than　I　had　thought。　And　if　you　will　pardon　my　saying　it；　you　have　more　of　the　soundly　humane　vision　which　big　business　enterprise　should　have　than　I　had　thought。〃

〃Thank　you！〃　said　Larry。

〃That's　a　splendid　dream；〃　she　continued；　〃but　it　will　take　hard　work　to　translate　that　dream　into　a　reality。　We　shall　need　architects；　builders；　a　heavy　initial　expense；　timeand　a　more　modern　and　alert　management。〃

〃Yes；　Miss　Sherwood。〃

She　did　not　speak　for　a　moment。　Her　penetrating　eyes；　which　had　been　fixed　on　him　in　close　thought；　were　yet　more　penetrating。　Finally　she　said：

〃That's　a　big　thing；　a　useful　thing。　The　present　agents　wish　to　be　relieved　of　our　affairs　as　soon　as　I　can　make　arrangementsand　I'd　like　nothing　better　than　for　Dick　to　drop　what　he's　doing　and　get　into　something　constructive　and　useful　like　this。　But　Dick　cannot　do　it　alone；　he's　too　unsettled；　and　too　inexperienced　to　cope　with　some　of　the　sharper　business　practices。〃

She　paused　again；　still　regarding　him　with　those　keen　eyes；　which　seemed　to　be　weighing　him。　Finally　she　said；　almost　abruptly：

〃Will　you　take　charge　of　this　with　Dick？　He　likes　you　and　respects　your　judgment；　I'm　sure　you'd　help　steady　him　down。　Of　course　you　lack　practical　experience；　but　you　can　take　in　a　practical　man　who　will　supply　this　element。　Practical　experience　is　one　of　the　commonest　articles　on　the　market；　vision　and　initiative　are　among　the　rarest　and　you　have　them。　What　do　you　say？〃

Larry　could　not　say　anything　at　once。　The　suddenness　of　her　offer；　the　largeness　of　his　opportunity；　bewildered　him　for　the　moment。　And　his　bewilderment　was　added　to　by　his　swift　realization　of　quite　another　element　involved　in　her　frank　proposition。　He　was　now　engaged　in　the　enterprise　of　foisting　a　bogus　article；　Maggie；　upon　this　woman　who　was　offering　him　her　complete　confidencean　enterprise　of　most　questionable　ethics　and　very　dubious　issue。　If　he　accepted　her　offer；　and　the　result　of　this　enterprise　were　disaster；　what　would　Miss　Sherwood　then　think　of　him？

He　took　refuge　in　evasion。　〃I'm　not　going　to　try　to　tell　you　how　much　I　appreciate　your　proposition；　Miss　Sherwood。　But　do　you　mind　if　I　hold　back　my　answer　for　the　present　and　think　it　over？　Anyhow；　to　do　all　that　is　required　I　must　be　able　to　work　in　the　openand　I　can't　do　that　until　I　get　free　of　my　entanglements　with　the　police　and　my　old　acquaintances。〃

Thus　it　was　agreed　upon。　Miss　Sherwood　turned　to　another　subject。　The　pre…public　show　of　Hunt's　pictures　had　opened　the　previous　day。

〃When　you　were　in　the　city　yesterday；　did　you　get　in　to　see　Mr。　Hunt's　exhibition？〃

〃No；〃　he　answered。　〃Although　I　wanted　to。　But　you　know　I've　already　seen　all　of　Mr。　Hunt's　pictures　that　Mr。　Graham　has　in　his　gallery。　How　was　the　opening？〃

〃Crowded　with　guests。　And　since　they　had　been　told　that　the　pictures　were　unusual　and　good；　of　course　the　people　were　enthusiastic。〃

〃What　kind　of　prices　was　Mr。　Graham　quoting？〃

〃He　wasn't　quoting　any。　He　told　me　he　wasn't　going　to　sell　a　picture；　or　even　mention　a　price；　until　the　public　exhibition。　He's　very　enthusiastic。　He　thinks　Mr。　Hunt　is　already　madeand　in　a　big　way。〃

And　then　she　added；　her　level　gaze　very　steady　on　Larry：

〃Of　course　Mr。　Hunt　is　really　a　great　painter。　But　he　needed　a　jolt　to　make　him　go　out　and　really　paint　his　own　kind　of　stuff。　And　he　needed　some　one　like　you　to　put　him　across　in　a　business　way。〃

When　she　left；　she　left　Larry　thinking：　thinking　of　her　saying　that　Hunt　〃needed　a　jolt　to　make　him　go　out　and　really　paint　his　own　kind　of　stuff。〃　Hidden　behind　that　remark　somewhere　could　there　be　the　explanation　for　the　break　between　these　two？　Larry　began　to　see　a　glimmer　of　light。　It　was　entirely　possible　that　Miss　Sherwood；　in　so　finished　and　adroit　a　manner　that　Hunt　had　not　discerned　her　purpose；　had　herself　given　him　this　jolt　or　at　least　contributed　to　its　force。　It　might　all　have　been　diplomacy　on　her　part；　applied　shrewdly　to　the　man　she　understood　and　loved。　Yes；　that　might　be　the　explanation。　Yes；　perhaps　she　had　been　doing　in　a　less　trying　way　just　what　he　was　seeking　to　do　under　more　stressful　circumstances　with　Maggie：　to　arouse　him　to　his　best　by　indirectly　working　at　definite　psychological　reactions。

That　afternoon　Hunt　appeared　at　Cedar　Crest；　and　while　there　dropped　in　on　Larry。　The　big　painter；　in　his　full…blooded；　boyish　fashion；　fairly　gasconaded　over　the　success　of　his　exhibit。　Larry　smiled　at　the　other's　exuberant　enthusiasm。　Hunt　was　one　man　who　could　boast　without　ever　being　offensively　egotistical；　for　Hunt；　added　to　his　other　gifts；　had　the　divine　gift　of　being　able　to　laugh　at　himself。

Larry　saw　here　an　opportunity　to　forward　that　other　ambition　of　his：　the　bringing　of　Hunt　and　Miss　Sherwood　together。　And　at　this　instant　it　flashed　upon　him　that　Miss　Sherwood's　seemingly　casual　remarks　about　Hunt　had　not　been　casual　at　all。　Perhaps　they　had　been　carefully　thought　out　and　spoken　with　a　definite　purpose。　Perhaps　Miss　Sherwood　had　been　very　subtly　appointing　him　her　ambassador。　She　was　clever　enough　for　that。

〃Stop　declaiming　those　self…written　press　notices　of　your　unapproachable　superiority；〃　Larry　interrupted。　〃If　you　use　your　breath　up　like　that　you'll　drown　on　dry　land。　Besides；　I　just　heard　something　better　than　this　mere　articulated　air　of　yours。　Better　because　from　a　person　in　her　senses。〃

〃Heard　it　from　whom？〃

〃Miss　Sherwood。〃

〃Miss　Sherwood！　What　did　she　say？〃

〃That　you　were　a　really　great　painter。〃

〃Huh！〃　snorted　Hunt。　〃Why　shouldn't　she　say　that？　I've　proved　it！〃

〃Hunt；〃　said　Larry　evenly；　〃you　are　the　greatest　painter　I　ever　met；　but　you　also　have　the　distinction　of　being　the　greatest　of　all　damned　fools。〃

〃What's　that；　young　fellow？〃

〃You　love　Miss　Sherwood；　don't　you？　At　least　you've　the　same　as　told　me　that　in　words；　and　you've　told　me　that　in　loud…voiced　actions　every　time　you've　seen　her。〃

〃Wellwhat　if　I　do？〃

〃If　you　had　the　clearness　of　vision　that　is　in　the　glassy　eye　of　a　cold　boiled　lobster　you　would　see　that　she　feels　the　same　way　about　you。〃

〃See　here；　Larry〃all　the　boisterous　quality　had　gone　from　Hunt's　voice；　and　it　was　low…pitched　and　a　bit　unsteady〃I　don't　mind　your　joshing　me　about　myself　or　my　painting；　but　don't　fool　with　me　about　anything　that's　really　important。〃

〃I'm　not　fooling　you。　I'm　sure　Miss　Sherwood　feels　that　way。〃

〃How　do　you　know？〃

〃I've　got　a　pair　of　eyes　that　don't　belong　to　a　cold　boiled　lobster。　And　when　I　see　a　thing；　I　know　I　see　it。〃

〃You're　all　wrong；　Larry。　If　you'd　heard　what　she　said　to　me　less　than　a　year　ago〃

〃You　make　me　tired！〃　interrupted　Larry。　〃You　two　were　made　for　each　other。　She's　waiting　for　you　to　step　up　and　talk　man's　talk　to　her　and　instead　you　sulk　in　your　tent　and　mumble　about　something　you　think　she　might　have　thought　or　said　a　year　ago！　You're　too　sensitive；　you're　too　proud；　you've　got　too　few　brains。　It's　a　million　dollars　to　one　that　in　your　handsome；　well…bred　way　you've　fallen　out　with　her　over　something　that　probably　never　existed　and　certainly　doesn't　exist　now。　Forget　it　all；　and　walk　right　up　and　ask　her！〃

〃Larry；　if　I　thought　there　was　a　chance　that　you　are　right〃

〃A　single　question　will　prove　whether　I'm　right！〃

Hunt　did　not　speak　for　a　moment。　〃I　guess　I've　never　seen　my　part　of　it　all　in　the　way　you　put　it；　Larry。〃　He　stood　up；　his　whole　being　subdued　yet　tense。　〃I'm　going　to　slide　back　into　town　and　think　it　all　over。〃

Larry　followed　him　an　hour　later；　bent　on　routine　business　of　the　Sherwood　estate。　Toward　seven　o'clock　he　was　studying　the　present　decrepitude　and　future　possibilities　of　a　row　of　Sherwood　apartment　houses　on　the　West　Side；　when；　as　he　came　out　of　one　building　and　started　into　another；　a　firm　hand　fell　upon　his　shoulder　and　a　voice　remarked：

〃So；　Larry；　you're　in　New　York？〃

Larry　whirled　about。　For　the　moment　he　felt　all　the　life　go　out　of　him。　Beside　him　stood　Detective　Casey；　whom　he　had　last　seen　on　the　night　of　his　wild　flight　when　Casey　had　feigned　a　knockout　in　order　to　aid　Larry's　escape　from　Gavegan。　Any　other　man　affiliated　with　his　enemies　Larry　would　have　struck　down　and　tried　to　break　away　from。　But　not　Casey。

〃Hello；　Casey。　Well；　I　suppose　you're　going　to　invite　me　to　go　along　with　you？〃

〃Where　were　you　going？〃

〃Into　this　house。〃

〃Then　I'll　invite　myself　to　go　along　with　you。〃

He　quickly　pushed　Larry　before　him　into　the　hallway；　which　was　empty　since　all　the　tenants　were　at　their　dinner。　Larry　remembered　the　scene　down　in　Deputy　Police　Commissioner　Barlow's　office；　when　the　Chief　of　Detectives　had　demanded　that　he　become　a　stool…pigeon　working　under　Gavegan　and　Casey；　and　the　grilling　and　the　threats；　more　than　fulfilled；　which　had　followed。

〃Going　to　give　me　a　little　private　quiz　firs