children of the whirlwind-第42节

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〃No　you　don't；　Maggie；〃　snarled　Barney；　before　Maggie　could　speak。

Old　Jimmie　made　his　first　positive　motion　since　entering　the　room。　He　shifted　quickly　to　Maggie's　side　and　seized　her　arm。

〃You're　my　daughter；　and　you　stay　with　me！〃　he　ordered。　〃I　brought　you　up；　and　you　do　exactly　what　I　tell　you　to！　You're　not　going　with　Larryhe's　lying　about　Barney。　You　stay　with　me！〃

〃Come　on；　let's　go；　Maggie；〃　repeated　Larry。

〃You　stay　with　me！〃　repeated　Jimmie。

Thus　ordered　and　appealed　to；　Maggie　was　areel　with　contradicting　thoughts　and　impulses　while　the　three　men　awaited　her　action。　In　fact　she　had　no　clear　thought　at　all。　She　never　knew　later　what　determined　her　course　at　this　bewildered　moment：　perhaps　it　was　partly　a　continuance　of　her　doubt　of　Larry；　perhaps　partly　once　more　sheer　momentum；　perhaps　her　instinctive　feeling　that　her　place　was　with　the　man　she　believed　to　be　her　father。

〃Yes；　I'll　stay　with　you；〃　she　said　to　Old　Jimmie。

〃That's　the　signal　for　you　to　be　on　your　way；　Larry　Brainard！〃　Barney　snapped　at　him　triumphantly。

Larry　realized；　all　of　a　sudden；　that　his　coming　here　was　no　more　than　a　splendid　gesture　to　which　his　anger　had　excited　him。　Indeed　there　was　nothing　for　him　but　to　be　on　his　way。

〃I've　told　you　the　truth；　Maggie；　and　you'll　be　sorry　that　you　have　not　leftif　not　sorry　soon；　then　sorry　a　little　later。〃

He　turned　to　Barney　with　a　last　shot；　he　could　not　leave　the　gloating　Barney　Palmer　his　unalloyed　triumph。　〃I　told　you　I　had　the　straight　dope　on　you；　Barney。　Here's　some　more　of　it。　I　know　exactly　what　your　game　is；　and　I　know　exactly　who　your　sucker　is。　We'll　see　if　you　put　it　overyou　squealer！　Good…night；　all。〃

With　that　Larry　walked　out。　Old　Jimmie　regarded　his　partner　with　suspicion。

〃How　about　that；　Barneyyou　being　a　stool　and　a　squealer？〃　he　demanded。

〃I　tell　you　it's　all　a　liea　damned　lie！〃　cried　Barney　with　feverish　emphasis。

〃I　hope　it　is！〃　breathed　Old　Jimmie。

This　was　a　subject　Barney　wanted　to　get　away　from。　〃Maggie；〃　he　demanded；　〃is　what　Larry　Brainard　said　about　how　he　came　here　the　truth？his　seeing　you　on　the　street　and　then　following　you　here？〃

〃How　do　I　know　where　he　first　saw　me？〃

〃But　is　to…night　the　first　time　you've　seen　him？〃

〃It　is。〃

〃Sure　you　haven't　been　seeing　him？〃　demanded　Barney's　quick　jealousy。

〃I　have　not。〃

〃Did　he　tell　you　where　he　came　from？where　he　hangs　out？〃

〃No。〃

Old　Jimmie　interrupted　this　cross…examination。

〃You're　wasting　good　time　asking　these　questions。　Barney；　do　you　realize　the　cold　fact　that　it's　not　a　good　thing　for　you；　nor　for　us；　for　Larry　Brainard　to　be　back　in　New　York；　floating　around　as　he　pleases？〃

〃I　should　say　not！〃　Barney　saw　he　was　facing　a　sudden　crisis；　and　in　the　need　for　quick　action　he　spoke　without　thought　of　Maggie。　〃We've　got　to　look　after　him　at　once！〃

〃Tell　the　bunch　he's　back；　and　let　them　take　care　of　him？〃　suggested　Old　Jimmie。

Barney　considered　rapidly。　If　Larry　knew　of　his　arrangement　with　the　police；　then　perhaps　his　secret　was　beginning　to　leak　through　to　others。　He　decided　that　for　the　present　it　would　be　wiser　to　keep　from　these　old　friends　and　allies。

〃Not　the　bunchthe　police！〃　he　said　inspiredly。　〃They're　after　him；　anyhow；　and　are　sore。　All　we've　got　to　do　is　slip　them　wordthey'll　do　the　rest！〃　And　then　with　the　sharper　emphasis　of　an　immediate　plan：　〃We　don't　want　to　lose　a　minute。　I　know　where　Gavegan　hangs　out　at　this　time　of　night。　Come　on！〃

With　a　bare　〃Good…night〃　to　Maggie　the　two　men　hurried　forth　on　their　pressing　mission。　Left　to　herself；　Maggie　sank　into　a　chair　and　wildly　considered　the　many　elements　of　this　new　situation。　Presently　two　thoughts　emerged　to　dominance：　Whether　Larry　was　right　or　wrong；　he　had　risked　coming　out　of　his　safety　for　her　sakeperhaps　had　risked　all　he　had　won　for　her　sake。　And　now　the　police　were　to　be　set　after　him；　with　that　Gavegan　heading　the　pack。

Perhaps　the　further　thinking　Maggie　did　did　not　result　in　cool；　mature　wisdomfor　her　thoughts　were　the　operations　of　a　panicky　mind。　Somehow　she　had　to　get　warning　to　Larry　of　this　imminent　police　hunt！　Without　doubt　Larry　would　return　to　Cedar　Crest　sometime　that　night。　Word　should　be　sent　to　him　there。　A　letter　was　too　uncertain　in　such　a　crisis。　Of　course　she　had　an　invitation　to　go　to　Cedar　Crest　the　following　afternoon；　and　she　might　warn　him　thenbut　that　might　be　too　late。　She　dared　not　telephone　or　telegraphfor　that　might　somehow　direct　dangerous　attention　to　the　exact　spot　where　Larry　was　hidden。　Also　she　had　an　instinct；　operating　unconsciously　long　before　she　had　any　thought　of　what　she　was　eventually　to　do；　not　to　let　Barney　or　Old　Jimmie　find　out；　or　even　guess；　that　she　had　warned　Larrynot　yet。

There　seemed　nothing　that　she　herself　could　do。　Then　she　thought　of　the　Duchess。　That　was　the　way　out！　The　Duchess　would　know　some　way　in　which　to　get　Larry　word。

Five　minutes　later；　in　her　plainest　suit　and　hat；　Maggie　in　a　taxicab　was　rolling　down　toward　the　Duchess'sfrom　where；　only　a　few　months　back；　she　had　started　forth　upon　her　great　career。




CHAPTER　XXVIII


Old　Jimmie　did　not　like　meeting　the　police　any　oftener　than　a　meeting　was　forced　upon　him；　and　so　he　slipped　away　and　allowed　Barney　Palmer　to　undertake　alone　the　business　of　settling　Larry。　Barney　found　Gavegan　exactly　where　he　had　counted：　lingering　over　his　late　dinner　in　the　cafe　of　a　famous　Broadway　restauranta　favorite　with　some　of　the　detectives　and　higher　officials　of　the　Police　Departmentin　which　cafe；　in　happier　days　now　deeply　mourned；　Gavegan　had　had　all　the　exhilaration　he　wanted　to　drink　at　the　standing　invitation　of　the　proprietor；　and　where　even　yet　on　occasion　a　bit　of　the　old　exhilaration　was　brought　to　Gavegan's　table　in　a　cup　or　served　him　in　a　room　above　to　which　he　had　had　whispered　instructions　to　retire。　The　proprietor　had　in　the　old　days　liked　to　stand　well　with　the　police；　and　though　his　bar　was　now　devoted　to　legal　drinksor　at　least　obliging　Federal　officers　reported　it　to　behe　still　liked　to　stand　well　with　the　police。

Gavegan　was　at　a　table　with　a　minor　producer　of　musical　shows；　to　whom　Barney　had　been　of　occasional　service　in　securing　the　predominant　essential　of　such　musicnamely；　shapely　young　women。　Barney　nodded　to　Gavegan；　chatted　for　a　few　minutes　with　his　musical…comedy　friend；　during　which　he　gave　Gavegan　a　signal；　then　crossed　to　the　once…　crowded　bar；　now　sunk　to　isolation　and　the　lowly　estate　of　soft　drinks；　and　ordered　a　ginger　ale。　Not　until　then　did　he　notice　Barlow；　chief　of　the　Detective　Bureau；　at　a　corner　table。　Barney　gave　no　sign　of　recognition；　and　Barlow；　after　a　casual　glance　at　him；　returned　to　his　food。

Barney；　in　solitude　at　one　end　of　the　bar；　slowly　sipped　with　a　sort　of　indignation　against　his　kickless　purchase。　Presently　Gavegan　was　beside　him；　having　most　convincing　ill…luck　in　his　attempts　to　light　his　cigar　from　a　box　of　splintering　safety　matches　which　stood　at　that　end　of　the　bar。

〃Well；　what　is　it？〃　Gavegan　whispered　out　of　that　corner　of　his　mouth　which　was　not　occupied　by　his　cigar。　He　did　not　look　at　Barney。

〃Any　clue　to　Larry　Brainard　yet？〃　Barney　whispered　also　out　of　a　corner　of　his　mouth；　glass　at　his　lips。　Like…wise　he　seemed　not　to　notice　the　man　beside　him。

〃Naw！　Still　out　West　somewhere。　Them　Chicago　bums　couldn't　catch　a　crook　if　he　walked　along　State　Street　with　a　sign…board　on　him！〃

〃Saw　Larry　Brainard　to…night。〃

Gavegan　had　difficulty　in　maintaining　his　attitude　of　non…awareness　of　his　bar…mate。

〃Where？〃

〃Right　here　in　New　York。〃

〃What！　Where'd　you　see　him？〃

〃Coming　out　of　the　Grantham。〃

〃When？〃

〃Fifteen　minutes　ago。〃

〃Know　where　he　went　to？where　he　hangs　out？know　anything　else？〃

〃That's　everything。　Thought　I'd　better　slip　it　to　you　as　quick　as　I　could。〃

〃This　time　that　bird'll　not　get　away！〃　growled　Gavegan；　still　in　a　whisper。　〃Twenty…four　hours　and　he'll　be　in　the　cooler！〃

Finally　Gavegan　managed　to　get　a　flame　from　one　of　those　irritatingly　splintery　Swedish　matches　made　in　Japan。　Cigar　alight　he　walked　over　to　Barlow's　table。　He　conversed　with　his　Chief　a　moment　or　two；　then　went　out。　After　a　minute　Barney　saw　Chief　Barlow　crossing　toward　the　bar。　Barney　seemed　not　to　notice　this　movement。　Barlow　likewise　paused　beside　him　to　light　a　cigar；　and　from　the　side　of　the　Chief's　mouth　there　issued：　〃Room　613。〃

Barlow　passed　on。　Presently　Barney　finished　the　dreary　drudgery　of　drink　and　sauntered　out。　Five　minutes　later；　having　exercised　the　proper　caution；　he　was　in　Room　613；　and　the　door　was　locked。

〃What's　this　dope　you　just　handed　Gavegan　about　Larry　Brainard？〃　demanded　Barlow。

Barney　gave　his　information；　again；　but　this　time　more　fully。　Of　course　he　omitted　all　mention　of　Maggie　and　the　enterprise　which　Larry　had　sought　to　interrupt；　it　was　part　of　the　tacit　understanding　between　these　two　that　Barlow　should　have　no　knowledge　of　Barney's　professional　doings；　unless　such　knowledge　should　be　forced　upon　him　by　events　or　people　too　strong　to　be　ignored。

〃Did　Brainard　drop　any　clue　that　might　give　us　a　lead　as　to　where　he's　hiding　out？〃

Barney　remembered　something　Larry　had　said　half　an　hour　before；　which　he　had　considered　mere　boast