children of the whirlwind-第46节

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brought　her　over。〃

Larry　stood　aside　and　tensely　watched　this　meeting　between　father　and　daughter。　Joe　bowed　slightly；　and　with　a　dignified　grace　that　overalls　and　over　fifteen　years　of　prison　could　not　take　from　one　who　during　his　early　and　middle　manhood　had　been　known　as　the　perfection　of　the　finished　gentleman。　His　gray　eyes　warmed　with　appreciation　of　the　young　figure　before　him；　just　as　Larry　had　seen　them　grow　bright　watching　the　young　figures　disporting　in　the　Sound。

〃It　is　very　gracious　for　a　young　woman　like　you；　Miss　Cameron；〃　he　said　in　a　voice　of　grave　courtesy；　〃to　be　interested　enough　in　an　old　man　like　me　to　want　to　talk　with　him。〃

Maggie　made　the　supreme　effort　of　her　life　to　keep　herself　in　hand。　〃I　wanted　to　talk　to　you　because　of　something　Mr。　Brainard　told　me　about…　…about　your　having　a　daughter。〃

Larry　felt　that　this　was　too　sacred　a　scene　for　him　to　intrude　upon。　〃Would　you　mind　excusing　me；〃　he　said；　〃there　are　some　calculations　I've　got　to　rush　out〃and　he　returned　to　the　bench　on　which　they　had　been　sitting　and　pretended　to　busy　himself　over　a　pocket　notebook。

While　Larry　had　been　speaking　and　moving　away；　Maggie　had　swiftly　been　appraising　her　father。　His　gray　eyes　were　direct　as　against　the　furtiveness　of　Jimmie's；　his　mouth　had　a　firm　kindliness　as　against　the　wrinkled　cunning　of　Jimmie's；　his　bearing　was　erect；　self…　possessed；　as　against　Jimmie's　bent；　shuffling　carriage。　Maggie　felt　no　swift…born　daughter　love　for　this　stranger　who　was　her　father。　The　turmoil　of　her　discovery　filled　her　too　completely　to　admit　a　full…　grown　affection；　but　she　thrilled　with　the　sense　of　the　vast　difference　between　her　supposed　father　and　this　her　real　father。

In　the　meantime　her　father　had　spoken。　Joe　would　have　been　more　reserved　with　men　or　with　older　women；　but　with　this　girl；　so　much　the　sort　of　girl　he　had　long　dreamed　about；　his　reserve　vanished　without　resistance；　and　in　its　place　was　a　desire　to　talk　to　this　beautiful　creature　who　came　out　of　the　world　which　the　big　white　house　represented。

〃I　have　a　daughter；　yes；〃　he　said。　〃But　LarryMr。　Brainard　perhaps　I　should　sayhas　likely　told　you　all　there　is　to　tell。〃

〃I'd　like　to　hear　it　from　you；　pleaseif　you　don't　mind。〃

〃There's　really　not　much　to　tell；〃　he　said。　〃You　know　what　I　was　and　what　happened。　When　I　went　to　prison　my　daughter　was　too　young　to　remember　meless　than　two　years　old。　I　didn't　want　her　ever　to　be　drawn　into　the　sort　of　life　that　had　been　mine；　or　be　the　sort　of　woman　that　a　girl　becomes　who　gets　into　that　life。　And　I　didn't　want　her　ever　to　have　the　stigma；　and　the　handicap；　of　her　knowing　and　the　world　knowing　that　her　father　was　a　convict。　You　can't　understand　it　fully；　Miss　Cameron；　but　perhaps　you　can　understand　a　little　how　disgraced　you　would　feel；　what　a　handicap　it　would　be；　if　your　father　were　a　convict。　I　had　a　good　friend　I　could　trust。　So　I　turned　my　daughter　over　to　him；　to　be　brought　up　with　no　knowledge　of　my　existence；　and　with　every　reasonable　advantage　that　a　nice　girl　should　have。　I　guess　that's　all；　Miss　Cameron。〃

〃This　friendwhat　was　his　name？〃

〃CarlisleJimmie　Carlisle。　But　his　name　could　never　have　meant　anything　to　you。　Besides；　he's　dead　now。〃

Maggie　forced　herself　on。　〃Your　planit　turned　out　all　right？　And　youyou　are　happy？〃

〃Yes。〃　In　the　sympathetic　atmosphere　which　this　young　girl's　presence　created　for　him；　Joe's　emotions　flowed　into　words　more　freely　than　ever　before　in　the　company　of　a　human　being。　Though　he　was　answering　her；　what　he　was　really　doing　was　rather　just　letting　his　heart　use　its　long…silent　voice；　speak　its　exultant　dream　and　belief。

〃Somewhere　out　in　the　worldI　don't　know　where；　and　I　don't　want　to　knowmy　daughter　has　now　grown　into　a　wholesome；　splendid　young　woman！〃　he　said　in　a　vibrant　voice。　Brooding　in　solitude　so　long　upon　his　careful　plan　that　he　believed　could　not　fail；　had　made　the　keen　Joe　Ellison　less　suspicious　concerning　it　than　he　otherwise　would　have　beenperhaps　had　made　him　a　bit　daffy　on　this　one　subject。　〃I　have　saved　my　daughter　from　all　the　grime　she　might　have　known；　and　which　might　have　soiled　her；　and　even　pulled　her　down　if　I　hadn't　thought　out　in　good　time　my　plan　to　protect　her。　And　of　course　I　am　happy！〃　he　exulted。　〃I　have　done　the　best　thing　that　it　was　possible　for　me　to　do；　the　thing　which　I　wanted　most　to　do！　Instead　of　what　she　might　have　been；　I　have　as　a　daughter　just　such　a　nice　girl　as　you　arejust　about　your　own　agethough；　of　course；　she　hasn't　your　money；　your　social　position；　and　naturally　not　quite　the　advantages　you　have　had。　Of　course　I'm　happy！〃

〃You'reyou're　sure　she's　all　that？〃

Again　his　words　were　as　much　a　statement　aloud　to　himself　of　his　constant　dream　as　they　were　a　direct　answer　to　Maggie。　〃Of　course！　There　was　enough　moneythe　plan　was　in　the　hands　of　a　friend　who　knew　how　to　handle　such　a　thingshe's　never　known　anything　but　the　very　best　surroundingsand　until　she　was　fourteen　I　had　regular　reports　on　how　wonderfully　she　was　progressing。　You　see　my　friend　had　had　her　legally　adopted　by　a　splendid　family；　so　there's　no　doubt　about　everything　being　for　the　best。〃

〃And　you〃Maggie　drove　herself　on〃don't　you　ever　want　to　see　her？〃

〃Of　course　I　do。　But　at　the　very　beginning　I　fixed　things　so　I　could　not；　so　that　I　would　not　even　know　where　she　is。　Removed　temptation　from　myself；　you　see。　Don't　you　see　the　possible　results　if　I　should　try　to　see　her？　Something　might　happen　that　would　bring　out　the　truth；　and　that　would　ruin　her　happiness；　her　career。　Don't　you　see？〃

His　gray　eyes；　bright　with　his　great　dream；　were　fixed　intently　upon　Maggie；　and　yet　she　felt　that　they　were　gazing　far　beyond　her　at　some　other　girl　。　。　。　at　his　girl。

〃　II〃　she　gulped　and　swayed　and　would　have　fallen　if　he　had　not　been　quick　to　catch　her　arm。

〃You　are　sick；　Miss？〃　he　asked　anxiously。

〃II　have　been；〃　she　stammered；　trying　to　regain　control　of　her　faculties。　〃It'sit's　thatand　my　not　eatingand　standing　in　this　hot　sun。　Thank　you　very　much　for　what　you've　told　me。　I'dI'd　better　be　getting　back。〃

〃I'll　help　you。〃　And　very　gently；　with　a　firm　hand　under　one　arm；　he　escorted　her　to　the　bench　where　Larry　sat　scribbling　nothings。　He　then　raised　his　hat　and　returned　to　his　dahlias。

〃Well？〃　queried　Larry　when　they　were　alone。

〃I　can't　stand　it　to　stay　here　and　talk　to　these　people；〃　she　replied　in　an　agonized　whisper。　〃I　must　get　away　from　here　quick；　so　that　I　can　think。〃

〃May　I　come　with　you？〃

〃No；　LarryI　must　be　alone。　Please；　Larry；　please　get　into　the　house；　and　manage　to　fake　a　telephone　message　for　me；　calling　me　back　to　New　York　at　once。〃

〃All　right。〃　And　Larry　hurried　away。　She　sat；　pale；　breathing　rapidly；　her　whole　being　clenched；　staring　fixedly　out　at　the　Sound。　Five　minutes　later　Larry　was　back。

〃It's　all　arranged；　Maggie。　I've　told　the　people；　they're　sorry　you've　got　to　go。　And　Dick　is　getting　his　car　ready。〃

She　turned　her　eyes　upon　him。　He　had　never　seen　in　them　such　a　look。　They　were　feverish；　with　a　dazed；　affrighted　horror。　She　clutched　his　arm。

〃You　must　promise　never　to　tell　my　father　about　me！〃

〃I　won't。　Unless　I　have　to。〃

〃But　you　must　not！　Never！〃　she　cried　desperately。　〃He　thinks　I'mOh；　don't　you　understand？　If　he　were　to　learn　what　I　really　am；　it　would　kill　him。　He　must　keep　his　dream。　For　his　sake　he　must　never　find　out；　he　must　keep　on　thinking　of　me　just　the　same。　Now；　you　understand？〃

Larry　slowly　nodded。

Her　next　words　were　dully　vibrant　with　stricken　awe。　〃And　it　means　that　I　can　never　have　him　for　my　father！　Never！　And　I　thinkI'dI'd　like　him　for　a　father！　Don't　you　see？〃

Again　Larry　nodded。　In　this　entirely　new　phase　of　her；　a　white…faced；　stricken；　shivering　girl；　Larry　felt　a　poignant　sympathy　for　her　the　like　of　which　had　never　tingled　through　him　in　her　conquering　moods。　Indeed　Maggie's　situation　was　opening　out　into　great　human　problems　such　as　neither　he　nor　any　one　else　had　ever　foreseen！

〃There　comes　Dick；〃　she　whispered。　〃I　must　do　my　best　to　hold　myself　together。　Good…bye；　Larry。〃

A　minute　later；　Larry　just　behind　her；　she　was　crossing　the　lawn　on　Dick's　arm；　explaining　her　weakness　and　pallor　by　the　sudden　dizziness　which　had　come　upon　her　in　consequence　of　not　eating　and　of　being　in　the　hot　sun。




CHAPTER　XXXI


Larry　was　far　more　deeply　moved　this　time　when　Maggie　drove　away　with　Dick　than　on　that　former　occasion　when　he　had　tried　to　play　with　adroitness　upon　her　psychological　reactions。　Now　he　knew　that　her　very　world　was　shaken；　that　her　soul　was　stunned　and　reeling；　that　she　was　fighting　with　all　her　strength　for　a　brief　outward　composure。

He　had　loved　her　for　months；　but　he　had　never　so　loved　her　as　in　this　hour　when　all　her　artificial　defenses　had　been　battered　down　and　she　had　been　just　a　bewildered；　agonized　girl；　with　just　the　emotions　and　first　thoughts　that　any　other　normal　girl　would　have　had　under　the　same　circumstances。　His　great　desire　had　been　to　be　with　her；　to　comfort　her；　help　her；　but　he　realized　that　she　had　been　correct　in　her　instinct　to　be　by　herself　for　a　while；　to　try　to　comprehend　it　all；　to　try　to　think　her　way　out。

When　Maggie　was　out　of　sight　he　excused　himself　from　having　tea；　left　Hunt　and