children of the whirlwind-第52节

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ustn't　stay　here！〃

〃Why　not？〃

Her　answer　was　almost　identical　with　one　she　had　given　the　previous　evening。　〃Because　Barney　Palmer　may　be　here　the　next　minute！〃

His　response　was　in　sense　also　identical。　〃Then　I'll　stay　right　here。　There's　no　one　I　want　to　see　as　much　as　Barney　Palmer。　And　this　time　I'll　have　it　out　with　him！〃

Maggie　was　in　consternation　at　this　unexpected　twist　which　was　not　in　the　brain…manuscript　of　her　play　at　allwhich　indeed　threatened　to　take　her　play　right　out　of　her　hands。　〃Please　go；　Larry！〃　she　cried　desperately。　〃And　please　give　me　a　chance！　You'll　spoil　it　all　if　you　stay！〃

〃I'm　going　to　stay　right　here；〃　was　his　grim　response。

She　realized　there　was　no　changing　him。　She　glimpsed　a　closet　door　behind　him；　and　caught　at　the　chance　of　saving　at　least　a　fragment　of　her　drama。

〃Stay；　then　but；　Larry；　please　give　me　a　chance　to　do　what　I　want　to　do！　Please！〃　By　this　time　she　had　dragged　him　across　the　room　and　had　started　to　unlock　the　closet。　〃Just　wait　in　hereand　keep　quiet！　Please！〃

He　took　the　key　from　her　fumbling　hands；　unlocked　the　door；　and　slipped　the　key　into　his　pocket。　〃All　rightI'll　give　you　your　chance；〃　he　promised。

He　stepped　through　the　door　and　closed　it　upon　himself；　entombing　himself　in　blackness。　The　next　moment　the　glare　of　a　pocket　flash　was　in　his　face；　blinding　him。

〃Larry　Brainard！〃　gritted　a　low　voice　in　the　darkness。

Larry　could　see　nothing；　but　there　was　no　mistaking　that　voice。　〃Red　Hannigan！〃　he　exclaimed。

〃Yesyou　damned　squealer！　And　I'm　going　to　finish　you　off　right　here！〃

The　light　clicked　out；　and　a　pair　of　lean　hands　almost　closed　on　Larry's　wind…pipe。　But　Larry　caught　the　wrists　of　the　older　man　in　a　grip　the　other　could　not　break。　There　was　a　brief　struggle　in　the　blackness　of　the　closet；　then　the　slighter　man　stood　still　with　his　wrists　manacled　by　Larry's　hands。

〃Evidently　you　haven't　a　gun　on　you；　Red；　or　you；　wouldn't　have　tried　this；〃　Larry　commented。　〃Anyhow；　you　couldn't　have　got　away　with　killing　in　a　big　hotel；　whether　you　had　strangled　me　or　shot　me。　I　don't　blame　you　for　being　sore　at　me；　Redonly　you've　got　me　all　wrong。　But　you　and　I　are　evidently　here　for　the　same　purpose：　to　get　next　to　something　that's　going　to　happen　out　in　the　room。　What　do　you　say；　Red？let's　suspend　hostilities　for　the　present。　You've　got　me　where　you　can　follow　me；　and　you　can　get　me　any　time。〃

〃You　bet　I'll　get　you！〃　declared　Hannigan。　And　then　after　a　few　more　words　an　armistice　was　agreed　upon　between　the　two　men　in　the　closet　and　silently；　tensely；　they　stood　in　the　dark　awaiting　whatever　was　to　happen。

Outside　Maggie；　that　amateur　playwright　who　had　tried　so　desperately　to　prearrange　events；　that　inexperienced　goddess　from　the　machine；　stood　in　a　panic　of　fear　and　suspense　the　like　of　which　she　had　never　known。




CHAPTER　XXXIV


But　when　Barney's　latch…key　slid　into　the　door　and　Barney；　in　a　smart　dinner　jacket；　came　in；　Maggie　was　herself　again。　Indeed　she　was　better　than　herself；　for　there　rushed　to　her　support　that　added　power　which　she　had　just　been　despairing　of；　which　carries　some　people　through　an　hour　of　crisis；　and　which　may　occasionally　lift　an　actor　above　himself　when　fortune　gives　him　a　difficult　yet　splendid　part　which　is　the　great　chance　of　his　career。

And　Maggie　showed　to　the　eye　that　she　was　better　than　her　best；　for　Barney　exclaimed　the　instant　he　was　beside　her：　〃Gee；　Maggie；　you　look　like　the　Queen　of　Sheba；　whoever　that　dame　was！　Any　guy　would　fall　for　you　to…nightand　fall　so　hard　that　he'd　break；　or　go　broke！〃

But　Barney　was　too　eager　to　await　any　response。　〃What's　behind　the　hurry…up　call　you　sent　in？　Anything　broken　yet？〃

〃Something　big！　But　sit　down。　There's　a　lot　to　tell。　And　I　must　tell　it　quickbefore　my〃she　could　not　force　herself　to　say　〃father〃　〃before　Old　Jimmie　comes；　and　Dick。〃

〃Then　Dick's　coming？〃

〃Yes。　Things　have　taken　a　twist　so　that　everything　breaks　to…night。　But　sit　down；　and　I'll　tell　you　everything。〃

She　had　noted　that　the　door　behind　which　Larry　stood；　and　to　which　he　had　captured　the　key；　was　open　a　bare　half…inch。　It　looked　no　more　suspicious　than　any　closet　door　that　by　accident　had　swung　free　of　its　latch；　but　by　deft　maneuvering　Maggie　managed　so　that　Barney　sat　at　the　table　with　his　back　toward　both　closets。

〃Go　to　it；　Maggie；〃　he　urged。

The　plan　which　had　swiftly　developed　from　Dick　Sherwood's　idea　required　that　she　should　tell　much　that　was　the　truth　and　much　that　was　not　truth；　and　required　that　she　should　play　with　every　faculty　and　every　attraction　she　possessed　upon　Barney's　tremendous　vanity　and　upon　his　jealous　admiration　of　her。　She　had　to　make　him　believe　more　in　her　as　a　pal　than　ever　before；　she　had　to　make　him　want　her　more　as　a　woman　than　ever　before。　And　at　this　moment　she　felt　herself　thrillingly　equal　to　this　vampire　role　her　over…stimulated　sense　of　justice　had　commanded　her　to　undertake。

〃Things　have　gone　great；〃　she　began；　speaking　concisely；　yet　trying　not　in　this　eager　brevity　to　lose　the　convincing　effect　that　she　would　be　the　complete　mistress　of　any　enterprise　to　which　she　yielded　her　interest。　〃Dick　Sherwood　proposed　to　me　again；　and　this　time　I　said　‘yes。'　I　saw　that　he　was　ready　for　anything；　so　I　took　some　things　into　my　hands。　I　had　to；　for　I　saw　we　had　to　act　quick　even　at　the　risk　of　losing　a　bit　of　the　maximum　figure　we　had　counted　on。　You　see　I　realized　the　danger　to　us　in　Larry　Brainard　suddenly　showing　up；　and　his　knowing；　as　he　told　us　he　did；　who　the　sucker　is　that　we've　been　stringing　along。　Anything　might　happen；　any　minute；　from　Larry　Brainard　that　would　upset　everything。　So　I　reasoned　that　we　had　to　collect　quick　or　run　the　risk　of　never　getting　a　nickel。〃

〃Some　bean　you've　got；　Maggie；〃　he　said　admiringly。　〃Keep　your　foot　on　the　gas　pedal。〃

〃What　I　did　was　only；　the　carrying…out　of　the　plan　you　had　decided　on…　…of　course　carrying　it　out　quicker；　and　with　a　few　little　changes　that　the　urgent　situation　demanded。　After　he　proposed　I　broke　down；　as　per　schedule；　and　confessed　that　I　had　deceived　him　to　the　extent　that　I　was　already　married。　Married　to　a　man　I　didn't　love；　and　who　didn't　love　me；　but　who　was　a　tight…wad　and　who　wouldn't　let　me　go　unless　he　saw　a　lot　of　money　in　it　for　him。　And　I　gave　Dick　all　the　rest　of　the　story；　just　as　we　had　doped　it　out。〃

〃Great　work；　Maggie！　How　did　he　take　it？〃

〃Exactly　as　we　figured　he　would。　He　was　sorry　for　me；　it　didn't　make　any　difference　at　all　in　his　feelings　for　me。　He'd　buy　my　husband　off…　…give　him　any　price　he　wantedand　just　so　I　wouldn't　have　to　feel　myself　bound　to　such　a　man　a　minute　longer　than　necessary　he'd　make　a　bargain　with　him　at　once　and　pay　him　part　of　the　money　right　down。　To…　night；　if　he　could　get　in　touch　with　my　husband。　And　so；　Barney；　since　we　had　to　act　quick　and　there　was　no　time　to　bring　in　another　man　that　I　could　pass　off　as　my　husband；　I　confessed　to　him　that　I　was　married　to　you。〃

〃To　me！〃　exclaimed　Barney。

〃And　he's　coming　here　in　less　than　an　hour；　with　real　money　in　his　pockets；　to　see　if　he　can't　fix　a　deal　with　you。〃

〃Me！〃　exclaimed　the　startled　Barney　again。　His　beady　eyes　glowed　at　her　ardently。　〃Gee；　you　know　I　wish　I　really　was　married　to　you；　Maggie！　If　I　was；　you　bet　money　couldn't　ever　pry　you　loose　from　me！〃

〃Well；　there's　the　whole　lay…out；　Barney。　It's　up　to　you　to　be　my　grasping；　bargaining；　unloving　husband　for　about　an　hour。〃

〃I　hadn't　thought　of　myself　in　that　part；〃　he　objected。　〃I'd　figured　that　we'd　bring　in　a　new　man　to　be　the　husband。　It's　pretty　dangerous　for　me；　my　stringing　Dick　along　all　this　while　and　then　suddenly　to　enter　the　act　as　your　husbandand　to　take　the　money。〃

〃Dangerous！〃　There　was　sudden　contempt　in　her　voice　and　in　her　eyes。　〃So　you're　that　kind　of　man；　Barneyafraid！　And　afraid　after　my　telling　Dick　you　were　my　husband；　and　his　swallowing　the　thing　without　a　suspicion！　Well；　right　this　minute　is　when　we　call　this　deal　off　and　every　other　deal！〃

〃Oh；　don't　be　so　quick　with　that　temper　of　yours；　Maggie！　I　merely　said　it　was　dangerous。　Of　course　I'll　do　it。〃

And　then　Barney　asked；　with　a　cunning　he　tried　to　hide：　〃But　why　did　you　ask　me　to　have　Old　Jimmie　show　up　here　right　after　me？　We　don't　need　him。〃

〃Just　what's　behind　your　saying　that；　Barney？〃　she　demanded　sharply。

He　squirmed　a　little；　then　spoke　the　truth。　〃You　don't　love　your　father　any　too　much；　and　he　doesn't　love　you　any　too　muchI　know　that。　He　needn't　really　know　how　much　we　take　off　Sherwood；　if　he　wasn't　here；　he'd　have　to　take　our　word　for　what　we　got　and　we'd　tell　him　we　got　mighty　little。　Then　the　real　money　would　be　divided　fifty…　fifty　between　just　you　and　me。〃

〃I　may　not　love　my　father；　but　he's　in　this　on　the　same　basis　as　you　are；　or　I'm　out　of　it；〃　she　declared。　〃I　thought　you　might　suggest　something　like　this；　that's　one　reason　I　asked　you　to　have　him　come。　Another　reasonand　this　is　something　I　forgot　to　tell　you　awhile　agowhen　I　broke　down　and　confessed　everything　to　Dick　Sherwood；　I　told　Dick　that　Old　Jimmie　was　really　my　guardian；　and　we　both　agreed　that　he　should　be　present　as　a　witness　to　any　agreement；　and　to　protect　my　interests。　Still　another　reason　is　that　since　we　had　to　work