children of the whirlwind-第53节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ss　to　any　agreement；　and　to　protect　my　interests。　Still　another　reason　is　that　since　we　had　to　work　so　fast；　the　thing　to　do　was　to　split　the　money　on　the　spot　in　three　ways；　and　then　each　of　us　shoot　off　in　a　different　direction　to…　night　before　any　bad　luck　had　a　chance　to　break。　In　fact；　Barney；　this　present　minute　is　when　you　and　I　say　our　good…byes。〃

He　forgot　his　scheme　to　defraud　Old　Jimmie　in　the　far　greater　concern　aroused　by　her　last　words。　He　leaned　across　the　table　and　tried　to　take　her　hand；　an　attempt　she　deftly　thwarted。

〃But　listen；　Maggie；〃　he　asked　with　husky　eagerness；　〃you　and　I　are　going　to　have　an　understanding　to　join　up　with　each　other　soon；　aren't　we？　You　know　what　I　meanbelong　to　each　other。　You　know　how　I　feel　about：　you！〃

This　was　the　principal　point　Maggie　had　been　maneuvering　toward。　Before　her　was　the　most　difficult　scene　of　the　many　which　she　had　planned；　on　her　successful　management　of　which　the　success　of　everything　seemed　to　depend。　Within　she　was　palpitant　with　the　strain　and　suspense　of　it　all；　but　on　Barney　she　held　cool；　appraising　eyes。　In　this　splendid　composure；　her　momentary　withdrawal　from　him；　she　seemed　to　Barney　more　beautiful；　more　desirable；　more　indispensable；　than　at　any　time　since　he　had　discovered　back　at　the　Duchess's　that　Maggie　was　a　find。

〃Of　course　I　know　exactly　what　you　mean；　Barney；〃　she　responded　with　deliberation；　bewitchingly　alluring　in　her　air　of　superiority。　〃I've　known　for　a　long　time　you　and　I　would　have　to　have　a　real　talk。　Are　you　ready　for　a　straight　talk　now？〃

〃As　straight　as　you　can　talk　it！〃

〃I'll　probably　fall　for　some　man　and　marry　him。　Every　woman　does。　But　if　I　marry　him；　it'll　be　because　I　love　him。　But　my　marrying　a　man　doesn't　mean　I'm　going　to　go　into　business　with　him。　I'm　not　going　to　mix　love　with　businessnot　unless　the　man　is　the　right　sort　of　man。　Of　course　it　would　be　better　if　the　man　I　marry　and　the　man　I　take　on　as　a　business　partner　were　the　same　manbut　I'm　not　going　to　take　any　risks。　You　understand　me　so　far。

〃Surest　thing　you　know。　And　every　word　you've　said　proves　that　your　head　isn't　just　something　to　look　pretty　with。　Let　me　slip　this　over　to　you　right　at　the　startI'm　the　right　sort　of　man！〃

〃That's　exactly　what　I　want　to　find　out；〃　she　continued；　with　her　deliberation；　with　the　air　of　sitting　secure　upon　the　highest　level。　〃I　know　now　what　I　can　do。　I've　proved　it。　Now　I'm　going　right　ahead　putting　over　big　things。　You　once　told　me　I　had　it　in　me　to　be　the　best　everand　I　now　know　I　can　be。　I　know　I've　got　to　tie　up　with　a　man；　and　the　man　has　got　to　be　just　as　good　in　his　way　as　I　am　in　mine。　Right　there's　where　I'm　in　doubt　about　you。　I　said　I　was　going　to　talk　straightand　I'm　handing　it　to　you　straight。　I　don't　know　how　good　you　are。〃

〃You　mean　you　think　I'm　not　big　enough　to　work　with　you？〃

〃I　mean　exactly　what　I　said。　I　said　that　I　didn't　really　know　how　good　you　are；　and　that　I　wasn't　going　to　tie　up　with　any　man　except　the　best　in　the　business。　You've　hinted　now　and　then　at　a　lot　of　big　things　you've　put　across　and　how　strong　you　were　in　certain　quarters　where　it　paid　to　be　strongbut　I　really　know　mighty　little　about　you；　Barney。　This　present　job　hasn't　required　you　to　do　anything　special；　and　all　the　really　hard　work　I've　done　myself。　Of　course　I　know　you　are　a　good　dancer；　and　clever　with　the　ladies；　and　know　how　to　pick　up　a　sucker　and　string　him　along。　But　that's　everything　I　do　know。　And；　there　are　hundreds　of　men　who　are　good　at　these　things。　The　man　I　tie　up　with　has　got　to　be　good　at　a　lot　of　other　thingsand　I've　got　to　know　he's　good！〃

〃Good　at　what　other　things；　Maggie？〃　he　asked　with　suppressed　eagerness。

〃He's　got　to　be　good　at　putting　over　all　kinds　of　situations。　I　don't　care　how　he　does　it。　So　clever　at　putting　things　over　that　no　one　ever　guesses　he's　the　man　who　did　it。　And　he's　got　to　be　able　to　give　me　protection。　You　know　what　I　mean。　A　woman　in　the　game　I'm　going　in　for　is　absolutely　through；　as　far　as　doing　anything　big　is　concerned；　the　minute　she　gets　a　police　record。　I've　got　to　have　a　man　who's　able　to　stand　between　me　and　the　police。　And　I've　got　to　know　from　past　performances　that　the　man　can　do　these　things。　Just　large　words　about　what　he　can　do；　or　hints　about　what　he　has　done；　don't　count　for　a　nickel　with　me。　This　is　plain；　hard　business　I'm　talking；　Barney；　and　I　don't　mean　to　hurt　your　feelings　when　I　tell　you　that　you　don't　measure　up　in　any　way　to　the　man　I　need。〃

It　had　been　difficult　for　Barney　to　hold　himself　until　she　had　finished。　To　start　with；　he　had　the　vain　man's　constant　itch　to　tell　of　his　exploits；　his　dislike　for　the　anonymity　of　his　cleverness　unjustly　ascribed　to　some　other　man。　And　then　Maggie　had　played　upon　him　even　more　skillfully　than　she　imagined。

〃I'm　exactly　the　man　you　need　in　every　way！〃　he　exploded。

〃Those　are　just　words；〃　she　said　evenly。　〃I　said　I　had　to　have　something　more　than　mere　words。〃

〃I'm　ace…high　with　Chief　Barlow！〃

〃You've　got　to　be　more　explicit。〃

Barney　was　now　all　excitement。　〃Don't　you　get　what　that　means？　I've　never　been　locked　up　once；　and　yet　I've　been　pulling　stuff　all　the　time！　And　yet　look　how　Larry　Brainard；　that　the　bunch　thought　was　so　clever；　got　hooked　and　was　sent　away。　I　guess　you　know　the　answer！〃

〃Again；　Barney；　I've　got　to　ask　you　to　be　more　explicit。〃

〃Then　the　answer　is　that　all　the　while　I've　been　working　on　an　understanding　with　Barlow。　I　guess　that's　explicit！〃

〃You　mean；〃　she　said　in　her　cool　voice；　〃that　you've　been　a　stool…　pigeon　for　Barlow？〃

〃Sure！though　I　don't　like　the　word。　That's　the　only　safe　way　of　staying　steady　in　the　gamean　understanding　with　the　police。　All　there　is　to　it　is　now　and　then　to　tip　the　police　off　about　some　dub　of　a　crook：　of　course　you've　got　to　be　smooth　enough　not　to　let　anyone　guess　your　game。〃

〃That　doesn't　seem　to　me　such　a　strong　talking　point　in　your　favor；〃　she　said　thoughtfully。

〃But　don't　you　get　the　idea？　I'm　so　strong　with　Barlow　that　I　can　get　away　with　anything　I　want　to。　That　means　I　can　give　you　the　protection　from　the　police　you　just　spoke　about。　See？〃

〃Yes　I　see。〃　Again　she　spoke　thoughtfully。　〃But　I　told　you　I　had　to　be　shown。　You　must　have　done　some　pretty　big　things　to　have　got　such　a　standing　with　Barlow。　For　example？〃

〃I　could　write　you　a　book！〃　He　laughed　in　his　excited　pride。　〃You　ask　for　an　example。　I　could　hardly　hold　myself　in　awhile　ago　when　you　said　you'd　practically　swung　the　present　deal　alone；　and　that　I'd　done　almost　nothing。　Why；　Maggie；　I　did　just　one　smooth　little　thing　without　which　there　couldn't　have　been　any　deal。〃

〃What？〃

〃You'll　admit　that　nothing　would　have　been　safe　with　Larry　Brainard　determined　to　butt　in　on　what　you　did？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Well；　I'm　the　little　guy　that　fixed　Larry　Brainard　so　he　wouldn't　hurt　anyone！〃

〃You　did　that？〃　For　the　first　time　Maggie　showed　what　seemed　to　be　a　live　interest。　〃How？〃

〃How？　You'll　say　it　was　clever　when　you　learn　how。　And　you'll　say　that　I'm　the　man　you　want　on　that　count　of　being　able　to　put　over　a　situation　so　that　no　one　will　ever　guess　I'm　the　man　who　did　it。　You'll　admit　that　putting　Larry　Brainard　out　of　business；　so　he'd　stay　out；　was　certainly　a　stiff　jobfor　though　I　don't　like　him；　I　admit　that　Larry　is　one　wise　bird。　One　thing　I　did　was　to　suggest　to　Barlow　that　he　force　Larry　to　become　a　police　stool。　I　knew　Larry　would　refuse；　and　I　figured　out　everything　else　exactly　as　it　has　happened。　I　ask　you；　wasn't　that　putting　something　clever　over？〃

〃It　certainly　was　clever！〃　admired　Maggie。

〃Wait！　That's　only　half。　To　finish　Larry　off　so　that　he　wouldn't　have　a　chance　I　had　to　finish　him　off　not　only　with　the　cops；　but　also　with　his　pals。　So　I　tipped　off　Barlow　to　the　game　Red　Hannigan　and　Jack　Rosenfeldt　were　pulling　and〃

〃Then　Larry　Brainard　really　didn't　do　that？〃

〃No；　I　did　it！　Listenthere's　some　more　to　it。　I　spread　the　word；　so　that　it　seemed　to　be　a　leak　from　the　Police　Department；　that　it　was　Larry　who　had　squealed　on　Red　Hannigan　and　Jack　Rosenfeldt。　Did　his　old　pals　start　out　to　get　Larry？　Well；　now；　did　they！　If　I　do　say　it　myself；　that　was　smooth　work！〃

〃It　was　wonderful！　〃　agreed　Maggie。

〃And　there's　still　more；　Maggie！　You　remember　that　charge　of　stick…up　and　attempted　murder　of　a　Chicago　guy　that　the　police　are　trying　to　land　Larry　on？　I　put　that　over！　I'm　the　party　that　was　messed　up　in　that。　I　was　trying　to　put　over　a　neat　little　job　all　on　my　own；　but　something　went　wrong　just　as　I　thought　I　was　cleaning　out　the　sucker；　and　I　had　to　be　rough　with　that　Chicago　guy　in　order　to　make　a　get…　away　from　him。　I　beat　it　straight　to　Barlow；　and　said　that　right　here　was　the　chance　to　fasten　something　on　Larry。　Barlow　took　my　tip。　My　foot　may　have　slipped　on　the　original　job；　but　my　bean　certainly　did　act　quick；　and　you've　got　to　admit　I　turned　an　apparent　failure　into　something　bigger　than　success　would　have　been。　And　that's　certainly　traveling！〃

〃It　certainly　is！〃

〃And　now；　Maggie　〃Barney　pressed　her　eagerly〃I've　shown　you　I'm　just　the　sort　you　said　a　man　had　to　be　for　you　to　tie　up　with　him。　I've　shown　you　I　can　guarantee　you　police　protection。　And　I've　shown　you　I'm　able　to　put　over　clever　situations