children of the whirlwind-第55节

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nd　crept　up　on　the　porch。　Officer　Gavegan；　who　was　in　charge；　found　a　painting　among　Larry　Brainard's　things。　Miss　Sherwood　said　that　it　was　a　picture　of　Miss　Maggie　Cameron　who　had　been　visiting　there；　and　I　could　see　that　it　was。　Officer　Gavegan　said　it　was　a　picture　of　Maggie　Carlisle；　daughter　of　Jimmie　Carlisle；　and　that　she　was　a　crook。　Larry　Brainard；　cornered；　had　to　admit　that　Gavegan　was　right。　I　guessed　at　once　who　Maggie　Carlisle　was；　since　she　was　just　the　age　my　girl　would　have　been　and　since　you　never　had　any　children。　And　that's　how；　Jimmie　Carlisle；　standing　there　outside　the　window；〃　concluded　the　terrible　voice　of　Joe　Ellison；　〃I　learned　for　the　first　time　that　the　baby　I'd　trusted　with　you　to　be　brought　up　straight；　and　that　I　believed　was　now　happy　somewhere　as　a　nice；　decent　girl；　you　had　really　brought　up　as　your　own　daughter　and　trained　to　be　a　crook！〃


Old　Jimmie　shrank　back　from　Joe's　blazing　eyes；　his　mouth　opened　spasmodically；　but　no　words　came　therefrom。　There　was　stupendous　silence　in　the　room。　Within　the　closet；　Larry　now　understood　that　low；　strange　sound　he　had　heard　on　the　Sherwoods'　porch　and　which　Gavegan　and　Hunt　had　investigated。　It　had　been　the　suppressed　cry　of　Joe　Ellison　when　he　had　learned　the　truththe　difference　between　his　dreams　and　the　reality。　He　could　not　imagine　what　that　moment　had　been　to　Joe：　the　swift；　unbelievable　knowledge　that　had　seemed　to　be　tearing　his　very　being　apart。

Larry　had　an　impulse　to　step　out　to　Joe's　side。　But　just　as　a　little　earlier　he　had　felt　the　scene　had　belonged　to　Maggie；　he　now　felt　that　this　situation；　the　greatest　in　Joe's　life；　belonged　definitely　to　Joe；　was　almost　sacredly　Joe's　own　property。　Also　he　felt　that　he　was　about　to　learn　many　things　which　had　puzzled　him。　Therefore　he　held　himself　back；　at　the　same　time　keeping　his　hold　upon　Red　Hannigan。

During　this　moment　of　silence；　while　Larry　was　wondering　what　was　going　to　happen；　his　eyes　also　took　in　the　figure　of　Maggie；　all　her　powers　of　action　and　expression　still　paralyzed　by　appalling　consternation。　He　understood；　at　least　to　a　degree；　what　she　was　going　through。　He　knew　this　much　of　her　plan：　that　she　had　intended　to　cut　loose　in　some　way　from　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie；　and　that　she　had　intended　that　her　father　should　continue　to　cherish　the　dream　that　had　been　his　happiness　for　so　long。　And　now　her　father　had　come　upon　her　in　the　company　of　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie　and　in　a　situation　whose　every　superficial　circumstance　was　such　as　to　make　him　believe　the　worst　of　her！

Joe　turned　on　the　smartly　dressed　Barney。　〃I'll　take　you　first；　you　imitation　swell；　because　I'm　saving　Jimmie　Carlisle　to　the　last！〃　went　on　Joe's　crunching　voice。　〃I'm　going　to　twist　your　damned　neck　for　what　you've　helped　do　to　my　girl；　but　if　you　want　to　say　anything　first；　say　it。〃

Barney's　response　was　a　swift　movement　of　his　right　hand　toward　his　left　armpit。　But　Barney　Palmer；　like　almost　all　his　kind；　was　a　very　indifferent　gunman；　and　he　had　no　knowledge　of　the　reputation　for　masterful　quickness　that　had　been　Joe　Ellison's　twenty　years　earlier。　Before　his　compact　automatic　was　fairly　out　of　its　holster　beneath　his　armpit；　it　was　in　Joe　Ellison's　hands。

〃I　sized　you　up　for　that　kind　of　rat　and　was　watching　you；〃　continued　Joe　in　his　same　awful　grimness。　〃I'm　not　going　to　shoot　you；　unless　you　make　me。　I'm　going　to　twist　that　pretty　neck　of　yours。　But　first；　out　with　anything　you've　got　to　say　for　yourself！〃

〃I　haven't　had　anything　to　do　with　this　business；〃　said　Barney；　trying　to　affect　a　bold　manner。

〃You　lie！　I　know　that　in　this　game　against　Dick　Sherwood；　in　which　you　used　my　girl；　you　were　the　real　leader！〃

〃Welleven　if　I　did　use　your　girl；　I　only　used　her　the　way　I　found　her。〃

〃You　lie　again！　I　know　how　your　kind　work：　cleverly　putting　crooked　ideas　into　girls'　minds；　and　exciting　their　imagination；　so　they'll　work　with　you。　Your　case　is　closed。〃　He　turned　to　his　one…time　friend。　〃What　have　you　got　to　say　for　yourself；　Jimmie　Carlisle？〃

Old　Jimmie　believed　that　his　last　hour　was　come。　He　showed　something　of　the　defiant；　almost　maniacal　courage　of　a　coward　who　realizes　he　can　retreat　no　farther。

〃What　I　got　to　say；　Joe　Ellison；〃　he　snarled　in　a　sudden　rage　which　bared　his　yellow　teeth；　〃is　that　I'm　even　with　you　at　last！〃

〃Even　with　me？　What　for？〃

〃For　the　way　you　double…crossed　me　in　nineteen…one　in　that　Gordon　business。　You　never　gave　me　a　dimesaid　the　thing　had　fallen　down　yet　I　know　there　was　a　big　haul！〃

〃I　told　you　the　truth。　That　Gordon　thing　was　a　fizzle。〃

〃There's　where　you're　lying！　It　was　a　clean…up！　And　I　knew　you'd　been　cheating　me　out　of　my　share　in　other　deals！〃

〃You're　absolutely　wrong；　Jimmie　Carlisle。　But　if　you　thought　that；　why　didn't　you　have　it　out　with　me　at　the　time？〃

〃Because　I　knew　you　would　lie！　You　were　a　better　talker　than　I　was；　and　since　our　outfit　always　sided　with　you；　I　knew　I　wouldn't　have　a　chance　then。　But　I　reasoned　that　if　I　kept　quiet　and　kept　on　being　your　friend；　I'd　get　my　chance　to　get　even　if　I　waited　awhile。　I　waitedand　I　certainly　got　my　chance！〃

〃Go　on；　Jimmie　Carlisle！〃

And　Old　Jimmie　went　ona　startlingly　different　Old　Jimmie；　his　pent…　up　evil　now　loosed　into　quivering；　malignant　triumph；　went　on　with　the　feverish　exultation　of　a　twisted；　perverted　mind　that　has　brooded　long　over　an　imagined　injustice；　that　has　brooded　greedily　and　long　in　private　over　his　revenge；　and　at　last　has　his　chance　to　gloat　in　the　open。

〃When　you　were　sent　away；　Joe　Ellison；　and　turned　over　your　daughter　to　me　with　those　orders　about　seeing　that　she　was　brought　up　as　a　decent　girl；　I　began　to　see　the　big　chance　I'd　been　waiting　for。　I　asked　myself；　What　is　the　dearest　thing　in　the　world　to　Joe　Ellison？　The　answer　was；　this　idea　he'd　got　about　his　girl。　I　asked　myself；　What　is　the　biggest　way　I　can　get　even　with　Joe　Ellison？　The　answer　was；　to　make　Joe　Ellison　believe　all　the　time　he's　in　stir　that　his　girl　is　growing　up　the　way　he　wants　her　to　be　and　yet　to　bring　her　up　the　exact　thing　he　didn't　want　her　to　be。　And　that's　exactly　what　I　did！〃

〃Youdidsuch　a　thing？〃　breathed　Joe　Ellison；　almost　incredulous。

〃That's　exactly　what　I　did！〃　Old　Jimmie　went　on；　gloatingly。〃　It　was　easy。　No　one　knew　you　had　a　daughter；　so　I　passed　her　off　as　my　own　baby　by　a　marriage　I'd　not　told　any　one　about。　I　saw　that　she　always　lived　among　crooks；　looked　at　things　the　way　crooks　do；　and　grew　up　with　no　other　thought　than　to　be　a　crook。　I　never　had　an　idea　of　using　her　myself；　till　she　began　to　look　like　such　a　good　performer　this　last　year；　and　then　my　idea；　no　matter　what　Barney　Palmer　may　have　planned；　was　to　use　her　only　in　a　couple　of　stunts。　My　main　idea　always　was；　when　you　came　out　with　your　grand　idea　of　what　your　girl　had　grown　up　to　be；　for　you　suddenly　to　see　your　girl；　and　know　her　as　your　girl；　and　know　her　to　be　a　crook。　That　smash　to　you　was　the　big　thing　to　mewhat　I'd　planned　for；　and　waited　for。　I　didn't　expect　the　blow…off　to　come　like　this；　I　didn't　expect　to　be　caught　in　it　when　it　did　happen。　But　since　it　has　happened；　wellThere's　your　daughter；　Joe　Ellison！　Look　at　her！　Look　at　what　I've　made　her！　I　guess　I'm　even　all　right！〃

〃My　God！〃　breathed　Joe　Ellison；　staring　at　the　lean　face　twisting　with　triumphant　malignancy。　〃I　didn't　think　there　could　be　such　a　man！〃

He　slowly　turned　upon　Maggie。　This　was　the　first　direct　recognition　he　had　taken　of　her　since　his　entrance。

〃I　don't　suppose　you　can　guess　what　your　being　what　you　are　has　meant　to　me；〃　he　began　in　a　numbed　tone　which　grew　accusingly　harsh　as　he　continued。　〃But　I'd　think　that　a　daughter　of　mine；　with　such　a　mother；　would　have　had　more　instinctive　sense　than　to　have　gone　into　such　a　game　with　such　a　pair　of　crooks！〃

〃It's　trueI　have　been　what　you　think　meI　did　go　into　this　thing　against　Dick　Sherwood；〃　Maggie　responded　in　a　voice　that　at　first　was　faltering；　then　that　stumbled　rapidly　on　in　her　eagerness　to　pour　out　all　the　facts。　〃Butbut　Larry　Brainard　had　kept　after　meand　finally　he　made　me　see　how　wrong　I　was　headed。　And　then；　this　afternoon；　before　I　spoke　to　you；　Larry　told　me　that　you　were　my　real　father。　When　I　learned　the　truthhow　I　had　been　cheated　out　of　being　something　elsehow　I　was　the　exact　opposite　of　what　you　had　wanted　me　to　be　and　believed　me　to　beI　felt　about　it　almost　exactly　as　you　feel　about　it。　II　made　up　my　mind　to　clear　up　at　once　all　the　wrong　I　was　responsible　forand　then　disappear　in　such　a　way　that　you'd　never　have　your　dream　of　me　spoiled。　And　soand　so　this　afternoon；　after　I　left　Cedar　Crest；　I　confessed　the　whole　truth　to　Dick　Sherwoodabout　our　plan　to　cheat　him。　And　like　the　really　splendid　fellow　he　is；　Dick　Sherwood　offered　to　help　me　set　straight　the　things　I　wanted　to　set　straight。　Particularly　to　clear　Larry　Brainard。　And　so　my　being　here　as　you　find　me　is　part　of　a　plan　between　Dick　Sherwood　and　myself。　It's　really　a　frame…up。　A　frame…up　to　catch　Barney　Palmer　and　Jimmie　Carlisle。〃

〃A　frame…up！〃　ejaculated　these　two　in　startled　unison。

〃How　a　frame…up？〃　demanded　her　father；　no　bit　of　the　accusing　harshness　gone　out　of　his　voice。

〃Our　plan　against　Dick　Sherwood　was　to　have　him　propose　to　me；　then　for　me　to　confess　th