children of the whirlwind-第56节

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〃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　that　I　was　really　married　to　a　mean　sort　of　man　I　didn't　lovethe　idea　being　that　Dick　would　be　infatuated　enough　to　pay　a　big　sum　to　a　dummy　husband；　and　the　three　of　us　would　disappear　as　soon　as　we　got　Dick's　money。　Dick　offered　to　go　through　with　the　plan　as　Barney　Palmer　and　Jimmie　Carlisle　had　shaped　it　upgo　through　with　it　to…nightand　then　after　money　had　passed；　we'd　have　a　criminal　case　against　them。　By　reminding　him　that　Larry　Brainard　knew　just　what　we　were　up　to；　and　might　spoil　everything　if　we　didn't　act　at　once；　I　got　Barney　Palmer　worked　up　to　the　point　where　he　was　going　to　pose　as　my　husband　and　take　the　money。　Dick　Sherwood　was　to　come　a　little　later；　after　he'd　first　telephoned　me；　with　a　big　roll　of　marked　money。〃

There　were　stuttered　exclamations　from　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie；　which　were　cut　off　by　the　dominant　incisiveness　of　Joe　Ellison's　words　to　his　daughter：

〃I　think　you're　lying　to　me！　Besides；　even　if　you're　telling　the　truth；　it's　a　pretty　way　you've　taken　to　clear　things　up！　Don't　you　see　that　by　letting　Dick　Sherwood　come　here　and　play　such　a　part；　you'd　be　dead　sure　to　involve　him　and　his　family　in　a　dirty　police　story　that　the　papers　of　the　whole　country　would　play　up　as　a　sensation？　It's　plain　to　any　one　that　that's　no　way　a　person　who　wanted　to　square　things　would　use　Dick　Sherwood。　And　that's　why　I　think　you're　lying！〃

〃I　had　thought　of　thatyou're　right；〃　said　Maggie。　〃And　so　I　wasn't　going　to　do　it。　He　was　going　to　telephone　mejust　about　this　time　and　when　he　called　up　I　was　going　to　fake　his　message。　I　was　going　to　tell　Barney　Palmer　and　Old　Jimmie　that　Dick　had　just　telephoned　he　wasn't　coming；　because　one　of　the　two　had　just　sold　him　a　tip　for　ten　thousand　dollars　that　this　was　a　crooked　game。　I　thought　this　would　have　started　a　quarrel　between　the　two；　they　are　suspicious　of　each　other；　anyhow。　Each　would　have　accused　the　other；　and　in　their　quarrel　they　would　have　been　likely　to　have　let　out　a　lot　of　truth　that　would　have　completely　given　each　other　away。〃

〃Not　a　bad　plan　at　all；〃　commented　Joe　Ellison。　He　tried　to　peer　deep　into　his　daughter　for　a　moment；　his　inflamed　face　relaxing　neither　in　its　harshness　nor　its　doubt　of　her。　〃But　since　you　are　the　clever　crook　I　actually　know　you　to　be　from　your　work　on　Dick　Sherwood；　and　since　Jimmie　Carlisle　says　he　has　trained　you　to　be　a　crook；　I　believe　that　everything　you've　told　me　is　just　something　you've　cleverly　invented　on　the　spur　of　the　momentjust　so　many　lies。〃

〃Butbut〃

She　broke　off　before　the　harsh；　accusing　doubt　of　his　pale　face。　For　a　fraction　of　a　moment　no　one　spoke。　Then　the　telephone　bell　began　to　ring。

〃Dick！〃　breathed　Maggie；　and　started　for　the　telephone。

〃Stay　right　where　you　are！〃　her　father　ordered。　〃I'll　answer　that　telephone　myself；　and　see　whether　you're　lying　to　me　about　Dick　Sherwood！　。　。　。　No；　we'll　do　this　together。　I'll　hold　the　receiver　and　hear　what　he　says。　You'll　do　the　talking　and　you'll　answer　just　what　I　tell　you　to；　and　you'll　keep　your　hand　tight　over　the　mouthpiece　while　I'm　giving　you　your　orders。　You　two〃to　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie；　with　a　significant　movement　of　Barney's　automatic〃you'd　better　behave　while　this　telephone　business　is　going　on。〃

The　next　moment　Larry　was　hearing；　or　rather　witnessing；　the　strangest　telephone　conversation　of　his　experience。　Maggie　was　holding　the　transmitter；　and　Joe　had　the　receiver　at　his　ears；　grimly　covering　the　two　men　with　the　automatic。　Maggie　obediently　kept　her　palm　tight　over　the　mouthpiece　during　Joe's　brief　whispered　directions；　and　no　one　in　the　room　except　Joe；　not　even　Maggie；　had　the　slightest　idea　of　what　was　really　passing　over　the　wires。

What　Larry　heard　was　no　more　than　a　dozen　most　commonplace　words　in　the　world；　transformed　into　the　most　absorbing　words　in　the　language。　Joe　ordered　Maggie　to　answer　with　〃hello〃　in　her　usual　tone；　which　she　did；　and　Joe；　after　a　startled　expression　at　the　first　words　that　came　over　the　wire；　listened　with　immobile　face　for　four　or　five　seconds。　Then　he　nodded　imperatively　to　Maggie　and　she　put　her　hand　over　the　mouthpiece。

〃Ask　him　how　much；　and　when　he　wanted　it　to　be　paid；〃　he　ordered。

〃How　much；　and　when　does　he　want　it　to　be　paid？〃　repeated　Maggie。

Again　Joe　listened　for　several　moments；　and　then　ordered　as　before：　〃Say　'Yes。'〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Maggie。

Another　period　of　waiting；　and　Joe　ordered：　〃Say；　'I've　got　a　much　better　plan　that　supersedes　the　old。'〃

〃I've　got　a　much　better　plan　that　supersedes　the　old。〃

There　was　yet　another　period　of　waiting；　then　Joe　commanded：　〃Tell　him　he　really　mustn't　and　say　good…bye　quick。〃

〃You　really　mustn't！　Good…bye！〃

The　instant　her　〃Good…bye〃　was　out　of　her　mouth　Joe　clicked　the　receiver　upon　its　hook；　and　stood　regarding　the　breathless　Maggie。　His　pale；　stern　face　was　not　quite　so　severe　as　before。　Presently　he　spoke：　〃I　know　now　that　you　really　were　sick　of　what　you'd　been　trying　to　dothat　you'd　really　broken　away　from　these　twothat　you'd　really　confessed　to　Dick；　and　are　now　all　square　with　him。〃

The　word　〃Father！〃　struggled　chokingly　toward　her　lips。　But　she　only　said：

〃I'm　gladyou　know。〃

〃And　you　were　shrewd　in　that　guess　you　made　of　what　one　of　these　two　would　do。〃　Joe　crossed　back　to　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie。　〃You　two　must　have　been　almighty　afraid；　because　of　Larry　Brainard；　that　your　game　was　suddenly　collapsing；　and　each　must　have　been　trying　to　grab　a　piece　for　himself　before　he　ran　away。〃

〃What　you　talking　about？〃　gruffly　demanded　Barney。

〃Perhaps　I'm　talking　about　you。　But　more　particularly　about　Jimmie　Carlisle。　For　just　now　Dick　Sherwood　said　when　he　telephoned；　that　an　hour　or　two　ago　Jimmie　Carlisle　had　hunted　him　up；　had　hinted　that　he　was　going　to　lose　a　lot　of　money　unless　he　was　properly　advised；　and　offered　to　give　him　certain　valuable　information　for　five　thousand　cash。〃

Barney　turned　upon　his　partner。　〃You　damned　thief！〃　he　snarled；　tensed　as　if　about　to　spring　upon　the　other。

Old　Jimmie；　turned　greenishly　pale；　shrank　away　from　Barney；　his　every　expression　proclaiming　his　guilt。　Then　Maggie　again　found　her　voice：

〃And　at　about　the　same　time　Barney　was　trying　to　double…cross　Jimmie　Carlisle；　Barney　proposed　to　me　that；　after　we'd　got　Dick　Sherwood's　money；　we'd　tell　Jimmie　Carlisle　we'd　got　very　little；　and　divide　the　real　money　fifty…fifty　between　just　us　two。〃

〃You　damned　thief！〃　snarled　Old　Jimmie　back　at　his　partner。

The　next　moment　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie　were　upon　each　other；　striking　wildly；　clawing。　But　the　moment　after　Joe　Ellison；　his　repressed　rage　now　unloosed；　and　with　the　super…strength　of　his　supreme　fury；　had　torn　the　two　apart。

〃You　don't　do　that　to　each　otherthat　job　belongs　to　me！〃　he　cried。　His　right　arm　flung　Barney　backward　so　that　Barney　went　staggering　over　himself　and　sprawled　upon　the　floor。　Joe　gripped　Old　Jimmie's　collar；　and　his　right　hand　painfully　twisted　Jimmie's　arm。　〃And　I　finish　you　off　first；　Jimmie　Carlisle；　for　what　you've　done　to　me　and　my　girl！　But　for　Larry　Brainard　you；　Jimmie　Carlisle；　would　have　succeeded　in　your　scheme　to　make　my　girl　a　crook！　I'd　like　to　give　you　a　thousand　years　of　agony；　you　damned　ratbut　that's　beyond　me！〃　His　right　hand　shifted　swiftly　from　Old　Jimmie's　arm　to　his　throat。　〃But　I'm　going　to　choke　your　rat's　life　out　of　you！your　lying；　sneaking　devil's　life　out　of　you！〃

Old　Jimmie　squirmed　and　twisted　with　those　long　fingers　clamped　mercilessly　around　his　throat；　his　eyes　rolling；　and　his　mouth　gaping　with　voiceless　cries。　He　was　indeed　being　shaken　as　a　rat　might　be　shaken。

〃Don't！Don't！〃　cried　the　frantic　Maggie；　and　started　to　seize　her　father　to　pull　him　away。　But　she　was　halted　by　her　arm　being　caught　by　Barney。

〃Let　Jimmie　have　it！〃　he　said　fiercely　to　her；　and　flung　her　to　the　farthest　corner　of　the　room。　And　grimly　exultant　over　what　seemed　to　be　Old　Jimmie's　doom；　he　started　for　the　door　to　make　his　own　escape。

Up　to　the　moment　of　Joe　Ellison's　eruption　Larry　had　felt　bound　to　remain　a　mere　spectator　where　he　was：　long　as　the　time　had　seemed　to　him；　it　had　in　fact　been　less　than　half　an　hour。　He　had　felt　bound　at　first　by　his　promise　to　Maggie　to　let　her　work　out　her　plan；　and　bound　later　by　his　sense　that　this　situation　belonged　to　Joe　Ellison。　But　now　this　swift　crisis　dissolved　all　such　obligations。　He　sprang　from　his　closet　to　take　his　part　in　the　drama　that　was　so　swiftly　unfolding。




CHAPTER　XXXVI


Larry　caught　and　whirled　around　Barney　Palmer　just　as　the　hand　of　the　escaping　Barney　was　on　the　knob　of　the　outer　door。

〃No；　you　don't；　Barney　Palmer！〃　he　cried。　〃You　stay　right　here！〃

Startled　as　Barney　was　by　this　appearance　of　his　dearest　enemy；　he　wasted　no　precious　time　on　mere　words。　He　swung　a　vicious　blow　at　Larry；　intended　to　remove　this　barrier　to　his　freedom。　But　the　experienced　Larry　let　it　glance　off　his　forearm；　and　with　the　need　of　an　instantaneous　conclusion　he　sent　a　terrific　right　to　Barney's　chin。　Barney　staggered　back；　fell　in　a　crumpled　heap；　and　lay　motionless。

Sparing　only　the　fr