children of the whirlwind-第58节

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；　and　I　came　right　into　town。　He　told　me　everything　he　knewwhich　threw　a　different　light　on　a　lot　of　eventsand　Dick　telephoned　at　about　nine　that　I　was　coming　over。　But　something　more　seems　to　have　happened。〃

〃Miss　Sherwood；　it's　like〃　began　Barlow。

〃Just　a　second；　Chief；〃　Larry　interrupted。　Larry　knew　what　a　sensational　story　this　would　be　as　it　had　developedand　he　knew　in　advance　just　how　it　would　be　seized　upon　and　played　up　by　the　newspapers。　And　Larry　did　not　want　unpleasant　publicity　for　his　friends　（three　in　that　room　were　trying　to　make　a　fresh　start　in　life）；　nor　for　those　who　had　been　his　friends。　〃Chief；　do　you　want　to　make　an　arrest　on　a　charge　which　will　involve　every　person　in　this　room　in　a　sensational　story？　Of　course　I　know　most　of　us　here　don't　weigh　anything　with　you。　But　why　drag　Miss　Sherwood；　who　is　innocent　in　every　way；　into　a　criminal　story　that　will　serve　to　cheapen　her　and　every　decent　person　involved？　Besides；　it　can　only　be　a　conspiracy　charge；　and　there's　more　than　a　probability　that　you　can't　prove　your　case。　So　why　make　an　arrest　that　will　drag　in　Miss　Sherwood？〃

Barlow　had　a　mind　which　functioned　with　amazing　rapidity　on　matters　pertaining　to　his　own　interest。　He　realized　on　the　instant　how　it　might　count　for　him　in　the　future　if　he　were　in　a　position　to　ask　a　favor　of　a　person　of　Miss　Sherwood's　standing；　and　he　spoke　without　hesitation：

〃I　don't　know　anything　about　this　Sherwood　matter。　If　anyone　ever　asks　me；　they'll　not　get　a　word。〃

There　was　swift　relief　on　the　faces　of　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie；　to　be　instantly　dispelled　by　Chief　Barlow's　next　statement　which　followed　his　last　with　only　a　pause　for　breath：

〃The　main　thing　we　want　is　to　stick　these　two　crooks　away。〃　He　turned　on　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie。　〃I've　just　learned　you　two　fellows　are　the　birds　I　want　for　that　Gregory　stock　business。　I've　got　you　for　fair　on　that。　It'll　hold　you　a　hundred　times　tighter　than　any　conspiracy　charge。　Casey；　Gaveganhustle　these　two　crooks　out　of　here。〃

The　next　moment　Casey　and　Gavegan　had　handcuffs　on　the　prisoners　and　were　leading　them　out。

〃Good　for　you；　Larry；〃　Casey　whispered　warmly　as　he　went　by　with　Barney。　〃I　knew　you　were　going　to　win　out；　though　it　might　be　an　extra…inning　game！〃

At　the　door　Barlow　paused。　〃I　hope　I've　done　everything　all　right；　Miss　Sherwood？〃

〃Yesas　far　as　I　know；　Mr。　Barlow。〃

Again　Barlow　started　out；　and　again　turned。　〃And　you；　Brainard；〃　he　said；　rather　grudgingly；　〃I　guess　you　needn't　worry　any　about　that　charge　against　you。　It'll　be　dropped。〃

And　with　that　Barlow　followed　his　men　and　his　prisoners　out　of　the　room。

Then　for　a　moment　there　was　silence。　As　Larry　saw　and　felt　that　moment；　it　was　a　moment　so　large　that　words　would　only　make　a　faltering　failure　in　trying　to　express　it。　He　himself　was　suddenly　free　of　all　clouds　and　all　dangers。　He　had　succeeded　in　what　he　had　been　trying　to　do　with　Maggie。　A　father　and　a　daughter　were　meeting；　with　each　knowing　their　relationship；　for　the　first　time。　There　was　so　much　to　be　said；　among　all　of　them；　that　could　only　be　said　as　souls　relaxed　and　got　acquainted　with　each　other。

It　was　so　strained；　so　stupendous　a　moment　that　it　would　quickly　have　become　awkward　and　anti…climacteric　but　for　the　tact　of　Miss　Sherwood。

〃Mr。　Brainard；〃　she　began；　in　her　smiling；　direct　manner；　with　a　touch　of　brisk　commonplace　in　it　which　helped　relieve　the　tension；　〃I　want　to　apologize　to　you　for　the　way　I　treated　you　late　this　afternoon。　As　I　said；　I've　just　had　a　talk　with　Dick　and　he's　told　me　everything　except　some　things　we　may　all　have　to　tell　each　other　later。　I　was　entirely　in　the　wrong；　and　you　were　entirely　in　the　right。　And　the　way　you've　handled　things　seems　to　have　given　Dick　just　that　shock　which　you　said　he　needed　to　awaken　him　to　be　the　man　it's　in　him　to　be。　I'm　sure　we　all　congratulate　you。〃

She　gave　Larry　no　chance　to　respond。　She　knew　the　danger；　in　such　an　emotional　crisis　as　this；　of　any　let…up。　So　she　went　right　on　in　her　brisk　tone　of　ingratiating　authority。

〃I　guess　we've　all　been　through　too　much　to　talk。　You　are　all　coming　right　home　with　me。　Mr。　Brainard　and　Mr。　Ellison　live　there；　I'm　their　boss；　and　they've　got　to　come。　And　you've　got　to　come；　Miss　Ellison；　if　you　don't　want　to　offend　me。　I　won't　take　'no。'　Besides；　your　place　is　near　your　father。　Wear　what　you　have　on；　in　a　half　a　minute　you　can　put　enough　in　a　bag　to　last　until　to…morrow。　To…morrow　we'll　send　in　for　the　rest　of　your　thingswhatever　you　wantand　send　a　note　to　your　Miss　Grierson；　paying　her　off。　You　and　your　father　will　have　my　car；〃　she　concluded；　〃Mr。　Brainard　and　Dick　will　ride　in　Dick's　car；　and　Mr。　Hunt　will　take　me。〃

And　as　she　ordered；　so　was　it。

For　fifteen　minutesperhaps　half　an　hourafter　it　rolled　away　from　the　Grantham　Hotel　there　was　absolute　stillness　in　Miss　Sherwood's　limousine；　which　she　had　assigned　to　Maggie　and　her　father。　Maggie　was　near　emotional　collapse　from　what　she　had　been　through；　and　now　she　was　sitting　tight　in　one　corner；　away　from　the　dark　shadow　in　the　other　corner　that　was　her　newly　discovered　father　who　had　cared　for　her　so　much　that　he　had　sought　to　erase　from　her　mind　all　knowledge　of　his　existence。　She　wanted　to　say　somethingdo　something；　she　was　torn　with　a　poignant　hunger。　But　she　was　so　filled　with　pulsing　desires　and　fears　that　she　was　impotent　to　express　any　of　the　million　things　within　her。

And　so　they　rode　on；　dark　shadows；　almost　half　the　width　of　the　deeply　cushioned　seat　between　them。　Thus　they　had　ridden　along　Jackson　Avenue；　almost　into　Flushing；　when　the　silence　was　broken　by　the　first　words　of　the　journey。　They　were　husky　words；　yearning　and　afraid　of　their　own　sound；　and　were　spoken　by　Maggie's　father。

〃II　don't　know　what　to　call　you。　Willwill　Maggie　do？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　whispered。

〃I'mI'm　not　much；〃　the　husky　voice　ventured　on；　〃but　what　you　said　about　going　awayfor　my　sakedo　you　think　you　need　to　do　it？〃

〃I've　madesuch　a　mess　of　myself；〃　she　choked　out。

〃Other　people　were　to　blame；〃　he　said。　〃And　out　of　it　all；　I　think　you're　going　to　be　whatwhat　I　dreamed　you　were。　Andand〃

There　was　another　stifling　silence。　〃Yes？〃　she　prompted。

〃I　wanted　to　keep　out　of　your　lifefor　your　sake；〃　he　went　on　in　his　strained；　suppressed　voice。　〃Butbut　if　you're　not　ashamed　of　me　now　that　you　know　all〃in　the　darkness　his　groping　hand　closed　upon　hers〃I　wish　you　wouldn'tgo　away　from　me；　Maggie。〃

And　then　the　surging；　incoherent　thing　in　her　that　bad　been　struggling　to　say　itself　this　last　half…hour；　suddenly　found　its　voice　in　a　single　word：

〃Father！〃　she　cried；　and　flung　her　arms　around　his　neck。

〃Maggie！〃　he　sobbed；　crushing　her　to　him。

All　the　way　to　Cedar　Crest　they　said　not　another　word；　just　clung　to　each　other　in　the　darkness；　sobbingthe　first　miraculous　embrace　of　a　father　and　daughter　who　had　each　found　that　which　they　had　never　expected　to　have。




CHAPTER　XXXVII


It　was　ten　the　next　morning　at　Cedar　Crest；　and　Larry　Brainard　sat　in　his　study　mechanically　going　over　his　figures　and　plans　for　the　Sherwood　housing　project。

For　Larry　the　storms　of　the　past　few　weeks；　and　the　whirlwind　of　last　night；　had　cleared　away。　There　was　quiet　in　the　house；　and　through　the　open　windows　he　could　glimpse　the　broad　lawn　almost　singing　in　its　sun…gladdened　greenness；　and　farther　on　he　could　glimpse　the　Sound　gleaming　placidly。　Once　for　perhaps　ten　minutes　he　had　seen　the　overalled　and　straw…hatted　figure　of　Joe　Ellison　busy　as　usual　among　the　flowers。　He　had　strained　his　eyes　for　a　glimpse　of　Maggie；　but　he　had　looked　in　vain。

Despite　all　that　had　come　to　pass　at　the　Grantham　the　previous　evening；　Larry　was　just　now　feeling　restless　and　rather　forlorn。　His　breakfast　had　been　brought　to　him　in　his　room；　and　he　had　not　seen　a　single　member　of　last　night's　party　at　the　Grantham　since　they　had　all　divided　up　according　to　Miss　Sherwood's　orders　and　driven　away；　that　is　he　had　really　seen　no　one　except　Dick。

Dick　had　gripped　his　hand　when　he　had　slipped　in　beside　Dick　in　the　low　seat　of　the　roadster。　〃You're　all　right；　Captain　Nemo！only　I'm　going　to　be　so　brash　as　to　call　you　Larry　after　this；〃　Dick　had　said。　〃If　you'll　let　me；　you　and　I　are　going　to　be　buddies。〃

He　was　all　right；　Dick　was。　Dick　Sherwood　was　a　thoroughbred。

And　there　was　another　matter　which　had　pleased　him。　The　Duchess　had　called　him　up　that　morning；　had　congratulated　him　in　terms　so　brief　that　they　sounded　perfunctory；　but　which　Larry　realized　had　all　his　grandmother's　heart　in　them；　and　had　said　she　wanted　him　to　take　over　the　care　of　all　her　housesthose　she　had　put　up　as　bail　for　him。　When　could　he　come　in　to　see　her　about　this？　。　。　。　He　understood　this　dusty…seeming；　stooped；　inarticulate　grandmother　of　his　as　he　had　not　before。　Considering　what　her　life　had　been；　she　also　was　a　brick。

But　notwithstanding　all　this；　Larry　was　lonelyhungrily　lonelyand　was　very　much　in　doubt。　Miss　Sherwood　had　spoken　to　him　fair　enough　the　night　beforeyet　he　really　did　not　know　just　how　he　stood　with　her。　And　thenMaggie。　That　was　what　meant　most　to　him　just　now。　True；　Maggie　had　emerged　safe　through　perils　without　and　within；　and　to　get　her　through　to　some　such　safety　as　now　was　hers　had　b