children of the whirlwind-第16部分

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g　snarl；　his　powerful　shoulders　hunched　up　as　if　he　were　about　to　strike。　But　he　held　back　his　physical　blows。

〃That's　your　ultimatum？〃

〃If　you　care　to　call　it　soyes。〃

〃Then　here's　mine！　I　told　you　I　was　holding　back　my　high　cards。　Either　you　do　as　I　say；　and　work　with　Gavegan　and　Casey；　or　you'll　not　be　able　to　hold　a　job　in　New　York！　My　men　will　see　to　that。　And　here's　another　high　card。　You　do　as　I've　said；　or　I'll　hang　some　charge　on　you；　one　that'll　stick；　and　back　up　the　river　you'll　go　for　another　stretch！　There's　an　ultimatum　for　you　to　think　about！〃

It　certainly　was。　Larry　gazed　into　the　harsh；　glaring　face；　set　in　fierce　determination。　He　knew　that　Barlow；　as　part　of　his　policy；　loved　to　break　down　the　spirit　of　criminals；　and　he　knew　that　nothing　so　roused　Barlow　as　opposition　from　a　man　he　considered　in　his　power。　Close　beside　the　Chief　he　saw　the　gloating；　malignant　face　of　Gavegan；　Casey；　who　had　been　restless　since　the　beginning　of　the　scene；　had　moved　to　the　window　and　was　gazing　down　into　Center　Street。

For　a　moment　Larry　did　not　reply。　Barlow　mistook　Larry's　silence　for　wavering；　or　the　beginning　of　an　inclination　to　yield。

〃You　turn　that　over　in　your　noodle；〃　Barlow　drove　on。　〃You're　going　to　go　crooked；　anyhow；　so　you　might　as　well　go　crooked　in　the　only　way　that's　safe　for　you。　I'm　going　to　have　Gavegan　and　Casey　watch　you；　and　if　in　the　next　few　days　you　don't　begin　to　string　along　with　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie　and　that　bunch；　and　if　you　don't　get　me　word　that　your　answer　to　my　proposition　is　'yes；'　hell's　going　to　fall　on　you！　Now　get　out　of　here！〃

Larry　got　out。　He　was　liquid　lava　of　rage　inside；　but　he　had　had　enough　to　do　with　police　power　to　know　that　it　would　help　him　not　at　all　to　permit　an　eruption　against　a　police　official　while　he　was　in　the　very　heart　of　the　police　stronghold。

He　walked　back　toward　his　own　street　in　a　fury；　beneath　which　was　subconsciously　an　element　of　uneasiness：　an　uneasiness　which　would　have　been　instantly　roused　to　caution　had　he　known　that　Barney　Palmer　had　this　hour　and　more　been　following　him　in　a　taxicab；　and　that　across　the　street　from　the　car's　window　Barney's　sharp　face　had　watched　him　enter　Police　Headquarters　and　had　watched　him　emerge。

Home　reached；　Larry　briefly　recounted　his　experience　at　Headquarters　to　Hunt　and　the　Duchess。　The　painter　whistled；　the　Duchess　blinked　and　said　nothing　at　all。

〃Maggie　was　more　right　than　she　knew　when　she　first　said　you　were　facing　a　tough　proposition！〃　exclaimed　Hunt。　〃Believe　me；　young　fellow；　you're　certainly　up　against　it！〃

〃Can　you　beat　it　for　irony！〃　said　Larry；　pacing　the　floor。　〃A　man　wants　to　go　straight。　His　pals　ask　him　to　be　a　crook；　and　are　sore　because　he　won't　be　a　crook。　The　police　ask　him　to　be　a　crook；　and　threaten　him　because　he　doesn't　want　to　be　a　crook。　Some　situation！〃

〃Some　situation！〃　repeated　Hunt。　〃What're　you　going　to　do？〃

〃Do？〃　Larry　halted；　his　face　set　with　defiant　determination。　〃I'm　going　to　keep　on　doing　exactly　what　I've　been　doing！　And　they　can　all　go　to　hell！〃




CHAPTER　X


For　several　days　nothing　seemed　to　be　happening；　though　Larry　had　a　sense　that　unknown　forces　were　gathering　on　distant　isothermal　lines　and　bad　weather　was　bearing　down　upon　him。　During　these　days；　trying　to　ignore　that　formless　trouble；　he　gave　himself　with　a　most　rigid　determination　to　his　new　routinethe　routine　which　he　counted　on　to　help　him　into　the　way　of　great　things。

Every　day　he　saw　Maggie；　sometimes　he　was　in　her　company　for　an　hour　or　more。　He　had　the　natural　hunger　of　a　young　man　to　talk　to　a　young　woman；　and；　moreover；　it　is　a　severe　strain　for　a　man　to　be　living　under　the　same　roof　with　the　girl　he　loves　and　not　to　be　on　terms　of　friendship　with　her。　But　Maggie　maintained　her　aloofness。　She　spoke　only　when　she　was　pressed　into　it；　and　her　speech　was　usually　no　more　than　a　〃yes〃　or　a　〃no；〃　or　a　flashing　phrase　of　disdain。

At　times　Larry　had　the　feeling　that；　for　all　her　repression；　Maggie　would　have　been　glad　to　be　more　free　with　him。　And　he　knew　enough　of　human　nature　not　to　be　too　disheartened　by　her　attitude。　Had　he　been　a　nonentity　to　her；　she　would　have　ignored　him。　Her　very　insults　were　proof　that　he　was　a　positive　personality　with　real　significance　in　her　life。　And　so　he　counseled　himself　to　have　patience　and　await　a　thawing　or　an　awaking。　Besides；　he　kept　repeating　to　himself；　there　would　be　small　chance　of　effecting　a　conversion　in　this　militant　young　orthodoxist　of　cynicism　until　he　had　proved　the　soundness　of　contrary　views　by　his　own　established　success。

And　thus　the　days　drifted　by。　But　on　the　fifth　day　after　his　interview　with　Barlow　things　began　to　happen。　First　of　all；　he　noticed　in　a　morning　paper　that　Red　Hannigan　and　Jack　Rosenfeldt；　members　of　his　old　outfit　and　suggested　by　Old　Jimmie　as　participants　in　his　proposed　new　enterprise；　had　just　been　arrested　by　Gavegan　and　Casey　on　the　charge　of　alleged　connection　with　the　sale　of　fraudulent　mining　stock。

Second；　on　his　return　at　the　end　of　the　afternoon；　he　saw　standing　before　the　house　a　taxicab　with　a　trunk　beside　the　chauffeur。　In　the　musty　museum　of　a　room　behind　the　pawnshop　he　found　Hunt　and　the　Duchess　and　Old　Jimmie　and　Barney；　and　also　Maggie；　coming　down　the　stairway；　hat　and　coat　on　and　carrying　a　suitcase。　A　sharp　pain　throbbed　through　him　as　he　recognized　the　significance　of　Maggie's　hat　and　coat　and　baggage。

〃Maggieyou're　going　away？〃　he　exclaimed。

〃Yes。〃

She　had　paused　at　the　foot　of　the　stairway；　and　at　sight　of　him　had　gone　a　little　pale　and　wide…eyed。　But　in　an　instant　she　had　recovered　her　accustomed　flair；　there　came　a　proud　lift　to　her　head；　a　flash　of　scorn　into　her　dark　eyes。

〃At　last　I'm　leaving　this　street　for　good；〃　she　said。　〃I　told　you　that　some　day　I　was　going　out　into　the　world　and　do　big　things。　The　time's　comeI'm　graduatedI'm　going　to　begin　real　work。　And　I'm　going　to　succeedyou　see！〃

〃Maggie！〃　he　breathed。　Then　impulsively　he　started　toward　her　authoritatively。　〃Maggie；　I'm　not　going　to　let　you　do　anything　of　the　sort！〃

But　swiftly　Barney　had　stepped　in　between　them；　Old　Jimmie　just　behind　him。

〃Keep　out　of　this！〃　Barney　snapped　at　Larry；　a　reddish　blaze　in　his　eyes。　〃Maggie's　going　away　and　you　can't　stop　her。　D'you　think　her　father　is　going　to　let　her　stay　down　here　any　longer；　where　you　can　spout　your　preaching　at　her！and　you　all　the　time　a　stool　and　a　squealer！〃

〃What's　that？〃　cried　Larry。

〃I　called　you　a　stool！〃　repeated　the　malignantly　exultant　Barney；　alert　for　any　move　on　the　part　of　the　suddenly　tensed　Larry。　〃And　you　are　a　stool！　Didn't　I　see　you　myself　go　into　Headquarters　with　Casey　and　Gavegan　where　you　sold　yourself　to　Chief　Barlow！〃

〃Why；　you　damned〃

Even　before　he　spoke　Larry　launched　a　furious　swing　straight　from　the　hip　at　Barney's　twisted　face。　But　Barney　had　been　expecting　exactly　that；　and　was　even　the　quicker。　He　caught　Larry's　wrist　before　it　was　fairly　started；　and　thrust　a　dull…hued　automatic　into　Larry's　stomach。

〃Behave；　damn　you；〃　gritted　Barney；　〃or　I'll　blow　your　damned　guts　out！　Nogo　ahead　and　try　to　hit　me。　I'd　like　nothing　better　than　to　kill　you；　you　rat；　and　have　a　good　plea　of　self…defe