children of the whirlwind-第29部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



Hunt's　jaw　set。　〃Young　fellow；　I　take　that　bet！　And　I'll　not　let　you　off；　eitheryou'll　have　to　pay　it！　Which　pictures　do　you　want？〃

〃That　young　Italian　woman　sitting　on　the　curb　nursing　her　babyand　any　other　picture　you　want　to　put　with　it。〃

Hunt　went　clumping　up　the　stairway。　When　he　was　out　of　earshot；　the　Duchess　remarked　quietly：

〃What　did　you　really　come　for；　Larry？〃

Larry　was　somewhat　taken　aback　by　his　grandmother's　penetration；　but　he　did　not　try　to　evade　the　question　nor　the　steady　gaze　of　the　old　eyes。

〃I　thought　you　might　know　where　Maggie　is；　and　I　came　to　ask。〃

〃That's　what　I　thought。〃

〃Do　you　know　where　she　is？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Where　is　she？〃

The　old　eyes　were　still　steady　upon　him。　〃I　don't　know　that　I　should　tell　you。　I　want　you　to　get　onand　the　less　you　have　to　do　with　Maggie；　the　better　for　you。〃

〃I'd　like　to　know；　grandmother。〃

The　Duchess　considered　for　a　long　space。　〃After　all；　you're　of　age　and　you've　got　to　decide　what's　best　for　yourself。　I'll　tell　you。　Maggie　was　here　the　other　daydressed　simpleto　get　some　letters　she'd　forgotten　to　take　and　which　I　couldn't　find。　We　had　a　talk。　Maggie　is　living　at　the　Grantham　under　the　name　of　Margaret　Cameron。　She　has　a　suite　there。〃

〃A　suite　at　the　Grantham！〃　exclaimed　Larry；　astounded。　〃Why；　the　Grantham　is　in　the　same　class　with　the　Ritzmore；　where　she　used　to　workor　the　Plaza！　A　suite　at　the　Grantham！〃

And　then　Larry　gave　a　twitching　start。　〃At　the　Granthamalone？〃

〃Not　aloneno。　But　it's　not　what　just　came　into　your　mind。　It's　a　woman　that's　with　her；　a　hired　companion。　And　they're　doing　everything　on　a　swell　scale。〃

〃What's　Maggie　up　to？〃

〃She　didn't　tell　me；　except　to　say　that　the　plan　was　a　big　one。　She　was　all　excited　over　it。　If　you　want　to　know　just　what　it　is；　ask　Barney　Palmer　and　Old　Jimmie。〃

〃Barney　and　Old　Jimmie！〃　ejaculated　Larry。　And　then：　〃Barney　and　Old　Jimmieand　a　suite　at　the　Grantham！〃

At　that　moment　Hunt　came　back　down　the　stairway；　carrying　a　roll　wrapped　in　brown　paper。

〃Here　you　are；　young　fellow；〃　he　announced。　De…mounted　'em　so　the　junk　would　be　easier　to　handle。　The　Dago　mother　you　asked　forthe　second　painting　may　be　one　you'd　like　to　have　for　your　own　private　gallery。　I'm　not　going　to　let　you　get　away　with　your　bluffand　don't　you　forget　it！　。　。　。　Duchess；　don't　you　think　he'd　better　beat　it　before　Gavegan　and　his　loving　friends　take　a　tumble　to　his　presence　and　mess　up　the　neighborhood？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　Duchess。　〃Good…night；　Larry。〃

〃Good…night；〃　said　he。

Mechanically　he　took　the　roll　of　paintings　and　slipped　it　under　his　raincoat；　mechanically　he　shook　hands；　mechanically　he　got　out　of　the　pawnshop；　mechanically　he　took　all　precautions　in　getting　out　of　the　little　rain…driven　street　and　in　getting　into　a　taxicab　which　he　captured　over　near　Cooper　Institute。　All　his　mind　was　upon　what　the　Duchess　had　told　him　and　upon　a　new　idea　which　was　throbbingly　growing　into　a　purpose。　Maggie　and　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie！　Maggie　in　a　suite　at　the　Grantham！

What　Larry　now　did；　as　he　got　into　the　taxi；　he　would　have　called　footless　and　foolhardy　an　hour　before；　and　at　any　other　hour　his　judgment　might　have　restrained　him。　But　just　now　he　seemed　controlled　by　a　force　greater　than　smooth…running　judgmenta　composite　of　many　forces：　by　sudden　jealousy；　by　a　sudden　desire　to　shield　Maggie；　by　a　sudden　desire　to　see　her。　So　as　he　stepped　into　the　taxi；　he　said：

〃The　Granthamquick！〃




CHAPTER　XVII


The　taxi　went　rocking　up　Fourth　Avenue。　But　now　that　decision　was　made　and　he　was　headed　toward　Maggie；　a　little　of　judgment　reasserted　itself。　It　would　not　be　safe　for　him　to　walk　openly　into　the　Grantham　with　a　mouthful　of　questions。　He　did　not　know　the　number　of　Maggie's　suite。　And　Maggie　might　not　be　in。　So　he　revised　his　plan　slightly。　He　called　to　his　driver：

〃Go　to　the　Claridge　first。〃

Five　minutes　later　the　taxi　was　in　Forty…Fourth　Street　and　Larry　was　stepping　out。　Fortune　favored　him　in　one　factor　perhaps　his　subconscious　mind　had　based　his　plan　upon　this　fact：　the　time　was　half…past　ten；　the　theaters　still　held　their　crowds；　the　streets　were　empty；　the　restaurants　were　practically　unoccupied。　He　was　incurring　the　minimum　of　risk。

〃Wait　for　me；〃　he　ordered　the　driver。　〃I'll　be　out　in　five　minutes。〃

In　less　than　the　half　of　the　first　of　these　minutes　Larry　had　attained　his　first　objective：　the　secluded　telephone…room　down　behind　the　grill。　It　was　unoccupied　except　for　the　telephone　girl　who　was　gazing　raptly　at　the　sorrowful；　romantic；　and　very　soiled　pages　of　〃St。　Elmo。〃　The　next　moment　she　was　gazing　at　something　elsea　five…　dollar　bill　which　Larry　had　slipped　into　the　open　book。

〃That's　to　pay　for　a　telephone　call；　just　keep　the　change；〃　he　said　rapidly。　〃You're　to　do　all　the　talking；　and　say　just　what　I　tell　you。〃

〃I　got　you；　general；〃　said　the　girl；　emerging　with　alacrity　from　romance　to　reality。　〃Shoot。〃

〃Call　up　the　Hotel　Granthamsay　you're　a　florist　with　an　order　to　deliver　some　flowers　direct　to　Miss　Margaret　Cameronand　ask　for　the　number　of　her　suiteand　keep　the　wire　open。〃

The　girl　obeyed　promptly。　In　less　than　a　minute　she　was　reporting　to　Larry：

〃They　say　1141…1142…1143。〃

〃Ask　if　she's　in。　If　she　is；　get　her　on　the　'phone；　tell　her　long　distance　is　calling；　but　doesn't　want　to　speak　to　her　unless　she　is　alone。　You　get　it？〃

〃Sure；　brother。　This　ain't　the　first　time　I　helped　a　party　out。〃

There　was　more　jabbing　with　the　switch…board　plug；　evident　switching　at　the　other　end；　several　questions；　and　then　the　girl　asked：　〃Is　this　Miss　Margaret　Cameron？　Miss　Cameron〃　and　so　on　as　per　Larry's　instructions。

The　operator　turned　to　Larry：　〃She　says　she's　alone。〃

〃Tell　her　to　hold　the　wire　till　you　get　better　connectionsthe　storm　has　messed　up　connections　terriblyand　keep　your　own　wire　open　and　make　her　hold　her　end。〃

As　Larry　went　out　he　heard　his　instructions　being　executed　while　an　adept　hand　safely　banked　the　bill　inside　her　shirt…waist。　Within　two　minutes　his　taxi　set　him　down　at　the　Grantham；　and　knowing　that　whatever　risks　he　ran　would　be　lessened　by　his　acting　swiftly　and　without　any　suspicious　hesitation；　he　walked　straight　in　and　to　the　elevators；　in　the　manner　of　one　having　business　there；　his　collar　again　pulled　up；　his　cap　pulled　down；　and　his　face　just　then　covered　with　a　handkerchief　which　was　caring　for　a　sniffling　nose　in　a　highly　natural　manner。

With　his　heart　pounding　he　got　without　mishap　to　the　doors　numbered　1141；　1142；　and　1143。　Instinctively　he　knew　in　a　general　way　what　the　apartment　was　like：　a　set　of　rooms　of　various　character　which　the　hotel　could　rent　singly　or　throw　together　and　rent　en　suite。　But　which　of　the　three　was　the　main　entrance？　He　dared　not　hesitate；　for　the　slightest　queer　action　might　get　the　attention　of　the　floor　clerk　down　the　corridor。　So　Larry　chose　the　happy　medium　and　pressed　the　mother…　of…pearl　button　of　1142。

The　door　opened；　and　before　Larry　stood　a　large；　elderly；　imposing　woman　in　a　rigidly　formal　evening　gowna　gown　which；　by　the　way；　had　been　part　of　Miss　Grierson's　equipment　for　many　a　year　for　helping　raw　young　things　master　the　art　of　being　ladies。　Larry　surmised　at　once　t