children of the whirlwind-第30部分

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nce　that　this　was　the　〃hired　companion〃　his　grandmother　had　spoken　of。　In　other　days　Larry　had　had　experience　with　this　type　and　before　Miss　Grierson　could　bar　him　out　or　ask　a　question；　Larry　was　in　the　room　and　the　door　closed　behind　himand　he　had　entered　with　the　easiest；　most　natural；　most　polite　manner　imaginable。

〃You　were　expecting　me？〃　inquired　Larry　with　his　disarming　and　wholly　engaging　smile。

Neither　Miss　Grierson's　mind　nor　body　was　geared　for　rapid　action。　She　was　taken　aback；　and　yet　not　offended。　So　being　at　a　loss；　she　resorted　to　the　chief　item　in　her　stock　in　trade；　her　ever　dependable　dignity。

〃I　cannot　say　that　I　was。　In　fact；　sir；　I　do　not　know　who　you　are。〃

〃Miss　Cameron　knowsand　she　is　expecting　me；〃　Larry　returned　pleasantly。　His　quick　eyes　had　noted　that　this　was　a　sitting…room：　an　ornate；　patterned　affair　which　the　great　hotels　seem　to　order　in　hundred　lots。　〃Where　is　Miss　Cameron？〃

〃In　the　next　room；〃　nodding　at　the　connecting　door。　〃She　is　engaged。　Telephoning。　A　long…distance　call。　I'm　quite　sure　she　is　not　expecting　you；〃　Miss　Grierson　went　on　to　explain　ponderously　and　elaborately；　but　with　politeness；　for　this　young　man　was　handsome　and　pleasant　and　well…bred　and　might　prove　to　be　some　one　of　real　importance。　〃We　were　to　have　had　a　theater　party　with　supper　afterwards；　but　owing　to　Miss　Cameron's　indisposition　we　did　not　go　to　the　theater。　But　she　insisted　on　keeping　the　engagement　for　the　supper；　but　changing　it　to　here。　Besides　herself　and　myself；　there　are　to　be　only　her　uncle；　her　cousin；　and　just　one　guest。　That　is　why　I　am　so　certain；　sir；　she　is　not　expecting　you。〃

〃But　you　see；〃　smiled　Larry；　〃I　am　that　one　guest。〃

Miss　Grierson　shook　her　carefully　coiffured　transformation。　〃I've　met　the　guest　who　is　coming；　and　I　certainly　have　not　met　you。〃

〃Then　she　must　have　asked　two　of　us。　Anyhow；　I'll　just　speak　to　her；　and　if　I'm　mistaken　and　de　trop；　I'll　withdraw。〃　And　ere　Miss　Grierson　could　even　stir　up　an　intention　to　intervene　further；　this　well…　mannered　young　man　had　smiled　his　disarming　smile　and　bowed　to　her　and　had　passed　through　the　door；　closing　it　behind　him。

He　halted；　the　knob　in　his　hand。　Maggie　was　standing　sidewise　to　him；　holding　a　telephone　in　her　hand；　its　receiver　at　her　ear。　She　must　have　supposed　that　it　was　Miss　Grierson　who　had　so　quietly　entered；　for　she　did　not　look　around。

〃Yes；　I'm　still　waiting；〃　she　was　saying　impatiently。　〃Can't　you　ever　get　that　connection？〃

Larry　had　seen　Maggie　only　in　the　plain　dark　suit　which　she　had　worn　to　her　daily　business　of　selling　cigarettes　at　the　Ritzmore；　and　once；　on　the　night　of　his　return　from　Sing　Sing；　in　that　stage　gypsy　costume；　which　though　effective　was　cheap　and　impromptu　and　did　not　at　all　lift　her　out　of　the　environment　of　the　Duchess's　ancient　and　grimy　house。　But　Larry　was　so　startled　by　this　changed　Maggie　that　for　the　moment　he　could　not　have　moved　from　the　door　even　had　he　so　desired。　She　was　accoutered　in　the　smartest　of　filmy　evening　gowns；　with　the　short　skirt　which　was　then　the　mode；　with　high…heeled　silver　slippers；　her　rounded　arms　and　shoulders　and　bosom　bare；　her　abundant　black　hair　piled　high　in　careful　carelessness。　The　gown　was　cerise　in　color；　and　from　her　forearm　hung　a　great　fan　of　green　plumes。　In　all　the　hotels　and　theaters　of　New　York　one　could　hardly　have　come　upon　a　figure　that　night　more　striking　in　its　finished　and　fresh　young　womanhood。　Larry　trembled　all　over；　his　heart　tried　to　throb　madly　up　out　of　his　throat。

At　length　he　spoke。　And　all　he　was　able　to　say　was：

〃Maggie。〃

She　whirled　about；　and　telephone　and　receiver　almost　fell　from　her　hands。　She　went　pale；　and　stared　at　him；　her　mouth　agape；　her　dark　eyes　wide。

〃La…Larry！〃　she　whispered。

〃Maggie！〃　he　said　again。

〃La…Larry！　I　thought　you　were　in　Chicago。〃

〃I'm　here　now；　Maggieespecially　to　see　you。〃　He　did　not　know　it；　but　his　voice　was　husky。　He　noted　that　she　was　still　holding　the　telephone　and　receiver。　〃It　was　I　who　put　in　that　long…distance　call。　But　I　came　instead。　So　you　might　as　well　hang　up。〃

She　obeyed；　and　set　the　instrument　upon　its　little　table。

〃Larrywhere　have　you　been　all　this　while？〃

He　was　now　conscious　enough　to　note　that　there　was　tense　concern　in　her　manner。　He　exulted　at　it；　and　crossed　and　took　her　hand。

〃Right　here　in　New　York；　Maggie。〃

〃In　hiding？〃

〃In　mighty　good　hiding。〃

〃But；　Larrydon't　you　know　it's　dangerous　for　you　to　come　out？　And　to　come　here　of　all　places？〃

〃I　couldn't　help　myself。　I　simply　had　to　see　you；　Maggie。〃

He　was　still　holding　her　hand；　and　there　was　an　instinctive　grip　of　her　fingers　about　his。　For　a　momentthe　moment　during　which　her　outer　or　more　conscious　self　was　startled　into　forgetfulnessthey　gazed　at　each　other　silently　and　steadily；　eye　into　eye。

And　then　the　things　the　Duchess　had　said　crept　back　into　his　mind；　and　he　said：

〃Maggie；　I've　come　to　take　you　out　of　all　this。　Get　readylet's　leave　at　once。〃

That　broke　the　spell。　She　jerked　away　from　him；　and　instantly　she　was　the　old　Maggie：　the　Maggie　who　had　jeered　at　him　and　defied　him　the　night　of　his　return　from　prison　when　he　had　announced　his　new　plan　the　Maggie　who　had　flaunted　him　as　〃stool〃　and　〃squealer〃　the　evening　she　had　left　the　Duchess's　to　enter　upon　this　new　career。

〃No；　you're　not　going　to　take　me　out　of　this！〃　she　flung　at　him。　〃I　told　you　once　before　that　I　wasn't　going　your　way！　I　told　you　that　I　was　going　my　own　way！　That　held　for　then；　and　it　holds　for　now；　and　it　will　hold　for　always！〃

The　softer　mood　which　had　come　upon　him　by　surprise　at　sight　of　her　and　filled　him；　now　gave　way　to　grim　determination。　〃Yes；　you　are　coming　my　waysometime；　if　not　now！　And　now　if　I　can　make　you！〃

Their　embattled　gazes　gripped　each　other。　But　now　Larry　was　seeing　more　than　just　Maggie。　He　was　also　taking　in　the　room。　It　was　close　kin　to　the　room　in　which　he　had　left　Miss　Grierson：　ornate；　undistinguished；　and　very　expensive。　He　noted　one　slight　difference：　a　tiny　hallway　giving　on　the　corridor；　its　inner　door　now　opened。

But　the　greatest　difference　was　what　he　saw　over　Maggie's　smooth　white　shoulders：　a　table　all　set　with　china　and　glass　and　silver；　and　arranged　for　five。

〃Maggie；　what's　this　game　you're　up　to？〃　he　demanded。

〃It's　none　of　your　business！〃　she　said　fiercely；　but　in　a　low　tone　for　both　were　instinctively　remembering　Miss　Grierson　in　the　adjoining　room。　And　then　she　added　proudly：　〃But　it's　big！　Bigger　than　anything　you　ever　dreamed　of！　And　you　can　see　I　am　putting　it　across　so　far　and　I'll　be　putting　it　across　at　the　finish！　Compare　it　to　the　cheap　line　you　talked　about。　Bah！〃

〃Listen；　Maggie！〃　In　his　intensity　he　gripped　her　bare　forearm。　〃This　is　bad　business；　and　if　you　had　any　sense　you'd　know　it！　Don't　you　think　I　get　the　layout？　Barney　is　your　cousin；　Old　Jimmie　is　your　uncle；　that　dame　in　the　next　room　and　this　suite　and　your　swell　clothes　to　help　put　up　a　front！　And　your　sickness　that　wouldn't　let　you　go　to　the　theater　is　just　a　fake；　so　that；　not　wanting　to　disappoint　them　entirely；　you'd　have　an　excuse　for　having　supper　hereand　thus　adroitly　draw　some　person　into　the　trap　of　a　more　intimate　relationship。　It's