children of the whirlwind-第47部分

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And　then　Dick　plunged　into　it；　stammeringly；　but　earnestly。　He　told　her　how　much　he　loved　her；　in　old　phrases　that　his　boyish　ardor　made　vibrantly　new。　He　loved　her！　And　if　she　would　marry　him；　her　influence　would　make　him　take　the　brace　all　his　friends　had　urged　upon　him。　She'd　make　him　a　man！　And　she　could　see　how　pleased　it　would　make　his　sister。　And　he　would　do　his　best　to　make　Maggie　happyhis　very　best！

The　young　super…adventuressshe　herself　had　mentally　used　the　word　〃adventuress〃　in　thinking　of　herself；　as　being　more　genteel　and　mentally　aristocratic　than　the　cruder　words　by　which　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie　and　their　kind　designated　a　woman　accomplicethis　young　super…　adventuress；　who　had　schemed　all　this　so　adroitly；　and　worked　toward　it　with　the　best　of　her　brain　and　her　conscious　charm；　was　seized　with　new　panic　as　she　listened　to　the　eager　torrent　of　his　imploring　words；　as　she　gazed　into　the　quivering　earnestness　of　his　frank；　blue…eyed　face。　She　wished　she　could　get　out　of　the　machine　and　run　away　or　sink　through　the　floor…boards　of　the　car。　For　she　really　liked　Dick。

〃I'mI'm　not　so　good　as　you　think；〃　she　whispered。　And　then　some　unsuspected　force　within　her　impelled　her　to　say：　〃Dick；　if　you　knew　the　truth〃

He　caught　her　shoulders。　〃I　know　all　the　truth　about　you　I　want　to　know！　You're　wonderful；　and　I　love　you！　Will　you　marry　me？　Answer　that。　That's　all　I　want　to　know！〃

He　had　checked　the　confession　that　impulsively　had　surged　toward　her　lips。　Silent；　her　eyes　wide；　her　breath　coming　sharply；　she　sat　gazing　at　him。　。　。　。　And　then　from　out　the　portion　of　her　brain　where　were　stored　her　purposes；　and　the　momentum　of　her　pride　and　determination；　there　flashed　the　realization　that　she　had　won！　The　thing　that　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie　had　prepared　and　she　had　so　skillfully　worked　toward；　was　at　last　achieved！　She　had　only　to　say　〃yes；〃　and　either　of　those　two　plans　which　Barney　had　outlined　could　at　once　be　put　in　operation…　…and　there　could　be　no　doubt　of　the　swift　success　of　either。　Dick's　eager；　trusting　face　was　guarantee　that　there　would　come　no　obstruction　from　him。

She　felt　that　in　some　strange　way　she　had　been　caught　in　a　trap。　Yes；　what　they　had　worked　for；　they　had　won！　And　yet；　in　this　moment　of　winning；　as　elements　of　her　vast　dizziness；　Maggie　felt　sick　and　ashamedfelt　a　frenzied　desire　to　run　away　from　the　whole　affair。　For　Maggie；　cynical；　all…confident；　and　eighteen；　was　proving　really　a　very　poor　adventuress。

〃Please；　Maggie〃his　imploring　voice　broke　in　upon　her〃won't　you　answer　me？　You　like　me；　don't　you？you'll　marry　me；　won't　you？〃

〃I　like　you；　Dick；〃　she　choked　outand　it　was　some　slight　comfort　to　her　to　be　telling　this　much　of　the　truthbutbut　I　can't　marry　you。〃

〃Maggie！〃　It　was　a　cry　of　surprised　pain；　and　the　pain　in　his　voice　shot　acutely　into　her。　〃From　the　way　you　acted　toward　meI　thoughtI　hoped〃　He　sharply　halted　the　accusation　which　had　risen　to　his　lips。　〃I'm　not　going　to　take　that　answer　as　final；　Maggie；〃　he　said　doggedly。　〃I'm　going　to　give　you　more　time　to　think　it　overmore　time　for　me　to　try。　Then　I'll　ask　you　again。〃

That　which　prompted　Maggie's　response　was　a　mixture　of　impulses：　the　desire；　and　this　offered　opportunity；　to　escape；　and　a　faint　reassertion　of　the　momentum　of　her　purpose。　For　with　one　such　as　Maggie；　the　set　purposes　may　be　seemingly　overwhelmed；　but　death　comes　hard。

〃All　right；〃　she　breathed　rapidly。　〃Only　please　get　me　back　as　quickly　as　you　can。　I'm　to　have　dinner　with　mymy　cousin；　and　I'll　be　very　late。〃

Dick　drove　her　into　the　city　in　almost　unbroken　silence　and　left　her　at　the　great　doors　of　the　Grantham；　abustle　with　a　dozen　lackeys　in　purple　livery。　She　stood　a　moment　and　watched　him　drive　away。　He　really　was　a　nice　boyDick。

As　she　shot　up　the　elevator；　she　thought　of　a　hitherto　forgotten　element　of　that　afternoon's　bewildering　situation。　Barney　Palmer！　And　Barney　was；　she　knew；　now　up　in　her　sitting…room；　impatiently　waiting　for　her　report　of　what　he　had　good　reason　to　believe　would　prove　a　successful　experience。　If　she　told　the　truththat　Dick　had　proposed；　just　as　they　had　planned　for　him　to　doand　she　had　refused　himwhy；　Barney！

She　seemed　caught　on　every　side！

Maggie　got　into　her　suite　by　way　of　her　bedroom。　She　wanted　time　to　gather　her　wits　for　meeting　Barney。　When　Miss　Grierson　told　her　that　her　cousin　was　still　waiting　to　take　her　to　dinner；　she　requested　her　companion　to　inform　Barney　that　she　would　be　in　as　soon　as　she　had　dressed。　She　wasted　all　the　time　she　legitimately　could　in　changing　into　a　dinner…gown；　and　when　at　length　she　stepped　into　her　sitting…　room　she　was　to　Barney's　eye　the　same　cool　Maggie　as　always。

Barney　rose　as　she　entered。　He　was　in　smart　dinner　jacket；　these　days　Barney　was　wearing　the　smartest　of　everything　that　money　could　secure。　There　was　a　shadow　of　impatience　on　his　face；　but　it　was　instantly　dissipated　by　Maggie's　self…composed；　direct…eyed　beauty。

〃How'd　you　come　out　with　Miss　Sherwood？〃　he　whispered　eagerly。

〃Well　enough　for　her　to　kiss　me　good…bye；　and　beg　me　to　come　again。〃

〃I've　got　to　hand　it　to　you；　Maggie！　You're　sure　some　swell　actress　you've　sure　got　class！〃　His　dark　eyes　gleamed　on　her　with　half　a　dozen　pleasures：　admiration　of　what　she　was　in　herselfadmiration　of　what　she　had　just　achievedanticipation　of　results；　many　results　anticipation　of　what　she　was　later　to　mean　to　him　in　a　personal　way。　〃If　you　can　put　it　over　on　a　swell　like　Miss　Sherwood；　you　can　put　it　over　on　any　one！〃　He　exulted。　〃As　soon　as　we　clean　up　this　job　in　hand；　we'll　move　on　to　one　big　thing　after　another！〃

And　then　out　came　the　question　Maggie　had　been　bracing　herself　for：　〃How　about　Dick　Sherwood？　Did　he　finally　come　across　with　that　proposal？〃

〃No；〃　Maggie　answered　steadily。

〃No？　Why　not？〃　exclaimed　Barney　sharply。　〃I　thought　that　was　all　that　was　holding　him　backwaiting　for　his　sister　to　look　you　over　and　give　you　her　O。K。？〃

Maggie　had　decided　that　her　air　of　cool；　indifferent　certainty　was　the　best　manner　to　use　in　this　situation　with　Barney。　So　she　shrugged　her　white　shoulders。

〃How　can　I　tell　what　makes　a　man　do　something；　and　what　makes　him　not　do　it？〃

〃But　did　he　seem　any　less　interested　in　you　than　before？〃　Barney　pursued。

〃No；〃　replied　Maggie。

〃Then　maybe　he's　just　waiting　to　get　up　his　nerve。　He'll　ask　you；　all　right；　nothing　there　for　us　to　worry　about。　Come　on；　let's　have　dinner。　I'm　starved。〃

On　the　roof　of　the　Grantham　they　were　excellently　served；　for　Barney　knew　how　to　order　a　dinner；　and　he　knew　the　art；　which　is　an　alchemistic　mixture　of　suave　diplomacy　and　the　insinuated　power　and　purpose　of　murder；　of　handling　head…waiters　and　their　sub…autocrats。　Having　no　other　business　in　hand；　Barney　devoted　himself　to　that　business　which　ran　like　a　core　through　all　his　businessespaying　court　to　Maggie。　And　when　Barney　wished　to　be　a　courtier；　there　were　few　of　his　class　who　could　give　a　better　superficial　interpretation　of　the　role；　and　in　this　particular　instance　he　was　at　the　advantage　of　being　in　earnest。　He　forced　the　most　expensive　tidbits　announced　by　the　dinner　card　upon　Maggie；　he　gallantly　and　very　gracefully　put　on　and　removed；　as　required　by　circ