children of the whirlwind-第48部分

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　by　circumstances；　the　green　cobweb　of　a　scarf　Maggie　had　brought　to　the　roof　as　protection　against　the　elements；　and　when　he　took　the　dancing…floor　with　her；　he　swung　her　about　and　hopped　up　and　down　and　stepped　in　and　out　with　all　the　skill　of　a　master　of　the　modern　perversion　of　dancing。　Barney　was　really　good　enough　to　have　been　a　professional　dancer　had　his　desires　not　led　him　toward　what　seemed　to　him　a　more　exciting　and　more　profitable　career。

Maggie；　not　to　rouse　Barney's　suspicions；　played　her　role　as　well　as　he　did　his　own。　And　most　of　the　other　diners；　a　fraction　of　the　changing　two　or　three　hundred　thousand　people　from　the　South　and　West　who　choose　New　York　as　the　best　of　all　summer　resorts；　gazed　upon　this　handsome　couple　with　their　intricate　steps　which　were　timed　with　such　effortless　and　enviable　accuracy；　and　excitedly　believed　that　they　were　beholding　two　distinguished　specimens　of　what　their　home　papers　persisted　in　calling　New　York's　Four　Hundred。

Maggie　got　back　to　her　room　with　the　feeling　that　she　had　staved　off　Barney　and　her　numerous　other　dilemmas　for　the　immediate　present。　Her　chief　thought　in　the　many　events　of　the　day　had　been　only　to　escape　her　dangers　and　difficulties　for　the　moment；　all　the　time　she　had　known　that　her　real　thinking；　her　real　decisions；　were　for　a　later　time　when　she　was　not　so　driven　by　the　press　of　unexpected　circumstances。　That　less　stressful　time　was　now　beginning。

What　was　she　to　do　next？　What　were　to　be　her　final　decisions？　And　what；　in　all　this　strange　ferment；　was　likely　to　germinate　as　possible　forces　against　her？

She　mulled　these　things　over　for　several　days；　during　which　Dick　came　to　see　her　twice；　and　twice　proposed；　and　was　twice　put　off。　She　had　quiet　now；　and　was　most　of　the　time　alone；　but　that　clarity　which　she　had　expected；　that　quickness　and　surety　of　purpose　which　she　had　always　believed　to　be　unfailingly　hers；　refused　to　come。

She　tried　to　have　it　otherwise；　but　the　outstanding　figure　in　her　meditations　was　Larry。　Larry；　who　had　not　exposed　her　at　the　Sherwoods'；　and　whose　influence　had　caused　Hunt　also　not　to　expose　herLarry；　who　without　deception　was　on　a　familiar　footing　at　the　Sherwoods'　where　she　had　been　received　only　through　trickeryLarry；　a　fugitive　in　danger　from　so　many　enemies；　perhaps　after　all　undeserved　enemiesLarry；　who　looked　to　be　making　good　on　his　boast　to　achieve　success　through　honestyLarry；　who　had　again　told　her　that　he　loved　her。　She　liked　Dick　Sherwoodshe　really　did。　But　Larrythat　was　something　different。

And　thus　she　thought　on；　drawn　this　way　and　that；　and　unable　to　reach　a　decision。　But　with　most　people；　when　in　a　state　of　acute　mental　turmoil；　that　which　has　been　most　definite　in　the　past；　instinct；　habit　of　mind；　purpose；　tradition；　becomes　at　least　temporarily　the　dominant　factor　through　the　mere　circumstance　that　it　has　existed　powerfully　before；　through　its　comparative　stability；　through　its　semi…permanence。　And　so　with　Maggie。　She　had　for　that　one　afternoon　almost　been　won　over　against　herself　by　the　workings　of　Larry's　secret　diplomacy。　Then　had　come　the　natural　reaction。　And　now　in　her　turmoil；　in　so　far　as　she　had　any　decision；　it　was　instinctively　to　go　right　ahead　in　the　direction　in　which　she　had　been　going。

But　on　the　sixth　day　of　her　uncertainty；　just　after　Dick　had　called　on　her　and　she　had　provisionally　accepted　an　invitation　to　Cedar　Crest　for　the　following　afternoon；　a　danger　which　she　had　half　seen　from　the　start　burst　upon　her　without　a　moment's　warning。　It　came　into　her　sitting…room；　just　before　her　dinner　hour；　in　the　dual　form　of　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie。　The　faces　of　both　were　lowering。

〃Get　rid　of　that　boob　chaperon　of　yours！〃　gritted　Barney。　〃We're　going　to　have　some　real　talk！〃

Maggie　stepped　to　the　connecting　door；　sent　Miss　Grierson　on　an　inconsequential　errand；　and　returned。

〃You're　looking　as　pleasant　as　if　you　were　sitting　for　a　new　photograph；　Barney。　What　gives　you　that　sweet　expression？〃

〃You'll　cut　out　your　comic…supplement　stuff　in　just　one　second；〃　Barney　warned　her。　〃We　both　saw　young　Sherwood　awhile　ago　as　he　was　leaving　the　Grantham；　and　he　told　us　everything！〃

Persiflage　did　indeed　fail　Maggie。　〃Everything？〃　she　exclaimed。　〃What's　everything？〃

〃He　told　us　about　proposing　to　you　almost　a　week　ago；　and　about　your　refusing　him。　And　you　lied　to　uskept　us　sitting　round；　wasting　our　timeand　all　the　while　you've　been　double…crossing　us！〃

Those　visitors　from　South　and　West；　especially　the　women；　who　a　few　nights　before　on　the　roof　had　regarded　Barney　as　the　perfect　courtier；　would　not　have　so　esteemed　him　if　they　had　seen　him　at　the　present　moment。　He　seized　Maggie's　wrists；　and　all　the　evil　of　his　violent　nature　glared　from　his　small　bright　eyes。

〃Damn　you！〃　he　cried。　〃Jimmie；　she's　yours；　and　a　father's　got　a　right　to　do　anything　he　likes　to　his　own　daughter。　Give　it　to　her　proper　if　she　don't　come　across　with　the　truth！〃

Jimmie　stepped　closer　to　her　and　bared　his　yellow　teeth。　〃I　haven't　given　you　a　basting　since　you　were　fifteenbut　I'll　paste　you　one　right　in　the　mouth　if　you　don't　talk　straight　talk！〃

〃You　hear　that！〃　Barney　gritted　at　her。　He　believed　there　was　justice　in　his　wrathas　indeed　there　was；　of　a　sort。　〃Think　what　Jimmie　and　I've　put　into　this；　in　time　and　hard　coin！　We've　given　you　your　chance；　we've　made　you！　And　then；　after　hard　work　and　waiting　and　our　spending　so　much；　and　everything　comes　out　exactly　as　we　figured；　you　go　and　throw　us　downnot　just　yourself；　but　us　and　our　rights！　Now　you　talk　straight　stuff！　Tell　us；　why　did　you　refuse　Sherwood　when　he　proposed？　And　why　did　you　tell　me　that　lie　about　his　not　proposing？〃

Maggie　realized　she　was　in　a　desperate　plight；　with　these　two　inflamed　gazes　upon　her。　Never　had　she　felt　so　little　of　a　daughter's　liking　for　Old　Jimmie　as　now　when　she　looked　into　his　lean；　harsh；　yellow…　fanged　face。　And　she　had　no　illusions　about　Barney。　He　might　love　her；　as　she　knew　he　did；　but　that　would　not　be　a　check　upon　his　ruthlessness　if　he　thought　himself　balked　or　betrayed。

Just　then　her　telephone　began　to　ring。　She　started　to　move　toward　it；　but　Barney's　grip　checked　her　short。

〃You're　going　to　answer　menot　any　damned　telephone！　Let　it　ring！〃

The　bell　rang　for　a　minute　or　two　before　it　stilled　its　shrill　clamor。　Its　ringing　was　in　a　way　a　brief　respite　to　Maggie；　for　it　gave　her　additional　time　to　consider　what　should　be　her　course。　She　realized　that　she　dared　not　let　Barney　believe　at　this　moment　that　she　had　turned　against　him。　Again　she　fell　back　upon　her　cool；　self…confident　manner。

〃You　want　to　know　why？　The　answer　is　simple　enough。　I　thought　I　might　try　out　an　improvement　of　our　plansomething　that　might　suit　me　better。〃

〃What's　that？〃　Barney　harshly　demanded。

〃Since　Miss　Sherwood　fell　for　me　so　easy；　it　struck　me　that　she'd　be　pretty　sure　to　fall　for　me　if　I　told　her　the　whole　truth　about　myself。　That　is；　everything　except　our　scheme　to　play　Dick　for　a　sucker。〃

〃What're　you　driving　at？〃

〃Don't　you　see？　If　she　forgave　me　being　what　I　am；　and　I　rather　think　she　would；　and　with　Dick　liking　me　as　he　doeswhy；　it　struck　me　as　the　best　thing　for　yours　truly　to　marry　Dick　for　ke