children of the whirlwind-第5部分

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on。

Maggie　with　excited　touches　tried　to　improve　her　setting　of　the　table；　aquiver　with　expectancy　and　suspense　at　the　nearness　of　the　meeting　every　nerve　of　audition　strained　to　catch　the　first　footfall　upon　the　stairs。　Hunt；　watching　her；　could　but　wonder；　in　case　Larry　was　the　clever；　dashing　person　that　had　been　described；　what　would　be　the　outcome　when　these　two　natures　met　and　perhaps　joined　forces。




CHAPTER　IV


While　the　preparations　for　dinner　were　going　on　in　the　studio；　down　below　Larry　turned　a　corner　and　swung　up　the　narrow　street　toward　the　pawnshop。　He　halted　and　peered　in　before　entering；　in　doing　this　he　was　obeying　the　caution　that　was　his　by　instinct　and　training。

Leaning　over　the　counter　within；　and　chatting　with　his　grandmother's　assistant　was　Casey；　one　of　the　two　plain…clothesmen　who　had　arrested　him。　Larry　drew　back。　He　was　not　afraid　of　Casey；　or　of　Gavegan；　Casey's　partner；　or　of　the　whole　police　force；　or　of　the　State　of　New　York；　they　had　nothing　on　him；　he　had　settled　accounts　by　having　done　his　bit。　All　the　same；　he　preferred　not　to　meet　Casey　just　then。　So　he　went　down　the　street；　crossed　the　cobbled　plaza　along　the　water…front；　and　slipped　through　the　darkness　among　the　trucks　out　to　the　end　of　the　pier。　Under　his　feet　the　East　River　splashed　sluggishly　against　the　piles；　but　out　near　the　river's　center　he　could　see　the　tide　swirling　out　to　sea　at　six　miles　an　hour；　toward　the　great　shadowy　Manhattan　Bridge　crested　with　its　splendid　tiara　of　lights。

He　stretched　himself　and　breathed　deeply　of　the　warm　free　spring。　It　tasted　good　after　two　long　years　of　the　prison's　sealed　air。　He　would　have　liked　to　shed　his　clothing　and　dive　down　for　a　brisk　fight　with　the　tingling　water。　Larry　had　always　taken　pleasure　in　keeping　his　body　fit。　He　had　not　cared　for　the　gymnasiums　of　the　ward　clubs　where　he　would　have　been　welcome；　in　them　there　had　been　too　much　rough　horseplay　and　foulness　of　mouth；　and　such　had　always　been　offensive　to　him。　And　though　he　had　ever　looked　the　gentleman；　he　had　known　that　the　New　York　Athletic　Club　and　other　similar　clubs　were　not　for　him；　they　pried　a　bit　too　much　into　a　candidate's　social　and　professional　standing。　So　he　had　turned　to　a　club　where　really　searching　inquiries　were　rarely　made；　for　years　he　had　belonged　to　a　branch　of　the　Y。M。C。A。　located　just　off　Broadway；　and　had　played　handball　and　boxed　with　chunky；　slow…footed　city　detectives　who　were　struggling　to　retain　some　physical　activity；　and　with　fat　playwrights；　and　with　Jewish　theatrical　managers；　and　with　the　few　authentic　Christians　who　occasionally　strayed　into　the　place　and　seemed　ill　at　ease　therein。　He　had　liked　this　club　for　another　reason；　his　sense　of　humor　had　often　been　highly　excited　by　the　thought　of　his　being　a　member　of　the　Y。M。C。A。

Having　this　instinct　for　physical　fitness；　he　had　not　greatly　minded　being　a　coal…passer　during　the　greater　part　of　his　stay　at　Sing　Sing；　better　that　than　working　in　the　knitting　mills；　so　that　now；　though　underfed　and　under　weight；　he　was　active　and　hard…muscled。

Larry　Brainard　could　not　have　told　why；　and　just　when；　he　had　turned　to　devious　ways。　He　had　never　put　that　part　of　his　life　under　the　microscope。　But　the　simple　facts　were　that　he　had　become　an　orphan　at　fifteen　and　a　broker's　clerk　at　nineteen　after　a　course　in　a　business　college；　and　that　experiences　with　wash…sales　and　such　devious　and　dubious　practices　of　brokers；　his　high　spirits；　his　instinct　for　pleasure；　his　desire　for　big　winningsthese　had　swept　him　into　a　wild　crowd　before　he　had　been　old　enough　to　take　himself　seriously；　and　had　started　him　upon　a　brilliant　career　of　adventures　and　unlawful　money…　making　in　whose　excitement　there　had　been　no　let…up　until　his　arrest。　He　had　never　thought　about　such　technical　and　highly　academic　subjects　as　right　and　wrong　up　to　the　day　when　Casey　and　Gavegan　had　slipped　the　handcuffs　upon　him。　To　laugh；　to　dance；　to　plan　and　direct　clever　coups；　to　spend　the　proceeds　gayly　and　lavishlyto　challenge　the　police　with　another　daring　coup：　that　had　been　life　to　him；　a　game　that　was　all　excitement。

And　now；　after　two　years　in　which　there　had　been　plenty　of　time　for　thinking；　his　conscience　still　did　not　trouble　him　on　the　score　of　his　offenses。　He　believed；　and　was　largely　right　in　this　belief；　that　the　suckers　he　had　trimmed　had　all　been　out　to　secure　unlawful　gain　and　to　take　cunning　advantage　of　his　supposedly　foolish　self　and　of　other　dupes。　He　had　been　too　clever　for　them；　that　was　all；　in　desire　and　intent　they　had　been　as　great　cheats　as　himself。　So　he　felt　no　remorse　over　his　victims；　and　as　for　anything　he　may　have　done　against　that　impersonal　entity；　the　criminal　statutes；　why；　the　period　in　prison　had　squared　all　such　matters。　So　he　now　faced　life　pleasantly　and　with　care…free　soul。

Larry　had　turned　away　from　the　dark　river　and　had　started　to　retrace　his　way；　when　he　saw　a　man　approaching　through　the　darkness。　Larry　paused。　The　man　drew　near　and　halted　exactly　in　front　of　Larry。　By　the　swing　of　his　body　Larry　had　recognized　the　man；　and　his　own　figure　instinctively　grew　tense。

〃What　you　doin'　out　here；　Brainard？〃　The　voice　was　peremptory　and　rough。

〃Throwing　kisses　over　at　Brooklyn；〃　Larry　replied　coolly。　〃And　what　are　you　doing　out　here；　Gavegan？〃

〃Following　you。　I　wanted　a　quiet　word　with　you。　I've　been　right　behind　you　ever　since　you　hit　New　York。〃

〃I　knew　you　would　be。　You　and　Casey。　But　you　haven't　got　anything　on　me。〃

〃I　got　plenty　on　you　before！with　Casey　helping；〃　retorted　Gavegan。　〃And　I'll　get　plenty　on　you　again！now　that　I　know　you　are　the　main　guy　of　a　clever　outfit。　You'll　be　starting　some　smooth　gamebut　I'm　going　to　be　right　after　you　every　minute。　And　I'll　get　you。　That's　the　news　I　wanted　to　slip　you。〃

〃So！〃　commented　Larry　drawlingly。　〃Casey's　a　fairly　decent　guy；　considering　his　linebut；　Gavegan；　I　don't　see　how　Casey　stands　you　as　a　partner。　And；　Gavegan；　I　don't　see　why　the　Board　of　Health　lets　you　stay　around　the　streetswhen　putrefying　matter　causes　so　much　disease。〃

〃None　of　your　lip；　young　feller！〃　growled　Gavegan。　He　stepped　closer；　bulking　over　Larry。　〃You　think　you　are　such　a　damned　smart　talker　and　such　a　damned　clever　schemerbut　I'll　bet　I'll　have　you　locked　up　in　six　months。〃

Anger　boiled　up　within　Larry。　Against　all　the　persons　connected　with　his　arrest；　trial；　and　imprisonment；　he　had　no　particular　resentment；　except　against　this　one　man。　He　never　could　forget　the　time　he　and　Gavegan；　he　handcuffed；　had　been　locked　in　a　sound…proof　cell；　and　Gavegan　had　given　him　the　third　degreein　this　case　a　length　of　heavy　rubber　hose；　applied　with　a　powerful　arm　upon　head　and　shouldersin　an　effort　to　make　him　squeal　upon　his　confederates。　And　that　third　degree　was　merely　a　sample　of　the　material　of　which　Gavegan　was　made。

Larry　held　his　desire　in　leash。　〃So　you　bet　you'll　get　me。　I'll　take　that　betany　figure　you　like。　I've　already　got　a　new　game　cooked　up；　Gavegan。　Cleverer　than　anything　I've　ever　tried　before。〃

〃Oh；　I'll　get　you！〃　Gavegan　growled　again。

〃Oh；　no；　you　won't！〃　And　then　Larry's　old　anger　against　Gavegan　got　into　his　tongue　and　made　it　wag　tauntingly。　〃You　didn't　get　me　th