children of the whirlwind-第52部分

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Day　and　night　this　had　been　the　main　subject　of　her　thought。　Could　she　be　wrong　in　her　estimate　of　Maggie's　character；　and　what　she　might　turn　out　to　be？　Could　she　be　wrong　in　her　belief　that；　given　enough　time；　Larry　would　outgrow　his　infatuation　for　Maggie？　And　since　she　was　in　such　doubt　about　these　two　points；　had　she　any　right；　and　was　it　for　the　best；　to　suppress　a　fact　that　might　so　gravely　influence　both　matters？　She　did　not　know。　What　she　wanted　was　whatever　was　best　for　Larryand　so　in　her　doubt　she　had　determined　to　talk　again　to　Larry；　hoping　that　the　interview　might　in　some　way　replace　her　uncertainty　with　stability　of　purpose。

Presently　she　returned　to　the　inner　room；　and　in　her　direct　way　and　using　the　fewest　possible　words；　which　had　created　for　her　her　reputation　of　a　woman　who　never　spoke　and　who　was　packed　with　strange　secrets；　she　asked　Larry　what　he　had　done　concerning　Maggie。　He　told　her　of　the　plan　he　had　evolved；　of　Maggie's　visit　to　Cedar　Crest；　of　his　ignorance　of　Maggie's　reactions。　To　all　this　his　grandmother　made　response　neither　by　word　nor　by　change　of　expression。　He　then　went　on　to　tell　her　of　what　he　had　just　learned　from　Casey　of　Barney's　maneuvering　his　misfortunes。

The　old　head　nodded。　〃Yes；　Barney's　just　that　sort；〃　she　said　in　her　flat　monotone。

And　then　she　came　to　the　purpose　of　her　sending　for　him。　〃How　do　you　feel　about　Maggie　now？〃

〃The　same　as　before。〃

〃You　love　her？〃

〃Yesand　always　will；〃　he　said　firmly。

She　was　silent　once　more。　Then；　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　next？〃

〃Break　things　up　between　her　and　Barney　and　her　father。　Get　her　away　from　them。〃

She　asked　no　further　questions。　Larry　was　as　settled　as　a　man　could　be。　But　was　Maggie　worth　while？that　was　the　great　question　still　unanswered。

〃Just　what　did　you　want　me　for；　grandmother？〃　he　asked　her　finally。

〃Something　which　I　thought　might　have　developed；　but　which　hasn't。〃

And　so　she　let　him　go　away　without　telling　him。　And　wishing　to　shape　things　for　the　best　for　him；　she　was　troubled　by　the　same　doubts　as　before。

His　visit　with　his　grandmother　had　had　no　meaning　to　Larry；　since　he　had　no　guess　of　the　struggle　going　on　within　that　ancient；　inscrutable　figure。　The　visit　had　for　him　merely　served　to　fill　in　a　nervous；　useless　hour。　His　rage　against　Barney　had　all　the　while　possessed　him　too　thoroughly　for　him　to　give　more　than　the　mere　surface　of　his　mind　to　what　had　passed　between　his　grandmother　and　himself。　And　when　he　had　left　her；　his　rage　at　Barney's　treachery　and　his　impetuous　desire　to　snatch　Maggie　away　from　her　present　influences；　so　stormed　within　him　that　his　usually　cautious　judgment　was　blown　away　and　recklessness　swept　like　a　gale　into　control　of　him。

When　he　called　up　the　Grantham　a　second　time；　at　nine　o'clock；　Maggie's　voice　came　to　him：

〃Hello。　Who　this；　please？〃

〃Mr。　Brandon。〃

He　heard　a　stilted　〃Oh！〃　at　the　other　end　of　the　line　〃I'm　coming　right　up　to　see　you；〃　he　said。

〃II　don't　think　you〃

〃I'll　be　there　in　then　minutes；〃　Larry　interrupted　the　startled　voice　and　hung　up。

He　counted　that　Maggie；　after　his　sparing　her　at　Cedar　Crest；　would　receive　him　and　treat　him　at　least　no　worse　than　an　enemy　with　whom　there　was　a　half　hour's　truce。　Sure　enough；　when　he　rang　the　bell　of　her　suite；　Maggie　herself　admitted　him　to　her　sitting…room。　She　was　taut　and　pale；　her　look　neither　friendly　nor　unfriendly。

〃Don't　you　know　the　risk　you're　running；〃　she　whispered　when　the　door　was　closed〃coming　here　like　this；　in　the　open？〃

〃The　time　has　come　for　risks；　Maggie；〃　he　announced。

〃But　you　were　safe　enough　where　you　were。　Why　take　such　risks？〃

〃For　your　sake。〃

〃My　sake？〃

〃To　take　you　away　from　these　people　you're　tied　up　with。　Take　you　away　now。〃

At　an　earlier　time　this　would　have　been　a　fuse　to　a　detonation　of　defiance　from　her。　But　now　she　said　nothing　at　all；　and　that　was　something。

〃Since　I've　come　out　into　the　open；　everything's　going　to　be　in　the　open。　Listen；　Maggie！〃　The　impulse　had　suddenly　come　upon　him；　since　his　plan　to　awaken　Maggie　by　her　psychological　reactions　had　apparently　failed；　to　tell　her　everything。　〃Listen；　Maggie！　I'm　going　to　lay　all　my　cards　on　the　table；　and　show　you　every　card　I've　played。　You　were　invited　to　come　out　to　Cedar　Crest　because　I　schemed　to　have　you　come。　And　the　reason　I　schemed　to　have　you　invited　was；　I　reasoned　that　being　received　in　such　a　frank；　generous；　unsuspecting　way；　by　a　woman　like　Miss　Sherwood；　would　make　you　sick　of　what　you　were　doing　and　you　would　drop　it　of　your　own　accord。　But　it　seems　I　reasoned　wrong。〃

〃Soyou　were　behind　that！〃　she　breathed。

〃I　was。　Though　I　couldn't　have　done　it　if　Dick　Sherwood　hadn't　been　honestly　infatuated　with　you。　But　now　I'm　through　with　working　under　cover；　through　with　indirect　methods。　From　now　on　every　play's　in　the　open；　and　it's　straight　to　the　point　with　everything。　So　get　ready。　I'm　going　to　take　you　away　from　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie。〃

The　mention　of　these　two　names　had　a　swift　and　magical　effect　upon　her。　But　instead　of　arousing　belligerency；　they　aroused　an　almost　frantic　agitation。

〃You　must　leave　at　once；　Larry。　Barney　and　my　father　were　here　before　dinner；　and　they've　just　telephoned　they　were　coming　back！〃

〃Coming　back！　That's　the　best　argument　you　could　make　for　my　staying！〃

〃But；　Larrythey　both　have　keys；　and　Barney　always　carries　a　gun！〃

〃I　stay　here；　unless　you　leave　with　me。　Listen　to　some　more；　Maggie。　I　laid　all　the　cards　on　the　table。　Do　you　know　the　kind　of　people　you're　tied　up　with？　I'll　not　say　anything　about　your　father；　for　I　guess　you　know　all　there　is　to　know。　But　Barney　Palmer！　He's　the　lowest　kind　of　crook　that　breathes。　There's　been　a　lot　of　talk　about　squealers　and　police　stools。　Well；　the　big　squealer；　the　big　stool；　is　Barney　Palmer！〃

〃I　don't　believe　it！〃　she　cried　involuntarily。

〃It's　true！　I've　got　it　straight。　Barney　wanted　to　smash　me；　because　I'd　made　up　my　mind　to　quit　the　old　game　and　because　he　wanted　to　get　me　out　of　his　way　with　you。　So　he　framed　it　up　so　that　I　appeared　to　be　a　squealer；　and　started　the　gangmen　after　me。　And　he　put　Barlow　up　to　the　idea　of　forcing　me　to　be　a　stool；　and　then　framing　me　when　I　refused。　It　was　Barney　who　fixed　things　so　I　had　to　go　to　jail；　or　be　shot　up；　or　run　away。　It　was　Barney　Palmer　who　squealed　on　Red　Hannigan　and　Jack　Rosenfeldt；　and　who's　been　squealing　on　his　other　pals。　And　that's　the　sort　you're　stringing　along　with！〃

She　gazed　at　him　in　appalled　half　conviction。　He　remained　silent　to　let　his　truth　sink　in。

They　were　standing　so；　face　to　face；　when　a　key　grated　in　the　outer　door　of　the　little　hallway　as　on　the　occasion　of　Larry's　first　visit　here。　And　as　on　that　occasion；　Maggie　sprang　swiftly　forward　and　shot　home　the　bolt　of　the　inner　door。　Then　she　turned　and　caught　Larry's　arm。

〃It's　BarneyI　told　you　he　was　coming！〃　she　whispered。　〃Oh；　why　didn't　you　go　before？　Come　on！〃

She　tried　to　drag　him　toward　her　bedroom　door；　through　which　she　had　once　helped　him　escape。　But　this　time　he　was　not　to　be　moved。

〃I　stay　right　here；〃　he　said　to　her。

There　was　the　sound　of　a　futile　effort　to　turn　the　lock　of　the　inner　door；　then　Barney's　voi