children of the whirlwind-第53部分

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〃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　voice　called　out：　〃What's　the　matter；　Maggie？　Open　the　door。〃

Maggie；　still　clutching　Larry's　resisting　arm；　stood　gasping　in　wide…　eyed　consternation。

〃Open　the　door　for　them；　Maggie；〃　Larry　whispered。

〃I'll　not　do　it！〃　she　whispered　back。

〃Open　it；　or　I　will；〃　he　ordered。

Their　gazes　held　a　moment　longer　while　Barney　rattled　at　the　lock。　Then　slowly；　falteringly；　her　amazed　eyes　over　her　shoulder　upon　him；　Maggie　crossed　and　unlocked　the　door。　Barney　entered；　Old　Jimmie　just　bend　him。

〃I　say；　Maggie；　what　was　the　big　idea　in　keeping　us〃　he　was　beginning　in　a　grumbling　tone；　when　he　saw　Larry　just　beyond　her。　His　complaint　broke　off　in　mid…breath；　he　stopped　short　and　his　dark　face　twitched　with　his　surprise。

〃Larry　Brainard！〃　he　finally　exclaimed。　Old　Jimmie；　suddenly　tense；　blinked　and　said　nothing。

〃Hello；　Barney；　hello；　Jimmie；〃　Larry　greeted　his　former　allies；　putting　on　an　air　of　geniality。　〃Been　a　long　time　since　we　three　met。　Don't　stand　there　in　the　door。　Come　right　in。〃

Barney　was　keen　enough　to　see；　though　Larry's　attitude　was　careless　and　his　tone　light；　that　his　eyes　were　bright　and　hard。　Barney　moved　forward　a　couple　of　paces；　alert　for　anything；　and　Old　Jimmie　followed。　Maggie　looked　on　at　the　three　men；　her　girlish　figure　taut　and　hardly　breathing。

〃Didn't　know　you　were　in　New　York；〃　said　Barney。

〃Well；　here　I　am　all　right；〃　returned　Larry　with　his　menacing　cheerfulness。

By　now　Barney　had　recovered　from　his　first　surprise。　He　felt　it　time　to　assert　his　supremacy。

〃How　do　you　come　to　be　here　with　Maggie？〃　he　demanded　abruptly。

〃Happened　to　catch　sight　of　her　on　the　street　to…day。　Trailed　her　here　to　the　Grantham；　and　to…night　I　just　dropped　in。〃

Barney's　tone　grew　more　authoritative；　more　ugly。　〃We　told　you　long　ago　we　were　through　with　you。　So　why　did　you　come　here？〃

〃That's　easy　answered；　Barney。　The　last　time　we　were　all　together；　you'd　come　to　take　Maggie　away。　This　is　that　same　scene　reproduced　only　this　time　I've　come　to　take　Maggie　away。〃

〃What's　that？〃　snapped　Barney。

Larry's　voice　threw　off　its　assumed　geniality；　and　became　drivingly　hard。　〃And　to　get　Maggie　to　come；　I've　been　telling　her　the　kind　of　a　bird　you　are；　Barney　Palmer！　Oh；　I've　got　the　straight　dope　on　you！　I've　been　telling　her　how　you　framed　me；　and　were　able　to　frame　me　because　you　are　Chief　Barlow's　stool。〃

Barney　went　as　near　white　as　it　was　possible　for　him　to　become；　and　his　mouth　sagged。　〃　Whatwhat〃　he　stammered。

〃I've　been　telling　her　that　you　are　the　one　who　really　squealed　on　Red　Hannigan　and　Jack　Rosenfeldt。〃

〃You're　a　damned　liar！〃　Barney　burst　out；　and　instantly　from　beneath　his　left　arm　he　whipped　an　automatic　which　he　thrust　against　Larry's　stomach。　〃Take　that　back；　damn　you；　or　I'll　blow　you　straight　to　hell！〃

〃Barney！Larry！〃　interjected　Maggie　in　sickened　fright。

〃This　is　nothing　to　worry　over；　Maggie；〃　Larry　said。　He　looked　back　at　Barney。　〃Oh；　I　knew　you　would　flash　a　gun　on　me　at　some　stage　of　the　game。　But　you're　not　going　to　shoot。〃

〃You'll　see；　if　you　don't　take　that　back！〃

Larry　realized　that　his　hot　blood　had　driven　him　into　an　enterprise　of　daring；　in　which　only　bluff　and　the　playing　of　his　highest　cards　could　help　him　through。

〃You　don't　think　I　was　such　a　fool　as　to　walk　into　this　place　without　taking　precautions；〃　he　said　contemptuously。　〃You　won't　shoot；　Barney；　because　since　I　knew　I　might　meet　you　and　you'd　pull　a　gun；　I　had　myself　searched　by　two　friends　just　before　I　came　up　here。　They'll　testify　I　was　not　armed。　They　know　you；　and　know　you　so　well　that　they'll　be　able　to　identify　the　thing　in　your　hand　as　your　gun。　So　no　matter　what　Maggie　and　Jimmie　may　testify；　the　verdict　will　be　cold…　blooded　murder　and　the　electric　chair　will　be　your　finish。　And　that's　why　I　know　you　won't　shoot。　So　you　might　as　well　put　the　gun　away。〃

Barney　neither　spoke　nor　moved。

〃I've　called　your　bluff；　Barney；〃　Larry　said　sharply。　〃Put　that　gun　away；　or　I'll　take　it　from　you！〃

Barney's　glare　wavered。　The　pistol　sank　from　its　position。　With　a　lightning…swift　motion　Larry　wrenched　it　from　Barney's　hand。

〃Guess　I'd　better　have　it；　after　all；〃　he　said；　slipping　it　into　a　pocket。　〃Keep　you　out　of　temptation。〃

And　then　in　a　subdued　voice　that　was　steely　with　menace：　〃I'm　too　busy　to　attend　to　you　now；　Barneybut；　by　God；　I'm　going　to　square　things　with　you　for　the　dirt　you've　done　me；　and　I'm　going　to　show　you　up　for　a　stool　and　a　squealer！〃　He　wheeled　on　Old　Jimmie。　〃And　the　only　reason　I'll　be　easy　with　you；　Jimmie　Carlisle；　is　because　you　are　Maggie's　fatherthough　you're　the　rottenest　thing　as　a　father　God　ever　let　breathe！〃

Old　Jimmie　shrank　slightly　before　Larry's　glower；　and　his　little　eyes　gleamed　with　the　fear　of　a　rat　that　is　cornered。　But　he　said　nothing。

Larry　turned　his　back　upon　the　two　men。　〃We're　through　with　this　bunch；　Maggie。　Put　on　a　hat　and　a　wrap；　and　let's　go。　We　can　send　for　your　things。〃

〃No　you　don't；　Maggie；〃　snarled　Barney；　before　Maggie　could　speak。

Old　Jimmie　made　his　first　positive　motion　since　entering　the　room。　He　shifted　quickly　to　Maggie's　side　and　seized　her　arm。

〃You're　my　daughter；　and　you　stay　with　me！〃　he　ordered。　〃I　brought　you　up；　and　you　do　exactly　what　I　tell　you　to！　You're　not　going　with　Larryhe's　lying　about　Barney。　You　stay　with　me！〃

〃Come　on；　let's　go；　Maggie；〃　repeated　Larry。

〃You　stay　with　me！〃　repeated　Jimmie。

Thus　ordered　and　appealed　to；　Maggie　was　areel　with　contradicting　thoughts　and　impulses　while　the　three　men　awaited　her　action。　In　fact　she　had　no　clear　thought　at　all。　She　never　knew　later　what　determined　her　course　at　this　bewildered　moment：　perhaps　it　was　partly　a　continuance　of　her　doubt　of　Larry；　perhaps　partly　once　more　sheer　momentum；　perhaps　her　instinctive　feeling　that　her　place　was　with　the　man　she　believed　to　be　her　father。

〃Yes；　I'll　stay　with　you；〃　she　said　to　Old　Jimmie。

〃That's　the　signal　for　you　to　be　on　your　way；　Larry　Brainard！〃　Barney　snapped　at　him　triumphantly。

Larry　realized；　all　of　a　sudden；　that　his　coming　here　was　no　more　than　a　splendid　gesture　to　which　his　anger　had　excited　him。　Indeed　there　was　nothing　for　him　but　to　be　on　his　way。

〃I've　told　you　the　truth；　Maggie；　and　you'll　be　sorry　that　you　have　not　leftif　not　sorry　soon；　then　sorry　a　little　later。〃

He　turned　to　Barney　with　a　last　shot；　he　could　not　leave　the　gloating　Barney　Palmer　his　unalloyed　triumph。　〃I　told　you　I　had　the　straight　dope　on　you；　Barney。　Here's　some　more　of　it。　I　know　exactly　what　your　game　is；　and　I　know　exactly　who　your　sucker　is。　We'll　see　if　you　put　it　overyou　squealer！　Good…night；　all。〃

With　that　Larry　walked　out。　Old　Jimmie　regarded　his　partner　with　suspicion。

〃How　about　that；　Barneyyou　being　a　stool　and　a　squealer？〃　he　demanded。

〃I　tell　you　it's　all　a　liea　damned　lie！〃　cried　Barney　with　feverish　emphasis。

〃I　hope　it　is！〃　breathed　Old　Jimmie。

This　was　a　subject　Barney　wanted　to　get　away　from。　〃Maggie；〃　he　demanded；　〃is　what　Larry　Brainard　said　about　how　he　came　here　the　truth？his　seeing　you　on　the　street　an