children of the whirlwind-第69部分

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　If　I　do　say　it　myself；　that　was　smooth　work！〃

〃It　was　wonderful！　〃　agreed　Maggie。

〃And　there's　still　more；　Maggie！　You　remember　that　charge　of　stick…up　and　attempted　murder　of　a　Chicago　guy　that　the　police　are　trying　to　land　Larry　on？　I　put　that　over！　I'm　the　party　that　was　messed　up　in　that。　I　was　trying　to　put　over　a　neat　little　job　all　on　my　own；　but　something　went　wrong　just　as　I　thought　I　was　cleaning　out　the　sucker；　and　I　had　to　be　rough　with　that　Chicago　guy　in　order　to　make　a　get…　away　from　him。　I　beat　it　straight　to　Barlow；　and　said　that　right　here　was　the　chance　to　fasten　something　on　Larry。　Barlow　took　my　tip。　My　foot　may　have　slipped　on　the　original　job；　but　my　bean　certainly　did　act　quick；　and　you've　got　to　admit　I　turned　an　apparent　failure　into　something　bigger　than　success　would　have　been。　And　that's　certainly　traveling！〃

〃It　certainly　is！〃

〃And　now；　Maggie　〃Barney　pressed　her　eagerly〃I've　shown　you　I'm　just　the　sort　you　said　a　man　had　to　be　for　you　to　tie　up　with　him。　I've　shown　you　I　can　guarantee　you　police　protection。　And　I've　shown　you　I'm　able　to　put　over　clever　situations　without　any　one　ever　guessing　I'm　the　party　who　put　'em　over。　I　fit　all　your　specifications！　How　about　our　settling　right　now　to　join　up　some　placeToronto's　the　best　betsay　three　days　after　we　make　our　get…　away　after　to…night's　clean…up？　Let's　be　quick　about　this；　Maggie　before　Old　Jimmie　comes　in。　He's　due　any　minute　now！〃

〃Isn't　that　him　at　the　door　now？〃　breathed　Maggie。

Both　waited　intently　for　a　moment。　But　though　she　pretended　so；　Maggie's　interest　was　not　upon　the　outer　door。　Her　attention　was　fixed；　as　it　had　been　with　sickening　fear　this　last　minute；　upon　that　half…inch　crack　in　the　closet　door　behind　Barney。　Why　had　she；　in　her　dismayed　urgence；　allowed　Larry　to　possess　himself　of　that　closet　key？when　her　plan　had　been　to　keep　Hannigan　as　well　as　Barlow　forcibly　behind　the　scenes　until　she　had　acted　out　her　play？　She　now　hoped　almost　against　hope　that　Hannigan　would　not　burst　forth　and　ruin　what　was　yet　to　come。　Since　that　door　unluckily　had　to　be　unlocked；　her　one　chance　was　given　her　by　the　presence　of　Larry。　Perhaps　Larry　could　perceive　the　larger　things　she　was　striving　for；　and　in　some　way　restrain　Hannigan。

These　thoughts　were　but　an　instant　in　passing　through　her　brain。　Barney's　eyes　came　back　from　the　outer　door　to　her　face。　〃That's　not　Old　Jimmie　yet。〃

〃No；〃　her　lips　said。　But　her　brain　was　saying；　since　the　crack　still　remained　a　half…inch　crack；　〃Larry　understandshe's　holding　back　Red　Hannigan！〃

Barney　returned　swiftly　to　his　charge。　〃How　about　Toronto；　Maggiesay　exactly　seventy…two　hours　from　nowthe　Royal　Brunswick　Hotel？〃

Maggie　realized　she　could　no　longer　put　him　off　if　she　were　to　keep　him　unsuspicious　for　the　next　hour。　Besides；　in　her　desperate　disillusionment　concerning　herself；　she　did　not　care　what　happened　to　her；　or　what　people　might　think　of　her；　if　only　she　could　keep　this　play　going　till　its　final　moment。

〃Yes；〃　she　said〃if　we　each　feel　the　same　way　toward　each　other　when　this　evening's　ended。〃

〃Maggie！〃　he　cried。　〃Maggie！〃　This　time；　when　he　exultantly　caught　at　her　hand；　she　dared　not　refuse　it　to　him。　And　she　felt　an　additional　loathing　for　Barney's　caress　because　she　knew　that　Larry　was　a　witness　to　it。

Indeed；　it　was　difficult　for　Larry；　at　the　sight　of　Maggie's　hand　in　Barney's　too　eager　palms；　to　hold　himself　in　check；　and　to　do　this　in　addition　to　holding　in　check　the　slight；　quivering　Red　Hannigan；　whose　collar　and　whose　right　wrist　he　had　been　gripping　these　last　three　minutes。　For　Larry；　as　Maggie　had　hoped；　had　dimly　apprehended　something　of　Maggie's　plan；　and　he　felt　himself　bound　by　the　promise　she　had　extracted　from　him；　to　let　her　go　through　with　whatever　she　had　under　way；　though　he　had　no　conception　of　her　plan's　extent；　and　could；　of　course；　not　know　of　the　intention　of　her　overwrought　mind　to　give　her　plan　its　final　touch　in　what　amounted　to　her　own　self…　destruction；　and　in　her　vanishing　utterly　out　of　the　knowledge　of　all　who　knew　her。

Another　minute　passed；　then　Larry　heard　three　peculiar　rings　of　the　bell　of　the　outer　dooran　obvious　signal。　Maggie　answered　the　summons；　and　Larry　saw　Old　Jimmie　enter。　There　followed　a　rapid　and　compact　conference　between　the　three；　the　substance　of　which　was　the　telling　of　Old　Jimmie　of　the　developments　against　Dick　Sherwood　which　Maggie　had　a　little　earlier　recited　to　Barney；　together　with　instructions　to　Old　Jimmie　concerning　his　new　role　as　Maggie's　guardian。　It　seemed　to　Larry　that　he　caught　signs　of　uneasiness　in　Jimmie；　but　to　all　the　older　man　nodded　his　head。

Presently　there　was　a　loud　ring。　〃That's　Dick！〃　exclaimed　Barney　in　a　whisper。　〃And　mighty　eager；　tooshows　that　by　being　ahead　of　the　time　you　set！　Let　him　in；　Maggie。〃

Maggie　was　startled　by　the　ring；　though　she　did　not　show　it。　She　thought　rapidly。　She　had　definitely　asked　Dick　to　telephone　before　coming。　Why　hadn't　he　telephoned？　Perhaps　something　had　happened　to　prevent　it；　or　perhaps　an　idea　had　come　to　him　by　which　their　plan　could　be　bettered　without　a　telephone　message。　In　either　case；　she　and　Dick　might　have　to　improvise　and　deftly　catch　cues　tossed　to　each　other；　as　experienced　actors　sometimes　do　without　the　audience　ever　knowing　that　a　hiatus　in　the　play　has　been　skillfully　covered。

Maggie　stood　up。　〃You　both　understand　what　you're　to　do？〃

Both　whispered　〃yes。〃　Larry　watched　Maggie　start　across　the　room；　his　whole　figure　quivering　with　suspense　as　to　what　was　going　to　happen　when　Dick　entered。　He　was　quite　sure　there　was　more　here　than　appeared　upon　the　surface；　quite　sure　that　Maggie　did　not　intend　that　the　business　with　Dick　should　work　out　as　she　had　outlined。　What　could　Maggie　possibly　be　up　to？　he　asked　himself　in　feverish　wonderment；　and　could　find　no　answer。　For　of　course　Larry　had　no　knowledge　of　that　most　important　fact：　that　Maggie　had　actually　made　a　confession　to　Dicknot　the　fraudulent　confession　she　had　told　Barney　ofbut　an　honest　and　complete　confession；　and　that　in　consequence　she　and　Dick　were　working　in　cooperation。

From　his　crack　Larry　could　not　quite　see　the　outer　door。　But　after　she　opened　the　door　he　saw　Maggie　fall　back　with　an　inarticulate　cry；　her　face　suddenly　blanched　with　astounded　fright。　And　then　Larry　experienced　one　of　the　greatest　surprises　of　his　lifea　surprise　so　unnerving　that　he　almost　loosed　his　hold　upon　Red　Hannigan。　For　instead　of　Dick　there　walked　into　the　room　the　tall；　white…haired　figure　of　Joe　Ellison；　and　Joe's　lean；　prison…blanched　face　was　aquiver　with　a　devastating　purpose。　How　in　the　name　of　God　had　Joe　come　to　be　here？and　what　did　that　terrible　look　portend？

But　Larry's　surprise　was　but　an　unperturbing　emotion　compared　to　the　effect　of　her　father's　appearance；　with　his　terrible　face；　upon　Maggie。　Life　seemed　suddenly　to　go　out　of　her。　She　realized　that　the　clever　play　which　she　had　constructed　so　rapidly；　and　upon　which　she　had　counted　to　clear　the　tangle　for　which　she　was　in　part　responsible；　and　to　bring　her　back　in　time　as　the　seeming　fulfillment　of　the　dream　of　a　happy　and　undisillusioned　fathershe　realized　that　her　poor；　brilliant　play　had　come　to　an　instant