children of the whirlwind-第75部分

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as　her　newly　discovered　father　who　had　cared　for　her　so　much　that　he　had　sought　to　erase　from　her　mind　all　knowledge　of　his　existence。　She　wanted　to　say　somethingdo　something；　she　was　torn　with　a　poignant　hunger。　But　she　was　so　filled　with　pulsing　desires　and　fears　that　she　was　impotent　to　express　any　of　the　million　things　within　her。

And　so　they　rode　on；　dark　shadows；　almost　half　the　width　of　the　deeply　cushioned　seat　between　them。　Thus　they　had　ridden　along　Jackson　Avenue；　almost　into　Flushing；　when　the　silence　was　broken　by　the　first　words　of　the　journey。　They　were　husky　words；　yearning　and　afraid　of　their　own　sound；　and　were　spoken　by　Maggie's　father。

〃II　don't　know　what　to　call　you。　Willwill　Maggie　do？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　whispered。

〃I'mI'm　not　much；〃　the　husky　voice　ventured　on；　〃but　what　you　said　about　going　awayfor　my　sakedo　you　think　you　need　to　do　it？〃

〃I've　madesuch　a　mess　of　myself；〃　she　choked　out。

〃Other　people　were　to　blame；〃　he　said。　〃And　out　of　it　all；　I　think　you're　going　to　be　whatwhat　I　dreamed　you　were。　Andand〃

There　was　another　stifling　silence。　〃Yes？〃　she　prompted。

〃I　wanted　to　keep　out　of　your　lifefor　your　sake；〃　he　went　on　in　his　strained；　suppressed　voice。　〃Butbut　if　you're　not　ashamed　of　me　now　that　you　know　all〃in　the　darkness　his　groping　hand　closed　upon　hers〃I　wish　you　wouldn'tgo　away　from　me；　Maggie。〃

And　then　the　surging；　incoherent　thing　in　her　that　bad　been　struggling　to　say　itself　this　last　half…hour；　suddenly　found　its　voice　in　a　single　word：

〃Father！〃　she　cried；　and　flung　her　arms　around　his　neck。

〃Maggie！〃　he　sobbed；　crushing　her　to　him。

All　the　way　to　Cedar　Crest　they　said　not　another　word；　just　clung　to　each　other　in　the　darkness；　sobbingthe　first　miraculous　embrace　of　a　father　and　daughter　who　had　each　found　that　which　they　had　never　expected　to　have。




CHAPTER　XXXVII


It　was　ten　the　next　morning　at　Cedar　Crest；　and　Larry　Brainard　sat　in　his　study　mechanically　going　over　his　figures　and　plans　for　the　Sherwood　housing　project。

For　Larry　the　storms　of　the　past　few　weeks；　and　the　whirlwind　of　last　night；　had　cleared　away。　There　was　quiet　in　the　house；　and　through　the　open　windows　he　could　glimpse　the　broad　lawn　almost　singing　in　its　sun…gladdened　greenness；　and　farther　on　he　could　glimpse　the　Sound　gleaming　placidly。　Once　for　perhaps　ten　minutes　he　had　seen　the　overalled　and　straw…hatted　figure　of　Joe　Ellison　busy　as　usual　among　the　flowers。　He　had　strained　his　eyes　for　a　glimpse　of　Maggie；　but　he　had　looked　in　vain。

Despite　all　that　had　come　to　pass　at　the　Grantham　the　previous　evening；　Larry　was　just　now　feeling　restless　and　rather　forlorn。　His　breakfast　had　been　brought　to　him　in　his　room；　and　he　had　not　seen　a　single　member　of　last　night's　party　at　the　Grantham　since　they　had　all　divided　up　according　to　Miss　Sherwood's　orders　and　driven　away；　that　is　he　had　really　seen　no　one　except　Dick。

Dick　had　gripped　his　hand　when　he　had　slipped　in　beside　Dick　in　the　low　seat　of　the　roadster。　〃You're　all　right；　Captain　Nemo！only　I'm　going　to　be　so　brash　as　to　call　you　Larry　after　this；〃　Dick　had　said。　〃If　you'll　let　me；　you　and　I　are　going　to　be　buddies。〃

He　was　all　right；　Dick　was。　Dick　Sherwood　was　a　thoroughbred。

And　there　was　another　matter　which　had　pleased　him。　The　Duchess　had　called　him　up　that　morning；　had　congratulated　him　in　terms　so　brief　that　they　sounded　perfunctory；　but　which　Larry　realized　had　all　his　grandmother's　heart　in　them；　and　had　said　she　wanted　him　to　take　over　the　care　of　all　her　housesthose　she　had　put　up　as　bail　for　him。　When　could　he　come　in　to　see　her　about　this？　。　。　。　He　understood　this　dusty…seeming；　stooped；　inarticulate　grandmother　of　his　as　he　had　not　before。　Considering　what　her　life　had　been；　she　also　was　a　brick。

But　notwithstanding　all　this；　Larry　was　lonelyhungrily　lonelyand　was　very　much　in　doubt。　Miss　Sherwood　had　spoken　to　him　fair　enough　the　night　beforeyet　he　really　did　not　know　just　how　he　stood　with　her。　And　thenMaggie。　That　was　what　meant　most　to　him　just　now。　True；　Maggie　had　emerged　safe　through　perils　without　and　within；　and　to　get　her　through　to　some　such　safety　as　now　was　hers　had　been　his　chief　concern　these　many　months。　He　wanted　to　see　her；　to　speak　to　her。　But　he　did　not　know　what　her　attitude　toward　him　would　now　be。　He　did　not　know　how　to　go　about　finding　her。　He　was　not　even　certain　where　she　had　spent　the　night。　He　wanted　to　see　her；　yet　was　apulse　with　fear　of　seeing　her。　She　would　not　be　hostile；　he　knew　that　much；　but　she　might　not　love　him；　and　at　the　best　a　meeting　would　be　awkward；　with　so　wide　a　gap　in　their　lives　to　be　bridged。　。　。　。

He　was　brooding　thus　when　there　was　a　loud　knocking　at　his　door。　Without　waiting　for　his　invitation　to　enter；　the　door　was　flung　open；　and　Hunt　strode　in　leaving　the　door　wide　behind　him。　His　face　was　just　one　great；　excited　grin。　He　gave　Larry　a　thump　upon　the　back；　which　almost　knocked　Larry　over；　and　then　pulled　him　back　to　equilibrium　by　seizing　a　hand　in　both　of　his；　and　then　almost　shook　it　off。

〃Larry；　my　son；〃　exploded　the　big　painter；　〃I've　just　done　it！　And　I　did　it　just　as　you　ordered　me　to！　Forgot　that　Miss　Sherwood　and　I　had　had　a　falling　out；　and　as　per　your　orders　I　walked　straight　up　to　her　and　asked　her。　And　Larry；　you　son…of…a…gun；　you　were　right！　She　said　'yes'！〃

〃You're　lucky；　old　man！〃　exclaimed　Larry；　warmly　returning　the　painter's　grip。

〃And；　Larry；　that's　not　all。　You　told　me　I　had　the　clearness　of　vision　of　a　cold　boiled　lobstersaid　I　was　the　greatest　fool　that　ever　had　brains　enough　not　to　paint　with　the　wrong　end　of　an　umbrella。　Paid　me　some　little　compliment　like　that。〃

〃Something　like　that；〃　Larry　agreed。

〃Well；　Larry；　old　son；　you　were　right　again！　I've　been　a　worse　fool　than　all　you　said。　Been　blinder　than　one　of　those　varnished　skulls　some　tough…stomached　people　use　for　paper…weights。　After　she'd　said　'yes'　she　gave　me　the　inside　story　of　why　we　had　fallen　out。　And　guess　why　it　was？〃

〃You　don't　want　me　to　guess。　You　want　to　tell　me。　So　go　to　it。〃

〃Larry；　we　men　will　never　know　how　clever　women　really　are！〃　Hunt　shook　his　head　with　impressive　emphasis。　〃Nor　how　they　understand　our　naturesthe　clever　womennor　how　well　they　know　how　to　handle　us。　She　confessed　that　our　quarrel　was；　on　her　part；　carefully　planned　from　the　beginning　with　a　definite　result　in　view。　She　told　me　she'd　always　believed　me　a　great　painter；　if　I'd　only　break　loose　from　the　pretty　things　people　wanted　and　paid　me　so　much　for。　The　trouble；　as　she　saw　it；　was　to　get　me　to　cut　loose　from　so　much　easy　money　and　devote　myself　entirely　to　real　stuff。　The　only　way　she　could　see　was　for　her　to　tell　me　I　couldn't　paint　anything　worth　while；　and　tell　it　so　straight…out　as　to　make　me　believe　that　she　believed　itand　thus　make　me　so　mad　that　I'd　chuck　everything　and　go　off　to　prove　to　her　that　I　damned　well　could　paint！　I　certainly　got　soreI　ducked　out　of　sight；　swearing　I'd　show　herand；　oh；　well；　you　know　the　rest！　Tell　me　now；　can　you　think　of　anything　cleverer　than　the　way　she　handled　me？〃

〃It's　just　about　what　I　would　expect　of　Miss　Sherwood；〃　Larry　commented。

〃Excuse　me；〃　said　a　voice　behind　them。　〃I　found　the　door　open；　may　I