children of the whirlwind-第76部分

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〃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　come　in？〃

Both　men　turned　quickly。　Entering　was　Miss　Sherwood。

〃Isabel！〃　exclaimed　the　happy　painter。　〃I　was　just　telling　Larry　hereyou　know！〃

Miss　Sherwood's　tone　tried　to　be　severe；　and　she　tried　not　to　smile　and　she　succeeded　in　being　just　herself。

〃I　came　to　talk　business　with　Mr。　Brainard。　And　I'm　going　to　stay　to　talk　business　with　Mr。　Brainard。　But　I'll　give　him　five　seconds　for　congratulationsprovided　at　the　end　of　the　five　seconds　Mr。　Hunt　gets　out　of　the　room。〃

Larry　congratulated　the　two；　congratulated　them　as　warmly　as　he　felt　his　as　yet　dubious　position　in　this　company　warranted。　At　the　end　of　the　five　seconds　Hunt　was　closing　the　door　upon　his　back。

〃I've　always　loved　himand　I　want　to　thank　you；　Mr。　Brainard；〃　she　said　with　her　simple　directness。　And　before　Larry　could　make　response　of　any　kind；　she　shifted　the　subject。

〃I　really　came　in　to　see　you　on　business；　Mr。　Brainard。　I　hope　I　made　my　attitude　toward　you　clear　enough　last　night。　If　I　did　not；　let　me　say　now　that　I　think　you　have　made　good　in　every　particularand　that　I　trust　you　in　every　particular。　What　I　wished　especially　to　say　now；〃　she　went　on　briskly；　giving　Larry　no　chance　to　stammer　out　his　appreciation；　〃is　that　I　wish　to　go　ahead　without　any　delay　with　your　proposition　for　developing　the　Sherwood　properties　in　New　York　City　which　we　discussed　some　time　ago。　A　former　objection　you　raised　is　now　removed：　you　are　cleared；　and　are　free　to　work　in　the　open。　I　want　you　to　take　charge　of　affairs；　with　Dick　working　beside　you。　I　think　it　will　be　Dick's　big　chance。　I've　talked　it　over　with　him　this　morning；　and　he's　eager　for　the　arrangement。　I　hope　you　are　not　going　to　refuse　the　offer　this　time。〃

〃I　can'tnot　such　an　offer　as　that；〃　Larry　said　huskily。　〃But；　Miss　Sherwood；　I　didn't　expect〃

〃Then　it's　settled；〃　she　interrupted　with　her　brisk　tone。　〃There'll　be　a　lot　of　details；　but　we'll　have　plenty　of　time　to　talk　them　over　later。〃　She　stood　up。　〃There　are　some　changes　here　at　Cedar　Crest　which　I　want　begun　at　once　and　which　I　want　you　to　supervise。　If　you　don't　mind　we'll　look　things　over　now。〃

He　followed　beside　her　along　the　curving；　graveled　walks。　She　headed　toward　the　cliff；　but　he　had　no　idea　where　she　was　leading　until　a　sharp　turn　brought　them　almost　upon　the　low　cottage　which　these　last　few　weeks　had　been　Joe　Ellison's　home。

〃Here　is　where　we　start　our　changes；〃　said　the　business…like　Miss　Sherwood。　〃The　door's　open；　so　we　might　as　well　go　right　in。〃

They　stepped　into　a　tiny　entry；　and　from　thence　into　a　little　sitting…　room。　The　room　was　filled　with　cut　flowers；　but　Larry　did　not　even　see　them。　For　as　they　entered；　Maggie　sprang　up；　startled；　from　a　chair；　and；　whiter　than　she　had　been　before　in　all　her　life；　gazed　at　him　as　if　she　wanted　to　run　away。　She　stood　trembling　and　slender　in　a　linen　frock　of　most　simple　and　graceful　lines。　It　was　Miss　Sherwood's　frock；　though　Larry　did　not　know　this；　already　it　had　been　decided　that　all　those　showy　Grantham　gowns　were　never　to　be　worn　again。

Once　more　Miss　Sherwood　came　to　the　rescue　of　a　stupendous　situation；　just　as　her　tact　had　rescued　a　situation　too　great　for　words　the　night　before。

〃Of　course　you　two　people　now　perceive　that　I'm　a　fraudthat　I've　got　you　together　by　base　trickery。　So　much　being　admitted；　let's　proceed。〃　She　turned　on　Larry。　〃Maggiewe've　agreed　that　I　am　to　call　her　that…　…Maggie　stayed　with　me　last　night。　There　are　two　beds　in　my　room。　But　we　didn't　sleep　much。　Mostly　we　talked。　If　there's　anything　Maggie　didn't　tell　me　about　herself；　I　can't　guess　what　there's　left　to　tell。　According　to　herself；　she's　terrible。　But　that's　for　us　to　judge；　personally　I　don't　believe　her。　She　confessed　that　she　really　loved　you；　but　that　after　the　way　she'd　treated　you；　of　course　she　wasn't　fit　for　you。　Which；　of　course；　is　just　a　girl's　nonsense。　I　suppose　you；　Mr。　Brainard；　are　thinking　something　of　the　sort　regarding　your　own　self。　It　is　equally　nonsense。　You　both　love　each　otheryou've　both　been　through　a　lotnothing　of　importance　now　stands　between　you…　…so　don't　waste　any　of　your　too　short　lives　in　coming　together。〃

She　took　a　deep　breath　and　went　on。　〃You　might　as　well　know；　Mr。　Brainard；　that　Maggie　is　going　to　live　with　me　for　the　presentthat；　of　course；　she　is　going　to　be　a　very　great　burden　to　meand　it　will　be　a　great　favor　to　me　if　you'll　marry　her　soon　and　take　her　off　my　hands。〃　And　then　the　voice　that　had　tried　to　keep　itself　brisk　and　even；　quavered　with　a　sudden　sob。　〃For　Heaven's　sake；　dear　children　don't　be　fools！〃

And　with　that　she　was　gone。

For　an　instant　Larry　continued　to　gaze　at　Maggie's　slender；　trembling　figure。　But　something　approaching　a　miraclea　very　human　miraclehad　just　happened。　All　those　doubts；　fears；　indecisions；　unexpressed　desires；　agonies　of　self…abasement；　which　might　have　delayed　their　understanding　and　happiness　for　weeks　and　months；　had　been　swept　into　nothingness　by　the　incisive　kindliness　of　Miss　Sherwood。　In　one　minute　she　had　said　all　they　might　have　said　in　months；　there　was　nothing　more　to　say。　There　was　nothing　left　of　the　past　to　discuss。　Before　them　was　only　the　fact　of　that　immediate　moment；　and　the　future。

Tremblingly；　silently；　Larry　crossed　to　that　trembling；　silent　figure　in　white。　She　did　not　retreat。　Tremblingly　he　took　her　hands　and　looked　down　into　her　dark　eyes。　They　were　now　flowing　tears；　but　they　met　his　squarely；　holding　back　nothing。　The　look　in　her　eyes　answered　all　he　desired　to　know　just　then；　for　he　gathered　her　tight　into　his　arms。　Wordlessly；　but　with　a　sharp；　convulsive　sob；　she　threw　her　arms　about　his　neckand　thus　embracing；　shaken　with　sharp　sobs；　they　stood　while　the　minutes　passed；　not　a　single　word　having　been　spoken。　And　so　it　was　that　these　two；　both　children　of　the　storm；　at　last　came　together。　。　。　。

Presently　Joe　Ellison　chanced　to　step　unsuspectingly　into　the　room。　Seeing　what　he　did；　he　silently　tiptoed　out。　There　was　a　garden　chair　just　outside　his　door。　Into　this　he　sank　and　let　his　thin　face　fall　into　his　hands。　His　figure　shook　and　hot　tears　burned　through　his　fingers。　For　his　heart　told　him　that　his　great　dream　was　at　last　come　true。







End