children of the whirlwind-第16部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



A　moment　later　Larry　was　pushed　through　the　library　door　and　Dick　announced　in　solemn　tone：

〃SenoritaMademoiselleour　serene；　revered；　and　most　high　sister　Isabel；　permit　us　to　present　our　newest　and　most　charming　friend；　Captain　Nemo。〃

〃Dick；〃　exclaimed　Miss　Sherwood；　〃get　out　of　here　and　get　yourself　into　some　clothes！〃

〃Listen　to　that！〃　complained　Dick。　〃She　still　talks　to　me　as　though　I　were　her　small　brother。　Next　thing　she'll　be　ordering　me　to　wash　behind　my　ears！〃

〃Get　out；　and　shut　the　door　after　you！〃

The　reply　was　Dick's　stately　exit　and　the　sharp　closing　of　the　door。

〃Has　Dick　been　talking　to　you　about　himself？〃　asked　Miss　Sherwood。

〃Yes。〃

〃What　did　he　say？〃

Larry　gave　the　substance　of　the　autobiography　which　Dick　had　volunteered。

〃Part　of　that　is　more　than　the　truth；　part　less　than　the　truth；〃　Miss　Sherwood　remarked。　〃But　this　morning　we　were　to　have　a　real　talk　about　your　affairs；　and　let's　get　to　the　subject。〃

She　had　motioned　him　to　a　chair　beside　the　quaint　old　desk；　and　they　were　now　sitting　face　to　face。　Isabel　Sherwood　looked　as　much　the　finished　patrician　as　on　the　evening　before；　and　with　that　easy；　whimsical　humor　and　the　direct　manner　of　the　person　who　is　sure　of　herself；　and　in　the　sober；　disillusioning　daylight　she　had　no　less　of　beauty　than　had　seemed　hers　in　the　softer　lighting　of　their　first　meeting。　The　clear；　fresh　face　with　its　violet…blue　eyes　was　gazing　at　him　intently。　Larry　realized　that　she　was　looking　into　the　very　soul　of　him；　and　he　sat　silent　during　this　estimate　which　he　recognized　she　had　the　right　to　make。

〃Mr。　Hunt　has　written　me　the　main　facts　about　you；　certainly　the　worst；〃　she　said　finally。　〃You　need　tell　me　nothing　further；　if　you　prefer　not　to　do　so；　but　it　might　be　helpful　if　I　knew　more　of　the　details。〃

Larry　felt　that　there　was　no　information　he　was　not　willing　to　give　this　clear…eyed；　charming　woman；　and　so　he　told　her　all　that　had　happened　since　his　return　from　Sing　Sing；　including　his　falling　in　love　with　Maggie；　the　nature　of　their　conflict；　her　departure　into　the　ways　of　her　ambition。

〃You　are　certainly　facing　a　lot　of　difficult　propositions。〃　Miss　Sherwood　checked　them　off　on　her　fingers。　〃The　police　are　after　you　your　old　friends　are　after　youyou　do　not　dare　be　caught。　You　want　to　clear　yourselfyou　want　to　make　a　business　successyou　want　to　eradicate　Maggie's　present　ambitions　and　remove　her　from　her　present　influences。〃

〃That　is　the　correct　total；〃　said　Larry。

〃Certainly　a　large　total！　Of　them　all；　which　is　the　most　important　item？〃

Larry　considered。　〃Maggie；〃　he　confessed。　〃But　Maggie　really　includes　all　the　others。　To　have　any　influence　with　her；　I　must　get　out　of　the　power　of　the　police；　I　must　overcome　her　belief　that　I　am　a　stool　and　a　squealer；　and　I　must　prove　to　her　that　I　can　make　a　success　by　going　straight。〃

〃Just　so。　And　all　these　things　you　must　do　while　a　fugitive　in　hiding。〃

〃Exactly。　Or　else　not　do　them。〃

〃H'm！　。　。　。　The　most　pressing　thing；　I　judge；　is　to　have　a　safe　and　permanent　place　to　hide；　and　to　have　work　which　may　lead　to　an　opportunity　to　prove　yourself　a　success。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Mr。　Hunt's　O。K。　on　you　would　be　sufficient；　in　any　event；　and　he　has　given　that　O。K。；〃　Miss　Sherwood　said　in　her　even　voice。　〃Besides；　my　own　judgment　prompts　me　to　believe　in　your　truth　and　your　sincerity。　I　have　been　thinking　the　matter　over　since　I　saw　you　last　night。　I　therefore　ask　you　to　remain　here；　never　leaving　the　apartment〃

〃Miss　Sherwood！〃　he　ejaculated。

〃And　a　little　later；　when　we　go　out　to　our　place　on　Long　Island；　you'll　have　more　freedom。　For　the　present　you　will　be；　to　the　servants　and　any　other　persons　who　may　chance　to　come　in；　Mr。　Brandon；　a　second　cousin　staying　with　us；　and　your　explanation　for　never　venturing　forth　can　be　that　you　are　convalescing　after　an　operation。　Perhaps　you　can　think　of　a　plan　whereby　later　on　you　might　occasionally　leave　the　house　without　too　great　risk　to　yourself。〃

〃Yes。　The　risk　comes　from　the　police；　and　from　some　of　my　old　friends　and　the　gangsters　they　have　enlisted。　So　long　as　they　believe　me　in　New　York；　they'll　all　be　on　the　lookout　for　me　every　moment。　If　they　believed　me　out　of　New　York；　they　would　all　discontinue　their　vigilance。　IfifBut　perhaps　you　would　not　care　to　do　so　much。〃

〃Go　on。〃

〃Would　you　be　willing　to　write　a　letter　to　some　friend　in　Chicago；　requesting　the　friend　to　post　an　enclosed　letter　written　by　me？〃

〃Certainly。〃

〃My　handwriting　would　be　disguisedbut　a　person　who　really　knows　my　writing　would　penetrate　the　attempted　disguise　and　recognize　it　as　mine。　My　letter　would　be　addressed　to　my　grandmother　requesting　her　to　express　my　recent　purchase　of　forfeited　pledges　to　me　in　Chicago。　A　clever　person　reading　the　letter　would　be　certain　I　was　asking　her　to　send　me　my　clothes。〃

〃What's　the　point　to　that？〃

〃One　detail　of　the　police's　search　for　me　will　be　to　open　secretly；　with　the　aid　of　the　postal　authorities；　all　mail　addressed　to　my　grandmother。　They　will　steam　open　this　letter　about　my　clothes；　then　seal　it　and　let　it　be　delivered。　But　they　will　have　learned　that　I　have　escaped　them　and　am　in　Chicago。　They　will　drop　the　hunt　here　and　telegraph　the　Chicago　police；　And　of　course　the　news　will　leak　through　to　my　old　friends；　and　they'll　also　stop　looking　for　me　in　New　York。〃

〃I　see。〃

〃And　enclosed　in　another　letter　written　by　you；　I'll　send　an　order；　also　to　be　posted　in　Chicago；　to　a　good　friend　of　mine　asking　him　to　call　at　the　express　office；　get　my　clothes；　and　hold　them　until　I　call　or　send　for　them。　When　he　goes　and　asks　for　the　clothes；　the　Chicago　police　will　get　him　and　find　the　order　on　him。　They'll　have　no　charge　at　all　against　him；　but　they'll　have　further　proof　that　I'm　in　Chicago　or　some　place　in　the　Middle　West。　The　effect　will　be　definitely　to　transfer　the　search　from　New　York。〃

〃Yes；　I　see；〃　repeated　Miss　Sherwood。　〃Go　ahead　and　do　it；　I'll　help　you。　But　for　the　present　you've　got　to　remain　right　here　in　the　apartment；　as　I　said。　And　later；　when　you　think　the　letters　have　had　their　effect；　you　must　use　the　utmost　caution。〃

〃Certainly；〃　agreed　Larry。

〃Now　as　to　your　making　a　start　in　business。　I　suspect　that　my　affairs　are　in　a　very　bad　shape。　Things　were　left　to　my　brother；　as　he　told　you。　I　have　a　lot　of　papers；　all　kinds　of　accounts；　which　he　has　brought　to　me　and　he's　bringing　me　a　great　many　more。　I　can't　make　head　or　tail　of　them；　and　I　think　my　brother　is　about　as　much　befuddled　as　I　am。　I　believe　only　an　expert　can　understand　them。　Mr。　Hunt　says　you　have　a　very　keen　mind　for　such　matters。　I　wish　you'd　take　charge　of　these　papers；　and　try　to　straighten　them　out。〃

〃Miss　Sherwood；〃　Larry　said　slowly；　〃you　know　my　record　and　yet　you　risk　trusting　me　with　your　affairs？〃

〃Not　that　I　wouldn't　take　the　riskbut　whatever　there　is　to　steal；　some　one　else　has　already　stolen　it；　or　will　steal　it。　Your　work　will　be　to　discover　thefts　or　mistakes；　and　to　prevent　thefts　or　mistakes　if　you　can。　You　see　I　am　not　placing　any　actual　control　over　stealable　property　in　younot　yet。　。　。　。　Well；　what　do　you　say？〃

〃I　can　only　say；　Miss　Sherwood；　that　you　are　more　than　good；　and　that　I　am　more　than　grateful；　and　that　I　shall　do　my　best！〃

Miss　Sherwood　regarded　him　thoughtfully　for　a　long　space。　Then　she　said：　〃I　am　going　to　place　something　further　in　your　hands；　for　if　you　are　as　clever　as　I　think　you　are；　and　if　life　has　taught　you　as　much　as　I　think　it　has；　I　believe　you　can　help　me　a　lot。　My　brother　Dick　is　wild　and　reckless。　I　wish　you'd　look　out　for　him　and　try　to　hold　him　in　check　where　you　can。　That　is；　if　this　isn't　placing　too　great　a　duty　on　you。〃

〃That's　not　a　dutyit's　a　compliment！〃

〃Then　that　will　be　all　for　the　present。　I'll　see　you　again　in　an　hour　or　two；　when　I　shall　have　some　things　ready　to　turn　over　to　you。〃

Back　in　his　bedroom　Larry　walked　exultantly　to　and　fro。　He　had　security！　And　at　last　he　had　a　chanceperhaps　the　chance　he　had　been　yearning　for　through　which　he　was　ultimately　to　prove　himself　a　success！　。　。　。

He　wondered　yet　more　about　Miss　Sherwood。　And　again　about　her　and　Hunt。　Miss　Sherwood　was　clever；　gracious；　everything　a　man　could　want　in　a　woman；　and　he　guessed　that　behind　her　humorous　references　to　Hunt　there　was　a　deep　feeling　for　the　big　painter　who　was　living　almost　like　a　tramp　in　the　attic　of　the　Duchess's　little　house。　And　Larry　knew　Miss　Sherwood　was　the　only　woman　in　Hunt's　life；　Hunt　had　said　as　much。　They　were　everything　to　each　other；　they　trusted　each　other。　Yet　there　was　some　wide　breach　between　the　two；　evidently　his　own　crisis　had　forced　the　only　communication　which　had　passed　between　the　two　for　months。　He　wondered　what　that　breach　could　be；　and　what　had　been　its　cause。

And　then　an　idea　began　to　open　its　possibilities。　What　a　splendid　return；　if；　somehow；　he　could　do　something　that　would　help　bring　together　these　two　persons　who　had　befriended　him！　。　。　。

But　most　of　the　time；　while　he　waited　for　Miss　Sherwood　to　summon　him　again；　he　wondered　about　Maggie。　Yes；　as　he　had　told　Miss　Sherwood；　Maggie　was　the　most　important　problem　of　his　life：　all　his　many　other　problems　were　important　only　in　the　degree　that　they　aided　or　hindered　the　solution　of　Maggie。　Where　was　she？what　was　she　doing？how　was　he；　in　this　pleasant　prison　which　he　dared　not　leave；　ever　to　overcome　her　scorn　of　him；　and　ever　to　divert　her　from　that　dangerous　career　in　which　her　proud　and　excited　young　vision　saw　only　the　brilliant　and　profitable　adventure　of　high　romance？




CHAPTER　XIII


When　Maggie　rode　away　forever　from　the　house　of　the　Duchess　with　Barney　Palmer　and　her　father；　after　the　denunciation　of　Larry　by　the　three　of　them　as　a　stool　and　a　squealer；　she　was　the　thrilled　container　of　about　as　many　diversified　emotions　as　often　bubble　and　swirl　in　a　young　girl　at　one　and　the　same　time。　There　was　anger　and　contempt　toward　Larry：　Larry　who　had　weakly　thrown　aside　a　career　in　which　he　was　a　master；　and　who　had　added　to　that　bad　the　worse　of　being　a　traitor。　There　was　the　lifting　sense　that　at　last　she　had　graduated；　that　at　last　she　was　set　free　from　the　drab　and　petty　things　of　life；　that　at　last　she　was　riding　forth　into　the　great　brilliant　world　in　which　e