children of the whirlwind-第30部分

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Larry　got　in。　Once　out　of　the　drive　the　car　leaped　away　as　though　intent　upon　keeping　to　Hunt's　time…table。　But　after　a　mile　or　two　Hunt　quieted　the　roaring　monster　to　a　conversational　pace。

〃Get　one　of　the　invitations　to　my　show？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes。　Several　days　ago。　That　dealer　certainly　got　it　up　in　great　shape。〃

〃You　must　have　hypnotized　Graham。　That　old　paint　pirate　is　giving　the　engine　all　the　gas　she'll　standand　believe　me；　he's　sure　getting　up　a　lot　of　speed。〃　Hunt　grinned。　〃That　private　pre…exhibition　show　you　suggested　is　proving　the　best　publicity　idea　Graham　ever　had　in　his　musty　old　shop。　Everywhere　I　go；　people　are　talking　about　the　darned　thing。　Every　man；　woman　and　child；　also　unmarried　females　of　both　sexes；　who　got　invitations　are　comingand　those　who　didn't　get　'em　are　trying　to　bribe　the　traffic　cop　at　Forty…Second　Street　to　let　'em　in。〃

Hunt　paused　for　a　chuckle。　〃And　I'm　having　the　time　of　my　young　life　with　the　people　who　always　thought　I　couldn't　paint；　and　who　are　now　trying　to　sidle　up　to　me　on　the　suspicion　that　possibly　after　all　I　can　paint。　What's　got　that　bunch　buffaloed　is　the　fact　that　Graham　has　let　it　leak　out　that　I'm　likely　to　make　bales　of　money　from　my　painting。　The　idea　of　any　one　making　money　out　of　painting；　that's　too　much　for　their　heads。　Oh；　this　is　the　life；　Larry！〃

Larry　started　to　congratulate　him；　but　was　instantly　interrupted　with：

〃I　admit　I'm　a　painter；　and　always　will　admit　it。　But　this　present　thing　is　all　your　doing。　We'll　try　to　square　things　sometime。　But　I　didn't　ask　you　to　come　along　to　hear　verbostical　acrobatics　about　myself。　I　asked　you　to　learn　if　you'd　worked　out　your　plan　yet　regarding　Maggie？　〃

〃Yes。〃　And　Larry　proceeded　to　give　the　details　of　his　design。

〃Regular　psychological　stuff！〃　exclaimed　Hunt。　And　then：　〃Say；　you're　some　stage…manager！　Or　rather　same　playwright！　Playwrights　that　know　tell　me　it's　one　of　their　most　difficult　tricksto　get　all　their　leading　characters　on　the　stage　at　the　same　time。　And　here　you've　got　it　all　fixed　to　bring　on　Miss　Sherwood；　Dick；　Maggie；　yourself；　and　the　all…important　mefor　don't　forget　I　shall　be　slipping　out　to　Cedar　Crest　occasionally。〃

〃As　for　myself；〃　remarked　Larry；　〃I　shall　remain　very　much　behind　the　scenes。　Maggie'll　never　see　me。〃

〃Well；　here's　hoping　you're　good　enough　playwright　to　manage　your　characters　so　they　won't　run　away　from　you　and　mix　up　an　ending　you　never　dreamed　of！〃

The　car　paused　again　in　the　drive　and　Larry　got　out。

〃I　say；　Larry；〃　Hunt　whispered　eagerly；　〃who's　that　tall；　white…haired　man　working　over　there　among　the　roses？〃

〃Joe　Ellison。　He's　that　man　I　told　you　about　my　getting　to　know　in　Sing　Sing。　Remember？〃

〃Oh；　yes！　The　crook　who　was　having　his　baby　brought　up　to　be　a　real　person。　Say；　he's　a　sure…enough　character！　Lordy；　but　I'd　love　to　paint　that　face！　。　。　。　So…long；　son。〃

The　car　swung　around　the　drive　and　roared　away。　Larry　mounted　to　the　piazza。　Dick　was　waiting　for　him；　and　excitedly　drew　him　down　to　one　corner　that　crimson　ramblers　had　woven　into　a　nook　for　confidences。

〃Captain；　old　scout；〃　he　said　in　a　low；　happy　voice；　〃I've　just　told　sis。　Put　the　whole　proposition　up　to　her；　just　as　you　told　me。　She　took　it　like　a　regular　fellow。　Your　whole　idea　was　one　hundred　per　cent　right。　Sis　is　inside　now　getting　off　that　invitation　to　Miss　Cameron；　asking　her　to　come　out　day　after　to…morrow。〃

Larry　involuntarily　caught　the　veranda　railing。　〃I　hope　it　works　out　for　the　best；〃　he　said。

〃Oh；　it　willno　doubt　of　it！〃　cried　the　exultant　Dick。　〃And；　Captain；　if　it　does；　it'll　be　all　your　doing！〃




CHAPTER　XXIII


When　Miss　Sherwood's　invitation　reached　Maggie；　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie　were　with　her。　The　pair　had　growled　a　lot；　though　not　directly　at　Maggie；　at　the　seeming　lack　of　progress　Maggie　had　made　during　the　past　week。　Barney　was　a　firm　enough　believer　in　his　rogue's　creed　of　first　getting　your　fish　securely　hooked；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　there　was　the　danger；　if　the　hooked　fish　be　allowed　to　remain　too　long　in　the　water；　that　it　would　disastrously　shake　itself　free　of　the　barb　and　swim　away。　That　was　what　Barney　was　afraid　had　been　happening　with　Dick　Sherwood。　Therefore　he　was　thinking　of　returning　to　his　abandoned　scheme　of　selling　stock　to　Dick。　He　might　get　Dick's　money　in　that　way；　though　of　course　not　so　much　money；　and　of　course　not　so　safely。

And　another　item　which　for　some　time　had　not　been　pleasing　Barney　was　that　Larry　Brainard　had　not　yet　been　finally　taken　care　of；　either　by　the　police　or　by　that　unofficial　force　to　which　he　had　given　orders。　So　he　had　good　reason　for　permitting　himself　the　relaxation　of　scowling　when　he　was　not　on　public　exhibition。

But　when　Maggie；　after　reading　the　invitation；　tossed　it；　together　with　a　note　from　Dick；　across　to　Barney　without　comment；　the　color　of　his　entire　world　changed　for　that　favorite　son　of　Broadway。　The　surly　gloom　of　the　end　of　a　profitless　enterprise　became　magically　an　aurora　borealis　of　superior　hopes：no；　something　infinitely　more　substantial　than　any　heaven…painting　flare　of　iridescent　colors。

〃Maggie；　it's　the　real　thing！　At　last！〃　he　cried。

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Old　Jimmie。

Barney　gave　him　the　letter。　Jimmie　read　it　through；　then　handed　it　back；　slowly　shaking　his　head。

〃I　don't　see　nothing　to　get　excited　about；〃　said　the　ever…doubtful；　ever…hesitant　Jimmie。　〃It's　only　an　invitation。〃

〃Aw；　hell！〃　ejaculated　the　exasperated　Barney　in　disgust。　〃If　some　one　handed　you　a　government　bond　all　you　could　see　would　be　a　cigar　coupon！　That　invitation；　together　with　this　note　from　Dick　Sherwood　saying　he'll　call　and　take　Maggie　out；　means　that　the　fish　is　all　ready　to　be　landed。　Try　to　come　back　to　life；　Jimmie。　If　you　knew　anything　at　all　about　big…league　society；　you'd　know　that　sending　invitations　to　meet　the　familythat's　the　way　these　swells　do　things　when　they're　all　set　to　do　business。　We're　all　ready　for　the　killing　the　big　clean…up！〃

He　turned　to　Maggie。　〃Great　stuff；　Maggie。　I　knew　you　could　put　it　over。　Of　course　you're　going？〃

〃Of　course；〃　replied　Maggie　with　a　composure　which　was　wholly　of　her　manner。

A　sudden　doubt　came　out　of　this　glory　to　becloud　Barney's　master　mind。　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃It's　one　proposition　to　make　one　of　these　men　swells　believe　that　a　woman　is　the　real　thing。　And　it's　another　proposition　to　put　it　over　on　one　of　these　women　swells。　They've　got　eyes　for　every　little　detail；　and　they　know　the　difference　between　the　genuine　article　and　an　imitation。　I've　heard　a　lot　about　this　Miss　Sherwood；　they　say　she's　one　of　the　cleverest　of　the　swells。　Think　you　can　walk　into　her　house　and　put　it　over　on　her；　Maggie？〃

〃Of　coursewhy　not？〃　answered　Maggie；　again　with　that　composure　which　was　prompted　by　her　pride's　desire　to　make　Barney；　and　every　one　else；　believe　her　equal　to　any　situation。

Barney's　animation　returned。　〃All　right。　If　you　think　you　can　swing　it；　you　can　swing　it；　and　the　job's　the　same　as　finished　and　we're　made！〃

Left　to　herself；　and　the　imposing　propriety　and　magnificent　stupidity　of　Miss　Grierson；　Maggie　made　no　attempt　to　keep　up　her　appearance　of　confidence。　All　her　thoughts　were　upon　this　opportunity　which　insisted　upon　looking　to　her　like　a　menace。　She　tried　to　whip　her　self…　confidence；　of　which　she　was　so　proud；　into　a　condition　of　constant　regnancy。　But　the　plain　fact　was　that　Maggie；　the　misguided　child　of　a　stolen　birthright；　whose　soaring　spirit　was　striving　so　hard　to　live　up　to　the　traditions　and　conventions　of　cynicism；　whose　young　ambition　it　was　to　outshine　and　surpass　all　possible　competitors　in　this　world　in　which　she　had　been　placed；　who　in　her　pride　believed　she　knew　so　much　of　lifethe　plain　fact　was　that　Maggie　was　in　a　state　bordering　on　funk。

This　invitation　from　Miss　Sherwood　was　an　ordeal　she　had　never　counted　on。　She　had　watched　the　fine　ladies　at　the　millinery　shop　and　while　selling　cigarettes　at　the　Ritzmore；　when　she　had　been　modeling　her　manners；　and　had　believed　herself　just　as　fine　a　lady　as　they。　But　that　had　been　in　the　abstract。　Now　she　was　face　to　face　with　a　situation　that　was　painfully　concretea　real　test：　she　had　to　place　herself　into　close　contrast　with；　and　under　the　close　observation　of；　a　real　lady；　and　in　that　lady's　own　home。　And　in　all　her　life　she　had　not　once　been　in　a　fine　home！　In　fine　hotels；　yesbut　fine　hotels　were　the　common　refuge　of　butcher；　baker；　floor…walker；　thief；　swell；　and　each　had　approximately　the　same　attention；　and　all　she　now　felt　she　had　really　learned　were　a　few　such　matters　as　the　use　of　table　silver　and　finger　bowls。

It　came　to　her　that　Barney；　in　his　moment　of　doubt；　had　spoken　more　soundly　than　he　had　imagined　when　he　had　said　that　it　was　easier　to　fool　a　man　about　a　woman　than　it　was　to　fool　a　woman。　How　tragically　true　that　was！　While　trying　to　learn　to　be　a　lady　by　working　in　smart　shops；　she　had　learned　that　the　occasional　man　who　had　ventured　in　after　woman's　gear　was　hopelessly　ignorant　and　bought　whatever　was　skillfully　thrust　upon　him；　but　that　it　was　impossible　to　slip　an　inferior　or　unsuitable　or　out…dated　article　over　on　the　woman　who　really　knew。

And　Miss　Sherwood　was　the　kind　of　woman　who　really　knew！　Who　knew　everything。　Could　she　possibly；　possibly　pass　herself　off　on　Miss　Sherwood　as　the　genuine　article？　。　。　。

Could　Larry　have　foreseen　the　very　real　miseryfor　any　doubt　of　her　own　qualities；　any　fear　of　her　ability　to　carry　herself　well　in　any　situation；　are　among　the　most　acute　of　a　proud　woman's　miserieswhich　for　some　twenty…four　hours　was　brought　upon　Maggie　by　the　well…meant　intrigue　of　which　he　was　pulling　the　hidden　strings；　he　might；　because　of　his　love　for　Maggie；　have　discarded　his　design　even　while　he　was　creating　it；　and　have　sought　a　measure　pregnant　with　less　distress。　But　perhaps　it　was　just　as　well　that　Larry　did　not　know。　Perhaps；　even；　it　was　just　as　well　that　he　did　not　know　what　his　grandmother　knew。

Maggie's　pride　would　not　let　her　evade　the　risk；　and　her　instinct　for　self…preservation　dictated　that　she　should　reduce　the　risk　to　its　minimum。　So　she　wrote　her　acceptanceMiss　Grierson　attended　to　the　phrasing　of　her　notebut　expressed　her　regret　that　she　would　be　able　to　come　only　for　th