children of the whirlwind-第34部分

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Maggie　got　back　to　her　room　with　the　feeling　that　she　had　staved　off　Barney　and　her　numerous　other　dilemmas　for　the　immediate　present。　Her　chief　thought　in　the　many　events　of　the　day　had　been　only　to　escape　her　dangers　and　difficulties　for　the　moment；　all　the　time　she　had　known　that　her　real　thinking；　her　real　decisions；　were　for　a　later　time　when　she　was　not　so　driven　by　the　press　of　unexpected　circumstances。　That　less　stressful　time　was　now　beginning。

What　was　she　to　do　next？　What　were　to　be　her　final　decisions？　And　what；　in　all　this　strange　ferment；　was　likely　to　germinate　as　possible　forces　against　her？

She　mulled　these　things　over　for　several　days；　during　which　Dick　came　to　see　her　twice；　and　twice　proposed；　and　was　twice　put　off。　She　had　quiet　now；　and　was　most　of　the　time　alone；　but　that　clarity　which　she　had　expected；　that　quickness　and　surety　of　purpose　which　she　had　always　believed　to　be　unfailingly　hers；　refused　to　come。

She　tried　to　have　it　otherwise；　but　the　outstanding　figure　in　her　meditations　was　Larry。　Larry；　who　had　not　exposed　her　at　the　Sherwoods'；　and　whose　influence　had　caused　Hunt　also　not　to　expose　herLarry；　who　without　deception　was　on　a　familiar　footing　at　the　Sherwoods'　where　she　had　been　received　only　through　trickeryLarry；　a　fugitive　in　danger　from　so　many　enemies；　perhaps　after　all　undeserved　enemiesLarry；　who　looked　to　be　making　good　on　his　boast　to　achieve　success　through　honestyLarry；　who　had　again　told　her　that　he　loved　her。　She　liked　Dick　Sherwoodshe　really　did。　But　Larrythat　was　something　different。

And　thus　she　thought　on；　drawn　this　way　and　that；　and　unable　to　reach　a　decision。　But　with　most　people；　when　in　a　state　of　acute　mental　turmoil；　that　which　has　been　most　definite　in　the　past；　instinct；　habit　of　mind；　purpose；　tradition；　becomes　at　least　temporarily　the　dominant　factor　through　the　mere　circumstance　that　it　has　existed　powerfully　before；　through　its　comparative　stability；　through　its　semi…permanence。　And　so　with　Maggie。　She　had　for　that　one　afternoon　almost　been　won　over　against　herself　by　the　workings　of　Larry's　secret　diplomacy。　Then　had　come　the　natural　reaction。　And　now　in　her　turmoil；　in　so　far　as　she　had　any　decision；　it　was　instinctively　to　go　right　ahead　in　the　direction　in　which　she　had　been　going。

But　on　the　sixth　day　of　her　uncertainty；　just　after　Dick　had　called　on　her　and　she　had　provisionally　accepted　an　invitation　to　Cedar　Crest　for　the　following　afternoon；　a　danger　which　she　had　half　seen　from　the　start　burst　upon　her　without　a　moment's　warning。　It　came　into　her　sitting…room；　just　before　her　dinner　hour；　in　the　dual　form　of　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie。　The　faces　of　both　were　lowering。

〃Get　rid　of　that　boob　chaperon　of　yours！〃　gritted　Barney。　〃We're　going　to　have　some　real　talk！〃

Maggie　stepped　to　the　connecting　door；　sent　Miss　Grierson　on　an　inconsequential　errand；　and　returned。

〃You're　looking　as　pleasant　as　if　you　were　sitting　for　a　new　photograph；　Barney。　What　gives　you　that　sweet　expression？〃

〃You'll　cut　out　your　comic…supplement　stuff　in　just　one　second；〃　Barney　warned　her。　〃We　both　saw　young　Sherwood　awhile　ago　as　he　was　leaving　the　Grantham；　and　he　told　us　everything！〃

Persiflage　did　indeed　fail　Maggie。　〃Everything？〃　she　exclaimed。　〃What's　everything？〃

〃He　told　us　about　proposing　to　you　almost　a　week　ago；　and　about　your　refusing　him。　And　you　lied　to　uskept　us　sitting　round；　wasting　our　timeand　all　the　while　you've　been　double…crossing　us！〃

Those　visitors　from　South　and　West；　especially　the　women；　who　a　few　nights　before　on　the　roof　had　regarded　Barney　as　the　perfect　courtier；　would　not　have　so　esteemed　him　if　they　had　seen　him　at　the　present　moment。　He　seized　Maggie's　wrists；　and　all　the　evil　of　his　violent　nature　glared　from　his　small　bright　eyes。

〃Damn　you！〃　he　cried。　〃Jimmie；　she's　yours；　and　a　father's　got　a　right　to　do　anything　he　likes　to　his　own　daughter。　Give　it　to　her　proper　if　she　don't　come　across　with　the　truth！〃

Jimmie　stepped　closer　to　her　and　bared　his　yellow　teeth。　〃I　haven't　given　you　a　basting　since　you　were　fifteenbut　I'll　paste　you　one　right　in　the　mouth　if　you　don't　talk　straight　talk！〃

〃You　hear　that！〃　Barney　gritted　at　her。　He　believed　there　was　justice　in　his　wrathas　indeed　there　was；　of　a　sort。　〃Think　what　Jimmie　and　I've　put　into　this；　in　time　and　hard　coin！　We've　given　you　your　chance；　we've　made　you！　And　then；　after　hard　work　and　waiting　and　our　spending　so　much；　and　everything　comes　out　exactly　as　we　figured；　you　go　and　throw　us　downnot　just　yourself；　but　us　and　our　rights！　Now　you　talk　straight　stuff！　Tell　us；　why　did　you　refuse　Sherwood　when　he　proposed？　And　why　did　you　tell　me　that　lie　about　his　not　proposing？〃

Maggie　realized　she　was　in　a　desperate　plight；　with　these　two　inflamed　gazes　upon　her。　Never　had　she　felt　so　little　of　a　daughter's　liking　for　Old　Jimmie　as　now　when　she　looked　into　his　lean；　harsh；　yellow…　fanged　face。　And　she　had　no　illusions　about　Barney。　He　might　love　her；　as　she　knew　he　did；　but　that　would　not　be　a　check　upon　his　ruthlessness　if　he　thought　himself　balked　or　betrayed。

Just　then　her　telephone　began　to　ring。　She　started　to　move　toward　it；　but　Barney's　grip　checked　her　short。

〃You're　going　to　answer　menot　any　damned　telephone！　Let　it　ring！〃

The　bell　rang　for　a　minute　or　two　before　it　stilled　its　shrill　clamor。　Its　ringing　was　in　a　way　a　brief　respite　to　Maggie；　for　it　gave　her　additional　time　to　consider　what　should　be　her　course。　She　realized　that　she　dared　not　let　Barney　believe　at　this　moment　that　she　had　turned　against　him。　Again　she　fell　back　upon　her　cool；　self…confident　manner。

〃You　want　to　know　why？　The　answer　is　simple　enough。　I　thought　I　might　try　out　an　improvement　of　our　plansomething　that　might　suit　me　better。〃

〃What's　that？〃　Barney　harshly　demanded。

〃Since　Miss　Sherwood　fell　for　me　so　easy；　it　struck　me　that　she'd　be　pretty　sure　to　fall　for　me　if　I　told　her　the　whole　truth　about　myself。　That　is；　everything　except　our　scheme　to　play　Dick　for　a　sucker。〃

〃What're　you　driving　at？〃

〃Don't　you　see？　If　she　forgave　me　being　what　I　am；　and　I　rather　think　she　would；　and　with　Dick　liking　me　as　he　doeswhy；　it　struck　me　as　the　best　thing　for　yours　truly　to　marry　Dick　for　keeps。〃

〃What？〃　Though　Barney's　voice　was　low；　it　had　the　effect　of　a　startled　and　savage　roar。　〃And　chuck　us　over…board？〃

〃Not　at　all。　If　I　married　Dick　for　keeps；　I　intended　to　pay　you　a　lump　sum；　or　else　a　regular　amount　each　year。〃

〃No；　you　don't！〃　Barney　cried　in　the　same　muffled　roar。

〃Perhaps　notI　haven't　decided；〃　Maggie　said　evenly。　〃I've　merely　been　telling　you；　as　you　requested　me；　why　I　did　as　I　did。　I　refused　Dick；　and　lied　to　you；　so　that　I　might　have　more　time　to　think　over　what　I　really　wanted　to　do。〃

Instinctively　she　had　counted　on　rousing　Barney's　jealousy　in　order　to　throw　him　off　the　track　of　her　real　thoughts。　She　succeeded。

〃I　can　tell　you　what　you're　going　to　do！〃　Barney　flung　at　her　with　fierce　mastery。　〃You're　not　going　to　put　over　a　sure…enough　marriage　with　any　Dick　Sherwood！　When　there's　that　kind　of　a　marriage；　I'm　going　to　be　the　man！　And　you're　going　to　go　right　straight　ahead　with　our　old　plan！　Dick'll　propose　again　if　you　give　him　half　a　chance。　And　when　he　does；　you　say　'yes'！　Understand？　That's　what　you're　going　to　do！〃

There　was　no　safety　in　openly　defying　Barney。　And　as　a　matter　of　fact　what　he　had　ordered　was　what；　in　the　shifting　currents　of　her　thoughts；　the　steady　momentum　of　her　old　ambitions　and　purposes　had　been　pushing　her　toward。　So　she　said；　in　her　even　voice：

〃You　waste　such　a　lot　of　your　good　energy；　Barney；　by　exploding　when　there's　nothing　to　blow　up。　That's　exactly　what　I'd　decided　to　do。　Miss　Sherwood　has　asked　me　out　to　Cedar　Crest　to…morrow　afternoon；　and　I'm　going。〃

Barney　let　go　the　hold　he　had　kept　upon　her　wrists；　and　the　dark　look　slowly　lifted　from　his　face。　〃Why　didn't　you　tell　a　fellow　this　at　first？〃　he　half　grumbled。　then　with　a　grim　enthusiasm：　〃And　when　you　come　back；　you're　going　to　tell　us　it's　all　settled！〃

Of　courseif　he　asks　me。　And　now　suppose　you　two　go　away。　You've　given　me　a　headache；　and　I　want　to　rest。〃

〃We'll　go；〃　said　Barney。　〃But　there　may　be　some　more　points　about　this　that　we　may　want　to　talk　over　a　little　later　to…night。　So　better　get　all　the　rest　you　can。〃

But　when　they　had　gone　and　left　her　to　the　silence　of　her　pretentious　and　characterless　suite；　Maggie　did　not　rest。　She　had　made　up　her　mind；　she　was　going　to　do　as　she　had　said。　But　there　was　still　that　same　turmoil　within　her。

Again　she　thought　of　Larry。　But　she　would　not　admit　to　herself　that　her　real　motive　for　suddenly　deciding　to　go　to　Cedar　Crest　on　the　morrow　was　the　chance　of　seeing　him。




CHAPTER　XXVI


During　all　these　days　Larry　waited　for　news　of　the　result　of　the　experiment　in　psychology　which　meant　so　much　to　his　life。　He　had　not　expected　to　hear　directly　from　Maggie；　but　he　had　counted　upon　learning　at　once　from　Dick；　if　not　by　words；　then　either　from　eloquent　dejection　which　would　proclaim　Dick's　refusal　（and　Larry's　success）　or　from　an　ebullient　joy　which　would　proclaim　that　Maggie　had　accepted　him。　But　Dick's　sober　but　not　unhappy　behavior　announced　neither　of　these　two　to　Larry；　and　the　matter　was　too　personal；　altogether　too　delicate；　to　permit　Larry　to　ask　Dick　the　result；　however　subtly　he　might　ask　it。

So　Larry　could　only　waitand　wonder。　The　truth　did　not　occur　to　Larry；　he　did　not　see　that　there　might　be　another　alternative　to　the　two　possible　reactions　he　had　calculated　upon。　He　did　not　bear　in　mind　that　Maggie's　youthful　obstinacy；　her　belief　in　herself　and　her　ways；　were　too　solid　a　structure　to　yield　at　once　to　one　moral　shock；　however　wisely　planned　and　however　strong。　He　did　not　at　this　time　hold　in　mind　that　any　real　change　in　so　decided　a　character　as　Maggie；　if　change　there　was　to　be；　would　be　preceded　and　accompanied　by　a　turbulent　period　in　which　she　would　hardly　know　who　she　was；　or　where　she　was；　or　what　she　was　going　to　doand　that　at　the　end　of　such　a　period　there　might　be　no　change　at　all。

Inasmuch　as　just　then　Maggie　was　his　major　interest；　it　seemed　to　Larry　in　his　safe　seclusion　that　he　was　merely　marking　time；　and　marking　time　with　feet　that　were　fran