children of the whirlwind-第43部分

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dden　his　square　face；　she　led　the　way　into　Larry's　study。　〃This　is　the　room　where　Mr。　Brainard　works；〃　she　said。　〃Through　that　door　is　his　bedroom。　Everything　here　except　his　clothing　is　my　property。　I　shall　hold　you　rigidly　responsible　for　any　disorder　you　may　create　or　any　damage　you　may　do。　Now　you　may　go　ahead。〃

〃Let's　have　all　your　keys；　Brainard；〃　Gavegan　choked　out。

Larry　handed　them　over。　With　Miss　Sherwood；　Hunt；　and　Larry　looking　silently　on；　the　two　men　began　their　examination。　They　began　with　the　papers　on　Larry's　desk　and　in　its　drawers；　and　in　all　his　life　Gavegan　had　not　been　so　considerate　in　a　search　as　he　now　was　with　Miss　Sherwood's　blue　eyes　coldly　upon　him。　They　unlocked　cabinets；　scrutinized　their　contents；　shook　out　books；　examined　the　backs　of　pictures；　took　up　rugs；　then　passed　into　Larry's　bedroom。　Miss　Sherwood　made　no　move　to　follow　the　officers　into　that　more　intimate　apartment；　and　the　other　two　watchers　remained　with　her。

A　minute　passed。　Then　Gavegan　reentered；　a　puzzled；　half…triumphant　look　on　his　red　face；　holding　out　a　square　of　paint…covered　canvas。

〃Found　this　thing　in　Brainard's　chiffonier。　What　the　heI　mean　what's　it　doing　out　here？〃

There　was　not　an　instant's　doubt　as　to　what　the　thing　was。　Larry　started；　and　Hunt　started；　and　Miss　Sherwood　started。　But　it　was　Miss　Sherwood　who　first　spoke。

〃Why；　it's　a　portrait　of　Miss　Cameron；　in　costume！　And　painted　by　Mr。　Hunt！〃　In　amazement　she　turned　first　upon　Larry　and　upon　Hunt。　〃When　did　you　ever　paint　her　portrait；　when　you　did　not　meet　Miss　Cameron　till　you　met　her　here？　And；　Mr。　Brainard；　how　do　you　come　to　possess　Miss　Cameron's　portrait？〃

It　was　Gavegan　who　spoke　up　promptly；　and　not　either　of　the　two　suddenly　discomfited　men。　And　Gavegan　instantly　sensed　in　the　situation　a　chance　to　get　even　for　the　humiliation　his　self…esteem　had　just　suffered。

〃Miss　Cameron　nothing！　Her　real　name　is　Maggie　Carlisle；　and　she　used　to　live　at　a　dump　of　a　pawnshop　down　on　the　East　Side　run　by　Brainard's　grandmother。　Brainard　knew　her　there；　and　so　did　Mr。　Hunt。〃

〃Butbut〃　gasped　Miss　Sherwood〃she's　been　coming　out　here　as　Maggie　Cameron！〃

〃I　tell　you　your　Maggie　Cameron　is　Maggie　Carlisle！〃　said　Gavegan　gloatingly。　〃I've　known　her　for　years。　Her　father　is　Old　Jimmie　Carlisle；　a　notorious　crook。　And　she's　mixed　up　right　now　with　her　father　and　some　others　in　a　crooked　game。　And　Brainard　here　used　to　be　sweet　on　her；　and　probably　still　is；　and　if　he's　been　letting　her　come　here；　without　telling　you　who　she　iswell；　I　guess　you　know　the　answer。　Didn't　I　tell　you；　Miss；　that　give　me　a　chance　and　I'd　turn　up　something　against　this　guy　Brainard！〃

Miss　Sherwood's　face　was　white；　but　set　with　grim　accusation　that　was　only　waiting　to　pronounce　swift　judgment。　〃Mr。　Hunt；　is　it　true　that　Miss　Cameron　is　this　Maggie　Carlisle　the　officer　mentions；　and　that　you　knew　it　all　the　while？〃

〃Yes〃　began　the　painter。

〃Don't　blame　him；　Miss　Sherwood；〃　Larry　interrupted。　〃He　didn't　tell　you　because　I　begged　him　not　to　as　a　favor　to　me。　Blame　me　for　everything。〃

Her　judgment　upon　Hunt　was　pronounced　with　cold　finality；　her　eyes　straight　into　Hunt's：　〃Whatever　may　have　been　Mr。　Hunt's　motives；　I　unalterably　hold　him　to　blame。〃

She　turned　upon　Larry。　The　face　which　he　had　only　seen　in　gracious　moods　was　as　inflexibly　stern　as　a　prosecuting　attorney's。

〃We're　going　to　go　right　to　the　bottom　of　this；　Mr。　Brainard。　You　too　have　known　all　along　that　this　Miss　Cameron　was　really　the　Maggie　Carlisle　this　officer　speaks　of？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　you　have　known　all　along　that　she　was　the　daughter　of　this　notorious　criminal；　Old　Jimmie　Carlisle？〃

The　impulse　surged　up　in　Larry　to　tell　the　newly　learned　truth　about　Maggie。　But　he　remembered　Maggie's　injunction　that　the　truth　must　never　be　known。　He　checked　his　revelation　just　in　time。

〃Yes。〃

〃And　is　it　true　that　Maggie　Carlisle　is　herself　what　is　known　as　a　crook？or　has　had　crooked　inclinations　or　plans？〃

〃It's　like　this；　Miss　Sherwood〃

〃A　direct　answer；　please！〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　is　it　true；　as　this　officer　has　suggested；　that　you　were　in　love　with　her　yourself？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃You　are　aware　of　my　brother's　infatuation　for　her？　That　he　has　asked　her　to　marry　him？〃

〃Yes。〃

Her　voice　now　sounded　more　terrible　to　Larry。　〃I　took　you　in　to　give　you　a　chance。　And　your　repayment　has　been　that；　knowing　all　these　things；　you　have　kept　silent　and　let　me　and　my　brother　be　imposed　upon　by　a　swindling　operation。　And　who　knows；　since　you　admit　that　you　love　the　girl；　that　you　have　not　been　a　partner　in　the　conspiracy　from　the　first！〃

〃That's　exactly　the　idea；　Miss！〃　put　in　Gavegan。

Larry　had　foreseen　many　possible　wrong　turns　which　his　plan　might　take；　but　he　was　appalled　by　the　utter　unexpectedness　of　the　actual　disaster。　And　yet　he　recognized　that　the　evidence　justified　Miss　Sherwood's　judgment　of　him。　It　all　made　him　seem　an　ingrate　and　a　swindler。

For　the　moment　Larry　was　so　overwhelmed　that　he　made　no　attempt　to　speak。　And　since　for　once　Gavegan　was　content　merely　to　gloat　over　his　triumph；　there　was　stiff　silence　in　the　room　until　Miss　Sherwood　said　in　the　cold　voice　of　a　judge　after　a　jury　has　brought　in　a　verdict　of　guilty：

〃Of　course；　if　you　think　there　is　anything　you　may　say　for　yourself；　Mr。　Brainard；　you　now　have　the　chance　to　say　it。〃

〃I　have　much　to　say；　but　I　can't　blame　you　if　you　refuse　to　believe　most　of　it；〃　Larry　said　desperately；　fighting　for　what　seemed　his　last　chance。　〃I　loved　Maggie　Carlisle。　I　believed　she　had　splendid　qualities。　Only　she　was　dominated　by　the　twisted　ideas　Old　Jimmie　Carlisle　had　planted　in　her。　I　wanted　to　eradicate　those　twisted　ideas；　and　make　her　good　qualities　her　ruling　ones。　But　she　didn't　believe　in　me。　She　thought　me　a　soft…head；　a　police　stool；　a　squealer。　Then　I　had　to　disappear；　you　know　all　about　that。　Not　till　I　had　been　with　you　for　several　weeks　did　I　learn　that　she　was　being　used　in　a　swindling　scheme　against　Dick。

〃I　did　think　of　telling　you　or　Dick。　But　my　greatest　interest　was　to　awaken　that　better　person　I　believed　to　be　in　her；　and　I　knew　that　the　certain　result　of　my　exposing　her　to　you　would　be　for　me　to　lose　the　last　bit　of　influence　I　had　with　her；　and　for　her　to　pass　right　on　to　another　enterprise　of　similar　character。　So　the　idea　came　to　me　that　if　I　didn't　expose　her；　but　caused　her　to　be　received　with　every　courtesy　by　her　intended　victims；　the　effect　upon　her　would　be　that　she　would　feel　a　revulsion　for　what　she　was　doing　and　she　would　come　to　her　best　senses。　I　told　this　to　Mr。　Hunt；　that's　why　he　agreed　not　to　give　her　away。　And　another　point；　though　frankly　this　was　not　so　important　to　me：　it　seemed　to　me　that　a　good　hard　jolt　might　be　just　what　was　needed　to　make　Dick　take　life　more　seriously；　and　I　saw　in　this　affair　a　chance　for　Dick　to　get　just　the　jolt　he　needed。

〃That's　all；　Miss　Sherwood。　Except　that　I　have　seen　signs　which　make　me　believe　that　what　I　figured　would　happen　to　Maggie　Carlisle　have　begun　to　happen　to　her。〃

〃Bunk！〃　snorted　Gavegan。

〃I　know　that　part　of　what　he　says　is　true；〃　put　in　Hunt。

Miss　Sherwood　ignored　Hunt　and　his　remark。　The　look　of　controlled　wrath　which　she　held　upon　Larry　did　not　change。　Larry　recognized　that　his　statement　had　sounded　most　implausible。　Miss　Sherwood　in　her　indignation　considered　only　that　her　kindness　had　been　betrayed；　her　hospitality　outraged；　and　that　those　she　had　accepted　as　friends　had　sought　to　trick　her　family　in　the　worst　way　she　could　conceive；　and　she　spoke　accordingly。

〃If　that　is　the　best　Mr。　Brainard　has　to　say　for　himself；　Mr。　Gavegan；　you　may　take　him　with　you；　and　without　any　interference　from　me。　I　ask　only　that　you　take　him　out　of　the　house　at　once。〃

With　that　she　moved　from　the　room；　not　looking　again　at　either　Hunt　or　Larry。　For　a　brief　space　there　was　silence；　while　Gavegan　let　his　triumph　feed　gloatingly　upon　the　sight　of　his　prisoner。

This　brief　silence　was　broken　by　a　low；　strange　sound；　like　a　human　cry　quickly　repressed；　that　seemed　to　come　from　just　outside　the　French　windows。

〃What　was　that？〃　Larry　asked　quickly。

〃I　didn't　hear　anything；〃　said　Gavegan　whose　senses　had　been　thoroughly　concentrated　upon　his　triumph。

〃I　did；〃　said　Hunt。　〃On　the　veranda。〃

〃We'll　see。　Watch　him〃　to　the　county　officer；　and　Gavegan　followed　Hunt　to　the　French　windows　and　looked　out。　〃No　one　on　the　veranda；　and　no　one　in　sight；〃　he　reported。　〃You　fellows　must　have　been　dreaming。〃

He　returned　and　faced　Larry。　〃I　guess　you'll　admit；　Brainard；　that　I've　got　you　for　keeps　this　time。〃

〃Then　suppose　we　be　starting　for　Headquarters。〃　Larry　responded。

Hunt　moved　to　Larry's　side。　〃I'll　just　trail　along　after　you；　Larry。　Anyhow；　this　doesn't　seem　to　be　any　place　for　me。〃

A　few　minutes　afterwards　Larry　was　in　a　car　beside　Gavegan；　speeding　away　from　Cedar　Crest　toward　the　city。　Larry's　thoughts　were　the　gloomiest　he　had　entertained　since　he　had　come　out　of　Sing　Sing　months　before　with　his　great　dream。　All　that　he　had　counted　on　had　gone　wrong。　He　was　in　the　hands　of　the　police；　and　he　knew　how　hard　the　police　would　be。　He　had　incurred　the　hostility　of　Miss　Sherwood　and　had　lost　what　had　seemed　a　substantial　opportunity　to　start　his　career　as　an　honest　man。　The　only　item　of　his　great　plan　in　which　he　did　not　seem　to　have　failed　completely　was　Maggie。　And　he　did　not　know　what　Maggie　was　going　to　do。




CHAPTER　XXXII


When　Maggie　drove　away　with　Dick　from　Cedar　Crestthis　was　an　hour　before　Gavegan　descended　out　of　the　blue　upon　Larry　and　two　hours　before　he　rode　triumphantly　away　with　his　captiveshe　was　the　most　dazed　and　disillusioned　young　creature　who　had　ever　set　out　confidently　to　conquer　the　world。　Courage；　confidence；　quickness　of　wit；　all　the　qualities　on　which　she　had　prided　herself；　were　now　entirely　gone；　and　she　was　just　a　white；　limp　figure　that　wanted　to　run　away：　a　weak　figure　in　which　swirled　thoughts　almost　too　spasmodically　powerful　for　so　weakened　a　vessel　not　to　be　shattered　under　their　wild　strain：　thoughts　of　her　amazingly　discovered　real　fatherof　how　she　was　the　very　contradiction　of　her　father's　dream　of　Larryof　the　cunning　Jimmie　Carlisle　whom　till　this　day　she　had　believed　her　fatherof　Barney　Palme