children of the whirlwind-第45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！


　come　with　a　roll　of　money　that　I'll　dig　up　somewhere；　and　it'll　be　marked　money。　When　it's　passedbingo！a　couple　of　detectives　that　we'll　have　planted　to　watch　the　proceedings　will　step　right　up　and　nab　the　two！〃

She　was　taken　aback　by　the　very　idea　of　him；　the　victim；　after　her　confession；　throwing　his　lot　in　with　her。　〃Why；　Dick〃she　stammered　〃to　think　of　you　offering　to　do　such　a　thing！〃

〃I　owe　that　much　to　Larry　Brainard；〃　he　declared。　〃Andand　I　owe　that　much　to　your　desire　to　help　set　him　straight。　Well；　what　about　my　plan？〃

Since　he　seemed　eager　to　lend　himself　to　it；　it　seemed　to　her　altogether　wonderful；　and　she　told　him　so。　They　discussed　details　for　several　minutes；　for　there　was　much　to　be　done　and　it　had　all　to　be　done　most　adroitly。　It　was　agreed　that　he　should　come　at　ten　o'clock；　when　the　stage　would　all　be　set。

As　he　was　leaving　to　attend　to　his　part　of　the　play；　a　precautionary　idea　flashed　upon　Maggie。

〃Better　telephone　me　just　before　you　come。　Something　may　have　happened　to　change　our　plans。〃

〃All　rightI'll　telephone。　Just　keep　your　nerve。〃

With　that　he　hurried　out。　At　about　the　time　he　left；　Larry　was　leaving　Cedar　Crest　in　handcuffs　beside　the　burly　and　triumphant　Gavegan；　and　believing　that　the　power　he　had　sought　to　exercise　was　now　effectually　at　an　end。　He　was　out　of　it。　In　his　despondency　it　was　not　granted　him　to　see　that　the　greatest　thing　which　he　could　do　was　already　done；　that　he　had　set　in　motion　all　the　machinery　of　what　had　taken　place　and　what　was　about　to　take　place；　that　all　the　figures　in　the　action　of　the　further　drama　of　that　night　were　to　act　as　they　were　to　do　primarily　because　of　promptings　which　came　from　him。




CHAPTER　XXXIII


Dick's　departure　left　Maggie　to　think　alone　upon　an　intricate　and　possibly　dangerous　interplay　of　characters　in　which　she　had　cast　herself　for　the　chief　role；　which　might　prove　a　sacrificial　role　for　her。　She　quickly　perceived　that　Dick's　plan；　clever　as　it　might　be；　would　bring　about；　in　the　dubious　event　of　its　success；　only　one　of　the　several　happenings　which　had　to　come　to　pass　if　she　were　to　clear　her　slate　before　her　disappearance。

Dick's　plan　was　good；　but　it　would　only　get　rid　of　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie。　It　would　only　rid　Larry　of　such　danger　as　they　represented；　it　would　only　be　revenge　upon　them　for　the　evil　they　had　done。　And；　after　all；　revenge　helped　a　man　forward　but　very　little。　There　would　still　remain；　even　in　the　event　of　the　success　of　Dick's　plan；　the　constant　danger　to　Larry　from　the　police　hunt；　instigated　by　Chief　Barlow's　vindictive　determination　to　send　Larry　back　to　prison　for　his　refusal　to　be　a　stool…pigeon；　and　the　constant　danger　from　his　one…time　friends　who　were　hunting　him　down　with　deadly　hatred　as　a　squealer。

Somehow；　if　she　were　to　set　things　right　for　Larry；　she　had　to　maneuver　that　night's　happenings　in　such　a　way　as　to　eliminate　forever　Barlow's　persecutions；　and　eliminate　forever　the　danger　to　Larry　from　his　friends'　and　their　hirelings'　desire　for　vengeance　upon　a　supposed　traitor。

Maggie　thought　rapidly；　elaborating　on　Dick's　plan。　But　what　Maggie　did　was　not　so　much　the　result　of　sober　thought　as　of　the　inspiration　of　a　desperate；　hardly　pressed　young　woman；　but　then；　after　all；　what　we　call　inspiration　is　only　thought　geared　to　an　incredibly　high　speed。　First　of　all；　she　got　rid　of　that　slow…witted；　awesome　supernumerary；　Miss　Grierson；　who　might　completely　upset　the　delicate　action　of　the　stage　by　a　dignified　entrance　at　the　wrong　moment　and　with　the　wrong　cue。　Next　she　called　up　Chief　Barlow　at　Police　Headquarters。　Fortunately　for　her　Barlow　was　still　in；　for　an　acrimonious　dispute；　then　in　progress　and　taking　much　space　in　the　public　prints；　between　him　and　the　District　Attorney's　office　was　keeping　him　late　at　his　desk　despite　the　most　autocratic　and　pleasant　of　all　demands；　those　of　his　dinner　hour。　To　him　Maggie　gave　a　false　name；　and　told　him　that　she　had　most　important　information　to　communicate　at　once；　to　which　he　growled　back　that　she　could　give　it　if　she　came　down　at　once。

Next　she　called　up　Barney；　who　had　been　waiting　near　a　telephone　in　expectation　of　news　of　the　result　of　her　second　visit　to　the　home　of　Dick　Sherwood。　To　Barney　she　said　that　she　had　the　greatest　possible　newsnews　which　would　require　immediate　actionand　that　he　should　be　at　her　suite　at　nine　o'clock　prepared　to　play　his　part　at　once　in　the　big　proposition　that　had　just　developed；　and　that　he　should　get　word　to　Old　Jimmie　to　follow　him　in　a　few　minutes。

Within　fifteen　minutes　a　taxicab　had　whirled　her　down　to　Police　Headquarters　and　she　was　in　the　office　where　three　months　earlier　Larry　had　been　grilled　after　his　refusal　of　the　license　to　steal　and　cheat　on　the　condition　that　he　become　a　police　stool。　Barlow；　who　was　alone　in　the　room；　looked　up　with　a　scowl　from　a　secret　report　he　had　secured　of　the　activities　of　detectives　in　the　District　Attorney's　office。　Although　Maggie　was　pretty　and　stylishly　dressed；　Barlow　did　not　rise　nor　did　he　remove　the　big　cigar　he　had　been　viciously　gnawing。　It　is　the　tradition　of　the　Police　Department；　the　most　thoroughly　respected　article　of　its　religion；　that　a　woman　who　is　seen　in　Police　Headquarters　cannot　by　any　possibility　be　a　lady。

〃Well；　what's　on　your　chest？〃　he　grunted；　not　even　asking　her　to　be　seated。

It　was　suddenly　Maggie's　impulsesprung　perhaps　out　of　unconscious　memory　of　what　Larry　had　sufferedto　inflict　upon　herself　the　uttermost　humiliation。　So　she　said：

〃I've　come　here　to　offer　myself　as　a　stool…pigeon。〃

〃What's　that？〃　Barlow　exclaimed；　startled。　It　was　not　often　that　a　swell　ladywho　of　course　couldn't　be　a　swell　（he　did　not　know　who　Maggie　was）voluntarily　walked　into　his　office　with　such　a　proposition。

〃I　can　give　you　some　real　information　about　a　big　game　that's　being　worked　up。　In　fact；　I　can　arrange　for　you　to　be　present　when　the　game　is　pulled　off；　and　you　can　make　the　arrests。〃

〃Who　are　the　people？〃　he　asked　brusquely。

Maggie　knew　it　would　be　fatal　to　mention　Barney　or　Old　Jimmie；　if　that　story　about　Barlow's　protection　contained　any　truth。　Again　inspiration；　or　incredibly　swift　thinking；　came　to　her　aid；　and　with　sure　touch　she　twanged　one　of　Barlow's　rawest　and　most　responsive　nerves。

〃Larry　Brainard　is　behind　it　all。　He's　been　doing　a　lot　of　things　on　the　quiet　these　last　few　months。　Here　is　where　you　can　get　his　whole　crowd。〃

〃Larry　Brainard！〃

Maggie　did　not　yet　know　what　had　befallen　Larry；　and　Gavegan　had　neglected　to　telephone　his　Chief　of　the　arrest。　Even　had　Gavegan　done　so；　the　large　and　vague　manner　in　which　Maggie　had　stated　the　situation　would　have　stirred　Barlow's　curiosity。

〃All　right。　I'll　put　a　couple　of　my　good　men　on　the　case。　Where　shall　I　send　'em？〃

〃A　couple　of　your　good　men　won't　do。　I　want　only　one　of　your　good　men…　…and　that　man　is　yourself。〃

〃Me！〃　growled　Barlow。　〃What　kind　of　floor…walker　d'you　think　I　am？　I'm　too　busy！〃

〃Too　busy　to　take　personal　charge；　and　get　personal　credit；　for　one　of　the　biggest　cases　that　ever　went　through　this　office？〃

Maggie　had　sought　only　to　excite　his　vanity。　But　unknowingly　she　had　also　appealed　to　something　else　in　him：　his　very　deep　concern　in　the　hostile　activities　of　the　District　Attorney's　office。　If　this　girl　told　the　truth；　then　here　might　be　his　chance　to　display　such　devotion　to　duty　as　to　turn　up　some　such　sensational　case　as　would　make　this　investigation　from　the　District　Attorney's　office　seem　to　the　public　an　unholy　persecution　and　make　the　chagrined　District　Attorney；　who　was　very　sensitive　to　public　opinion；　think　it　wiser　to　drop　the　whole　matter。

〃How　do　I　know　you're　not　trying　to　string　me？or　get　me　out　of　the　way　of　something　bigger？or　hand　me　the　double…cross？〃

〃I　shall　be　there　all　the　time；　and　if　you　don't　like　the　way　the　thing　develops　you　can　arrest　me。　I　suppose　you've　got　some　kind　of　law；　with　a　stiff　punishment　attached；　about　conspiracy　against　an　officer。〃

〃Wellgive　me　all　the　dope；　and　tell　me　where　I'm　to　come；〃　he　yielded　ungraciously。

〃I've　told　you　all　I　am　going　to　tell。　All　the　important　'dope'　you'll　get　first…hand　by　being　present　when　the　thing　happens。　The　place　to　come　is　the　Hotel　Granthamroom　eleven…forty…twoat　eight…thirty　sharp。〃

To　this　Barlow　grudgingly　agreed。　He　might　have　exulted　inwardly；　but　he　would　have　shown　no　outer　graciousness　if　a　committee　of　citizens　had　handed　him　a　reward　of　a　million　dollars　and　an　engrossed　testimonial　to　his　unprecedented　services。　Barlow　did　not　know　how　to　thank　any　one。

Five　minutes　after　she　left　Headquarters　Maggie　was　in　the　back　room　of　the　Duchess's　pawnshop；　which　her　rapid　planning　had　fixed　upon　as　the　next　station　at　which　she　should　stop。　She　did　not　waste　a　moment　in　coming　to　the　point　with　the　Duchess。

〃Red　Hannigan　is　really　the　most　important　of　Larry's　old　friends　who　are　out　to　get　him；　isn't　he？　〃　she　asked。

〃Yesin　a　way。　I　mean　among　those　who　honestly　think　Larry　has　turned　stool　and　squealer。　He　trusted　Larry　more　than　any　one　elseand　now　he　hates　Larry　more　than　any　one　else。　Rather　natural；　since　he　was　two　months　in　the　Tombs　before　he　could　get　bailbecause　he　thinks　Larry　squealed　on　him。〃

〃How's　he　stand　with　his　crowd？〃

〃No　one　higher。　They'd　all　take　his　word　for　anything。〃

〃Can　you　find　him　at　once？〃　Maggie　pursued　breathlessly。

That　was　a　trifling　question　to　ask　the　Duchess；　since　all　the　news　of　her　shadowy　world　came　to　her　ears　in　some　swift　obscure　manner。

〃Yes。　If　it　is　necessary。〃

〃It's　terribly　necessary！　If　I　can't　get　him；　the　whole　thing　may　fail！〃

〃What　thing？〃　demanded　the　Duchess。

〃It　might　all　sound　impossibly　foolish！〃　cried　the　excited；　desperate　Maggie。　〃You　might　tell　me　soand　discourage　meand　I　simply　must　go　ahead！　I　feel　rather　likelike　a　juggler　who's　trying　for　the　first　time　to　keep　a　lot　of　new　things　going　in　the　air　all　at　once。　But　I　think　there's　a　chance　that　I　may　succeed！　I'll　tell　you　just　one　thing。　It　all　has　to　do　with　Larry。　I　think　I　may　help　Larry。〃

〃I'll　get　Red　Hannigan；〃　the　Duchess　said　briefly。　〃What　do　you　want　with　him？〃

〃Have　him　come　to　the　Hotel　Granthamroom　eleven…forty…twoat　eight…fifteen　sharp！〃

〃He'll　be　there；〃　said　the