children of the whirlwind-第49部分

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Another　minute　passed；　then　Larry　heard　three　peculiar　rings　of　the　bell　of　the　outer　dooran　obvious　signal。　Maggie　answered　the　summons；　and　Larry　saw　Old　Jimmie　enter。　There　followed　a　rapid　and　compact　conference　between　the　three；　the　substance　of　which　was　the　telling　of　Old　Jimmie　of　the　developments　against　Dick　Sherwood　which　Maggie　had　a　little　earlier　recited　to　Barney；　together　with　instructions　to　Old　Jimmie　concerning　his　new　role　as　Maggie's　guardian。　It　seemed　to　Larry　that　he　caught　signs　of　uneasiness　in　Jimmie；　but　to　all　the　older　man　nodded　his　head。

Presently　there　was　a　loud　ring。　〃That's　Dick！〃　exclaimed　Barney　in　a　whisper。　〃And　mighty　eager；　tooshows　that　by　being　ahead　of　the　time　you　set！　Let　him　in；　Maggie。〃

Maggie　was　startled　by　the　ring；　though　she　did　not　show　it。　She　thought　rapidly。　She　had　definitely　asked　Dick　to　telephone　before　coming。　Why　hadn't　he　telephoned？　Perhaps　something　had　happened　to　prevent　it；　or　perhaps　an　idea　had　come　to　him　by　which　their　plan　could　be　bettered　without　a　telephone　message。　In　either　case；　she　and　Dick　might　have　to　improvise　and　deftly　catch　cues　tossed　to　each　other；　as　experienced　actors　sometimes　do　without　the　audience　ever　knowing　that　a　hiatus　in　the　play　has　been　skillfully　covered。

Maggie　stood　up。　〃You　both　understand　what　you're　to　do？〃

Both　whispered　〃yes。〃　Larry　watched　Maggie　start　across　the　room；　his　whole　figure　quivering　with　suspense　as　to　what　was　going　to　happen　when　Dick　entered。　He　was　quite　sure　there　was　more　here　than　appeared　upon　the　surface；　quite　sure　that　Maggie　did　not　intend　that　the　business　with　Dick　should　work　out　as　she　had　outlined。　What　could　Maggie　possibly　be　up　to？　he　asked　himself　in　feverish　wonderment；　and　could　find　no　answer。　For　of　course　Larry　had　no　knowledge　of　that　most　important　fact：　that　Maggie　had　actually　made　a　confession　to　Dicknot　the　fraudulent　confession　she　had　told　Barney　ofbut　an　honest　and　complete　confession；　and　that　in　consequence　she　and　Dick　were　working　in　cooperation。

From　his　crack　Larry　could　not　quite　see　the　outer　door。　But　after　she　opened　the　door　he　saw　Maggie　fall　back　with　an　inarticulate　cry；　her　face　suddenly　blanched　with　astounded　fright。　And　then　Larry　experienced　one　of　the　greatest　surprises　of　his　lifea　surprise　so　unnerving　that　he　almost　loosed　his　hold　upon　Red　Hannigan。　For　instead　of　Dick　there　walked　into　the　room　the　tall；　white…haired　figure　of　Joe　Ellison；　and　Joe's　lean；　prison…blanched　face　was　aquiver　with　a　devastating　purpose。　How　in　the　name　of　God　had　Joe　come　to　be　here？and　what　did　that　terrible　look　portend？

But　Larry's　surprise　was　but　an　unperturbing　emotion　compared　to　the　effect　of　her　father's　appearance；　with　his　terrible　face；　upon　Maggie。　Life　seemed　suddenly　to　go　out　of　her。　She　realized　that　the　clever　play　which　she　had　constructed　so　rapidly；　and　upon　which　she　had　counted　to　clear　the　tangle　for　which　she　was　in　part　responsible；　and　to　bring　her　back　in　time　as　the　seeming　fulfillment　of　the　dream　of　a　happy　and　undisillusioned　fathershe　realized　that　her　poor；　brilliant　play　had　come　to　an　instant　end　before　it　was　fairly　started；　and　that　the　control　of　events　had　passed　into　other　hands。




CHAPTER　XXXV


At　the　entrance　of　Joe　Ellison　instead　of　the　expected　Dick；　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie　had　sprung　up　from　the　table　in　amazement。　Joe　strode　past　Maggie；　hardly　heeding　his　daughter；　and　faced　the　two　men。

〃I　guess　you　know　me；　Jimmie　Carlisle！〃　said　Joe　with　a　terrifying　restraint　of　tone。　〃The　pal　I　trustedthe　pal　I　turned　everything　over　tothe　pal　who　double…crossed　me　in　every　way！〃

〃Joe　Ellison！〃　gasped　Jimmie；　suddenly　as　ghastly　as　a　dead　man。　〃II　didn't　know　you　were　out。〃

〃I'm　out；　all　right。　But　I'll　probably　go　in　again　for　what　I'm　going　to　do　to　you！　And　you　there〃turning　on　Barney〃you're　got　up　enough　like　a　professional　dancer　to　be　the　Barney　Palmer　I've　heard　of！〃

〃What　business　is　it　of　yours　who　I　am？〃　Barney　tried　to　bluster。　〃Perhaps　you　won't　mind　introducing　yourself。〃

〃I'm　the　man　who's　going　to　settle　with　you　and　Old　Jimmie　Carlisle！　Is　that　introduction　enough。　If　not；　then　I'm　Joe　Ellison；　the　father　of　this　girl　here　you　call　Maggie　Carlisle　and　Maggie　Cameron；　that　you　two　have　made　into　a　crook。〃

〃Your　daughter！〃　exclaimed　Barney　in　stupefaction。　〃Why；　she's　Jimmie　Carlisle's〃

〃He's　always　passed　her　off　as　such；　that　much　I've　learned。　Speak　up；　Jimmie　Carlisle！　Whose　daughter　is　this　girl　you've　turned　into　a　crook？〃

〃Your　daughter；　Joe；〃　stammered　Old　Jimmie。　〃But　about　my　making　her　into　a　crookyou'reyou're　all　wrong　there。〃

〃So　she's　not　a　crook；　and　you　didn't　make　her　one？〃　demanded　Joe　with　the　calm　of　unexploded　dynamite　whose　fuse　is　sputtering。　〃I　left　you　about　twelve　or　fifteen　hundred　a　year　to　bring　her　up　onas　a　decent；　respectable　girl。　That's　twenty…five　or　thirty　a　week。　If　she's　not　a　crook；　how　can　she　on　twenty…five　a　week　have　all　the　swell　clothes　I've　seen　her　in；　and　be　living　in　a　suite　like　this　that　costs　from　twenty…five　to　fifty　a　day？　And　if　she　isn't　a　crook；　why　is　she　mixed　up　with　two　such　crooks　as　you？　And　if　she　isn't　a　crook；　why　is　she　in　a　game　to　trim　young　Dick　Sherwood？〃

The　two　men　started　and　wilted　at　these　driving　questions。　〃Butbut；　Joe；〃　stammered　Old　Jimmie；　〃you've　gone　out　of　your　head。　She's　not　in　any　such　game。　She　never　even　heard　of　any　Dick　Sherwood。〃

〃Cut　out　your　lies；　Jimmie　Carlisle！〃　Joe　ordered　harshly。　〃We've　got　something　more　to　do　here；　the　four　of　us；　than　to　waste　any　time　on　lies。　And　just　to　prove　to　you　that　your　lies　will　be　wasted；　I'll　lay　all　my　cards　face　up　on　the　table。　Since　I　got　out　I've　been　working　for　the　Sherwoods。　Larry　Brainard　was　working　there　before　me；　and　got　me　my　job。　I've　seen　this　girl　heremy　daughter　that　you've　made　into　a　crookout　there　twice。　Dick　Sherwood　was　supposed　to　be　in　love　with　her。　At　the　end　of　this　afternoon　some　officers　came　to　the　Sherwoods'　and　arrested　Larry　Brainard。　I　was　working　outside；　overheard　what　was　happening；　and　crept　up　on　the　porch。　Officer　Gavegan；　who　was　in　charge；　found　a　painting　among　Larry　Brainard's　things。　Miss　Sherwood　said　that　it　was　a　picture　of　Miss　Maggie　Cameron　who　had　been　visiting　there；　and　I　could　see　that　it　was。　Officer　Gavegan　said　it　was　a　picture　of　Maggie　Carlisle；　daughter　of　Jimmie　Carlisle；　and　that　she　was　a　crook。　Larry　Brainard；　cornered；　had　to　admit　that　Gavegan　was　right。　I　guessed　at　once　who　Maggie　Carlisle　was；　since　she　was　just　the　age　my　girl　would　have　been　and　since　you　never　had　any　children。　And　that's　how；　Jimmie　Carlisle；　standing　there　outside　the　window；〃　concluded　the　terrible　voice　of　Joe　Ellison；　〃I　learned　for　the　first　time　that　the　baby　I'd　trusted　with　you　to　be　brought　up　straight；　and　that　I　believed　was　now　happy　somewhere　as　a　nice；　decent　girl；　you　had　really　brought　up　as　your　own　daughter　and　trained　to　be　a　crook！〃


Old　Jimmie　shrank　back　from　Joe's　blazing　eyes；　his　mouth　opened　spasmodically；　but　no　words　came　therefrom。　There　was　stupendous　silence　in　the　room。　Within　the　closet；　Larry　now　understood　that　low；　strange　sound　he　had　heard　on　the　Sherwoods'　porch　and　which　Gavegan　and　Hunt　had　investigated。　It　had　been　the　suppressed　cry　of　Joe　Ellison　when　he　had　learned　the　truththe　difference　between　his　dreams　and　the　reality。　He　could　not　imagine　what　that　moment　had　been　to　Joe：　the　swift；　unbelievable　knowledge　that　had　seemed　to　be　tearing　his　very　being　apart。

Larry　had　an　impulse　to　step　out　to　Joe's　side。　But　just　as　a　little　earlier　he　had　felt　the　scene　had　belonged　to　Maggie；　he　now　felt　that　this　situation；　the　greatest　in　Joe's　life；　belonged　definitely　to　Joe；　was　almost　sacredly　Joe's　own　property。　Also　he　felt　that　he　was　about　to　learn　many　things　which　had　puzzled　him。　Therefore　he　held　himself　back；　at　the　same　time　keeping　his　hold　upon　Red　Hannigan。

During　this　moment　of　silence；　while　Larry　was　wondering　what　was　going　to　happen；　his　eyes　also　took　in　the　figure　of　Maggie；　all　her　powers　of　action　and　expression　still　paralyzed　by　appalling　consternation。　He　understood；　at　least　to　a　degree；　what　she　was　going　through。　He　knew　this　much　of　her　plan：　that　she　had　intended　to　cut　loose　in　some　way　from　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie；　and　that　she　had　intended　that　her　father　should　continue　to　cherish　the　dream　that　had　been　his　happiness　for　so　long。　And　now　her　father　had　come　upon　her　in　the　company　of　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie　and　in　a　situation　whose　every　superficial　circumstance　was　such　as　to　make　him　believe　the　worst　of　her！

Joe　turned　on　the　smartly　dressed　Barney。　〃I'll　take　you　first；　you　imitation　swell；　because　I'm　saving　Jimmie　Carlisle　to　the　last！〃　went　on　Joe's　crunching　voice。　〃I'm　going　to　twist　your　damned　neck　for　what　you've　helped　do　to　my　girl；　but　if　you　want　to　say　anything　first；　say　it。〃

Barney's　response　was　a　swift　movement　of　his　right　hand　toward　his　left　armpit。　But　Barney　Palmer；　like　almost　all　his　kind；　was　a　very　indifferent　gunman；　and　he　had　no　knowledge　of　the　reputation　for　masterful　quickness　that　had　been　Joe　Ellison's　twenty　years　earlier。　Before　his　compact　automatic　was　fairly　out　of　its　holster　beneath　his　armpit；　it　was　in　Joe　Ellison's　hands。

〃I　sized　you　up　for　that　kind　of　rat　and　was　watching　you；〃　continued　Joe　in　his　same　awful　grimness。　〃I'm　not　going　to　shoot　you；　unless　you　make　me。　I'm　going　to　twist　that　pretty　neck　of　yours。　But　first；　out　with　anything　you've　got　to　say　for　yourself！〃

〃I　haven't　had　anything　to　do　with　this　business；〃　said　Barney；　trying　to　affect　a　bold　manner。

〃You　lie！　I　know　that　in　this　game　against　Dick　Sherwood；　in　which　you　used　my　girl；　you　were　the　real　leader！〃

〃Welleven　if　I　did　use　your　girl；　I　only　used　her　the　way　I　found　her。〃

〃You　lie　again！　I　know　how　your　kind　work：　cleverly　putting　crooked　ideas　into　girls'　minds；　and　exciting　their　imagination；　so　they'll　work　with　you。　Your　case　is　closed。〃　He　turned　to　his　one…time　friend。　〃What　have　you　got　to　say　for　yourself；　Jimmie　Carlisle？〃

Old　Jimmie　believed　that　his　last　hour　was　come。　He　showed　something　of　the　defiant；　almost　maniacal　courage　of　a　coward　who　realizes　he