children of the whirlwind-第50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！



Old　Jimmie　believed　that　his　last　hour　was　come。　He　showed　something　of　the　defiant；　almost　maniacal　courage　of　a　coward　who　realizes　he　can　retreat　no　farther。

〃What　I　got　to　say；　Joe　Ellison；〃　he　snarled　in　a　sudden　rage　which　bared　his　yellow　teeth；　〃is　that　I'm　even　with　you　at　last！〃

〃Even　with　me？　What　for？〃

〃For　the　way　you　double…crossed　me　in　nineteen…one　in　that　Gordon　business。　You　never　gave　me　a　dimesaid　the　thing　had　fallen　down　yet　I　know　there　was　a　big　haul！〃

〃I　told　you　the　truth。　That　Gordon　thing　was　a　fizzle。〃

〃There's　where　you're　lying！　It　was　a　clean…up！　And　I　knew　you'd　been　cheating　me　out　of　my　share　in　other　deals！〃

〃You're　absolutely　wrong；　Jimmie　Carlisle。　But　if　you　thought　that；　why　didn't　you　have　it　out　with　me　at　the　time？〃

〃Because　I　knew　you　would　lie！　You　were　a　better　talker　than　I　was；　and　since　our　outfit　always　sided　with　you；　I　knew　I　wouldn't　have　a　chance　then。　But　I　reasoned　that　if　I　kept　quiet　and　kept　on　being　your　friend；　I'd　get　my　chance　to　get　even　if　I　waited　awhile。　I　waitedand　I　certainly　got　my　chance！〃

〃Go　on；　Jimmie　Carlisle！〃

And　Old　Jimmie　went　ona　startlingly　different　Old　Jimmie；　his　pent…　up　evil　now　loosed　into　quivering；　malignant　triumph；　went　on　with　the　feverish　exultation　of　a　twisted；　perverted　mind　that　has　brooded　long　over　an　imagined　injustice；　that　has　brooded　greedily　and　long　in　private　over　his　revenge；　and　at　last　has　his　chance　to　gloat　in　the　open。

〃When　you　were　sent　away；　Joe　Ellison；　and　turned　over　your　daughter　to　me　with　those　orders　about　seeing　that　she　was　brought　up　as　a　decent　girl；　I　began　to　see　the　big　chance　I'd　been　waiting　for。　I　asked　myself；　What　is　the　dearest　thing　in　the　world　to　Joe　Ellison？　The　answer　was；　this　idea　he'd　got　about　his　girl。　I　asked　myself；　What　is　the　biggest　way　I　can　get　even　with　Joe　Ellison？　The　answer　was；　to　make　Joe　Ellison　believe　all　the　time　he's　in　stir　that　his　girl　is　growing　up　the　way　he　wants　her　to　be　and　yet　to　bring　her　up　the　exact　thing　he　didn't　want　her　to　be。　And　that's　exactly　what　I　did！〃

〃Youdidsuch　a　thing？〃　breathed　Joe　Ellison；　almost　incredulous。

〃That's　exactly　what　I　did！〃　Old　Jimmie　went　on；　gloatingly。〃　It　was　easy。　No　one　knew　you　had　a　daughter；　so　I　passed　her　off　as　my　own　baby　by　a　marriage　I'd　not　told　any　one　about。　I　saw　that　she　always　lived　among　crooks；　looked　at　things　the　way　crooks　do；　and　grew　up　with　no　other　thought　than　to　be　a　crook。　I　never　had　an　idea　of　using　her　myself；　till　she　began　to　look　like　such　a　good　performer　this　last　year；　and　then　my　idea；　no　matter　what　Barney　Palmer　may　have　planned；　was　to　use　her　only　in　a　couple　of　stunts。　My　main　idea　always　was；　when　you　came　out　with　your　grand　idea　of　what　your　girl　had　grown　up　to　be；　for　you　suddenly　to　see　your　girl；　and　know　her　as　your　girl；　and　know　her　to　be　a　crook。　That　smash　to　you　was　the　big　thing　to　mewhat　I'd　planned　for；　and　waited　for。　I　didn't　expect　the　blow…off　to　come　like　this；　I　didn't　expect　to　be　caught　in　it　when　it　did　happen。　But　since　it　has　happened；　wellThere's　your　daughter；　Joe　Ellison！　Look　at　her！　Look　at　what　I've　made　her！　I　guess　I'm　even　all　right！〃

〃My　God！〃　breathed　Joe　Ellison；　staring　at　the　lean　face　twisting　with　triumphant　malignancy。　〃I　didn't　think　there　could　be　such　a　man！〃

He　slowly　turned　upon　Maggie。　This　was　the　first　direct　recognition　he　had　taken　of　her　since　his　entrance。

〃I　don't　suppose　you　can　guess　what　your　being　what　you　are　has　meant　to　me；〃　he　began　in　a　numbed　tone　which　grew　accusingly　harsh　as　he　continued。　〃But　I'd　think　that　a　daughter　of　mine；　with　such　a　mother；　would　have　had　more　instinctive　sense　than　to　have　gone　into　such　a　game　with　such　a　pair　of　crooks！〃

〃It's　trueI　have　been　what　you　think　meI　did　go　into　this　thing　against　Dick　Sherwood；〃　Maggie　responded　in　a　voice　that　at　first　was　faltering；　then　that　stumbled　rapidly　on　in　her　eagerness　to　pour　out　all　the　facts。　〃Butbut　Larry　Brainard　had　kept　after　meand　finally　he　made　me　see　how　wrong　I　was　headed。　And　then；　this　afternoon；　before　I　spoke　to　you；　Larry　told　me　that　you　were　my　real　father。　When　I　learned　the　truthhow　I　had　been　cheated　out　of　being　something　elsehow　I　was　the　exact　opposite　of　what　you　had　wanted　me　to　be　and　believed　me　to　beI　felt　about　it　almost　exactly　as　you　feel　about　it。　II　made　up　my　mind　to　clear　up　at　once　all　the　wrong　I　was　responsible　forand　then　disappear　in　such　a　way　that　you'd　never　have　your　dream　of　me　spoiled。　And　soand　so　this　afternoon；　after　I　left　Cedar　Crest；　I　confessed　the　whole　truth　to　Dick　Sherwoodabout　our　plan　to　cheat　him。　And　like　the　really　splendid　fellow　he　is；　Dick　Sherwood　offered　to　help　me　set　straight　the　things　I　wanted　to　set　straight。　Particularly　to　clear　Larry　Brainard。　And　so　my　being　here　as　you　find　me　is　part　of　a　plan　between　Dick　Sherwood　and　myself。　It's　really　a　frame…up。　A　frame…up　to　catch　Barney　Palmer　and　Jimmie　Carlisle。〃

〃A　frame…up！〃　ejaculated　these　two　in　startled　unison。

〃How　a　frame…up？〃　demanded　her　father；　no　bit　of　the　accusing　harshness　gone　out　of　his　voice。

〃Our　plan　against　Dick　Sherwood　was　to　have　him　propose　to　me；　then　for　me　to　confess　that　I　was　really　married　to　a　mean　sort　of　man　I　didn't　lovethe　idea　being　that　Dick　would　be　infatuated　enough　to　pay　a　big　sum　to　a　dummy　husband；　and　the　three　of　us　would　disappear　as　soon　as　we　got　Dick's　money。　Dick　offered　to　go　through　with　the　plan　as　Barney　Palmer　and　Jimmie　Carlisle　had　shaped　it　upgo　through　with　it　to…nightand　then　after　money　had　passed；　we'd　have　a　criminal　case　against　them。　By　reminding　him　that　Larry　Brainard　knew　just　what　we　were　up　to；　and　might　spoil　everything　if　we　didn't　act　at　once；　I　got　Barney　Palmer　worked　up　to　the　point　where　he　was　going　to　pose　as　my　husband　and　take　the　money。　Dick　Sherwood　was　to　come　a　little　later；　after　he'd　first　telephoned　me；　with　a　big　roll　of　marked　money。〃

There　were　stuttered　exclamations　from　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie；　which　were　cut　off　by　the　dominant　incisiveness　of　Joe　Ellison's　words　to　his　daughter：

〃I　think　you're　lying　to　me！　Besides；　even　if　you're　telling　the　truth；　it's　a　pretty　way　you've　taken　to　clear　things　up！　Don't　you　see　that　by　letting　Dick　Sherwood　come　here　and　play　such　a　part；　you'd　be　dead　sure　to　involve　him　and　his　family　in　a　dirty　police　story　that　the　papers　of　the　whole　country　would　play　up　as　a　sensation？　It's　plain　to　any　one　that　that's　no　way　a　person　who　wanted　to　square　things　would　use　Dick　Sherwood。　And　that's　why　I　think　you're　lying！〃

〃I　had　thought　of　thatyou're　right；〃　said　Maggie。　〃And　so　I　wasn't　going　to　do　it。　He　was　going　to　telephone　mejust　about　this　time　and　when　he　called　up　I　was　going　to　fake　his　message。　I　was　going　to　tell　Barney　Palmer　and　Old　Jimmie　that　Dick　had　just　telephoned　he　wasn't　coming；　because　one　of　the　two　had　just　sold　him　a　tip　for　ten　thousand　dollars　that　this　was　a　crooked　game。　I　thought　this　would　have　started　a　quarrel　between　the　two；　they　are　suspicious　of　each　other；　anyhow。　Each　would　have　accused　the　other；　and　in　their　quarrel　they　would　have　been　likely　to　have　let　out　a　lot　of　truth　that　would　have　completely　given　each　other　away。〃

〃Not　a　bad　plan　at　all；〃　commented　Joe　Ellison。　He　tried　to　peer　deep　into　his　daughter　for　a　moment；　his　inflamed　face　relaxing　neither　in　its　harshness　nor　its　doubt　of　her。　〃But　since　you　are　the　clever　crook　I　actually　know　you　to　be　from　your　work　on　Dick　Sherwood；　and　since　Jimmie　Carlisle　says　he　has　trained　you　to　be　a　crook；　I　believe　that　everything　you've　told　me　is　just　something　you've　cleverly　invented　on　the　spur　of　the　momentjust　so　many　lies。〃

〃Butbut〃

She　broke　off　before　the　harsh；　accusing　doubt　of　his　pale　face。　For　a　fraction　of　a　moment　no　one　spoke。　Then　the　telephone　bell　began　to　ring。

〃Dick！〃　breathed　Maggie；　and　started　for　the　telephone。

〃Stay　right　where　you　are！〃　her　father　ordered。　〃I'll　answer　that　telephone　myself；　and　see　whether　you're　lying　to　me　about　Dick　Sherwood！　。　。　。　No；　we'll　do　this　together。　I'll　hold　the　receiver　and　hear　what　he　says。　You'll　do　the　talking　and　you'll　answer　just　what　I　tell　you　to；　and　you'll　keep　your　hand　tight　over　the　mouthpiece　while　I'm　giving　you　your　orders。　You　two〃to　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie；　with　a　significant　movement　of　Barney's　automatic〃you'd　better　behave　while　this　telephone　business　is　going　on。〃

The　next　moment　Larry　was　hearing；　or　rather　witnessing；　the　strangest　telephone　conversation　of　his　experience。　Maggie　was　holding　the　transmitter；　and　Joe　had　the　receiver　at　his　ears；　grimly　covering　the　two　men　with　the　automatic。　Maggie　obediently　kept　her　palm　tight　over　the　mouthpiece　during　Joe's　brief　whispered　directions；　and　no　one　in　the　room　except　Joe；　not　even　Maggie；　had　the　slightest　idea　of　what　was　really　passing　over　the　wires。

What　Larry　heard　was　no　more　than　a　dozen　most　commonplace　words　in　the　world；　transformed　into　the　most　absorbing　words　in　the　language。　Joe　ordered　Maggie　to　answer　with　〃hello〃　in　her　usual　tone；　which　she　did；　and　Joe；　after　a　startled　expression　at　the　first　words　that　came　over　the　wire；　listened　with　immobile　face　for　four　or　five　seconds。　Then　he　nodded　imperatively　to　Maggie　and　she　put　her　hand　over　the　mouthpiece。

〃Ask　him　how　much；　and　when　he　wanted　it　to　be　paid；〃　he　ordered。

〃How　much；　and　when　does　he　want　it　to　be　paid？〃　repeated　Maggie。

Again　Joe　listened　for　several　moments；　and　then　ordered　as　before：　〃Say　'Yes。'〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Maggie。

Another　period　of　waiting；　and　Joe　ordered：　〃Say；　'I've　got　a　much　better　plan　that　supersedes　the　old。'〃

〃I've　got　a　much　better　plan　that　supersedes　the　old。〃

There　was　yet　another　period　of　waiting；　then　Joe　commanded：　〃Tell　him　he　really　mustn't　and　say　good…bye　quick。〃

〃You　really　mustn't！　Good…bye！〃

The　instant　her　〃Good…bye〃　was　out　of　her　mouth　Joe　clicked　the　receiver　upon　its　hook；　and　stood　regarding　the　breathless　Maggie。　His　pale；　stern　face　was　not　quite　so　severe　as　before。　Presently　he　spoke：　〃I　know　now　that　you　really　were　sick　of　what　you'd　been　trying　to　dothat　you'd　really　broken　away　from　these　twothat　you'd　really　confessed　to　Dick；　and　are　now　all　square　wi