children of the whirlwind-第23章
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ell of his charms； and he would marry her promptly while she was still infatuated； before she could learn too much about him。 Such had been Barney's idea of marriage for himself； which is very similar to ideas held by thousands of gentlemen； young and otherwise； in this broad land of ours； who consider themselves neither law…breakers nor adventurers。
But that was all changed now。 Now it was Maggie； though Maggie in pursuit of their joint advantage might possibly first have to go through the marriage ceremony with some other man。 Of course； a very； very rich man！ Barney already had this man marked。 He hoped； though； they would not have to go so far as marriage。 However； he was willing to wait his proper turn。 As he had told Maggie； you could not put over a big thing in a hurry。
As for Larry； he'd certainly handled that business in swell fashion！ He'd certainly put a crimp in what had been developing between Larry and Maggie。 And he'd get Larry in time； too。 The drag…net was too large and close of mesh for Larry to hope to escape it。 The word he'd slipped that boob Gavegan had sure done the business！ And the indirect way he had tipped off the police about Red Hannigan and Jack Rosenfeldt and had then made his pals think Larry had squealedthat was sure playing the game； too！ Jack and Red would get off easythere was nothing on them； but little old Barney Palmer had certainly used his bean in the way he had set the machinery of the police and the under…world in motion against Larry！
While other occupants of the cafe； particularly the women； stole looks at the handsome； flawlessly dressed； interesting…looking Barney； Barney had yet another of those concoctions which the discreet waiter served in a tea…cup。 He'd done a great little job； you bet！ Not another man in New York could have done better。 He was sure going to put Maggie across！ And in doing so； he was going to do what was right by yours truly。
All seemed perfect in Barney's world。 。 。 。
And while Barney sat exulting over triumphs already achieved and those inevitably to be achieved； Maggie lay in her new bed dreaming exultant dreams of her own： heedless of the regular snoring which resounded in the adjoining roomfor the excellent Miss Grierson； while able to keep her every act in perfect form while in the conscious state； unfortunately when unconscious had no more control of the goings…on of her mortal functions than the lowliest washwoman。 Maggie's flights of fancy circled round and round Larry。 She stifled any excuses or insurgent yearnings for him。 He'd deserved what he had got。 Already； contrary to his predictions； she had made a tremendous advance into her brilliant future。 She would show him！ Yes； she would show him！ Oh； but she was going to do things！
But while she dreamed thus； shaping a magnificent destinyan independent； self…engineered young woman； so very； very confident of the great future she was going to achieve through the supremacy of her own will and her own abilitiesno slightest surmise came into her mind that Barney Palmer was making plans by which her will was to count as naught and by which he was to be the master of her fate； and that the furtive； yielding Old Jimmie was also dreaming a patient dream in which she was to be a mere chess…piece which was to capture a long…cherished game。
And yet； after all； Maggie's dreams； aside from the peculiar twist life had given them； were fundamentally just the ordinary dreams of youth： of willful confident youth； to whom but a small part of the world has yet been opened； who in fact does not yet half know its own nature。
CHAPTER XV
No prison could have been more agreeablethat is； no prison from which Maggie was omittedthan this in which Larry was now confined。 He had the run of the apartment； Dick Sherwood outfitted him liberally with clothing from his superabundance of the best； Judkins and the other servants treated him as the member of the family which they had been informed he was； the lively Dick； with his puppy…like friendliness； asked never an uncomfortable question； and placed Larry almost on the footing of a chum； and the whimsically smiling Miss Sherwood treated Larry exactly as she might have treated any well…bred gentleman and in every detail made good on her promise to give him a chance。 In fact； in all his life Larry had never lived so well。
As for Miss Sherwood's aunt； a sister of Miss Sherwood's mother and a figure of pale； absent…minded dignity； she kept very much to her own sitting…room。 She was a recent convert to the younger English novelists； and was forced to her seclusion by the amazing fecundity with which they kept repopulating her reading…table。 Larry she accepted with a hazy； preoccupied politeness； eager always to get back to the more substantial characters of her latest fiction。
Of course Miss Sherwood did not make of Larry a complete confidant。 For all her smiling； easy frankness； he knew that there were many doors of her being which she never unlocked for him。 What he saw was so interesting that he could not help being interested about the rest。 Of course many details were open to him。 She was an excellent sportswoman； a rare dancer； there were many men interested in her； she dined out almost every other evening at some social affair blooming belatedly in May （most of her friends were already settled in their country homes； and she was still in town only because her place on Long Island was in disorder due to a two months' delay in the completion of alterations caused by labor difficulties）； she had made a study of beetles； she had a tiny vivarium in the apartment and here she would sit studying her pets with an interest and patience not unlike that of old Fabre upon his stony farm。 Also； as Larry learned from her accounts； there was a day nursery on the East Side whose lack of a deficit was due to her。
All in all she was a healthy； normal； intelligent； unself…sacrificing woman who belonged distinctly to her own day； who gave a great deal to life； and who took a great deal from life。
Often Larry wished she would speak of Hunt。 He was curious about Hunt； of whom he thought daily； and such talk might yield him information about the blustering； big…hearted painter who was gypsying it down at the Duchess's。 But as the days passed she never mentioned Hunt again； not even to ask where he was or what he was doing。 She was adhering very strictly to the remark she had made the night Larry came here： 〃I don't want to know until he wants me to know。〃 And so Hunt remained the same incomplete picture to Larry； the painter was indubitably at home in such surroundings as these； and he was at home as a roistering； hard…working vagabond at the Duchess'sbut all the vast spaces between were utterly blank； except for the sketchy remarks Hunt had made concerning himself。
Larry had guessed that hurt pride was the reason for Hunt's vanishment from the world which had known him。 But he knew hurt pride was not Miss Sherwood's motive for making no inquiries。 Anger？ No。 Jealousy？ No。 Some insult offered her？ No。 Larry went through the category of ordinary motives； of possible happenings； but he could find none which would reconcile her very keen and kindly feeling for Hunt with her abstinence from all inquiries。
From his first day in his sanctuary Larry spent long hours every day over the accounts and documents Miss Sherwood had put in his hands。 They were indeed a tangle。 Originally the Sherwood estate had consisted of solid real…estate holdings。 But now that Larry had before him the records of holdings and of various dealings he learned that the character of the Sherwood fortune had altered greatly。 Miss Sherwood's father had neglected the care of this sober business in favor of speculative investment and even outright gambling in stocks； and Dick； possessing this strain of his father； and lacking his father's experience； had and was speculating even more wildly。
Larry had followed the market since he had been in a broker's office almost ten years earlier； so he knew what stock values had been and had some idea of what they were now。 The records； and some of the stock Larry found in the safe； recalled the reputation of the elder Sherwood。 He had been known as a s
