children of the whirlwind-第32章

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aught　this　on　several　occasions；　it　puzzled　her；　and　she　spoke　of　it　to　Larry。　Larry　understood　what　lay　behind　Joe's　bearing；　and　since　the　thing　had　never　been　told　to　him　as　a　secret　he　retold　that　portion　of　Joe's　history　he　had　recited　to　the　Duchess：　of　a　child　who　had　been　brought　up　among　honorable　people；　protected　from　the　knowledge　that　her　father　was　a　convicta　child　Joe　never　expected　to　see　and　did　not　even　know　how　to　find。

Joe　Ellison　became　a　figure　that　moved　Miss　Sherwood　deeply：　content　to　busy　himself　in　his　earthly　obscurity；　ever　dreaming　and　gloating　over　his　one　great　sustaining　thoughtthat　he　had　given　his　child　the　best　chance　which　circumstances　permitted；　that　he　had　removed　himself　from　his　child's　life；　that　some　unknown　where　out　in　the　world　his　child　was　growing　to　maturity　among　clean；　wholesome　people；　that　he　never　expected　to　make　himself　known　to　his　child。　The　situation　also　moved　Larry　profoundly　whenever　he　looked　at　his　old　friend；　merging　into　a　kindly　fellowship　with　the　earth。

But　while　busy　with　new　affairs　at　Cedar　Crest；　Larry　was　all　the　while　thinking　of　Maggie；　and　particularly　of　his　own　dilemma　regarding　Maggie　and　Dick。　But　the　right　plan　still　refused　to　take　form　in　his　brain。　However；　one　important　detail　occurred　to　him　which　required　immediate　attention。　If　his　procedure　in　regard　to　Hunt's　pictures　succeeded　in　drawing　the　painter　from　his　hermitage；　nothing　was　more　likely　than　that　Hunt　unexpectedly　would　happen　upon　Maggie　in　the　company　of　Dick　Sherwood。　That　might　be　a　catastrophe　to　Larry's　unformed　plan；　it　had　to　be　forestalled　if　possible。　Such　a　matter　could　not　be　handled　in　a　letter；　with　the　police　opening　all　mail　coming　to　the　Duchess's　house。　So　once　more　he　decided　upon　a　secret　visit　to　the　Duchess's　house。　He　figured　that　such　a　visit　would　be　comparatively　without　risk；　since　the　police　and　Barney　Palmer　and　the　gangsters　Barney　had　put　upon　his　trail　all　still　believed　him　somewhere　in　the　West。

Accordingly；　a　few　nights　after　they　had　settled　at　Cedar　Crest；　he　motored　into　New　York　in　a　roadster　Miss　Sherwood　had　placed　at　his　disposal；　and　after　the　necessary　precautions　he　entered　Hunt's　studio。　The　room　was　dismantled；　and　Hunt　sat　among　his　packed　belongings　smoking　his　pipe。

〃Well；　young　fellow；〃　growled　Hunt　after　they　had　shaken　hands；　〃you　see　you've　driven　me　from　my　happy　home。〃

〃Then　Mr。　Graham　has　been　to　see　you？〃

〃Yes。　And　he　put　up　to　me　your　suggestion　about　a　private　exhibition。　And　I　fell　for　it。　And　I've　got　to　go　back　among　the　people　I　used　to　know。　And　wear　good　clothes　and　put　on　a　set　of　standardized　good　manners。　Hell！〃

〃You　don't　like　it？〃

〃I　suppose；　if　the　exhibition　is　a　go；　I'll　like　grinning　at　the　bunch　that　thought　I　couldn't　paint。　You　bet　I'll　like　that！　You；　young　fellowI　suppose　you're　here　to　gloat　over　me　and　to　try　to　collect　your　five　thousand。〃

〃I　never　gloat　over　doing　such　an　easy　job　as　that　was。　And　I'm　not　here　to　collect　my　bet。　As　far　as　money　is　concerned；　I'm　here　to　give　you　some。〃　And　he　handed　Hunt　the　check　made　out　to　〃cash〃　which　Mr。　Graham　had　sent　him　for　the　Italian　mother。

〃Better　keep　that　on　account　of　what　I　owe　you；〃　advised　Hunt。

〃I'd　rather　you'd　hold　it　for　me。　And　better　still；　I'd　rather　call　the　bet　off　in　favor　of　a　new　bargain。〃

〃What's　the　new　proposition　for　swindling　me？〃

〃You　need　a　business　nursemaid。　What　commission　do　you　pay　dealers？〃

〃Been　paying　those　burglars　forty　per　cent。〃

〃That's　too　much　for　doing　nothing。　Here's　my　proposition。　Give　me　ten　per　cent　to　act　as　your　personal　agent；　and　I'll　guarantee　that　your　total　percentage　for　commissions　will　be　less　than　at　present；　and　that　your　prices　will　be　doubled。　Of　course　I　can't　do　much　while　the　police　and　others　are　so　darned　interested　in　me；　so　if　you　accept　we'll　just　date　the　agreement　from　the　time　I'm　cleared。〃

〃You're　on；　sonand　we'll　just　date　the　agreement　from　the　present　moment；　A。D。〃　Again　Hunt　gripped　Larry's　hand。　〃You're　all　to　the　good；　Larryand　I'm　not　giving　you　half　enough。〃

That　provided　Larry　with　the　opening　he　had　desired。　〃You　can　make　it　up　to　me。〃

〃How？〃

〃By　helping　me　out　with　a　proposition　of　my　own。　To　come　straight　to　the　point；　it's　Maggie。〃

〃Maggie？〃

〃I　guess　you　know　how　I　feel　there。　She's　got　a　wrong　set　of　ideas；　and　she's　fixed　in　themand　you　know　how　high…spirited　she　is。　She's　out　in　the　world　now；　trying　to　put　something　crooked　over　which　she　thinks　is　big。　I　know　what　it　is。　I　want　to　stop　her；　and　change　her。　That's　my　big　aimto　change　her。　The　only　way　I　can　at　this　moment　stop　what　she　is　now　doing　is　by　exposing　her。　And　mighty　few　people　with　a　wrong　twist　are　ever　set　right　by　merely　being　exposed。〃

〃I　guess　you're　right　there；　Larry。〃

〃What　I　want　is　a　chance　to　try　another　method　on　Maggie。　If　she's　handled　right　I　think　she　may　turn　out　a　very　different　person　from　what　she　seems　to　besomething　that　may　surprise　both　of　us。〃

Hunt　nodded。　〃That　was　why　I　painted　her　picture。　Since　I　first　saw　her　I've　been　interested　in　how　she　was　going　to　come　out。　She　might　become　anything。　But　where　do　I　fit　in？〃

〃She's　flying　in　high　company。　It　occurred　to　me　that；　when　you　got　back　to　your　own　world；　you　might　meet　her；　and　in　your　surprise　you　might　speak　to　her　in　a　manner　which　would　be　equivalent　in　its　effect　to　an　intentional　exposure。　I　wanted　to　put　you　on　your　guard　and　to　ask　you　to　treat　her　as　a　stranger。〃

〃That's　promised。　I　won't　know　her。〃

〃Don't　promise　till　you　know　the　rest。〃

〃What　else　is　there　to　know？〃

〃Who　the　sucker　is　they're　trying　to　trim。〃　Larry　regarded　the　other　steadily。　〃You　know　him。　He's　Dick　Sherwood。〃

〃Dick　Sherwood！〃　exploded　Hunt。　〃Are　you　sure　about　that？〃

〃I　was　with　Maggie　the　other　night　when　Dick　came　to　have　supper　with　her；　he　didn't　see　me。　Besides；　Dick　has　told　me　about　her。〃

〃How　did　they　ever　get　hold　of　Dick？〃

〃Dick's　the　easiest　kind　of　fish　for　two　such　smooth　men　as　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie　when　they've　got　a　clever；　good…looking　girl　as　bait；　and　when　they　know　how　to　use　her。　He's　generous；　easily　impressed；　thinks　he　is　a　wise　man　of　the　world　and　is　really　very　gullible。〃

〃Have　they　got　him　hooked？〃

〃Hard　and　fast。　It　won't　be　his　fault　if　they　don't　land　him。〃

The　painter　gazed　at　Larry　with　a　hard　look。　Then　he　demanded　abruptly：

〃Show　Miss　Sherwood　that　picture　of　Maggie　I　painted？〃

〃No。　I　had　my　reasons。〃

〃What　you　going　to　do　with　it？〃

〃Keep　it；　and　pay　you　your　top　price　for　it　when　I've　got　the　money。〃

〃H'm！　Told　Miss　Sherwood　what's　doing　about　Dick？〃

〃No。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃I　thought　of　doing　it；　then　I　decided　against　it。　For　the　same　reason　I　just　gave　youthat　it　might　lead　to　exposure；　and　that　exposure　would　defeat　my　plans。〃

〃You　seem　to　be　forgetting　that　your　plan　leaves　Dick　in　danger。　Dick　deserves　some　consideration。〃

〃And　I'm　giving　it　to　him；〃　argued　Larry。　〃I'm　thinking　of　him　as　much　as　of　Maggie。　Or　almost　as　much。　His　sister　and　friends　have　pulled　him　out　of　a　lot　of　scrapes。　He's　not　a　bit　wiser　or　better　for　that　kind　of　help。　And　it's　not　going　to　do　him　any　good　whatever　to　have　some　one　step　in　and　take　care　of　him　again。　He's　been　a　good　friend　to　me；　but　he's　a　dear　fool。　I　want　to　handle　this　so　he'll　get　a　jolt　that　will　waken　him　upmake　him　take　his　responsibilities　more　seriouslymake　him　able　to　take　care　of　himself。〃

〃Huh！〃　grunted　Hunt。　〃You've　certainly　picked　out　a　few　man…sized　jobs　for　yourself：　to　make　a　success　of　the　straight　life　for　yourselfto　come　out　ahead　of　the　police　and　your　old　palsto　make　Maggie　love　the　Ten　Commandmentsto　put　me　acrossto　make　Dick　into　a　level…　headed　citizen。　Any　other　little　item　you'd　like　to　take　on？〃

Larry　ignored　the　irony　of　the　question。　〃Some　of　those　things　I'm　going　to　do；〃　he　said　confidently。　〃And　any　I　see　I'm　going　to　fail　in；　I'll　get　warning　to　the　people　involved。　But　to　come　back　to　your　promise：　are　you　willing　to　give　your　promise　now　that　you　know　all　the　facts？〃

Hunt　pulled　for　a　long　moment　at　his　pipe。　Then　he　said　almost　gruffly：

〃I　guess　you've　guessed　that　Isabel　Sherwood　is　about　th