children of the whirlwind-第39章

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on　out　here；　just　as　she　had　said　she　would　win　out；　and　won　out　with　what　Barney　had　declared　to　be　the　most　difficult　person　to　get　the　better　of；　a　finished　woman　of　the　world。　Indeed；　that　was　triumph！

The　other　emotion　she　did　not　understand　so　well。　And　just　then　she　could　not　analyze　it。　It　was　an　unexpected　dismaya　vague　but　permeating　sicknessa　dazed　sense　that　she　was　being　carried　by　unfamiliar　forces　toward　she　knew　not　what。

She　held　fast　to　her　sense　of　triumph。　That　was　the　more　apprehendable　and　positive；　triumph　was　what　she　had　set　forth　to　win。　This　sense　of　triumph　was　at　its　highest；　and　she　was　resting　in　its　elating　security；　when　a　car　stopped　before　the　house　and　a　large　man　got　out　and　started　up　the　steps。　From　the　first　moment　there　was　something　familiar　to　Maggie　in　his　carriage；　but　not　till　Miss　Sherwood；　who　had　risen　and　crossed　toward　him；　greeted　him　as　〃Mr。　Hunt；〃　did　Maggie　recognize　the　well…dressed　visitor　as　the　shabby；　boisterous　painter　whom　she　had　last　seen　down　at　the　Duchess's。

Panic　seized　upon　her。　Miss　Sherwood　was　leading　him　toward　where　she　sat　and　his　first　clear　sight　of　her　would　mean　the　end。　There　was　no　possible　escape；　she　could　only　await　her　fate。　And　when　she　was　denounced　as　a　fraud；　and　her　glittering　victory　was　gone；　she　could　only　take　herself　away　with　as　much　of　the　defiance　of　admitted　defeat　as　she　could　assumeand　that　wouldn't　be　much。

She　gazed　up　at　Hunt；　whitely；　awaiting　extermination。　Miss　Sherwood's　voice　came　to　her　from　an　infinite　distance；　introducing　them。　Hunt　bowed；　with　a　formally　polite　smile；　and　said　formally；　〃I'm　very　glad　to　meet　you；　Miss　Cameron。〃

Not　till　he　and　Miss　Sherwood　were　seated　and　chatting　did　Maggie　realize　the　fullness　of　the　astounding　fact　that　he　had　not　recognized　her。　This　was　far　more　upsetting　to　her　than　would　have　been　recognition　and　exposure；　she　had　been　all　braced　for　that；　but　not　for　what　had　actually　happened。　She　was　certain　he　must　have　known　her；　nothing　had　really　changed　about　her　except　her　dress；　and　only　a　few　weeks　had　passed　since　he　had　been　seeing　her　daily　down　at　the　Duchess's；　and　since　she　had　been　his　model；　and　he　had　studied　every　line　and　expression　of　her　face　with　those　sharp　painter's　eyes　of　his。

And　so　as　the　two　chatted；　she　putting　in　a　stumbling　phrase　when　they　turned　to　her；　Maggie　Carlisle；　Maggie　Cameron；　Maggie　Ellison；　that　gallant　and　all…confident　adventuress　who　till　the　present　had　never　admitted　herself　seriously　disturbed　by　a　problem；　sat　limply　in　her　chair；　a　very　young　girl；　indeed；　and　wondered　how　this　thing　could　possibly　be。




CHAPTER　XXIV


Presently　Miss　Sherwood　said　something　about　tea；　excused　herself；　and　disappeared　within　the　house。　Maggie　saw　that　Hunt　watched　Miss　Sherwood　till　she　was　safely　within　doors；　then　she　was　aware　that　he　was　gazing　steadily　at　her；　then　she　saw　him　execute　a　slow；　solemn　wink。

Maggie　almost　sprang　from　her　chair。

〃Shall　we　take　a　little　stroll；　Miss　Cameron？〃　Hunt　asked。　〃I　think　it　will　be　some　time　before　Miss　Sherwood　will　want　us　for　tea。〃

〃Yesthank　you；〃　Maggie　stammered。

Hunt　led　her　down　a　walk　of　white　gravel　to　where　a　circle　of　Hiawatha　roses　were　trained　into　a　graceful　mosque；　now　daintily　glorious　with　its　solid　covering　of　yellow…hearted　red　blooms。　Within　this　retreat　was　a　rustic　bench；　and　on　this　Hunt　seated　her　and　took　a　place　beside　her。　He　looked　her　over　with　the　cool；　direct；　studious　eyes　which　reminded　her　of　his　gaze　when　he　had　been　painting　her。

〃Well；　Maggie；〃　he　finally　commented；　〃you　certainly　look　the　part　you　picked　out　for　yourself；　and　you　seem　to　be　putting　it　over。　Always　had　an　idea　you　could　handle　something　big　if　you　went　after　it。　How　d'you　like　the　life；　being　a　swell　lady　crook？〃


She　had　hardly　heard　his　banter。　She　needed　to　ask　him　no　questions　about　his　presence　here；　his　ease　of　bearing　had　conveyed　to　her　unconsciously　from　the　first　instant　that　her　previous　half…　contemptuous　estimate　of　him　had　been　altogether　wrong　and　that　he　was　now　in　his　natural　element。　Her　first　question　went　straight　to　the　cause　of　her　amazement。

〃Didn't　you　recognize　me　when　you　first　saw　me　with　Miss　Sherwood？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Weren't　you　surprised？〃

〃Nope；〃　he　answered　with　deliberate　monosyllabicness。

〃Why　not？〃

〃I'd　been　wised　up　that　I'd　be　likely　to　meet　youand　here。〃

〃Here！　By　whom？〃

〃By　advice　of　counsel　I　must　decline　to　answer。〃

〃Why　didn't　you　tell　Miss　Sherwood　who　I　am　and　show　me　up？〃

〃Because　I'd　been　requested　not　to　tell。〃

〃Requested　by　whom？〃

〃Maggie；〃　he　drawled；　〃you　seem　to　be　making　a　go　of　this　lady　crook　businessbut　I　think　you　might　have　been　even　more　of　a　shining　light　as　a　criminal　cross…examiner。　However；　I　refuse　to　be　cross…examined　further。　By　the　way；〃　he　drawled　on；　〃how　goes　it　with　those　dear　souls；　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie？〃

She　ignored　his　question。

〃Please！　Who　asked　you　not　to　tell？〃

There　was　a　sudden　glint　of　good…humored　malice　in　his　eyes。　〃Mind　if　I　smoke？〃

〃No。〃

He　drew　out　a　silver　cigarette　case　and　opened　it。　〃Empty！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃Excuse　me　while　I　get　something　from　the　house　to　smoke。　I'll　be　right　back。〃

Without　waiting　for　her　permission　he　stepped　out　of　the　arbor　and　she　heard　his　footsteps　crunching　up　the　gravel　path。　Maggie　waited　his　return　in　pulsing　suspense。　Her　situation　had　been　developing　beyond　anything　she　had　ever　dreamed　of；　she　was　aquiver　as　to　what　might　happen　next。　So　absorbed　was　she　in　her　chaos　of　feeling　and　thoughts　that　she　did　not　even　hear　the　humble　symphony　of　the　hundreds　of　bees　drawing　their　treasure　from　the　golden　hearts　of　the　roses；　and　did　not　see；　across　the　path　a　score　of　yards　away；　the　tall　figure　of　Joe　Ellison　among　the　rosebushes；　pruning…shears　in　hand；　with　which　he　had　been　cutting　out　dead　blossoms；　gazing　at　her　with　that　hungry；　admiring；　speculative　look　with　which　he　had　regarded　the　young　women　upon　the　beach。

Presently　she　heard　Hunt's　footsteps　coming　down　the　path。　Then　she　detected　a　second　pair。　Dick　accompanying　him；　she　thought。　And　then　Hunt　appeared　before　her；　and　was　saying　in　his　big　voice：　〃Miss　Cameron；　permit　me　to　present　my　friend；　Mr。　Brandon。〃　And　then　he　added　in　a　lowered　voice；　grinning　with　the　impish　delight　of　an　overgrown　boy　who　is　playing　a　trick：　〃Thought　I'd　better　go　through　the　motions　of　introducing　you　people；　so　it　would　look　as　if　you'd　just　met　for　the　first　time。〃　And　with　that　he　was　gone。

Maggie　had　risen　galvanically。　For　the　moment　she　could　only　stare。　Then　she　got　out　his　name。

〃Larry！〃　she　whispered。　〃You　here？〃

〃Yes。〃

Astounded　as　she　was；　she　had　caught　instantly　the　total　lack　of　amazement　on　Larry's　part。

〃You'reyou're　not　surprised　to　see　me？〃

〃No；〃　he　said　evenly。　〃I　knew　you　were　here。　And　before　that　I　knew　you　were　coming。〃

That　was　almost　too　much　for　Maggie。　Hunt　had　known　and　Larry　had　known；　both　were　people　belonging　to　her　old　life；　both　the　last　people　she　expected　to　meet　in　such　circumstances。　She　could　only　stare　at　himentirely　taken　aback　by　this　meeting。

And　indeed　it　was　a　strangely　different　meeting　from　the　last　time　she　had　seen　him；　at　the　Grantham；　strangely　different　from　those　earlier　meetings　down　at　the　Duchess's　when　both　had　been　grubs　as　yet　unmetamorphosized。　Now　standing　in　the　arbor　they　looked　a　pair　of　weekend　guests；　in　keeping　with　the　place。　For；　as　Maggie　had　noted；　Larry　in　his　well…cut　flannels　was　as　greatly　transformed　as　Hunt。

It　was　Larry　who　ended　the　silence。　〃Shall　we　sit　down？〃

She　mechanically　sank　to　the　bench；　still　staring　at　him。

〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　she　managed　to　breathe。

〃I　belong　here。〃

〃Belong　here？〃

〃I　work　here；〃　he　explained。　〃I'm　called　'Mr。　Brandon；'　but　Miss　Sherwood　knows　exactly　who　I　am　and　what　I've　been。〃

〃How　long　have　you　been　here？〃

〃Since　that　night　when　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie　took　you　away　to　begin　your　new　careerthe　same　night　that　I　ran　away　from　those　gunmen　who　thought　I　was　a　squealer；　and　from　Casey　and　Gavegan。〃

〃And　all　the　while　that　Barney　and　my　father　and　the　police　have　thought　you　hiding　some　place　in　the