children of the whirlwind-第49章

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〃Perhaps　he　does；　and　perhaps　he　doesn't。　All　the　same；　he　should　know　for　certain！　The　big　point　is；　will　you　get　Larry　word？〃

A　moment　passed　and　the　Duchess　did　not　speak。　In　fact　this　time　she　had　not　heard　Maggie；　so　intent　was　she　in　trying　to　look　through　Maggie's　dark；　eager　eyes　to　the　very　core　of　Maggie's　being。

〃Will　you　get　Larry　word？〃　Maggie　repeated　impatiently。

The　Duchess　came　out　of　her　study。　There　was　a　sudden　thrill　within　her；　but　it　did　not　show　in　her　voice。

〃Yes。〃

〃At　once？〃

〃As　soon　as　telling　him　will　do　any　good。　And　now　you　better　hurry　back　to　your　hotel；　if　you　don't　want　Barney　and　Old　Jimmie　to　suspect　what　you've　been　up　to。　Though　why　you　still　want　to　hang　on　to　that　pair；　knowing　what　they　are；　is　more　than　I　can　guess。〃

She　stood　up。　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　she　said　as　Maggie　started　for　the　door。　Maggie　turned　back；　and　for　another　moment　the　Duchess　silently　peered　deep　into　Maggie's　eyes。　Then　she　said　shortly；　almost　sharply：　〃At　your　age　I　was　twice　as　pretty　as　you　areand　twice　as　clever　and　I　played　much　the　same　game。　Look　what　I　got　out　of　life！　。　。　。　Good…night。〃　And　abruptly　the　Duchess　wheeled　about　and　mounted　the　stairway。

Twenty　minutes　later　Maggie　was　back　at　the　Grantham；　her　absence　unobserved。　Though　palpitant　over　Larry's　fate；　she　had　the　satisfaction　of　having　achieved　with　Larry's　grandmother　what　she　had　set　forth　to　achieve。　She　did　not　know；　could　not　know；　that　what　she　had　accepted　as　her　achievement　was　inconsequential　compared　to　what　had　actually　been　achieved　by　her　spontaneous　appearance　before　the　troubled　Duchess。




CHAPTER　XXIX


As　the　Duchess　had　gazed　into　Maggie's　excited；　imploring　eyes；　it　had　been　borne　in　upon　her　carefully　judging　and　painfully　hesitant　mind　that　there　was　better　than　a　fifty　per　cent　chance　that　Larry　was　right　in　his　estimate　of　Maggie；　that　Maggie's　inclination　toward　criminal　adventure；　her　supreme　self…confidence；　all　her　bravado；　were　but　the　superficial　though　strong　tendencies　developed　by　her　unfortunate　environment；　that　within　that　cynical；　worldly　shell　there　were　the　vital　and　plastic　makings　of　a　real　woman。

And　so　the　long…troubled　Duchess；　who　to　her　acquaintances　had　always　seemed　as　unemotional　as　the　dust…coated；　moth…eaten　parrot　which　stood　in　mummified　aloofness　upon　her　safe；　had　made　a　momentous　decision　that　had　sent　through　her　old　veins　the　thrilling　sap　of　a　great　crisis；　a　great　suspense。　She　had　tried　to　guide　destiny。　She　was　now　through　with　such　endeavor。　She　had　no　right；　because　of　her　love　for　Larry；　to　withhold　longer　the　facts　of　Maggie's　parentage。　She　was　now　going　to　tell　the　truth；　and　let　events　work　out　as　they　would。

But　the　eventswhat　were　they　going　to　be？

For　a　moment　the　Duchess　had　been　impelled　to　tell　the　truth　straight　out　to　Maggie。　But　she　had　caught　herself　in　time。　This　whole　affair　was　Larry's　affair；　and　the　truth　belonged　to　him　to　be　used　as　he　saw　fit。　So　when　she　had　told　Maggie　that　she　would　get　word　to　Larry；　it　was　this　truth　which　she　had　had　in　mind；　and　only　in　a　very　minor　way　the　news　which　Maggie　had　brought。

This　was；　of　course；　such　a　truth　as　could　be　safely　communicated　only　by　word　of　mouth。　The　Duchess　realized　that　Larry　no　longer　dared　come　to　her；　and　that　therefore　she　must　manage　somehow　to　get　to　him。　And　get　to　him　without　betraying　his　whereabouts。

There　was　little　chance　that　the　police　would　search　her　place　or　greatly　bother　her。　To　the　police　mind；　now　that　Larry　was　aware　he　was　known　to　be　in　New　York；　the　pawnshop　would　obviously　be　the　last　place　in　which　he　would　seek　refuge　or　through　which　he　would　have　dealings。　Nevertheless；　the　Duchess　deemed　it　wise　to　lose　no　moment　and　to　neglect　no　possible　caution。　Therefore；　while　Barney　was　still　with　Chief　Barlow　and　before　the　general　order　regarding　Larry　had　more　than　reached　the　various　police　stations；　the　Duchess；　in　cape；　hat；　and　veil；　was　out　of　her　house。　A　block　up　the　street　lived　the　owner　of　two　or　three　taxicabs；　concerning　whom　the　Duchess；　who　was　almost　omniscient　in　her　own　world；　knew　much　that　the　said　owner　ardently　desired　should　be　known　no　further。　A　few　sentences　with　this　gentleman；　and　fifteen　minutes　later；　huddled　back　in　the　darkened　corner　of　a　taxicab；　she　rolled　over　the　Queensboro　Bridge　out　upon　Long　Island　on　her　mission　of　releasing　a　fact　whose　effect　she　could　not　foresee。



An　hour　and　a　half　after　that　Larry　was　leading　her　to　a　bench　in　the　scented　darkness　of　the　Sherwoods'　lawn。　She　had　telephoned　〃Mr。　Brandon〃　from　a　drug…store　booth　in　Flushing；　and　Larry　had　been　waiting　for　her　near　the　entrance　to　Cedar　Crest。

〃What　brought　you　out　here　like　this；　grandmother？〃　Larry　whispered　in　amazement　as　he　sat　down　beside　her。

〃To　tell　you　that　the　police　are　after　you；〃　she　whispered　back。

〃I　knew　that　already。〃

〃Yes；　I　knew　that　you　would。〃

〃But　how　did　you　find　out？〃

〃Maggie　told　me。〃

〃Maggie！　〃

〃She　came　down　to　see　me；　told　me　what　had　just　happened　at　her　place；　told　me　about　Barney　hurrying　away　to　slip　the　news　to　that　Gavegan；　and　begged　me　to　warn　you　at　once。　She　was　terribly　nervous　and　wrought　up。〃

〃Maggie　did　that！〃　he　breathed。　His　heart　leaped　at　her　unexpected　concern　for　him。　〃Maggie　did　that！〃　And　then：　〃There　wasn't　any　need；　she　should　have　known　that　I　would　know。〃

〃It　was　rather　foolish　in　a　waybut　Maggie　was　too　excited　to　use　cool　reason。〃

His　grandmother　did　not　speak　for　a　moment。　〃Her　losing　her　head　and　coming　shows　that　she　cares　for　you；　Larry。〃

He　could　make　no　response。　This　was　indeed　the　clearest　evidence　Maggie　had　yet　given　that　possibly　she　might　care。

〃Maggie　may　have　lost　her　head　in　her　excitement；〃　he　managed　to　say；　〃but；　grandmother；　there　was　no　reason　for　you　to　lose　your　head　so　far　as　to　come　away　out　here　to　tell　me　about　the　police。〃

〃I　didn't　come　away　out　here　to　tell　you　about　the　police；〃　she　replied。　〃I　came　to　tell　you　something　else。〃

〃Yes？〃

〃You're　sure　you　really　care　for　Maggie？〃

〃I　told　you　that　when　I　was　down　to　see　you　this　evening。〃

Though　the　Duchess　had　decided；　the　desire　to　protect　Larry　remained　tenaciously　in　her　and　made　it　hard　for　her　jealous　love　to　take　a　risk。　〃You're　sure　she　might　turn　out　all　rightthat　is；　under　better　influences？〃

〃I'm　sure；　grandmother。〃　He　recalled　how　a　few　hours　earlier　at　the　Grantham　the　demand　of　Old　Jimmie　that　she　remain　with　him　had　seemed　the　force　that　had　controlled　her　decision。　〃There　would　be　no　doubt　of　it　if　it　were　not　for　Old　Jimmie；　and　the　people　he's　kept　her　among；　and　the　ideas　he's　been　feeding　her　since　she　was　a　baby。　I　don't　think　she　has　any　love　for　her　father；　but　they　say　blood　is　mighty　thick　and　I　guess　with　her　it's　just　the　usual　instinct　of　a　child　to　stand　with　her　father　and　do　what　he　says。　Yes；　if　she　were　not　held　back　and　held　down　by　having　Old　Jimmie　for　a　father；　I'm　sure　she'd　be　all　right。〃

The　Duchess　felt　that　the　moment　had　now　arrived　for　her　to　unloose　her　secret。　But　despite　her　fixed　purpose　to　tell；　her　words　had　to　be　forced　out；　and　were　halting；　bald。

〃Jimmie　Carlisleis　not　her　father。〃

〃What's　that？〃　exclaimed　Larry。

〃Not　so　loud。　I　said　Jimmie　Carlisle　is　not　her　father。〃

〃Grandmother！〃

〃Her　father　is　Joe　Ellison。〃

〃Grandmother！〃　He　caught　her　hands。　〃Whywhy〃　But　for　a　moment　his　utter　dumbfoundment　paralyzed　his　speech。　〃You'reyou're　sure　of　that？〃　he　finally　got　out。

〃Yes。〃　She　went　on　and　told　of　how　her　suspicion　had　been　aroused；　of　her　interview　with　Joe　Ellison　which　had　transmuted　suspicion　into　certainty；　of　her　theory　of　the　motives　which　had　actuated　Jimmie　Carlisle　in　so　perverting　the　directions　of　the　man　who　had　held　Jimmie　as　his　most　trusted　friend。

Larry　was　fairly　stunned　by　this　recital　of　what　had　been　done。　And　he　was　further　stunned　as　he　realized　the　fullness　of　what　now　seemed　to　be　the　circumstances。

〃God；　think　of　it！〃　he　breathed。　〃Maggie　trying　to　be　a　great　adventuress　because　she　was　brought　up　that　way；　because　she　thinks　her　father　wants　her　to　be　thatand　having　never　a　guess　of　the　truth！　And　Joe　Ellison　believing　that　his　daughter