children of the whirlwind-第58章

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efore　it　had　reached　its　climax。

All　was　now　ready　for　the　curtain　to　rise。　Quivering　all　through　she　waited　for　Barney　Palmer；　whose　entrance　was　to　open　her　drama。　She　glanced　at　her　wrist…watch　which　she　had　left　upon　the　little　lacquered　writing…table。　Ten　minutes　of　nine。　Ten　more　minutes　to　wait。　She　felt　far　more　of　sickening　suspense　than　ever　did　any　young　playwright　on　the　opening　night　of　his　first　play。　For　she　was　more　than　merely　playwright。　In　her　desperate；　overwrought　determination　Maggie　had　assumed　for　herself　the　super…mortal　role　of　dea　ex　machina。　And　in　those　moments　of　tense　waiting　Maggie；　who　so　feverishly　loathed　all　she　had　been；　was　not　at　all　sure　whether　she　was　going　to　succeed　in　her　part　of　goddess　from　the　machine。

At　five　minutes　to　nine　there　was　a　ring。　She　gave　a　little　jump　at　the　sound。　That　was　Barney。　Though　generally　when　Barney　came　he　used　the　latch…key　which　his　assumed　dear　cousinship；　and　the　argued　possibility　of　their　being　out　and　thus　causing　him　to　wait　around　in　discomfort；　Miss　Grierson's　sense　of　propriety　had　unbent　far　enough　to　permit　him　to　possess。　The　truth　was；　of　course；　that　Barney　had　desired　the　key　so　that　he　might　have　most　private　conferences　with　Maggie；　at　any　time　necessity　demanded；　without　the　stolidly　conscientious　Miss　Grierson　ever　knowing　what　had　happened　and　being　therefore　unable　to　give　dangerous　testimony。

Maggie　crossed　and　opened　the　door。　But　instead　of　Barney　Palmer；　it　was　Larry　who　stepped　in。　He　quickly　closed　the　door　behind　him。

〃Larry！〃　she　cried　startled。　〃Whywhy；　I　thought　the　police　had　you！〃

〃They　did。　But　Hunt　was　with　me；　and　he　got　hold　of　a　magistrate　who　would　have　made　Hunt　a　present　of　the　Tombs　and　Police　Headquarters　if　he　had　owned　them。〃

〃Then　you're　out　on　bail？〃

〃Got　out　about　ten　minutes　ago。　Hunt　didn't　have　any　property　he　could　put　up　as　security；　so　he　'phoned　my　grandmother。　She　walked　in　with　an　armload　of　deeds。　Why；　she　must　own　as　much　property　in　New　York　as　the　Astor　Estate。〃

〃Larry；　I'm　so　glad！〃　And　then；　remembering　what；　according　to　her　plan；　was　due　to　begin　to　happen　almost　any　moment；　she　exclaimed　in　dismay：　〃But；　Larry；　oh；　why　did　you　come　here　now！〃

〃I　wanted　to　knowyou　understandwhat　you　had　decided　to　do　after　learning　about　your　father。　And　I　wanted　to　tell　you　that；　after　all　my　great　boasts　to　you；　I　seem　to　have　failed　in　every　boast。　Item　one；　the　police　have　got　me。　Item　two；　since　the　police　have　got　me；　my　old　pals　will　also　most　likely　get　me。　Item　three；　when　I　was　arrested　at　Cedar　Crest　Miss　Sherwood　learned　that　I　had　known　you　all　along　and　believes　I　was　part　of　a　conspiracy　to　clean　out　the　family；　so　she　chucked　meand　I've　lost　what　I　believed　my　big　chance　to　make　good。　So；　you　see；　Maggie；　it　looks　as　if　you　were　right　when　you　predicted　that　I　was　going　to　fail　in　everything　I　said　I　was　going　to　do。〃

〃LarryMiss　Sherwood　believes　that！〃　she　breathed。　And　then　she　remembered　again；　and　caught　his　arm　with　sudden　energy。　〃Larry；　you　mustn't　stay　here！〃

〃Why　not？〃

Her　answer　was　almost　identical　with　one　she　had　given　the　previous　evening。　〃Because　Barney　Palmer　may　be　here　the　next　minute！〃

His　response　was　in　sense　also　identical。　〃Then　I'll　stay　right　here。　There's　no　one　I　want　to　see　as　much　as　Barney　Palmer。　And　this　time　I'll　have　it　out　with　him！〃

Maggie　was　in　consternation　at　this　unexpected　twist　which　was　not　in　the　brain…manuscript　of　her　play　at　allwhich　indeed　threatened　to　take　her　play　right　out　of　her　hands。　〃Please　go；　Larry！〃　she　cried　desperately。　〃And　please　give　me　a　chance！　You'll　spoil　it　all　if　you　stay！〃

〃I'm　going　to　stay　right　here；〃　was　his　grim　response。

She　realized　there　was　no　changing　him。　She　glimpsed　a　closet　door　behind　him；　and　caught　at　the　chance　of　saving　at　least　a　fragment　of　her　drama。

〃Stay；　then　but；　Larry；　please　give　me　a　chance　to　do　what　I　want　to　do！　Please！〃　By　this　time　she　had　dragged　him　across　the　room　and　had　started　to　unlock　the　closet。　〃Just　wait　in　hereand　keep　quiet！　Please！〃

He　took　the　key　from　her　fumbling　hands；　unlocked　the　door；　and　slipped　the　key　into　his　pocket。　〃All　rightI'll　give　you　your　chance；〃　he　promised。

He　stepped　through　the　door　and　closed　it　upon　himself；　entombing　himself　in　blackness。　The　next　moment　the　glare　of　a　pocket　flash　was　in　his　face；　blinding　him。

〃Larry　Brainard！〃　gritted　a　low　voice　in　the　darkness。

Larry　could　see　nothing；　but　there　was　no　mistaking　that　voice。　〃Red　Hannigan！〃　he　exclaimed。

〃Yesyou　damned　squealer！　And　I'm　going　to　finish　you　off　right　here！〃

The　light　clicked　out；　and　a　pair　of　lean　hands　almost　closed　on　Larry's　wind…pipe。　But　Larry　caught　the　wrists　of　the　older　man　in　a　grip　the　other　could　not　break。　There　was　a　brief　struggle　in　the　blackness　of　the　closet；　then　the　slighter　man　stood　still　with　his　wrists　manacled　by　Larry's　hands。

〃Evidently　you　haven't　a　gun　on　you；　Red；　or　you；　wouldn't　have　tried　this；〃　Larry　commented。　〃Anyhow；　you　couldn't　have　got　away　with　killing　in　a　big　hotel；　whether　you　had　strangled　me　or　shot　me。　I　don't　blame　you　for　being　sore　at　me；　Redonly　you've　got　me　all　wrong。　But　you　and　I　are　evidently　here　for　the　same　purpose：　to　get　next　to　something　that's　going　to　happen　out　in　the　room。　What　do　you　say；　Red？let's　suspend　hostilities　for　the　present。　You've　got　me　where　you　can　follow　me；　and　you　can　get　me　any　time。〃

〃You　bet　I'll　get　you！〃　declared　Hannigan。　And　then　after　a　few　more　words　an　armistice　was　agreed　upon　between　the　two　men　in　the　closet　and　silently；　tensely；　they　stood　in　the　dark　awaiting　whatever　was　to　happen。

Outside　Maggie；　that　amateur　playwright　who　had　tried　so　desperately　to　prearrange　events；　that　inexperienced　goddess　from　the　machine；　stood　in　a　panic　of　fear　and　suspense　the　like　of　which　she　had　never　known。




CHAPTER　XXXIV


But　when　Barney's　latch…key　slid　into　the　door　and　Barney；　in　a　smart　dinner　jacket；　came　in；　Maggie　was　herself　again。　Indeed　she　was　better　than　herself；　for　there　rushed　to　her　support　that　added　power　which　she　had　just　been　despairing　of；　which　carries　some　people　through　an　hour　of　crisis；　and　which　may　occasionally　lift　an　actor　above　himself　when　fortune　gives　him　a　difficult　yet　splendid　part　which　is　the　great　chance　of　his　career。

And　Maggie　showed　to　the　eye　that　she　was　better　than　her　best；　for　Barney　exclaimed　the　instant　he　was　beside　her：　〃Gee；　Maggie；　you　look　like　the　Queen　of　Sheba；　whoever　that　dame　was！　Any　guy　would　fall　for　you　to…nightand　fall　so　hard　that　he'd　break；　or　go　broke！〃

But　Barney　was　too　eager　to　await　any　response。　〃What's　behind　the　hurry…up　call　you　sent　in？　Anything　broken　yet？〃

〃Something　big！　But　sit　down。　There's　a　lot　to　tell。　And　I　must　tell　it　quickbefore　my〃she　could　not　force　herself　to　say　〃father〃　〃before　Old　Jimmie　comes；　and　Dick。〃

〃Then　Dick's　coming？〃

〃Yes。　Things　have　taken　a　twist　so　that　everything　breaks　to…night。　But　sit　down；　and　I'll　tell　you　everything。〃

She　had　noted　that　the　door　behind　which　Larry　stood；　and　to　which　he　had　captured　the　key；　was　open　a　bare　half…inch。　It　looked　no　more　suspicious　than　any　closet　door　that　by　accident　had　swung　free　of　its　latch；　but　by　deft　maneuvering　Maggie　managed　so　that　Barney　sat　at　the　table　with　his　back　toward　both　closets。

〃Go　to　it；　Maggie；〃　he　urged。

The　plan　which　had　swiftly　developed　from　Dick　Sherwood's　idea　required　that　she　should　tell　much　that　was　the　truth　and　much　that　was　not　truth；　and　required　that　she　should　play　with　every　faculty　and　every　attraction　she　possessed　upon　Barney's　tremendous　vanity　and　upon　his　jealous　admiration　of　her。　She　had　to　make　him　believe　more　in　her　as　a　pal　than　ever　before；　she　had　to　make　him　want　her　more　as　a　woman　than　ever　before。　And　at　this　moment　she　felt　herself　thrillingly　equal　to　this　vampire　role　her　over…stimulated　sense　of　justice　had　commanded　her　to　undertake。

〃Things　have　gone　great；〃　she　began；　speaking　concisely；　yet　trying　not　in　this　eager　brevity　to　lose　the　convincing　effect　that　she　would　be　the　complete　mistress　of　any　enterprise　to　which　she　yielded　her　interest。　〃Dick　Sherwood　proposed