children of the whirlwind-第67章

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dy　it　had　been　decided　that　all　those　showy　Grantham　gowns　were　never　to　be　worn　again。

Once　more　Miss　Sherwood　came　to　the　rescue　of　a　stupendous　situation；　just　as　her　tact　had　rescued　a　situation　too　great　for　words　the　night　before。

〃Of　course　you　two　people　now　perceive　that　I'm　a　fraudthat　I've　got　you　together　by　base　trickery。　So　much　being　admitted；　let's　proceed。〃　She　turned　on　Larry。　〃Maggiewe've　agreed　that　I　am　to　call　her　that…　…Maggie　stayed　with　me　last　night。　There　are　two　beds　in　my　room。　But　we　didn't　sleep　much。　Mostly　we　talked。　If　there's　anything　Maggie　didn't　tell　me　about　herself；　I　can't　guess　what　there's　left　to　tell。　According　to　herself；　she's　terrible。　But　that's　for　us　to　judge；　personally　I　don't　believe　her。　She　confessed　that　she　really　loved　you；　but　that　after　the　way　she'd　treated　you；　of　course　she　wasn't　fit　for　you。　Which；　of　course；　is　just　a　girl's　nonsense。　I　suppose　you；　Mr。　Brainard；　are　thinking　something　of　the　sort　regarding　your　own　self。　It　is　equally　nonsense。　You　both　love　each　otheryou've　both　been　through　a　lotnothing　of　importance　now　stands　between　you…　…so　don't　waste　any　of　your　too　short　lives　in　coming　together。〃

She　took　a　deep　breath　and　went　on。　〃You　might　as　well　know；　Mr。　Brainard；　that　Maggie　is　going　to　live　with　me　for　the　presentthat；　of　course；　she　is　going　to　be　a　very　great　burden　to　meand　it　will　be　a　great　favor　to　me　if　you'll　marry　her　soon　and　take　her　off　my　hands。〃　And　then　the　voice　that　had　tried　to　keep　itself　brisk　and　even；　quavered　with　a　sudden　sob。　〃For　Heaven's　sake；　dear　children　don't　be　fools！〃

And　with　that　she　was　gone。

For　an　instant　Larry　continued　to　gaze　at　Maggie's　slender；　trembling　figure。　But　something　approaching　a　miraclea　very　human　miraclehad　just　happened。　All　those　doubts；　fears；　indecisions；　unexpressed　desires；　agonies　of　self…abasement；　which　might　have　delayed　their　understanding　and　happiness　for　weeks　and　months；　had　been　swept　into　nothingness　by　the　incisive　kindliness　of　Miss　Sherwood。　In　one　minute　she　had　said　all　they　might　have　said　in　months；　there　was　nothing　more　to　say。　There　was　nothing　left　of　the　past　to　discuss。　Before　them　was　only　the　fact　of　that　immediate　moment；　and　the　future。

Tremblingly；　silently；　Larry　crossed　to　that　trembling；　silent　figure　in　white。　She　did　not　retreat。　Tremblingly　he　took　her　hands　and　looked　down　into　her　dark　eyes。　They　were　now　flowing　tears；　but　they　met　his　squarely；　holding　back　nothing。　The　look　in　her　eyes　answered　all　he　desired　to　know　just　then；　for　he　gathered　her　tight　into　his　arms。　Wordlessly；　but　with　a　sharp；　convulsive　sob；　she　threw　her　arms　about　his　neckand　thus　embracing；　shaken　with　sharp　sobs；　they　stood　while　the　minutes　passed；　not　a　single　word　having　been　spoken。　And　so　it　was　that　these　two；　both　children　of　the　storm；　at　last　came　together。　。　。　。

Presently　Joe　Ellison　chanced　to　step　unsuspectingly　into　the　room。　Seeing　what　he　did；　he　silently　tiptoed　out。　There　was　a　garden　chair　just　outside　his　door。　Into　this　he　sank　and　let　his　thin　face　fall　into　his　hands。　His　figure　shook　and　hot　tears　burned　through　his　fingers。　For　his　heart　told　him　that　his　great　dream　was　at　last　come　true。







End