Children of the Whirlwind

  CHAPTER V

  The dinner was simple: beef stewed with potatoes and carrots and onions,and pie, and real coffee. But it measured up to Hunt's boast: the chefof the Ritz, limited to so simple a menu, could indeed have done nobetter. And Larry, after his prison fare, was dining as dine the gods.

  The irrepressible Hunt, trying to read this new specimen that had comeunder his observation, sought to draw Larry out. "Barney Palmer andOld Jimmie were here this afternoon, wanting to see you. They've gotsomething big waiting for you. I suppose you're all ready to jump in andput it over with a wallop."

  "I'm going to put something over with a wallop--but I guess businesswill have to wait until Barney, Jimmie, and I have a talk. Can you spareme a little more of that stew?"

  His manner of speaking was a quiet announcement to Hunt that his planswere for the present a closed subject. Hunt felt balked, for this lean,alert, much-talked-of adventurer piqued him greatly; but he switched toother subjects, and during the rest of the meal did most of the talking.The Duchess was silent, and seemingly was concerned only with herfood. Larry got in a fair portion of speech, but for the most part hisattention, except for that required for eating, was fixed upon Maggie.

  How she had sprung up since he had last seen her! Almost a womannow--and destined to be a beauty! And more than just a beauty: she wascolorful, vital, high-strung. Before he had gone away he had regardedher with something akin to the negligent affection of an older brother.But this thing which was already beginning to surge up in him wasaltogether different, and he knew it.

  As for Maggie, when she looked at him, she flushed and her eyes grewbright. Larry was back!--the brilliant, daring Larry. She was aware thatshe had been successful in startling and gripping his attention. Yes,they would do great things together!

  When the dinner was finished and the dishes washed, Larry gave voice tothis new urge that had so quickly grown up within him.

  "What do you say, Maggie, to a little walk?"

  "All right," she replied eagerly.

  They went down the narrow stairway together. On the landing of thesecond floor, which contained only Maggie's bedroom and the Duchess'sand a tiny kitchen, Maggie started to leave him to change into streetclothes; but he caught her arm and said, "Come on." They descended thenext flight and came into the back room behind the pawnshop, which theDuchess used as a combination of sitting-room, office, and storeroom.About this musty museum hung or stood unredeemed seamen's jackets, menand women's evening wear, banjos, guitars, violins, umbrellas, and onehuge green stuffed parrot sitting on top of the Duchess's safe.

  "I wanted to talk, not walk," he said. "Let's stay here."

  He took her hands and looked down on her steadily. Under the yellowgaslight her face gleamed excitedly up into his, her breath camequickly.

  "Well, sir, what do you think of me?" she demanded. "Have I changedmuch?"

  "Changed? Why, it's magic, Maggie! I left you a schoolgirl; you're awoman now. And a wonder!"

  "You think so?" She flushed with pride and pleasure, and a wildness ofspirit possessed her and demanded expression in action. She freedher left hand and slipped it over Larry's shoulder. "Come on--let'stwo-step."

  "But, Maggie, I've forgotten."

  "Come on!"

  Instantly she was dragging him over the scanty floor space. But after amoment he halted, protesting.

  "These prison brogans were not intended by their builders for suchwork. If you've got to dance, you'll have to work it out of your systemalone."

  "All right!"

  At once, in the midst of the dingy room, humming the music, shewas doing Carmen's dance--wild, provocative, alluring. It was not aremarkable performance in any professionally technical sense; but it hadvivid personality; she was light, lithe, graceful, flashing with colorand spirits.

  "Maggie!" he exclaimed, when she had finished and stood before himglowing and panting. "Good! Where did you learn that?"

  "In the chorus of a cabaret revue."

  "Is that what you're doing now, working in a chorus?"

  "No. Barney and father said a chorus was no place for me." She drewnearer. "Oh, Larry, I've such a lot to tell you."

  "Go on."

  "Well"--she cocked her head impishly--"I've been going to school."

  "Going to school! Where?"

  "Lots of places. Just now I'm going to school at the Ritzmore Hotel."

  "At the Ritzmore Hotel!" He stared at her bewildered. "What are youlearning there?"

  "To be a lady." She laughed at his increasing bewilderment. "A reallady, Larry," she went on excitedly. "Oh, it's such a wonderful idea!Father had never seemed to think much of me till the night I went toa masquerade ball with Mr. Hunt, and he and Barney saw me in theseclothes. They had never seen me really dressed up before; Barney said itwas an eye-opener. They saw how I could be of big use to you all. But tobe that, I've got to be a lady--a real lady, who knows how to behave andwear real clothes. That's what they're doing now: making me a lady."

  "Making you a lady!" exclaimed Larry. "How?"

  "By putting me where I can watch real ladies, and study them. Barney cutshort my being in a chorus; Barney said a chorus girl never learned topass for a lady. So I've been working in places where the swellest womencome. First in a milliner shop; then as dresser to a model in the shopof a swell modiste; always watching how the ladies behave. Now I'm atthe Ritzmore, and I carry a tray of cigarettes around the tables atlunch and at tea-time and during dinner and during the after-theatersupper. I'm supposed to be there to sell cigarettes, but I'm reallythere to watch how the ladies handle their knives and forks and behavetoward the men. Isn't it all awfully clever?"

  "Why, Maggie!" he exclaimed.

  "And pretty soon, when I've learned more," she continued rapidly, "I'mgoing to have swell clothes of my own--and be a lady--and get away fromthis dingy, stuffy, dead old place! I can't stand for being buried downhere much longer. And, oh, Larry, I'm going to begin to work with you!"

  "What?" he blinked, not yet quite understanding.

  "You think I'm not clever enough? But I am!" she protested. "I tell youI've learned a lot. And Barney and father have let me help in a lot ofthings--nothing really big yet, of course. They think I'm going to bea wonder. Just to-day father was saying that you and I, teamed up--Why,what's the matter, Larry?"

  "You and I--teamed up," he repeated slowly.

  "Yes. Don't you like the idea?"

  His hands suddenly gripped her bare shoulders.

  "There's nothing to it!" he exclaimed almost savagely.

  "What's that?" she cried, startled.

  "I tell you there's nothing to it!"

  "You--you think I can't put it over?"

  "You can't! And I'm not going to have it!"

  "Why--why--"

  Staring, she drew slowly away from him. His face, which a few momentsbefore had been smiling, was now harsh and dominant with decision.She had heard him spoken of as "Laughing Larry"; and also as "TerribleLarry" whose aroused will none could brook. He looked this latter personnow, and she could not understand.

  But though she could not understand, her own defiant spirit stormed upto fight this unexpected opposition. He didn't believe in her--that wasit! He didn't think she was equal to working with him! Her young figurestiffened in angered pride, and her mind was gathering hot phrasesto fling at him when the door from the pawnshop began to creak open.Instantly Larry turned toward it, relaxed and yet alert for anything.Old Jimmie and Barney Palmer entered.

  "Hello, Larry!" cried the old man, crossing. "Welcome to our city!"

  "Hello, Jimmie. Hello, Barney." And Larry shook hands with his partnersof other days.

  "Gee, Larry, it's good to see you!" exclaimed the cunning-eyed old man."Didn't know you were back till I bumped into Gavegan on Broadway. Hetold me, and so Barney and I beat it over here to see you. Believe me,Larry, that flatfoot is certainly sore at you!"

  Larry ignored the last sentence. "Think it exactly wise for you two tocome here
?"

  "Why, Larry?"

  "Gavegan, Casey, the police, may follow, thinking you've come to see mefor some purpose. That outfit may act upon suspicion."

  Jimmie grinned cunningly. "A man can come to visit his own daughter asoften as he likes. Father love, Larry."

  "I see; that'll be your explanation." Larry's eyes grew keen at the newunderstanding. "I hadn't thought of that before, Jimmie. So that's whyyou've always boarded Maggie around in shady joints: so's you could meetyour pals and yet always have the excuse that you had come to meet yourdaughter?"

  "Partly that," smiled Old Jimmie blandly--perhaps too blandly. "Supposewe sit down."

  They did so, Maggie sitting a little apart from the men and regardingLarry with indignant, questioning eyes. She still could not understandhis queer behavior when she had announced her intention of working withhim. Could it be, as her father had said, because he would never workwith women--not trusting them? She'd show him!

  She was so occupied with this wonderment that she gave no heed to thetalk about Larry's experience in Sing Sing and Old Jimmie's recital ofwhat had happened among Larry's friends during his absence. During thisgossip the Duchess entered from the stairway, and without word to anyone shuffled across to her desk in a corner and bent silently over heraccounts: just one more grotesque and unredeemed pledge in this museumof antiquities and forgotten pawns.

  Presently Barney Palmer, who had been impatient during all this, brokeout with:

  "Aw, let's cut out this chatter about what used to be and get down tocases. Jimmie, will you spill the business to Larry, or want me to?"

  "I'll tell him. Listen, Larry." Maggie pricked up her ears; the talk wasnow excitingly important. "We've got our very greatest game all plannedout. Stock-selling game; going to unload the whole thing on one sucker,and we've got the sucker picked out. Besides you and Barney and me,there's Red Hannigan and Jack Rosenfeldt in it--a classy bunch allright. And we think that for the woman end we'll take in Mae Gorham.She's clever and innocent-eyed--"

  "But I thought you were going to take me in!" protested Maggie.

  "Maggie'll be just as good as Mae Gorham," put in Barney.

  "We'll let that pass," said Old Jimmie. "The main thing, Larry, is thateverything is ready. It's a whale of a business proposition. We've beenwaiting for you; you're all that's lacking--the brainy guy to sit behindthe scenes and manage the thing. You've handled the bunch for a longtime, and they want you to handle this. For you're sure a wonder atbusiness, Larry! None keener. Well, we've held this off waiting for youfor a month. How about jumping right in?"

  All three eyed Larry. His lean face was expressionless. He lit acigarette, rose and leaned against the Duchess's safe on which stood thegreen parrot, and, gaze on the floor, slowly exhaled smoke through hisnostrils.

  "Well?" demanded Barney.

  Larry looked at the two men with quiet, even eyes. "Thanks to both ofyou. It's a great compliment. But I've had time to do a little planningmyself up in Sing Sing, and I've worked out a game that's got this onebeat a mile."

  "Hell!" ejaculated Barney in wrathful disgust. "Jimmie, I told you wewere wasting time waiting for him!"

  "Hold on a second, Barney. If Larry's worked out a better game, he'lltake us into it. But, Larry, how can your game beat this one?"

  "Because there's more money in it. And because it's safer."

  "Safe! Aw, hell!" The smouldering jealousy and hatred glared outof Barney's greenish eyes. "I always knew you had a yellow streak!Something safe! Aw, hell!"

  "Don't blow up, Barney. What is the new game, Larry?" queried the oldman.

  Larry regarded the two men steadfastly. He seemed reluctant to speak.

  "Well?" prompted Old Jimmie. "Is it something you don't want to let usin on?"

  "Of course I'll let you in on it, and be glad to, if you want to comein," Larry replied in his level tone. "As I said, I've thought it allout and it's a great proposition. Here's the game: I'm going to runstraight."

  For a moment all three sat astounded by this quiet statement from theirleader. Nothing he might have said could have been more unexpected, morestupefying. The Duchess alone moved; she turned her head and held hersunken eyes upon her grandson.

  Simultaneously the two men and Maggie stood up.

  "The hell you say!" grated Barney Palmer.

  "Larry, you gone crazy?" cried Old Jimmie.

  Maggie moved a pace nearer him. "Going to go straight?" she askedincredulously.

  "Listen, all of you," Larry said quietly. "No, Jimmie, I've not gonecrazy. I'm merely going a little sane. You just said I was a wonderat business, Jimmie. I think I am myself. I thought it all over as abusiness proposition. Suppose we clean up fifty or a hundred thousand ona big deal. We've got to split it several ways, perhaps pay a big pieceto the police for protection, perhaps pay a lot of lawyers, and thenperhaps get sent away for a year or several years, during which we don'ttake in a nickel. I figured that over a term of years my average incomewas mighty small. As a business man it seemed to me that I was in a poorbusiness, with no future. So I decided to get into a new business thathad a future. That's the size of it."

  "You're turning yellow--that's the real size of it!" snarled BarneyPalmer, half starting toward him.

  "Better be a little careful, Barney," Larry warned with tightening jaw.

  "You really mean, Larry," demanded Old Jimmie, "that you're going todrop us after us counting on you and waiting for you so long?"

  "I'm sorry about having kept you waiting, Jimmie. But we've parteddefinitely." Then Larry added: "Unless you want to travel my road."

  "Your road! Never!" snapped Barney.

  "And you, Jimmie?" Larry inquired, his eyes on Barney's inflamed face.

  "I don't see your proposition. And I'm too old a bird to start somethingnew. No, thanks. I'll stick to what I know."

  His next words, showing his long yellow teeth, were spoken slowly, butthey were hard, and had a cutting edge. "You've got a sweet idea ofwhat's straight, Larry: dropping us without a leader, just when we needa leader most."

  Larry's composed yet watchful gaze was still on Barney. "You're notreally left in such a bad way. Barney here is ready to take charge."

  "You bet I am!" Barney flamed at him, his hands clenching. "And thebunch won't lose by the change, you bet! The bunch always thought youwere an ace--and I always knew you were a two-spot. And now they'll seeI was right--that you were always yellow!"

  Larry still leaned against the safe in the same posture of seeming ease,but he expected Barney to strike at any moment, and held himself inreadiness for a flashing fist. Barney had been hard to hold in leash inthe old days; now that all ties of partnership were broken, he saw inthose small gleaming eyes a defiance and a hatred that henceforth hadno reason for restraint. And he knew that Barney was shrewd, grimlytenacious, and limitless in self-confidence and ambition.

  "And listen to this, too, Larry Brainard," Barney's temper carried himon. "Don't you mix in and try any preaching on Maggie." He half turnedhis head jealously. "Maggie, don't you listen to any of this boob'sSalvation Army talk!"

  Maggie did not at once respond, but stood gazing at the two confrontingfigures. To her they were an oddly dissimilar pair: Barney in thesmartest clothes that an over-smart Broadway tailor could create, andLarry in the shapeless garments that were the State's gift to him onleaving prison.

  "Maggie," he repeated, "don't you listen to this boob's talk!"

  "I'll do just as I please, Barney."

  "But you're going to come our way?" he demanded.

  "Of course."

  He turned back to Larry. "You hear that? You leave Maggie alone!"

  Larry did not answer, though his temper was rising. He looked overBarney's head at Maggie's father.

  "Jimmie," he remarked in his same even voice, "anything more you'd liketo say?"

  "I'm through."

  "Then," said Larry, "better lead your new commander-in-chief out ofhere, or I'll carry him out and spank him." r />
  "What's that?" snarled Barney.

  "Get out!" Larry ordered, in a voice suddenly like steel.

  Barney's fist swung viciously at Larry's head. It did not land, becauseLarry's head was elsewhere. Larry did not take advantage of the openingto strike back, but as the fist flashed by he seized the wrist, andin the same instant he seized the other wrist. The next moment he heldBarney helpless in a twisting, torturing grip that he had learned fromone of his non-Christian friends at the Y.M.C.A.

  "Barney--are you going to walk out, or shall I kick you out?"

  Barney's answer came after a moment through gritted teeth: "I'll walkout--but I'll get you for this!"

  "I know you'll try, Barney. And I know you'll try to get me behind myback." Larry loosed his grip. "Good-night."

  Barney backed glowering to the door; and Old Jimmie, his gray face anexpressionless mask, silently followed him out.

  All this while the Duchess had looked on, motionless in her corner, adingy, forgotten part of the dingy background--no more noticeable thanone of her own dusty, bizarre pledges.