Children of the Whirlwind

by Leroy Scott

  CHAPTER VI

  For a moment after the door had closed upon Barney and Old Jimmie, Larrystood gazing at it. Then he turned to Maggie.

  She was standing slenderly upright. Her head was imperiously high,her black eyes defiant. Neither spoke at once. More than before was heimpressed by her present and her potential beauty. Till this night hehad thought of her only casually, as merely a young girl; he was not nowconsciously in love with her--her young woman-hood had burst upon himtoo suddenly for such a consciousness--but a warm tingling went throughhim as he gazed at her imperious, self-confident youth. Part of his mindwas thinking much the same thought that Hunt had considered a few hoursearlier: here were the makings of a magnificent adventuress.

  "Maggie," he mused, "you didn't get your looks from your father. Youmust have had a fine-looking mother."

  "I don't know--I never saw her," she returned shortly.

  "Poor kid," Larry mused on--"and with only Old Jimmie for a father." Shedid not know what to say. For a long time she had dreamed of this man asher hero; she had dreamed of splendid adventures with him in which sheshould win his praise. And now--and now--

  He switched to another subject.

  "So you have decided to string along with your father and Barney?"

  "I have."

  "Don't you do it, Maggie."

  "Don't you preach, Larry."

  "I'm not preaching. I'm just talking business to you. The same as Italked business to myself. The crooked game is a poor business for awoman who can do something else--and you can do something else. I'veknown a lot of women in the crooked game. They've all had a rottenfinish, or are headed for one. So forget it, Maggie. There's more in thestraight game."

  She had swiftly come to feel herself stronger and wiser than herex-hero. In her tremendous pride and confidence of eighteen, sheregarded him almost with pitying condescension.

  "Something's softened your brain, Larry. I know better. The people whopretend to go straight are just fakes; they're playing a different kindof a smooth game, that's all. Everybody is out to get his, and get itthe easiest and quickest way he can. You know that's so. And that's justwhat I am going to do."

  Larry had once talked much the same way, but it seemed puzzlinglystrange just now to hear such talk from a young girl. Then heunderstood.

  "You couldn't help having such ideas, Maggie, living among crooksever since you were a kid. Why, Old Jimmie could not have used bettermethods, or got better results, if he had set out consciously to makeyou a crook." Then a sudden possibility came to him. "D'you suppose hecould always have had that plan--to make you into a crook?" he asked.

  "What difference does that make?" she demanded shortly.

  "A funny thing for a father to do with his own child," Larry returned."But whether Jimmie intended it or not, that's just what he's done."

  "What I am, I am," she retorted with her imperious defiance. Just thenshe felt that she hated him; she quivered with a desire to hurt him: hehad so utterly destroyed her romantic hero and her romantic dreams. Herhands clenched.

  "You talk about going straight--it's all rot!" she flamed at him. "A lotof men say they're going straight, but no one ever does! And you won'teither!"

  "You think I won't?"

  "I know you won't! You don't know how to do any regular work. And,besides, no one will give a crook a chance."

  She had unerringly placed her finger upon his two great problems, andLarry knew it; he had considered them often enough.

  "All the same, I'm going to make good!" he declared.

  "Oh, no, you're not!"

  Perhaps he was stirred chiefly by the sting of her taunting tongue,by the blaze of her dark, disdainful eyes; and perhaps by the changedfeeling toward this creature whom he had left a half-grown girl andreturned to find a woman. At any rate, he crossed and seized her wristsand gazed fiercely down upon her.

  "I tell you, I'm going to go straight, and I'm going to make a successof it! You'll see!" And then he added dominantly: "What's more, I'mgoing to make you go straight, too!"

  She made no attempt to free herself, but blazed up at him defiantly."You'll make me do nothing. I'm going to be just what I said, and I'mgoing to make a success of it. Just wait--I'll prove to you what I cando! And you--you'll be a failure, and will come slinking back and beg usto take you in!"

  They glared at each other silently, angrily, their aroused wills defyingeach other. For a moment they stood so. Then something--a mixture of hisdesire to dominate this defiant young thing and of that growing changein him toward her--surged madly into Larry's head. He caught Maggie inhis arms and kissed her.

  All the rigidity went suddenly from her figure and she hung loose in hisembrace. Their gazes held for a moment. She went pale, and quiveringall through she looked up at him in startled, wide-eyed silence. Asfor Larry, a dizzying, throbbing emotion permeated his whole astonishedbeing.

  Suddenly she pushed herself free from his relaxing arms, and backed awayfrom him.

  "What did you do that for?" she whispered huskily.

  But she did not wait for his answer. She turned and hurried for thestairway. Three steps up she turned again and gazed down upon him. Hercheeks were once more flushed and her dark eyes blazing.

  "It's going to be just as I said!" she flung at him. "I'm going tosucceed--you're going to fail! You just wait and see!"

  She turned and ran swiftly up the stairway and out of sight. Neither ofthem had been aware that the Duchess, a drab figure merged into a drabbackground, had regarded them fixedly during all this scene. And Larrywas still unconscious that the old eyes were now watching him with theirdeep-set, expressionless fixity.

  Motionless, Larry stood gazing at where Maggie had been. Within him wastumult; he did not yet understand the significance of that impulsivekiss... He began to walk the floor, his mind and will now more incontrol. Yes, he was going to go straight; he was going to make good,and make good in a big way! And he was going to make Maggie go straight,too. He'd show her! It wasn't going to be easy, but he had his big planmade, and he had determination, and he knew he'd win in the end. Yes,he'd show her!...

  Up before the mirror Maggie sat looking intently at herself. Part ofher consciousness was wondering about that kiss, and part kept fiercelyrepeating that she'd show him--she'd show him--she'd show him!...

  Looking thus into their futures they were both very certain ofthemselves and of the roads which they were to travel.