Children of the Whirlwind [23]
and have a life more exciting than any. Very soon--for her apprenticeship was almost over!
Barney Palmer had these last few months, since he had discovered in Maggie a star who only needed coaching and then an opportunity, made it a practice to come for Maggie occasionally when one o'clock, New York's curfew hour, dispersed the pleasure-seekers and ended Maggie's day of work, or rather her day of intensive schooling for her greater life. On the night of his return from Chicago, which was a week after his break with Larry, Barney reported to take Maggie home. He was in swagger evening clothes and he asked the starter for a taxi; with an almost lordly air and for the service of a white-gloved gesture to a chauffeur, he carelessly handed the starter (who, by the way, was a richer man than Barney) a crisp dollar bill. Barney was trying to make his best impression.
"Seen much of that stiff, Larry Brainard?" he asked when the cab was headed southward.
His tone, which he tried to make merely contemptuous, conveyed the deep wrath which he still felt whenever his mind reverted to Larry. Maggie reserved to herself the privilege of thinking of Larry just as she pleased; but being the kind of girl she was, she could not help being also a bit of a coquette.
"I didn't think he was such a stiff, Barney," she said in an irritatingly pleasant voice. "His prison clothes were bad, but now that he's dressed right I think he looks awfully nice. You and father have always said he looked the perfect swell."
"See here--has he been talking to you?" Barney demanded savagely.
"A little. Yes, several times. In fact he said quite a lot that night after you'd gone."
"What did he say?"
"He said he was not only going to go straight, but"--in her provocative, teasing voice--"he was going to make me go straight."
"What's that? Tell me just what he said!" demanded Barney, his wrath suddenly flaring into furious jealousy.
Maggie told him in detail; in fact told him the scene in greater detail and with a greater length than had been the actuality. Also she censored the scene by omitting her own opposition to Larry's determination. She enjoyed playing with Barney, the exercise of the power she had over Barney's passions.
"And you stood for all that!" cried Barney. By this time they were far down town. "You listen to me, Maggie: What I said to Larry's face that night at the Duchess's still stands. I think he's yellow and has turned against his old pals. I tell you what, I'm going to watch that guy!"
"You won't find it hard to watch him, Barney. Larry never hides himself."
"Oh, I'll watch him all right! And you, Maggie--why, you talk as though you liked that line of talk he gave you!"
"Larry talks well--and I did like it, rather."
"See here! You're not falling for him? You're not going to let him make you go straight?"
Maggie certainly had no intention of letting any such thing come to pass; but she could not check her innocent-toned baiting.
"How do I know what he'll make me do? He's clever and handsome, you know."
Barney gripped her shoulder fiercely. "Maggie--are you falling in love with him?"
"How do I know, when--"
"Maggie!" He gripped her more tightly, and his phrases tumbled out fiercely, rapidly. "You're not going to do anything of the sort! If he goes straight--if you go straight--how can he ever help you? He can't! And it will be your finish--the finish of all the big things we've talked about. Listen: since Larry threw us down, I've taken hold of things and will soon be ready to spring something big. Just a few days now and you'll be out of that dirty street, and you'll be in swell clothes doing swell work--and it will mean the best restaurants, theaters, swell times!"
The car had turned into the narrow, cobbled street and had paused before the Duchess's. Suddenly Barney caught her into his arms.
"And, Maggie, you're going to be mine! We'll have a nifty little place, all right! You know I'm dippy about you....And, Maggie, I don't even want you to go back in there where Larry Brainard
Barney Palmer had these last few months, since he had discovered in Maggie a star who only needed coaching and then an opportunity, made it a practice to come for Maggie occasionally when one o'clock, New York's curfew hour, dispersed the pleasure-seekers and ended Maggie's day of work, or rather her day of intensive schooling for her greater life. On the night of his return from Chicago, which was a week after his break with Larry, Barney reported to take Maggie home. He was in swagger evening clothes and he asked the starter for a taxi; with an almost lordly air and for the service of a white-gloved gesture to a chauffeur, he carelessly handed the starter (who, by the way, was a richer man than Barney) a crisp dollar bill. Barney was trying to make his best impression.
"Seen much of that stiff, Larry Brainard?" he asked when the cab was headed southward.
His tone, which he tried to make merely contemptuous, conveyed the deep wrath which he still felt whenever his mind reverted to Larry. Maggie reserved to herself the privilege of thinking of Larry just as she pleased; but being the kind of girl she was, she could not help being also a bit of a coquette.
"I didn't think he was such a stiff, Barney," she said in an irritatingly pleasant voice. "His prison clothes were bad, but now that he's dressed right I think he looks awfully nice. You and father have always said he looked the perfect swell."
"See here--has he been talking to you?" Barney demanded savagely.
"A little. Yes, several times. In fact he said quite a lot that night after you'd gone."
"What did he say?"
"He said he was not only going to go straight, but"--in her provocative, teasing voice--"he was going to make me go straight."
"What's that? Tell me just what he said!" demanded Barney, his wrath suddenly flaring into furious jealousy.
Maggie told him in detail; in fact told him the scene in greater detail and with a greater length than had been the actuality. Also she censored the scene by omitting her own opposition to Larry's determination. She enjoyed playing with Barney, the exercise of the power she had over Barney's passions.
"And you stood for all that!" cried Barney. By this time they were far down town. "You listen to me, Maggie: What I said to Larry's face that night at the Duchess's still stands. I think he's yellow and has turned against his old pals. I tell you what, I'm going to watch that guy!"
"You won't find it hard to watch him, Barney. Larry never hides himself."
"Oh, I'll watch him all right! And you, Maggie--why, you talk as though you liked that line of talk he gave you!"
"Larry talks well--and I did like it, rather."
"See here! You're not falling for him? You're not going to let him make you go straight?"
Maggie certainly had no intention of letting any such thing come to pass; but she could not check her innocent-toned baiting.
"How do I know what he'll make me do? He's clever and handsome, you know."
Barney gripped her shoulder fiercely. "Maggie--are you falling in love with him?"
"How do I know, when--"
"Maggie!" He gripped her more tightly, and his phrases tumbled out fiercely, rapidly. "You're not going to do anything of the sort! If he goes straight--if you go straight--how can he ever help you? He can't! And it will be your finish--the finish of all the big things we've talked about. Listen: since Larry threw us down, I've taken hold of things and will soon be ready to spring something big. Just a few days now and you'll be out of that dirty street, and you'll be in swell clothes doing swell work--and it will mean the best restaurants, theaters, swell times!"
The car had turned into the narrow, cobbled street and had paused before the Duchess's. Suddenly Barney caught her into his arms.
"And, Maggie, you're going to be mine! We'll have a nifty little place, all right! You know I'm dippy about you....And, Maggie, I don't even want you to go back in there where Larry Brainard