ght as well hang up。〃
She obeyed； and set the instrument upon its little table。
〃Larrywhere have you been all this while？〃
He was now conscious enough to note that there was tense concern in her manner。 He exulted at it； and crossed and took her hand。
〃Right here in New York； Maggie。〃
〃In hiding？〃
〃In mighty good hiding。〃
〃But； Larrydon't you know it's dangerous for you to come out？ And to come here of all places？〃
〃I couldn't help myself。 I simply had to see you； Maggie。〃
He was still holding her hand； and there was an instinctive grip of her fingers about his。 For a momentthe moment during which her outer or more conscious self was startled into forgetfulnessthey gazed at each other silently and steadily； eye into eye。
And then the things the Duchess had said crept back into his mind； and he said：
〃Maggie； I've come to take you out of all this。 Get readylet's leave at once。〃
That broke the spell。 She jerked away from him； and instantly she was the old Maggie： the Maggie who had jeered at him and defied him the night of his return from prison when he had announced his new plan the Maggie who had flaunted him as 〃stool〃 and 〃squealer〃 the evening she had left the Duchess's to enter upon this new career。
〃No； you're not going to take me out of this！〃 she flung at him。 〃I told you once before that I wasn't going your way！ I told you that I was going my own way！ That held for then； and it holds for now； and it will hold for always！〃
The softer mood which had come upon him by surprise at sight of her and filled him； now gave way to grim determination。 〃Yes； you are coming my waysometime； if not now！ And now if I can make you！〃
Their embattled gazes gripped each other。 But now Larry was seeing more than just Maggie。 He was also taking in the room。 It was close kin to the room in which he had left Miss Grierson： ornate； undistinguished； and very expensive。 He noted one slight difference： a tiny hallway giving on the corridor； its inner door now opened。
But the greatest difference was what he saw over Maggie's smooth white shoulders： a table all set with china and glass and silver； and arranged for five。
〃Maggie； what's this game you're up to？〃 he demanded。
〃It's none of your business！〃 she said fiercely； but in a low tone for both were instinctively remembering Miss Grierson in the adjoining room。 And then she added proudly： 〃But it's big！ Bigger than anything you ever dreamed of！ And you can see I am putting it across so far and I'll be putting it across at the finish！ Compare it to the cheap line you talked about。 Bah！〃
〃Listen； Maggie！〃 In his intensity he gripped her bare forearm。 〃This is bad business； and if you had any sense you'd know it！ Don't you think I get the layout？ Barney is your cousin； Old Jimmie is your uncle； that dame in the next room and this suite and your swell clothes to help put up a front！ And your sickness that wouldn't let you go to the theater is just a fake； so that； not wanting to disappoint them entirely； you'd have an excuse for having supper hereand thus adroitly draw some person into the trap of a more intimate relationship。 It's a clever and classy layout。 Maggie； exactly what's your game？〃
〃I'll not tell you！〃
〃Who's that man that's coming here？〃
〃I'll not tell you！〃
〃Is he the sucker you're out to trim？〃
〃I'll not tell you！〃
〃You will tell me！〃 he cried dominantly。 〃And you're going to get out of all this！ You hear me？ It may look good to you now。 But I tell you it has only one finish！ And that's a rotten finish！〃
She tore free from his punishing grip； and pantingly glared at himher former defiance now an egoistic fury。
〃I won't have you interfering with my life！you fake preacher！you stool； you squealer！〃 she flung at him madly。 〃Stoolsquealer！〃 she repeated。 〃I tell you I'm going my own wayand it's a big wayand I tell you again nothing you can say or do can stop me！ If I could have my best wish； all I'd wish for would be something to keep you from always interferingsomething to get you out of my way！〃
Panting； she paused。 Her tense figure； with hands closing and unclosing； expressed the very acme of furious defianceof desire to annihilateof ultimate hatred。 Larry was astounded by the very extent； the profundity； of her passion。 And so they stood； silent except for their quick breathing； eyes fixed upon eyes； for several moments。
And then a key sounded in the outer door of the little hallway。 Instantly there was an almost unbelievable transformation in Maggie。 From an imperious； uncontrollable fury； she changed to a white； quivering thing。
〃Barney！〃 she whispered； and sprang to the inner door of the little hallway； closed and locked it。
She turned on Larry a face that was ghastly in its pallor。
〃Barney always carries a pistol；〃 she whispered。
They had heard the outer door close with a click of its automatic lock。 They now heard the knob of the inner door turn and tugged at； and then heard Barney call： 〃What's the matter； Maggie？ Let us in。〃
Maggie made a supreme effort to reply in a controlled voice：
〃Just a minute。 I'm not quite ready。〃
Then a second voice sounded from the other side of the door：
〃Don't keep us too long； Maggie。 Please！〃
There was a distantly familiar quality to Larry in that second voice。 But he did not try to place it then： he was too poignantly concerned in his own situation； and in the bewildering change in Maggie。
She slipped a hand through his arm。 〃Oh； La…Larry； why did you ever take such a risk！〃 she breathed。 Her whisper was piteous； aquiver with fright。 〃Come this way！〃 and she quickly pulled him into the room where he had met Miss Grierson and to the door by which he had entered。
Maggie opened this door。 〃They're all in the little hallwayI don't think they'll see you；〃 her rapid； agitated whisper went on。 〃Don't take the elevators in this corridor； they're in plain sight。 There are elevators just around the corner。 Take them； they're safer。 Good…bye； Larryand； oh； Larry； don't ever take such a risk again！〃
With that she pushed him out and closed the door。
Larry followed her instructions about the elevator； he used the same precautions in leaving that he had used in coming； and twenty minutes later he was back in his room in the Sherwood apartment。 For an hour or more he sat motionlessthinkingthinking： asking himself questions； but in his tumultuous state of mind and emotions not able to keep to a question long enough to reason out its possible answer。
Just what was that game in which Maggie was involved？a game which required that Grantham setting； that eminently respectable companion； and Maggie's accouterment as a young lady of obvious wealth。
Whose was that vaguely familiar second voice？that voice which he still could not place。
But what he thought about most of all was something very different。 What had caused that swift change in Maggie？from a fury that was both fire and granite； to that pallid； quivering； whispering girl who had so rapidly led him safely out of his danger。
To and fro； back and forth； shuttled these questions。 Toward two o'clock he stood up； mind still absorbed； and mechanically started to undress。 He then observed the roll of paintings Hunt had given him。 Better for them if they were flattened out。 Mechanically he removed string and paper。 There on top was the Italian mother he had asked for。 A great paintinga truly great painting。 Mechanically he lifted this aside to see what was the second painting Hunt had included。 Larry gave a great start and the Italian mother went flapping to the floor。
The second painting was of Maggie； the one on which Hunt had been working the day Larry had come back： Maggie in her plain working clothes； looking out at the world confidently； conqueringly； the painting in which Hunt； his brain teeming with ideas； had tried to express the Maggie that was； the many Maggies that were in her； and the Maggie that was yet to be。
CHAPTER XVIII
The next morning Larry tried to force his mind to attend strictly to Miss Sherwood's affairs。 But in this effort he was less than fifty per cent effective。 His experience of the night before had been too exciting； too provocative of speculation； too involved with what he frankly recognized to be the major interest of his life； to allow him to apply himself with perfect and unperturbed concentration to the day's routine。 Constantly he was seeing the transformed Maggie in the cerise evening gown with the fan of green plumesseeing her elaborate setting in her suite at the Granthamhearing that vaguely familiar but unplaceable voice outside her doorrecalling the frenzied effort with which Maggie had so swiftly effected his escape。
This last matter puzzled him greatly。 If she were so angered at him as she had declared； if she so distrusted him； why had she not given him up when she had had him at her mercy？ Could it be that； despite her words； she had an unacknowledged liking for him？ He did not dare let himself believe this。
Again and again he thought of this adventure in whose very middle Maggie now was； and of whose successful issue she had proudly boasted to him。 It was indeed something big； as she had said； that establishment at the Grantham