ryand I'm not giving you half enough。〃
That provided Larry with the opening he had desired。 〃You can make it up to me。〃
〃How？〃
〃By helping me out with a proposition of my own。 To come straight to the point； it's Maggie。〃
〃Maggie？〃
〃I guess you know how I feel there。 She's got a wrong set of ideas； and she's fixed in themand you know how high…spirited she is。 She's out in the world now； trying to put something crooked over which she thinks is big。 I know what it is。 I want to stop her； and change her。 That's my big aimto change her。 The only way I can at this moment stop what she is now doing is by exposing her。 And mighty few people with a wrong twist are ever set right by merely being exposed。〃
〃I guess you're right there； Larry。〃
〃What I want is a chance to try another method on Maggie。 If she's handled right I think she may turn out a very different person from what she seems to besomething that may surprise both of us。〃
Hunt nodded。 〃That was why I painted her picture。 Since I first saw her I've been interested in how she was going to come out。 She might become anything。 But where do I fit in？〃
〃She's flying in high company。 It occurred to me that； when you got back to your own world； you might meet her； and in your surprise you might speak to her in a manner which would be equivalent in its effect to an intentional exposure。 I wanted to put you on your guard and to ask you to treat her as a stranger。〃
〃That's promised。 I won't know her。〃
〃Don't promise till you know the rest。〃
〃What else is there to know？〃
〃Who the sucker is they're trying to trim。〃 Larry regarded the other steadily。 〃You know him。 He's Dick Sherwood。〃
〃Dick Sherwood！〃 exploded Hunt。 〃Are you sure about that？〃
〃I was with Maggie the other night when Dick came to have supper with her； he didn't see me。 Besides； Dick has told me about her。〃
〃How did they ever get hold of Dick？〃
〃Dick's the easiest kind of fish for two such smooth men as Barney and Old Jimmie when they've got a clever； good…looking girl as bait； and when they know how to use her。 He's generous； easily impressed； thinks he is a wise man of the world and is really very gullible。〃
〃Have they got him hooked？〃
〃Hard and fast。 It won't be his fault if they don't land him。〃
The painter gazed at Larry with a hard look。 Then he demanded abruptly：
〃Show Miss Sherwood that picture of Maggie I painted？〃
〃No。 I had my reasons。〃
〃What you going to do with it？〃
〃Keep it； and pay you your top price for it when I've got the money。〃
〃H'm！ Told Miss Sherwood what's doing about Dick？〃
〃No。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃I thought of doing it； then I decided against it。 For the same reason I just gave youthat it might lead to exposure； and that exposure would defeat my plans。〃
〃You seem to be forgetting that your plan leaves Dick in danger。 Dick deserves some consideration。〃
〃And I'm giving it to him；〃 argued Larry。 〃I'm thinking of him as much as of Maggie。 Or almost as much。 His sister and friends have pulled him out of a lot of scrapes。 He's not a bit wiser or better for that kind of help。 And it's not going to do him any good whatever to have some one step in and take care of him again。 He's been a good friend to me； but he's a dear fool。 I want to handle this so he'll get a jolt that will waken him upmake him take his responsibilities more seriouslymake him able to take care of himself。〃
〃Huh！〃 grunted Hunt。 〃You've certainly picked out a few man…sized jobs for yourself： to make a success of the straight life for yourselfto come out ahead of the police and your old palsto make Maggie love the Ten Commandmentsto put me acrossto make Dick into a level… headed citizen。 Any other little item you'd like to take on？〃
Larry ignored the irony of the question。 〃Some of those things I'm going to do；〃 he said confidently。 〃And any I see I'm going to fail in； I'll get warning to the people involved。 But to come back to your promise： are you willing to give your promise now that you know all the facts？〃
Hunt pulled for a long moment at his pipe。 Then he said almost gruffly：
〃I guess you've guessed that Isabel Sherwood is about the most important person in the world to me？〃
That was the nearest Hunt had ever come to telling that he loved Miss Sherwood。 Larry nodded。
〃I'm in bad there already。 Suppose your foot slips and everything about Dick goes wrong。 What'll be my situation when she learns I've known all along and have just stood by quietly and let things happen？ See what I'll be letting myself in for？〃
〃I do；〃 said Larry； his spirits sinking。 〃And of course I can understand your decision not to give your promise。〃
〃Who said I wouldn't give my promise？〃 demanded Hunt。 〃Of course I give my promise！ All I said was that the weather bureau of my bad toe predicts that there's likely to be a storm because of thisand I want you to use your brain； son； I want you to use your brain！〃
He upreared his big； shag…haired figure and gripped Larry's hand。 〃You're all right； Larryand here's wishing you luck！ Now get to hell out of here before Gavegan and Casey drop in for a cup of tea； or your old friends begin target practice with their hip artillery。 I want a little quiet in which to finish my packing。
〃And say； son；〃 he added； as he pushed Larry through the door； 〃don't fall dead at the sight of me when you see me next； for I'm likely to be walking around inside all the finery and vanity of Fifth Avenue。〃
CHAPTER XXI
Larry came down the stairway from Hunt's studio in a mood of high elation。 Through Hunt's promise of cooperation he had at least made a start in his unformed plan regarding Maggie。 Somehow； he'd work out and put across the rest of it。
Then Hunt's prediction of the trouble that might rise through his silence recurred to Larry。 Indeed； that was a delicate situation！ containing all kinds of possible disasters for himself as well as for Hunt。 He would have to be most watchful； most careful； or he would find himself entangled in worse circumstances than at present。
As he came down into the little back room； his grandmother was sitting over her interminable accounts； each of which represented a little profit to herself； some a little relief to many； some a tragedy to a few； and many of which were in code； for these represented transactions of a character which no pawnshop； particularly one reputed to be a fence； wishes ever to have understood by those presumptive busy…bodies； the police。 When Larry had first entered； she had merely given him an unsurprised 〃good…evening〃 and permitted him to pass on。 But now； as he told her good…night and turned to leave； she said in her thin； monotonous voice：
〃Sit down for a minute； Larry。 I want to talk to you。〃
Larry obeyed。 〃Yes； grandmother。〃
But the Duchess did not at once speak。 She held her red…rimmed； unblinking eyes on him steadily。 Larry waited patiently。 Though she was so composed； so self…contained； Larry knew her well enough to know that what was passing in her mind was something of deep importance； at least to her。
At length she spoke。 〃You saw Maggie that night you hurried away from here？〃
〃Yes； grandmother。 Have you heard from her since the？or from Barney or Old Jimmie？〃
The Duchess shook her head。 〃Do you mind telling me what happened that nightand what Maggie's doing？〃
Larry told her of the scene in Maggie's suite at the Grantham； told of the plan in which Maggie was involved and of his own added predicament。 This last the Duchess seemingly ignored。
〃Just about what I supposed she was doing；〃 she said。 〃And you tried again to get her to give it up？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And she refused？〃
〃Yes。〃 And he added： 〃Refused more emphatically than before。〃
The Duchess studied him a long moment。 Then： 〃You're not trying to make her give that up just because you think she's worth saving。 You like her a lot； Larry？〃
〃I love her；〃 Larry admitted。
〃I'm sorry about that； Larry。〃 There was real emotion in the old voice now。 〃I've told you that you're all I've got left。 And now that you've at last started right； I want everything to go right with you。 Everything！ And Maggie will never help things go right with you。 Your love for her can only mean misery and misfortune。 You can't change her。〃
Larry came out with the questions he had asked himself so frequently these last days。 〃But why did her manner change so when she heard Barney and the others？ Why did she help me escape？〃
〃That was because； deep down； she really loves you。 That's the worst part of it： you both love each other。〃 The Duchess slowly nodded her head。 〃You both love each other。 If it wasn't for that I wouldn't care what you tried to do。 But I tell you again you can't change her。 She's too sure of herself。 She'll always try to make you go _her way_and if you don't； you'll never get a smile from her。 And because you love each other； I'm afraid you'll give in and go her way。 That's what I'm afraid of。 Won't you just cut her out of your life； Larry？〃
It had been a prodigiously long speech for the Duchess。 And Larry realized that the emotion behind it was a thousand times what showed in the thin voice of the bent； gestureless figure。
〃For your sake I'm sorry； grandmother。 But I c