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〃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 I talked business to myself。 The crooked game is a poor business for a woman who can do something elseand you can do something else。 I've known a lot of women in the crooked game。 They've all had a rotten finish； or are headed for one。 So forget it； Maggie。 There's more in the straight game。〃
She had swiftly come to feel herself stronger and wiser than her ex… hero。 In her tremendous pride and confidence of eighteen； she regarded him almost with pitying condescension。
〃Something's softened your brain； Larry。 I know better。 The people who pretend to go straight are just fakes； they're playing a different kind of a smooth game； that's all。 Everybody is out to get his； and get it the easiest and quickest way he can。 You know that's so。 And that's just what I am going to do。〃
Larry had once talked much the same way； but it seemed puzzlingly strange just now to hear such talk from a young girl。 Then he understood。
〃You couldn't help having such ideas； Maggie； living among crooks ever since you were a kid。 Why； Old Jimmie could not have used better methods； or got better results； if he had set out consciously to make you a crook。〃 Then a sudden possibility came to him。 〃D'you suppose he could always have had that planto 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 then she felt that she hated him； she quivered with a desire to hurt him： he had so utterly destroyed her romantic hero and her romantic dreams。 Her hands clenched。
〃You talk about going straightit's all rot！〃 she flamed at him。 〃A lot of men say they're going straight； but no one ever does！ And you won't either！〃
〃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； and Larry 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 changed feeling toward this creature whom he had left a half…grown girl and returned to find a woman。 At any rate； he crossed and seized her wrists and gazed fiercely down upon her。
〃I tell you； I'm going to go straight； and I'm going to make a success of it！ You'll see！〃 And then he added dominantly： 〃What's more； I'm going 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'm going to make a success of it。 Just waitI'll prove to you what I can do！ And youyou'll be a failure； and will come slinking back and beg us to take you in！〃
They glared at each other silently； angrily； their aroused wills defying each other。 For a moment they stood so。 Then somethinga mixture of his desire to dominate this defiant young thing and of that growing change in him toward hersurged madly into Larry's head。 He caught Maggie in his arms and kissed her。
All the rigidity went suddenly from her figure and she hung loose in his embrace。 Their gazes held for a moment。 She went pale； and quivering all through she looked up at him in startled； wide…eyed silence。 As for Larry； a dizzying； throbbing emotion permeated his whole astonished being。
Suddenly she pushed herself free from his relaxing arms； and backed away from him。
〃What did you do that for？〃 she whispered huskily。
But she did not wait for his answer。 She turned and hurried for the stairway。 Three steps up she turned again and gazed down upon him。 Her cheeks 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 to succeedyou're going to fail！ You just wait and see！〃
She turned and ran swiftly up the stairway and out of sight。 Neither of them had been aware that the Duchess； a drab figure merged into a drab background； had regarded them fixedly during all this scene。 And Larry was still unconscious that the old eyes were now watching him with their deep…set； expressionless fixity。
Motionless； Larry stood gazing at where Maggie had been。 Within him was tumult； he did not yet understand the significance of that impulsive kiss 。 。 。 He began to walk the floor； his mind and will now more in control。 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 plan made； 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 of her consciousness was wondering about that kiss； and part kept fiercely repeating that she'd show himshe'd show himshe'd show him！ 。 。 。
Looking thus into their futures they were both very certain of themselves and of the roads which they were to travel。
CHAPTER VII
Larry was still gazing at where Maggie had stood； flashing her defiance at him； when Hunt came thumping down the stairway。
〃Hello； young fellow； what you been doing to Maggie？〃 demanded the painter。
〃Why？〃
〃Her door was open when I came by and I called to her。 She didn't answer； but； oh； what a look！ What's in the air？〃
And then Hunt noted the Duchess apart in her corner。 〃I say； Duchess what were Larry and Maggie rowing about？〃
〃Grandmother！〃 Larry exclaimed with a start。 〃I'd forgotten you were here！ You must have heard it allgo ahead and tell him。〃
〃Tell him yourself；〃 returned the Duchess。
Larry and Hunt took chairs； and Larry gave the gist of what he had said about his decision to Barney and Old Jimmie and Maggie。 The Duchess； still motionless at her desk as she had been all during Larry's scene with Old Jimmie and Barney； and then his scene with Maggie； regarded her grandson with that emotionless； mummified face in which only the red…margined eyes showed life or interest。
〃So you're going to go straight； eh？〃 queried Hunt。 The big painter sat with his long legs sprawling in front of him； a black pipe in his mouth； and looked at Larry skeptically。 〃You certainly did hand a jolt to your friends who'd been counting on you。 And yet you're sore because they were sore at you and didn't believe in you。〃
〃Did I say that I was sore？〃 queried Larry。
〃No； but you're acting it。 And you're sore at Maggie because she didn't believe that you could make good or that you'd stick it out。 Well； I don't believe you will either。〃
〃You're a great painter； Hunt； and a great cookbut I don't give a damn what you believe。〃
〃Keep your shirt on； young fellow；〃 Hunt responded； puffing imperturbably。 〃I say I believe you won't win outbut that's not saying I don't want you to win out。 If that's what you want to do； go to it； and may luck be with you； and may the devil stay in hell。 The morals of other people are out of my linenone of my business。 I'm a painter； and it's my business to paint people as I find them。 But Maggie certainly did put her finger on the tough spot in your proposition： for a crook to find a job and win the confidence of people。 It's up grade all the way； and it takes ten men's nerve to stick it out to the top。 Yep； Maggie was sure right！〃
And then the Duchess broke her accustomed silence with her thin croak：
〃Never you mind Maggie！ She thinks she knows everything； but she doesn't know anything。〃
Larry looked in surprise at his grandmother。 There was a flash in her old eyes； but the next moment the spark was gone。
〃Sure you're up against itbut I'll be rooting for you。〃 Hunt was grinning。 〃But say； young fellow； what made you decide to vote the other ticket？〃
Larry was trained at reading faces； and in the rough…hewn； grinning features of Hunt he read good…fellowship。 Larry swiftly responded in kind； for from the moment he had pulled the mask of being a fool from the painter and shown him to be a real artist； he had felt drawn toward this impecunious swashbuckler of the arts。 So he now repeated the business motives which he had presented to Barney and Old Jimmie。 As Larry talked he became more spontaneous； and after a time he was telling of the effect upon him of seeing various shrewd men locked up and unexercised in prison。 And presently his reminiscence settled upon one prison acquaintance： a man past middle age； clever in his generation； who had already done some fifteen years of a long sentence。 He was； said Larry； grim and he rarely spoke； but a close； wordless friendship had developed between them。 Only once； in an unusually relaxed mood； had the old convict spoken of himself； but what he had then said had had a greater part in rousing Larry to his new decision than the words of any other man。
〃It was a queer story Joe let out；〃 continued Larry。 〃Before he was sent away he had a