proofreader had a particular grudge against the race。
When the elevator reached the seventeenth floor； the passengers
surged forth。 All except Kitty； who tarried。
〃We don't carry to the eighteenth； miss。
〃I am Miss Conover；〃 she replied。 〃I dared not tell you until we
were alone。〃
〃I see。〃 The boy nodded； swept her with an appraising glance； and
sent the elevator up to the loft。
〃You understand？ If any one inquires about me； you don't remember。〃
〃Yes； miss。 The boss's orders。〃
〃And if any one does inquire you are to report at once。〃
〃That； too。〃
The boy rolled back the door and Kitty stepped out upon a Laristan
runner of rose hues and cobalt blue。 She wondered what it cost
Cutty to keep up an establishment like this。 There were fourteen
rooms； seven facing the north and seven facing the west； with
glorious vistas of steam…wreathed roofs and brick Matterhorns and
the dim horizon touching the sea。 Fine rugs and tapestries and
furniture gathered from the four ends of the world； but wholly
livable and in no sense atmospheric of the museum。 Cutty had
excellent taste。
She had visited the apartment but twice before； once in her childhood
and again when she was eighteen。 Cutty had given a dinner in honour
of her mother's birthday。 She smiled as she recalled the incident。
Cutty had placed a box of candles at the side of her mother's plate
and told her to stick as many into the cake as she thought best。
〃Hello！〃 said Cutty； emerging from one of the doors。 〃What the
dickens have you been up to？ My man has just telephoned me that he
lost track of you in Wanamaker's。〃
Kitty explained； delighted。
〃Well； well！ If you can lose a man such as I set to watch you；
you'll have no trouble shaking the others。〃
〃It was Karlov； Cutty。〃
〃How did you learn？〃
〃Searched the morgue and found a half tone of him。 Positively
Karlov。 How is the patient？〃
〃Harrison says he's pulling round amazingly。 A tough skull。 He'll
be up for his meals in no time。〃
〃How do you do it？〃 she asked with a gesture。
〃Do what？〃
〃Manage a place like this？ In a busy office district。 It's the
most wonderful apartment in New York。 Riverside has nothing like
it。 It must cost。 like sixty。〃
〃The building is mine； Kitty。 That makes it possible。 An uncle
who knew I hated money and the responsibilities that go with it； died
and left it to me。〃
〃Why； Cutty； you must be rich！〃
〃I'm sorry。 What can I do？ I can't give it away。〃
〃But you don't have to work！〃
〃Oh； yes； I do。 I'm that kind。 I'd die of a broken heart if I had
to sit still。 It's the game。〃
〃Did mother know？〃
〃Yes。〃
With the toe of a snug little bronze boot Kitty drew an outline round
a pattern in the rug。
〃Love is a funny thing；〃 was her comment。
〃It sure is； old…timer。 But what put the thought into your head？〃
〃I was thinking how very much mumsy must have been in love with
father。〃
〃But she never knew that I loved her； Kitty。〃
〃What's that got to do with it？ If she had wanted money you wouldn't
have had the least chance in the world。〃
〃Probably not！ But what would you have done in your mother's place？〃
〃Snapped you up like that！〃 Kitty flashed back。
〃You cheerful little … little … 〃
〃Liar。 Say it！〃 Kitty laughed。 〃But am I a cheerful little liar？
I don't know。 It would be an awful temptation。 Somebody to wait
on you； heaps of flowers when you wanted them； beautiful gowns and
thingummies and furs and limousines。 I've often wondered what I
should do if I found myself with love and youth on one side and
money and attraction on the other。 I've always been in straitened
circumstances。 I never spent a dollar in all my days when I didn't
think I ought to have held back three or four cents of it。 You
can't know； Cutty； what it is to be poor and want beautiful things
and good times。 Of course。 I couldn't marry just money。 There
would have to be some kind of a man to go with it。 Someone
interesting enough to make me forget sometimes that I'd thrown away
a lover for a pocket…book。〃
〃Would you marry me； Kitty？〃
〃Are you serious？〃
〃Let's suppose I am〃
〃No。 I couldn't marry you； Cutty I should always be having my
mother's ghost as a rival。〃
〃But supposing I fell in love with you？〃
〃Then I'd always be doubting your constancy。 But what queer talk！〃'
〃Kitty； you're a joy；！ Lordy； my luck in dropping in to see you
yesterday！〃
〃And a little whippersnapper like me calling a great man like you
Cutty！〃
〃Well； if it embarrasses you； you might switch to papa once in a
while。〃
Kitty's laughter rang down the corridor。 〃I'll remember that
whenever I want to make you mad。 Who's here？〃
〃Nobody but Harrison and the nurse。 Both good citizens； and I've
taken them into my confidence to a certain extent。 You can talk
freely before them。〃
〃Am I to see the patient？〃
〃Harrison says not。 About Wednesday your Two…Hawks will be sitting
up。 I've determined to keep the poor devil here until he can take
care of himself。 But he is flat broke。〃
〃He said he had money。〃
〃Well； Karlov's men stripped him clean。〃
〃Have you any idea who he is？〃
〃To be honest； that's one of the reasons why I want to keep him here。
He's Russian； for all his Oxford English and his Italian gestures；
and from his babble I imagine he's been through seven kinds of hell。
Torches and hobnailed boots and the incessant call for a woman named
Olga … a young woman about eighteen。〃
〃How did you find that out？〃
〃From a photograph I found in the lining of his coat。 A pretty
blonde girl。〃
〃Good heavens！〃 … recollecting her dream。 〃Where was it printed？〃
〃Amateur photography。 I'll pick it up on the way to the living
room。〃
It was nothing like the blonde girl of her dream。 Still； the girl
was charming。 Kitty turned over the photograph。 There was writing
on the back。
〃Russian？ What does it say？〃
〃'To Ivan from Olga with all her love。'〃
Cutty was conscious of the presence of an indefensible malice in
his tones。 Why the deuce should he be bitter … glad that the chap
had left behind a sweetheart？ He knew exactly the basis of Kitty's
interest； as utterly detached as that of a reporter going to a fire。
On the day the patient could explain himself； Kitty's interest
would automatically cease。 An old dog in the manger？ Malice。
〃Cutty； something dreadful has happened to this poor young woman。
That's what makes him cry out the name。 Caught in that horror； and
probably he alone escaped。 Is it heartless to be glad I'm an
American？ Do they let in these Russians？〃
〃Not since the Trotzky regime。 I imagine Two…Hawks slipped through
on some British passport。 He'll probably tell us all about it when
he comes round。 But how do you feel after last night's bout？〃
〃Alive！ And I'm going on being alive； forever and ever！ Oh； those
awful drums！ They look like dead eyes in those dim corners。
Tumpitum…tump！ Tumpitum…tump！〃 she cried； linking her arm in his。
〃What a gorgeous view！ Just what I'm going to do when my ship comes
in … live in a loft。 I really believe I could write up here … I mean
worth…while things I could enjoy writing and sell。〃
〃It's yours if you want it when I leave。〃
〃And I'd have a fine time explaining to my friends！ You old innocent！
。。。 Or are you so innocent？〃
〃We do live in a cramped world。 But I meant it。 Don't forget to
whistle down to Tony Bernini when you get back home to…night。〃
〃I promise。
〃Why the gurgle？〃
〃Because I'm tremendously excited。 All my life I've wanted to do
mysterious things。 I've been with the audience all the while； and I
want to be with the actors。〃
〃You'll give some man a wild dance。〃
〃If I do I'll dance with him。 Now lead me to the cookies。〃
She was the life of the tea table。 Her wit； her effervescence； her
whimsicalities amused even the prim Miss Frances。 When she recounted
the exploit of the camouflaged fan； Cutty and Harrison laughed so
loudly that the nurse had to put her linger on her lips。 They might
wake the patient。
〃I am really interested in him；〃 went on Kitty。 〃I won't deny it。
I want to see how it's going to turn out。 He was very nice after I
let him into the kitchen。 A perfectly English manner and voice； and
Italian gestures when off his guard。 I feel so sorry for him。 What
strangers we races are to each other！ Until the war we hardly knew
the Canadians。 The British didn't know us at all； and the French
became acquainted with the British for the first time in history。
And the German thought he knew us all and really knew nobody。 All
the Russians I ever saw were peasants of the cattle type； so that the
word Russian conjures up two pictures … the grand duke at Monte Carlo
and a race of men who wear long beards and never bathe except when it
rains。 Think of it！ For the first time since God set mankind on
earth peoples are becoming acquainted。 I never saw a Russian of this
type before。〃。
〃A leaf in the whirlpool。 … Anyhow； we'll keep him here until he's on
his feet。 By the way； never answer any telephone call … I mean； go
anywhere on a call … unless you are sure of the speaker。〃
〃I begin to feel important。〃
〃You are important。 You have suddenly become a connecting link
between this Karlov and the man we wish to protect。 I'll confess I
wanted you out of that apartment at first； but when I saw that you
were bent on remaining； I decided to make use of you。〃
〃You are going to give me a part in the play？〃
〃Yes。 You are to go about your affairs as always； just as if nothing
had happened。 Only when you wish to come here will you play any game
like that of to…day。 Then it will be advisable。 Switch your route
each time。 Your real part is to be that of lure。 Through you we shall
gradually learn who Karlov's associates are。 If you don't care to play
the role all you have to do is to move。〃
〃The idea！ I'm grateful for anything。 You men will never understand。
You go forth into the world each day … politics； diplomacy； commerce；
war … while we women stay at home and knit or darn socks or take
care of the baby or make over our clothes and hats or do household
work or