In that case Karlov would be welcome。 But wait a moment。 The chap
had come in from the west。 In that event there should be an Odyssey
of some kind tucked away in the affair。
Cutty resumed his pacing。 The moment his imagination caught the
essentials he visualized the Odyssey。 Across mountains and deserts；
rivers and seas； he followed Two…Hawks in fancy； pursued by an
implacable hatred； more or less historical； of which the lad was
less a cause than an abstract object。 And Karlov … Cutty understood
Karlov now … always span near； his hate reenergizing his faltering
feet。
There was evidently some iron in this Two…Hawks' blood。 Fear never
would have carried him thus far。 Fear would have whispered；
〃Futility！ Futility！〃 And he would have bent his head to the stroke。
So then there was resource and there was courage。 And he lay in
yonder room； beaten and penniless。 The top piece in the grim irony
… to have come all these thousands of miles unscathed； to be dropped
at the goal。 But America？ Well； that would be solved later。
〃By the Lord Harry！〃 Cutty stopped and struck his hands together。
〃The drums！〃
》From the hour Kitty had pronounced the name Stefani Gregor an idea
had taken lodgment； an irrepressible idea； that somewhere in this
drama would be the drums of jeopardy。 The mark of the thong！ Never
any doubt of it now。 Those magnificent emeralds were here in New
York； The mob … the Red Guard … hammering on the doors； what would
have been Two…Hawks' most natural first thought？ To gather what
treasures the hand could be laid to and flee。 Here in New York；
and in Karlov's hands； ultimately to be cut up for Bolshevik
propaganda！ The infernal pity of it！
The passion of the gem hunter blazed forth； dimming all other phases
of the drama。 Here was a real game； a man's game； sport！ Cutty
rubbed his hands together pleasurably。 To recover those green flames
before they could be broken up； under the ancient ruling that
〃Findings is keepings。〃 The stones； of course； meant nothing to
Karlov beyond the monetary value； and upon this fact Cutty began
developing a plan。 He stood ready to buy those stones if he could
draw them into the open。 Lord； how he wanted them！ Murder and loot；
always murder and loot！
The thought of those two incomparable emeralds being broken up
distressed him profoundly。 He must act at once； before the
desecration could be consummated。 Two…Hawks … Hawksley hereafter；
for the sake of convenience … had an equity in the gems； but what
of that？ In smuggling them in … and how the deuce had he done it？
… he had thrown away his legal right to them。 Cutty kneaded his
conscience into a satisfactory condition of quiescence and went
on with his planning。 If he succeeded in recovering the stones
and his conscience bit a little too deeply for comfort … why； he
could pay over to Hawksley twenty per cent。 of the price Karlov
demanded。 He could take it or leave it。 In a case like this … to
a bachelor without dependents … money was no object。 All his life
he had wanted a fine emerald to play with； and here was an
opportunity to acquire two！
If this plan failed to draw Karlov into the open； then every
jeweller and pawnbroker in town would be notified and warned。 What
with the secret…service operatives and the agents of the Department
of Justice on the watch for Karlov … who would recognize his
limitations of mobility … it was reasonable to assume that the
Bolshevik would be only too glad to dicker secretly for the disposal
of the stones。 Now to work。 Cutty looked at his watch。
Nearly midnight。 Rather late； but he knew all the tricks of this
particular kind of game。 If the advertisement appeared isolated；
all the better。 The real job would be to hide his identity。 He
saw a way round this difficulty。 He wrote out six advertisements；
all worded the same。 He figured out the cost and was delighted to
find that he carried the necessary currency。 Then he got into his
engineer's … dungarees； touched up his face and hands to the
required griminess； and sallied forth。
Luck attended him until he reached the last morning newspaper on the
list。 Here he was obliged to proceed to the city room … risky
business。 A queer advertisement coming into the city room late at
night was always pried into； as he knew from experience。 Still； he
felt that he ought not to miss any chance to reach Karlov。
He explained his business to the sleepy gate boy； who carried the
advertisement and the cash to the night city editor's desk。
Ordinarily the night city editor would have returned the
advertisement with the crisp information that he had no authority
to accept advertisements。 But the 〃drums of jeopardy〃 caught his
attention； and he sent a keen glance across the busy room to the
rail where Cutty stood； perhaps conspicuously。
〃Humph！〃 He called to one of the reporters。 〃This looks like a
story。 I'll run it。 Follow that guy in the overalls and see what's
in it。〃
Cutty appreciated the interlude for what it was worth。 Someone was
going to follow him。 When the gate boy returned to notify him that
the advertisement had been accepted； Cutty went down to the street。
〃Hey； there； just a moment！〃 hailed the reporter。 〃I want a word
with you about that advertisement。〃
Cutty came to a standstill。 〃I paid for it； didn't I？〃
〃Sure。 But what's this about the drums of jeopardy？〃
〃Two great emeralds I'm hunting for；〃 explained Cutty； recalling
the man who stood on London Bridge and peddled sovereigns at two
bits each； and no buyer。
〃Can it！ Can it！〃 jeered the reporter。 〃Be a good sport and give
us the tip。 Strike call among the city engineers？〃
〃I'm telling you。〃
〃Like Mike you are！〃
〃All right。 It's the word to tie up the surface lines； like Newark；
if you want to know。 Now； get t' hell out o' here before I hand
you one on the jaw！〃
The reporter backed away。 〃Is that on the level？〃
〃Call up the barns and find out。 They'll tell you what's on。 And
listen； if you follow me； I'll break your head。 On your way！〃
The reporter dashed for the elevator … and back to the doorway in
time to see Cutty legging it for the Subway。 As he was a reporter
of the first class he managed to catch the same express uptown。
On the way uptown Cutty considered that he had accomplished a shrewd
bit of work。 Karlov or one of his agents would certainly see that
advertisement； and even if Karlov suspected a Federal trap he would
find some means of communicating with the issuer of the advertisement。
The thought of Kitty returned。 What the dickens would she say … how
would she act … when she learned who this Hawksley was？ He fervently
hoped that she had never read 〃Thaddeus of Warsaw。〃 There would
be all the difference in the world between an elegant refugee Pole
and a derelict of the Russian autocracy。 Perhaps the best course to
pursue would be to say nothing at all to her about the amazing
discovery。
Upon leaving Elevator Four Cutty said： 〃Bob； I've been followed by
a sharp reporter。 Sheer him off with any tale you please； and go
home。 Goodnight。〃
〃I'll fix him； sir。〃
Cutty took a bath； put on his lounging robe； and tiptoed to the
threshold of the patient's room。 The shaded light revealed the
nurse asleep with a book on her knees。 The patient's eyes were
closed and his breathing was regular。 He was coming along。
Cutty decided to go to bed。
Meantime； when the elevator touched the ground floor； the operator
observed a prospective passenger。
〃Last trip； sir。 You'll have to take the stairs。〃
〃Where'll I find the engineer who went up with you just now？〃
〃The man I took up？ Gone to bed； I guess。〃
〃What floor？〃
〃Nothing doing； bo。 I'm wise。 You're the fourth guy with a subpoena
that's been after him。 Nix。〃
〃I'm not a lawyer's clerk。 I'm a reporter； and I want to ask him a
few questions。〃
〃Gee！ Has that Jane of his been hauling in the newspapers？
Good…night！ Toddle along； bo； there's nothing coming from me。 Nix。〃
〃Would ten dollars make you talk？〃 asked the reporter； desperately。
〃Ye…ah … about the Kaiser and his wood…sawing。 By…by！〃
The operator； secretly enjoying the reporter's discomfiture； shut
off the lights； slammed the elevator door to the latch； and walked
to the revolving doors； to the tune of Garry Owen。
The reporter did not follow him but sat down on the first step of
the marble stairs to think； for there was a lot to think about。 He
sensed clearly enough that all this talk about street…railway strikes
and subpoenas was rot。 The elevator man and the engineer were in
cahoots。 There was a story here； but how to get to it was a puzzler。
He had one chance in a hundred of landing it … tip the mail clerk in
the business office to keep an eye open for the man who called for
〃Double C〃 mail。
Eventually； the man who did call for that mail presented a card to
the mail clerk。 At the bottom of this card was the name of the
chief of the United States Secret Service。
〃And say to the reporter who has probably asked to watch … hands
off！ Understand？ Absolutely … off！〃
When the reporter was informed he blew a kiss into air and sought
his city editor for his regular assignment。 He understood； with the
wisdom of his calling； that one didn't go whale fishing with trout
rods。
CHAPTER XV
Early the next morning in a bedroom in a rooming house for aliens
in Fifteenth Street； a man sat in a chair scanning the want columns
of a newspaper。 Occasionally he jotted down something on a slip
of paper。 This man's job was rather an unusual one。 He hunted
jobs for other men … jobs in steel mills； great factories； in the
textile districts； the street…car lines； the shipping yards and
docks； any place where there might be a grain or two of the powder
of unrest and discontent。 His business was to supply the human
matches。
No more parading the streets； no more haranguing from soap boxes。
The proper place nowadays was in the yard or shop corners at
noontime。 A word or two dropped at the right moment； perhaps a
printed pamphlet； little wedges wherever there were men who wanted
something they neither earned nor des