the drums of jeopardy- 第21部分

〃A　girl　…　who　gave　me　something　to　eat？〃

〃Yes。　　She　fed　you；　and　later　probably　your　life。〃

〃Thanks。〃　　Hawksley　closed　his　eyes。

Cutty　and　the　nurse　watched　him　interestedly　for　a　few　minutes；　but
as　he　did　not　stir　again　the　nurse　took　up　her　temperature　sheet　and
Cutty　returned　to　his　eggs。　　Was　there　a　girl？　　No　question　about
the　emeralds；　no　interest　in　the　day　and　the　hour。　　Was　there　a
girl？　　The　last　person　he　had　seen；　Kitty；　the　first　question；　after
coming　into　the　light：　Had　he　seen　her？　　Then　and　there　Cutty　knew
that　when　he　died　he　would　carry　into　the　Beyond；　of　all　his　earthly
possessions　…　a　chuckle。　　Human　beings！

The　yarn　that　reporter　had　missed　by　a　hair　…　front　page；
eight…column　head！　　But　he　had　missed　it；　and　that　was　the　main　thing。
The　poor　devil！　　Beaten　and　without　a　sou　marque　in　his　pockets；　his
trail　was　likely　to　be　crowded　without　the　assistance　of　any
newspaper　publicity。　　But　what　a　yarn！　　What　a　whale　of　a　yarn！

In　his　fevered　flights　Hawksley　had　spoken　of　having　paid　Kitty　for
that　meal。

Kitty　had　said　nothing　about　it。　　Supposing　…　

〃Telephone；　sair；〃　announced　the　Jap。　　〃Lady。〃

Molly's　girl！　　Cutty　sprinted　to　the　telephone。

〃Hello！　　That　you；　Kitty？〃

〃Yes。　　How　is　Johnny　Two…Hawks？〃

〃Back　to　earth。〃

'When　can　I　see　him？　　I'm　just　crazy　to　know　what　the　story　is！〃

〃Say　the　third　or　fourth　day　from　this。　　We'll　have　him　shaved　and
sitting　up　then。〃

〃Has　he　talked？〃

〃Not　permitted。　　Still　determined　to　stay　the　run　of　your　lease？〃
Cutty　heard　a　laugh。　　〃All　right。　　Only　I　hope　you　will　never　have
cause　to　regret　this　decision。〃

〃Fiddlesticks！　　All　I've　got　to　do　in　danger　is　to　press　a　button；
and　presto！　　here's　Bernini。〃

〃Kitty；　did　Hawksley　pay　you　for　that　meal？〃

〃Good　heavens；　no！　　What　makes　you　ask　that？〃

〃In　his　delirium　he　spoke　of　having　paid　you。　　I　didn't　know。〃
Cutty's　heart　began　to　rap　against　his　ribs。　　Supposing；　after　all；
Karlov　hadn't　the　stones？　　Supposing　Hawksley　had　hidden　them
somewhere　in　Kitty's　kitchen？

〃Anything　about　Gregor？〃

〃No。　　Remember；　you're　to　call　me　up　twice　a　day　and　report　the　news。
Don't　go　out　nights　if　you　can　avoid　it。〃

〃I'll　be　good；〃　Kitty　agreed。　　〃And　now　I　must　hie　me　to　the　job。
Imagine；　Cutty　！　　…　writing　personalities　about　stage　folks　and
gabfesting　with　Burlingame　and　all　the　while　my　brain　boiling　with
this　affair！　　The　city　room　will　kill　me；　Cutty；　if　it　ever　finds
out　that　I　held　back　such　a　yarn。　　But　it　wouldn't　he　fair　to　Johnny
Two…Hawks。　　Cutty；　did　you　know　that　your　wonderful　drums　of　jeopardy
are　here　in　New　York？〃

〃What？〃　barked　Cutty。

〃Somebody　is　offering　to　buy　them。　　There　was　an　advertisement　in
the　paper　this　morning。　　Cutty？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃The　first　problem　in　arithmetic　is　two　and　two　make　four。　　By…by！〃

Dizzily　Cutty　hung　up　the　receiver。　　He　had　not　reckoned　on　the
possibility　of　Kitty　seeing　that　damfool　advertisement。　　Two　and
two　made　four；　and　four　and　four　made　eight；　so　on　indefinitely。
That　is　to　say；　Kitty　already　had　a　glimmer　of　the　startling　truth。
The　initial　misstep　on　his　part　had　been　made　upon　her　pronouncement
of　the　name　Stefani　Gregor。　　He　hadn't　been　able　to　control　his
surprise。　　And　yesterday；　having　frankly　admitted　that　he　knew
Gregor；　all　that　was　needed　to　complete　the　circle　was　that
advertisement。　　Cutty　tore　his　hair；　literally。　　The　very　door　he
hoped　she　might　overlook　he　had　thrown　open　to　her。

Thaddeus　of　Warsaw。　　But　it　should　not　be。　　He　would　continue　to
offer　a　haven　to　that　chap；　but　no　nonsense。　　None　of　that　sinister
and　unfortunate　blood　should　meddle　with　Kitty　Conover's　happiness。
Her　self…appointed　guardian　would　attend　to　that。

He　realized　that　his　attitude　was　rather　inexplicable；　but　there
were　some　adventures　which　hypnotized　women；　and　one　of　this　sort
was　now　unfolding　for　Kitty。　　That　she　had　her　share　of　common
sense　was　negligible　in　face　of　the　facts　that　she　was　imaginative
and　romantical　and　adventuresome；　and　that　for　the　first　time　she
was　riding　one　of　the　great　middle　currents　in　human　events。　　She
was　Molly's　girl；　Cutty　was　going　to　look　out　for　her。

Mighty　odd　that　this　fear　for　her　should　have　sprung　into　being　that
night；　quite　illogically。　　Prescience？　　He　could　not　say。　　Perhaps
it　was　a　borrowed　instinct　…　fatherly；　the　same　instinct　that　would
have　stirred　her　father　into　action　…　the　protection　of　that　dearest
to　him。

If　he　told　her　who　Hawksley　really　was；　that　would　intrigue　her。　　If
he　made　a　mystery　of　the　affair；　that；　too；　would　intrigue　her。　　And
there　you　were；　'twixt　the　devil　and　the　deep　blue　sea。　　Hang　it；
what　evil　luck　had　stirred　him　to　tell　her　about　those　emeralds？　
Already　she　was　building　a　story　to　satisfy　her　dramatic　fancy。　　Two
and　two　made　four　…　which　signified　that　she　was　her　father's
daughter；　that　she　would　not　rest　until　she　had　explored　every　corner
of　this　dark　room。　　Wanting　to　keep　her　out　of　it；　and　then　dragging
her　into　it　through　his　cupidity。　　Devil　take　those　emeralds！　　Always
the　same；　trouble　wherever　they　were。

The　real　danger　would　rise　during　the　convalescence。　　Kitty　would　be
contriving　to　drop　in　frequently；　not　to　see　Hawksley　especially；　but
her　initial　success　in　playing　hide　and　seek　with　secret　agents；
friendly　and　otherwise；　had　tickled　her　fancy。　　For　a　while　it　would
be　an　exciting　game；　then　it　might　become　only　a　means　to　an　end。
Well；　it　should　not　be。

Was　there　a　girl！　　Already　Hawksley　had　recorded　her　beauty。　　Very
well；　the　first　sign　of　sentimental　nonsense；　and　out　he　should　go；
Karlov　or　no　Karlov。　　Kitty　wasn't　going　to　know　any　hurt　in　this
affair。　　That　much　was　decided。

Cutty　stormed　into　his　study；　growling　audibly。　　He　filled　a　pipe
and　smoked　savagely。　　Another　side；　Kitty's　entrance　into　the　drama
promised　to　spoil　his　own　fun；　he　would　have　to　play　two　games
instead　of　one。　　A　fine　muddle！

He　came　to　a　stand　before　one　of　the　windows　and　saw　the　glory　of
the　morning　flashing　from　the　myriad　spires　and　towers　and　roofs；
and　wondered　why　artists　bothered　about　cows　in　pastures。

Touching　his　knees　was　an　antique　Florentine　bridal　chest；　with
exquisite　carving　and　massive　lock。　　He　threw　back　the　lid　and
disclosed　a　miscellany　never　seen　by　any　eye　save　his　own。　　It　was
all　the　garret　he　had。　　He　dug　into　it　and　at　length　resurrected
the　photograph　of　a　woman　whose　face　was　both　roguish　and　beautiful。
He　sat　on　the　floor　a　la　Turk　and　studied　the　face；　his　own　tender
and　wistful。　　No　resemblance　to　Kitty　except　in　the　eyes。　　How
often　he　had　gone　to　her　with　the　question　burning　his　lips；　only
to　carry　it　away　unspoken！　　He　turned　over　the　photograph　and　read：
〃To　the　nicest　man　I　know。　　With　love　from　Molly。〃　　With　love。　　And
he　had　stepped　aside　for　Tommy　Conover！

By　George！　　He　dropped　the　photograph　into　the　chest；　let　down　the
lid；　and　rose　to　his　feet。　　Not　a　bad　idea；　that。　　To　intrigue　Kitty
himself；　to　smother　her　with　attentions　and　gallantries；　to　give　her
out　of　his　wide　experience；　and　to　play　the　game　until　this　intruder
was　on　his　way　elsewhere。

He　could　do　it；　and　he　based　his　assurance　upon　his　experiences　and
observations。　　Never　a　squire　of　dames；　he　knew　the　part。　　He　had
played　the　game　occasionally　in　the　capitals　of　Europe　when　there
had　been　some　information　he　had　particularly　desired。　　Clever；
scheming　women；　too。　　A　clever；　passably　good…looking　elderly　man
could　make　himself　peculiarly　attractive　to　young　women　and　women　in
the　thirties。　　Dazzlement　for　the　young；　the　man　who　knew　all　about
life；　the　trivial　little　courtesies　a　younger　man　generally　forgot；
the　moving　of　chairs；　the　holding　of　wraps；　the　gray　hairs　which
served　to　invite　trust　and　confidence；　which　lulled　the　eternal
feminine　fear　of　the　male。　　To　the　older　women；　no　callow　youth　but
a　man　of　discernment；　discretion；　wit　and　fancy　and　daring；　who
remembered　birthdays　husbands　forgot；　who　was　always　round　when
wanted。

There　was　no　vanity　back　of　these　premises。　　Cutty　was　merely
reaching　about　for　an　expedient　to　thwart　what　to　his　anticipatory
mind　promised　to　be　an　inevitability。　　Of　course　the　glamour　would
not　last；　it　never　did；　but　he　felt　he　could　sustain　it　until
yonder　chap　was　off　and　away。

That　evening　at　five…thirty　Kitty　received　a　box　of　beautiful　roses；
with　Cutty's　card。

〃Oh；　the　lovely　things！〃　she　cried。

She　kissed　them　and　set　them　in　a　big　copper　jug；　arranged　and
rearranged　them　for　the　simple　pleasure　it　afforded　her。　　What　a
dear　man　this　Cutty　was；　to　have　thought　of　her　in　this　fashion！
Her　father's　friend；　her　mother's；　and　now　hers；　she　had　inherited
him。　　This　thought　caused　her　to　smile；　but　there　were　tears　in　her
eyes。　　A　garden　some　day　to　play　in；　this　mad　city　far　away；　a　home
of　her　own；　would　it　ever　happen？

The　bell　rang。　　She　wasn't　going　to　like　this　caller　for　taking　her
away　from　these　roses；　the　first　she　had　received　in　a　long　time
　…　roses　she　could　keep　and　not　toss　out　the　window。　　For　it　must　not
be　understood　that　Kitty　was　never　besieged。

Outside　stood　a　well…dressed　gentleman；　older　than　Cutty；　with
shrewd；　inquiring　gray　eyes　and　a　face　with　strong　salients。

〃Pardon　me；　but　I　am　looking　for　a　man　by　the　name　of　Stephen
Gregory。　　I　was　referred　by　the　janitor　to　you。　　You　are　Miss
Conover？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Kitty。　　〃Will　you　come　in？〃　　She　ushered　the　stranger
into　the　living　room　and　indicated　a　chair。　　〃Please　excuse　me　for　a
moment。〃　　Kitty　went　into　her　bedroom　and　touched　the　danger　button；
which　would　summon　Bernini。　　She　wanted　her　watchdog　to　see　the
visitor。　　She　returned　to　the　living　room。　　〃What　is　it　you　wish　to
know？〃

〃Where　I　may　find　this　Gregory。〃

〃That　nobody　seems　able　to　answer。　　He　was　carried　away　from　here　in
an　ambulance；　but　we　have　been　unable　to　locate　the　hospital。　　If
you　will　leave　your　name　…　〃

〃That　is　not　necessary。　　I　am　out　of　bounds；　you　might　say；　and　I'd
rather　my　name　should　be　left　out　of　the　affair；　which　is　rather
peculiar。〃

〃In　what　way？〃

〃I　am　only　an　agent；　and　am　not　at　liberty　to　speak。　　Could　you
describe　Gregory？〃

〃Then　he　is　a