signify that he had brought the stones in honestly； paid his
obligations to the Customs。 Otherwise； smuggling； and in that event
conscience wouldn't matter； the emeralds became a game anybody could
take a hand in … anybody who considered the United States Customs an
infringement upon human rights。
What a devil of a call those stones had for him！ Did they mean
anything to Hawksley aside from their intrinsic value？ But for the
nebulous idea； originally； that the emeralds were mixed up somewhere
in this adventure； Cutty knew that he would have sent Hawksley to a
hospital； left him to his fate； and never known who he was。
All through the narration Hawksley listened motionless； with his eyes
closed； possibly to keep the wavering instability of the walls from
interfering with his assimilation of this astonishing series of fact。
〃Found you insensible on the floor；〃 concluded Cutty； 〃hoisted you to
my shoulders； took you to the street … and here you are！〃
Hawksley opened his eyes。 〃I say； you know； what a devil of an old
Sherlock you must be！ And you carried me on your shoulders across that
fire escape？ Ripping！ When I stepped back into that room I heard a
rushing sound。 I knew！ But I didn't have the least chance。。。。 You
and that bully girl！〃
Cutty swore under his breath。 He had taken particular pains to
avoid mentioning Kitty； and here； first off； the fat was in the fire。
He remembered now that he had told Hawksley that Kitty had saved his
life。 Fortunately； the chap wasn't keen enough with that banged…up
head of his to apply reason to the omission。
〃Saved my life。 Suppose she doesn't want me to know。〃
Cutty jumped at this。 〃Doesn't care to be mixed up with the
Bolshevik end of it。 Besides； she doesn't know who you are。〃
〃The fewer that know the better。 But I'll always remember her
kindness and that bally pistol with the fan in it。 But you？ Why
did you bother to bring me up here？〃
〃Couldn't decently leave you where Karlov could get to you again。〃
〃Is Stefani Gregor dead？〃
〃Don't know； probably not。 But we are hunting for him。〃 Cutty had
not explained his interest in Gregor。 Those plaguey stones again。
They were demoralizing him。 Loot。
〃You spoke of Karlov。 Who is he？〃
〃Why； the man who followed you across half the world。〃
〃There were many。 What is he like？〃
〃A gorilla。〃
〃Ah ！〃 Hawksley became galvanized and extended his fists。 〃God let
me live long enough to put my hands on him！ I had the chance the
other day … to blot out his face with my boots！ But I couldn't do
it！ I couldn't do it！〃 He sagged in the chair。 〃No； no！ Just a
bit groggy。 All right in a moment。〃
〃By the Lord Harry； I'll see you through。 Now buck up。 Hear that？〃
cried Cutty； throwing up a window。
〃Music。〃
〃Look through that street there。 See the glint of bayonets？
American soldiers； marching up Fifth Avenue； thousands of them；
freemen who broke the vaunted Hlndenburg Line。 God bless 'em！
Americans； every mother's son of 'em； who went away laughing； who
returned laughing； who will go back to their jobs laughing。 The
ability to laugh； that's America。 Do you know how to laugh？〃
〃I used to。 I'm jolly weak just now。 But I'll grin if you want me
to。〃 And Hawksley grinned。
〃That's the way。 A grin in this country will take you quite as far。
All right。 In five years you'll be voting。 I'll see to that。 Now
back to bed with you； and no more leaving it until the nurse says so。
What you need is rest。〃
Cutty sent a call to the nurse； who was standing undecidedly in the
doorway； and together they put the derelict back to bed。 Then Cutty
fetched the photograph and set it on top of the dresser； where
Hawksley could see it。
〃Now； no more gallivanting about。〃
〃I promise； old top。 This bed is a little bit of all right。 I say！〃
〃What？〃
〃How long am I to be here？〃
〃If you're good； two weeks；〃 interposed the nurse。
〃Two weeks？ I say； would you mind doing me a trifling favour？ I'd
like a violin to amuse myself with。〃
〃A fiddle？ I don't know a thing about 'em except that they sound
good。〃 Cutty pulled at his chin。
〃Whatever it costs I'll reimburse you the day I'm up。〃
〃All right。 I'll bring you a bundle of them； and you can do your
own selecting。〃
Out in the corridor the nurse said： 〃I couldn't hold him。 But he'll
be easier now that he's got the questions off his mind。 He will
have to be humoured a lot。 That's one of the characteristics of
head wounds。〃
〃What do you think of him？〃
〃He seems to be gentle and patient； and I imagine he's hard to resist
when he wants anything。 Winning； you'd call it。 I suppose I mustn't
ask who he really is？〃
〃No。 Poor devil。 The fewer that know； the better。 I'll be home
round three。〃
Once in the street； Cutty was besieged suddenly with the irresistible
desire to mingle with the crowd over in the Avenue； to hear the
military bands； the shouts； to witness the gamut of emotions which
he knew would attend this epochal day。 Of course he would view it
all from the aloof vantage of the historian； and store away
commentaries against future needs。
And what a crowd it was！ He was elbowed and pushed； jostled and
trod on； carried into the surges； relegated to the eddies； and always
the metallic taptap of steel…shod boots on the asphalt； the bayonets
throwing back the radiant sunshine in sharp； clear flashes。 The
keen； joyous faces of those boys。 God； to be young like that！ To
have come through that hell on earth with the ability still to smile！
Cutty felt the tears running down his cheeks。 Instinctively he knew
that this was to be his last thrill of this order。 He was fifty…two。
〃Quit your crowding there！〃 barked a voice under his chin。
〃Sorry； but it's those behind me；〃 said Cutty； looking down into a
florid countenance with a raggedy gray moustache and a pair of blue
eyes that were blinking。
〃I'm so damned short I can't see anything！〃
〃Neither can I。〃
〃You could if you wiped your eyes。〃
〃You're crying yourself；〃 declared Cutty。
〃Blinking jackass！ Got anybody out there？〃
〃All of 'em。〃
〃I get you； old son of a gun！ No flesh and blood； but they're ours
all the same。 Couple of old fools； huh？〃
〃Sure pop！ What right have two old codgers got here； anyhow？ What
brought you out？〃
〃What brought you？〃
〃Same thing。〃
〃Damn it！ If I could only see something！〃
Cutty put his hands upon the shoulders of this chance acquaintance
and propelled him toward the curb。 There were cries of protest；
curses； catcalls； but Cutty bored on ahead until he got his man where
he could see the tin hats； the bayonets； and the colours； and thus
they stood for a full hour。 Each time the flag went by the little
man yanked off his derby and turned truculently to see that Cutty
did the same。
〃Say；〃 he said as they finally dropped back； 〃I'd offer to buy a
drink； only it sounds flat。〃
〃And it would taste flat after a mighty wine like this；〃 replied
Cutty。 〃Maybe you've heard of the nectar of the gods。 Well； you've
just drunk it； my friend。〃
〃I sure have。 Those kids out there； smiling after all that hell；
and you and me on the sidewalk； blubbering over 'em！ What's the
answer？ We're Americans！〃
〃You said it。 Good…bye。〃
Cutty pressed on to the flow and went along with it； lighter in the
heart than he had been in many a day。 These two million who lined
Fifth Avenue； who cheered； laughed； wept； went silent； cheered again；
what did their presence here signify？ That America's day had come；
that as a people they were homogeneous at last； that that which laws
had failed to bring forth had been accomplished by an ideal。
Bolshevism； socialism … call it what you will … would beat itself
into fragments against this Rock of Democracy； which went down to
the centre of the world and whose pinnacle touched the stars。
Reincarnation； the simple ideals of the forefathers restored。 And
with this knowledge tingling in his thoughts … and perhaps there
was a bit of spring in his heart … Cutty continued on； without
destination； chin jutting； eyes shining。 He was an American！
He might have continued on indefinitely had he not seen obliquely
a window filled with musical instruments。
Hawksley's fiddle！ He had all but forgotten。 All right。 If the
poor beggar wanted to scrape a fiddle； scrape it he should。 The
least he； Cutty； could do would be to accede to any and every whim
Hawksley expressed。 Wasn't he planning to rob the beggar of the
drums； happen they ever turned up？ But how the deuce to pick out
a fiddle which would have a tune in it？ Of all the hypercritical
duffers the fiddler was the worst。 Beside a fiddler of the first
rank the rich old maid with the poodle was a hail fellow well met。
Of course Gregor had taught the chap。 That meant he would know
instantly； just as his host would instantly observe the difference
between green glass and green beryl。
Cutty turned into the shop； infinitely amused。 Fiddles！ What next？
Having constituted a guardianship over Kitty； he was now playing
impressario to Hawksley。 As if he hadn't enough parts to play！
Wouldn't he be risking his life to…night trying to find where Stefani
Gregor was？ Fiddles！ Fiddles and emeralds！ What a choice old
hypocrite he was！
Fate has a way of telling you all about it … afterward； conceivably；
that humanity might continue to reproduce its species。 Otherwise
humanity would proceed to extinguish itself forthwith。 Thus； Cutty
was totally unaware upon entering the shop that he was about to tear
off its hinges the door he was so carefully bolting and latching and
padlocking between Kitty Conover and this duffer who wanted to fiddle
his way through convalescence。
Where there is fiddling there is generally dancing。 If it be not the
feet； then it will be the soul。
CHAPTER XVIII
There are some men who know a little about all things and a great
deal about many。 Such a man was Cutty。 But as he approached the
counter behind which stood an expectant clerk he felt for once that
he was in a far country。 There were fiddles and fiddles； just as
there were emeralds and emeralds。 Never again