uppermost in Karlov's mind。 He had found the man in the dress suit。
〃Cutty； I'm sorry I was such a booby last night。 But it was the best
thing that could have happened。 The pentupness of it was simply
killing me。 I hadn't any one to come to but you … any one who would
understand。 I don't know of any man who has a better right to kiss
me。 I know。 You were just trying to buck me up。〃
Clitter…clatter！ Clitter…clatter！ Cutty stared hard at the cement
floor。 Marry her； settle a sum on her； and give her her freedom。
Molly's girl。 Give her a chance to play。 He turned。
〃Kitty； do you trust me？〃
〃Of all the foolish questions！〃 She pressed his arm。 〃Why shouldn't
I trust you？〃
〃Will you marry me？ Wait！ Let me make clear to you what I have in
mind。 I'm all alone。 I loved your mother。 It breaks my heart that
while I have everything in the way of luxuries you have nothing。 I
can't settle a sum on you … an income。 The world wouldn't
understand。 Your friends would be asking questions among themselves。
This telegram from Washington means but one thing： that in a few
weeks I shall be on my way to the East。 I shall be mighty unhappy
if I have to go leaving you in the rut。 This is my idea： marry me
an hour or so before the ship sails。 I will leave you a comfortable
income。 Lord knows how long I shall be gone。 Well； I won't write。
After a year you can regain your freedom on the grounds of desertion。
Simple as falling off a log。 It's the one logical way I can help
you。 Will you？〃
Station after station flashed by。 Kitty continued stare through the
window across the way。 by and by she turned her face toward him； her
eyes shining with tears。
〃Cutty； there is going to be a nice place in heaven for you some day。
I understand。 I believe Mother understands； too。 Am I selfish？ I
can't say No to you and I can't say Yes。 Yet I should be a liar if
I did not say that everything in me leaps toward the idea。 It is
both hateful and fascinating。 Common sense says Yes； and something
else in me says No。 I like dainty things； dainty surroundings。 I
want to travel； to see something of the world。 I once thought I had
creative genius； but I might as well face the fact that I haven't。
Only by accident will I ever earn more than I'm earning now。 In a
few years I'll grow old suddenly。 You know what the newspaper game
does to women。 The rush and hurry of it； the excitements； the
ceaseless change。 It is a furnace； and women shrivel up in it
quicker than men。〃
〃There won't be any nonsense； Kitty。 An hour before I go aboard my
ship。 I'll go back to the job the happiest of men。 Molly's girl
taken care of！ Just before your father died I promised him I'd keep
an eye on you。 I never forgot； but conditions made it impossible。
The apartment will be yours as long as you need it。 Kuroki； of
course； goes with me。 It's merely going by convention on the blind
side。 To leave you something in my will wouldn't serve at all；
I'm a tough old codger and may be marked down for a hale old ninety。
All I want is to make you happy and carefree。〃
〃Cutty； I'd like to curl up in some corner and cry； gratefully。 I
didn't know there were such men。 I just don't know what to do。 It
isn't as if you were asking me to be your wife。 And as you say； I
can't accept money。 There is a pride in me that rejects the whole
thing； but it may be the same fool pride that has cut away my
friends。 I ought to fall on your neck with joy： and here I am
trying to look round corners！ You are my father's friend； my
mother's； mine。 Why shouldn't I accept the proposition？ You are
alone； too。 You have a perfect right to do as you please with your
money； and I have an equally perfect right to accept your gifts。
We are all afraid of the world； aren't we？ That's probably at the
bottom of my doddering。 Cutty； what is love？〃 she broke off；
whimsically。
〃Looking into mirrors and hunting for specks；〃 he answered； readily。
〃I mean seriously。〃
〃So do I。 Before I went round to the stage entrance to take your
mother out to supper I used to preen an hour before the mirror。 My
collar； my cravat； my hair； the nap on my stovepipe； my gloves
… terrible things！ And what happened？ Your dad； dressed in his
office clothes； came along like a cyclone； walked all over my toes；
and swooped up your mother right from under my nose。 Now just look
the proposition over from all angles。 Think of yourself； let the
old world go hang。 They'll call it alimony。 In a year or so you'll
be free； and some chap like Tommy Conover will come along； and bang！
You'll know all about love。 Here's old Brooklyn Bridge。 I'll see
you to the elevator。 All nonsense that you should have the least
hesitance。〃
Fifteen minutes later he was striding along Park Row。 By the swing
of his stride any onlooker would have believed that Cutty was in a
hurry to arrive somewhere。 Instead； one was only walking。 Suddenly
he stopped in the middle of the sidewalk with the two currents of
pedestrians flowing on each side of him； as a man might stop who
saw some wonderful cloud effect。 But there was nothing ecstatical
in his expression； on the contrary； there was a species of bewildered
terror。 The psychology of all his recent actions had in a flash
become vividly clear。
An unbelievable catastrophe had overtaken him。 He loved Kitty；
loved her with an intense； shielding passion； quite unlike that
which he had given her mother。 Such a thing could happen！ He
offered not the least combat； the revelation was too smashing to
admit of any doubt。 It was not a recrudescence of his love for
Molly； stirred into action by the association with Molly's daughter。
He wanted Kitty for himself； wanted her with every fibre in his
body； fiercely。 And never could he tell her … now。
The tragic irony of it all numbed him。 Fate hadn't played the
game fairly。 He was fifty…two； on the far side of the plateau；
near sunset。 It wasn't a square deal。
Still he stood there on the sidewalk； like a rock in the middle of
a turbulent stream； rejecting selfish thoughts。 Marry Kitty； and
tell her the truth afterward。 He knew the blood of her … loyalest
of the loyal。 He could if he chose play that sort of game … cheat
her。 He could not withdraw his proposition。 If she accepted it he
would have to carry it through。 Cheat her。
CHAPTER XXV
Kitty hung up her hat and coat。 She did not pat her hair or tuck
in the loose ends before the mirror … a custom as invariable as
sunrise。 The coat tree stood at the right of the single window；
and out of this window Kitty stared solemnly； at everything and at
nothing。
Burlingame eyed her seriously。 Cutty had given him a glimmer of
the tale … enough to make known to him that this pretty； sensible
girl； though no fault of her own； was in the shadow of some actual
if unknown danger。 And Cutty wanted her out of town for a few
days。 Burlingame had intended sending Kitty out of town on an
assignment during Easter week。 An exchange of telegrams that
morning had closed the gap in time。
〃Well； you might say 'Good morning。'〃
〃I beg your pardon； Burly！〃 In newspaper offices you belong at
once or you never belong； and to belong is to have your name
sheared to as few syllables as possible。 You are formal only to
the city editor； the managing editor； and the auditor。
〃What's the matter？〃
〃I've been set in the middle of a fairy story；〃 said Kitty； 〃and
I'm wondering if it's worth the trouble to try to find a way out。
A Knight of the Round Table； a prince of chivalry。 What would
you say if you saw one in spats and a black derby？〃
〃Why；〃 answered Burlingame； 〃I suppose I'd consider July first as
the best thing that could happen to me。〃
Kitty laughed； and that was what he wanted。
What had that old rogue been doing now … offering Kitty his
eighteen…story office building？
〃It's odd； isn't it； that I shouldn't possess a little histrionic
ability。 You'd think it would be in my blood to act。〃
〃It is； Kitty； only not to mimic。 You're an actress； but the Big
Dramatist writes your business for you。 Now； I've got some fairly
good news for you。 An assignment。〃
〃Work！ What is it？〃
〃I am going to send you on a visit to the most charming movie queen
in the business。 She is going to return to Broadway this autumn；
and she has a trunkful of plays to read。 I have found your judgment
ace…high。 Mornings you will read with her； afternoons you will
visit。 She remembers your mother； who was the best comedienne of
her day。 So she will be quite as interested in you as you are
in her。 I want you to note her ways； how she amuses herself； eats；
exercises。 I want you to note the contents of her beautiful home；
if she likes dogs or cats or horses。 You will take a camera and
get half a dozen good pictures； and a page yarn for Easter Sunday。
Stay as long as she wants you to。〃
〃But who？〃
Burlingame jerked his thumb toward a photograph on the wall。
〃Oh！ This will be the most scrumptious event in my life。 I'm
wild about her！ But I haven't any clothes！〃
Burlingame waved his hands。 〃I knew I'd hear that yodel。 Eve
didn't have anything to speak of； but she travelled a lot。 Truth
is； Kitty； you'd better dress in monotones。 She might wake up to
the fact that you're a mighty pretty young woman and suddenly
become temperamental。 She has a husband round the lot somewhere。
Make him think his wife is a lucky woman。 Here's all the dope
… introduction； expenses； and tickets。 Train leaves at two…fifty。
Run along home and pack。 Remember； I want a page yarn。 No
flapdoodle or mush； straight stuff。 She doesn't need any
advertising。 If you go at it right you two will react upon each
other as a tonic。
Kitty realized that this little junket was the very thing she needed
… open spaces； long walks in which to think out her problem。 She
hurried home and spent the morning packing。 When this heartrending
business was over she summoned Tony Bernini。
〃I am going out of town； Mr。 Bernini。 I may be gone a week。〃
〃All right； Miss Conover。〃 Bernini hid a smile。 He knew all about
this trip； having been advised by Cutty ov