〃Wait。〃
She turned her back to them。 When she faced them again she extended
a palm upon which lay a leather tobacco pouch； cracked and parched
and blistered by the reactions of rain and sun。
〃Think of my forgetting them！ I found them this morning。 Where do
you suppose？ On a step of the fire…escape ladder。〃
〃Well； I'll be tinker…dammed！〃 said Cutty。
〃I've reasoned it out；〃 went on Kitty； breathlessly； looking at
Cutty； 〃When the anarchist tore them from Mr。 Hawksley's neck； he
threw them out of the window。 The room was dark； his companion
could not see。 Later he intended； no doubt； to go into the court
and recover them and cheat his master。 I was looking out of the
window； when I noticed a brilliant flash of purple； then another
of green。 The pouch was open； the stones about to trickle out。
I dared not leave them in the apartment or tell anybody until you
came home。 So I carried them with me to the office。 The drums；
Cutty！ The drums！ Tumpitum…tump！ Look！〃
She poured the stones upon the white linen tablecloth。 A thousand
fires！
〃The wonderful things！〃 she gasped。 〃Oh； the wonderful things！
I don't blame you； Cutty。 They would tempt an angel。 The drums of
jeopardy； and that I should find them！〃
〃Lord！〃 said Cutty； in an awed whisper。 Green stones！ The
magnificent rubies and sapphires and diamonds vanished； he could
see nothing but the exquisite emeralds。 He picked up one … still
warm with Kitty's pulsing life … and toyed with it。 Actually； the
drums！ And all this time they had been inviting the first comer
to appropriate them。 Money； love； tragedy； death； history； pageants；
lovely women； murder and loot！ All these days on the step of the
fire…escape ladder！ He must have one of them； positively he must。
Could he prevail upon Hawksley to sell one？ Had he carried them
through sentiment？
He turned to broach the suggestion of purchase； but remained mute。
Hawksley's head was sunk upon his chest； his arms hung limply at
the sides of his chair。
〃He is fainting！〃 cried Kitty； her love outweighing her resolves。
〃Cutty！〃 … desperately； fearing to touch Hawksley herself。
〃No！ The stones； the stones！ Take them away … out of sight！ I'm
too done in！ I can't stand it！ I can't … The Red Night！ Torches
and hobnailed boots！〃
CHAPTER XXXIII
Her fingers seemingly all thumbs； her heart swelling with misery
and loneliness； wanting to go to him but fearing she would be
misunderstood； Kitty scooped up the dazzling stones and poured
them hastily into the tobacco pouch； which she thrust into Cutty's
hands。 What she had heard was not the cry of a disordered brain。
There was some clear reason for the horror in Hawksley's tones。
What tragedy lay behind these wonderful prisms of colour that the
legitimate owner could not look upon them without being stirred in
this manner？
〃Take them into the study；〃 urged Kitty。
〃Wait！〃 interposed Hawksley。 〃I give one of the emeralds to you；
Cutty。 They came out of hell … if you want to risk it！ The other
is for Miss Conover； with Mister Hawksley's compliments。〃 He was
looking at Kitty now； his face drawn； his eyes bloodshot。 〃Don't
be apprehensive。 They bring evil only to men。 With one in your
possession you will be happy ever after； as the saying goes。 Oh；
they are mine to give； mine by right of inheritance。 God knows I
paid for them！〃
〃If I said Mister … 〃 began Kitty； her brain confused； her tongue
clumsy。
〃You haven't forgiven！〃 he interrupted。 〃A thoroughbred like you；
to hold last night against me！ Mister … after what we two have
shared together！ Why didn't you leave me there to die？〃
Cutty observed that the drama had resolved itself into two
characters； he had been relegated to the scenes。 He tiptoed toward
his study door； and as he slipped inside he knew that Gethsemane was
not an orchard but a condition of the mind。 He tossed the pouch on
his desk； eyed it ironically； and sat down。 His； one of them … one
of those marvellous emeralds was his！ He interlaced his fingers
and rested his brow upon them。 He was very tired。
Kitty missed him only when she heard the latch snap。
She was alone with Hawksley； and all her terror returned。 Not to
touch him； not to console him； to stand staring at him like a dumb
thing！
〃I do forgive … Johnny！ But your world and my world …〃
〃Those stains！ The wretches hurt you！〃
〃What？ Where？〃 … bewildered。
〃The blood on your waist！〃
Kitty looked down。 〃That is not my blood； Johnny。 It is yours。〃
〃Mine？〃 Johnny。 Something in the way she said it。 〃Mine？〃 … trying
to solve the riddle。
〃Yes。 It is where your cheek rested when … I thought you were dead。〃
The sense of misery； of oppression； of terror； all fell away
miraculously； leaving only the flower of glory。 She would be his
plaything if he wanted her。
Silence。
〃Kitty； I came out of a dark world … to find you。 I loved you the
moment I entered your kitchen that night。 But I did not know it。
I loved you the night you brought the wallet。 Still I did not
understand。 It was when I heard the lift door and knew you had gone
forever that I understood。 Loved you with all my heart； with all
that poor old Stefani had fashioned out of muck and clay。 If you
held my head to your heart； if that is my blood there … Do you； can
you care a little？〃
〃I can and do care very much； Johnny。〃
Her voice to his ears was like the G string of the Amati。 〃Will
you go with me？〃
〃Anywhere。 But you are a prince of some great Russian house； Johnny；
and I am nobody。〃
〃What am I； Kitty？ Less than nobody … a homeless outcast； with only
you and Cutty。 An American！ Well； when I'm that it will be
different； I'll be somebody。 God forgive me if I do not give it
absolute loyalty； this new country！ 。。。 Never call me anything but
Johnny。〃
〃Johnny。〃 Anywhere； whatever he willed her to be。
〃I'm a child； Kitty。 I want to grow up … if I can … to be an
American； something like that ripping old thoroughbred yonder。〃
Cutty！ Johnny wanted to be something like Cutty。 Johnny would have
to grow up to be his own true self； for nobody could ever be like
Cutty。 He was as high and far away from the average man as this
apartment was from hers。 Would he understand her attitude？ Could
she say anything until it would be too late for him to interfere？
She was this man's woman。 She would have her span of happiness；
come ill； come good； even if it hurt Cutty； whom she loved in another
fashion。 But for Johnny dropping through that trap she might never
have really known； married Cutty； and been happy。 Happy until one
or the other died； never gloriously； never furiously； but mildly
happy； perhaps understanding each other far better than Johnny and
she would understand each other。 The average woman's lot。 But to
give her heart； her mind； her body in a whirlwind of emotions；
absolute surrender； to know for once the highest state of exaltation
… to love！
All this tender exchange with half a dozen feet between them。 Kitty
had not stirred from the far side of the tea cart； and he had not
opened his arms。 She had given herself with magnificent abandon；
for the present that satisfied her instincts。 As for him； he was
not quite sure this miracle might not be a dream； and one false move
might cause her to vanish。
〃Johnny； who is Olga？〃 The question was irrepressible。 Perhaps it
was the last shred of caution binding her。 All of him or none of
him。 There must be no other woman intervening。
Hawksley stiffened in his chair。 His hands closed convulsively and
his eyes lost their brightness。 〃Johnny？〃 Kitty ran round the tea
cart。 〃What is it？〃 She knelt beside the chair； alarmed； for the
horror had returned to his face。 〃What did they do to you back
there？〃 She clasped one of his hands tensely in hers。
〃In my dreams at night！〃 he said； staring into space。 〃I could run
away from my pursuers； but I could not run away from my dreams！
Torches and hobnailed boots！ 。。。 They trampled on her； and I； up
there in the gallery with those damned emeralds in my hands！ Ah；
if I hadn't gone for them； if I hadn't thought of the extra comforts
their sale would bring！ There would have been time then； Kitty。
I had all the other jewels in the pouch。 Horses were ready for us
to flee on； loyal servants ready to help us； but I thought of the
drums。 A few more worldly comforts … with hell forcing in the
doors！
〃I didn't tell her where I was going。 When I came back it was to
see her die！ They saw me； and yelled。 I ran away。 I hadn't the
courage to go down there and die with her！ She thought I was in
that hell pit。 She went down there to die with me and died
horribly； alone！ Ah； if I could only shut it out； forget！ Olga；
my tender young sister； Kitty； the last one of my race I could love。
And I ran away like a yellow dog； like a yellow dog！ I don't know
where her grave is； and I could not seek it if I did！ I dared not
write Stefani； tell him I had seen Olga go down under Karlov's
heels； and then ran away！ 。。。 Day by day to feel those stones
against my
heart！〃
Nothing is more terrible to a woman than the sight of a brave man
weeping。 For she knew that he was brave。 The sudden recollection
of the emeralds； a little more comfort for himself and sister if
they were permitted to escape。 Not a cowardly instinct； not even
a greedy one； a normal desire to fortify them additionally against
an unknown future； and he had surrendered to it impulsively； without
explaining to Olga where he was going。
〃Johnny； Johnny； you mustn't！〃 She sprang up； seizing his head and
wildly kissing him。 〃You mustn't！ God understands； and Olga。 Oh；
you mustn't sob like that！ You are tearing my heart to pieces！〃
〃I ran away like a yellow dog！ I didn't go down there and die with
her！〃
〃You didn't run away to…night when you offered your life for my
liberty。 Johnny； you mustn't！〃
Under her tender ministrations the sobs began to die away and soon
resolved into little catching gasps。 He was weak and spent from
his injuries； otherwise he would not have given way like this；
discovered to her what she had not known be