the drums of jeopardy-第11节

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looks　husky；　but　I'll　try　it。　　Now　obey　me　without　question　or
comment。　　You'll　have　to　help　me　get　him　outside　the　window　and　in
through　yours。　　Between　the　two　windows　I　can　handle　him　alone。　　I
only　hope　we　shan't　be　noticed；　for　that　might　prove　awkward。　　Now
take　hold。　　That's　it。　　When　I'm　through　the　window　just　push
his　legs　outside。〃　　Panting；　Kitty　obeyed。　　〃All　right；〃　said　Cutty。
〃I　like　your　pluck。　　You　run　along　ahead　and　be　ready　to　help　me　in
with　him。　　A　healthy　beggar！　　Here　goes。〃

With　a　heave　and　a　hunch　and　another　heave　Cutty　stood　up；　the　limp
body　disposed　scientifically　across　his　shoulders。　　Kitty　was　quite
impressed　by　this　exhibition　of　strength　in　a　man　whom　she　considered
as　elderly　…　old。　　There　was　an　underthought　that　such　feats　of
bodily　prowess　were　reserved　for　young　men。　　With　the　naive　conceit
of　twenty…four　she　ignored　the　actual　mathematics　of　fifty　years　of
clean　living　and　thinking；　missed　the　physiological　fact　that　often
men　at　fifty　are　stronger　and　tougher　than　men　in　the　twenties。　　They
never　waste　energy；　their　precision　of　movement　and　deliberation　of
thought　conserve　the　residue　against　the　supreme　moment。

As　a　parenthesis：　To　a　young　woman　what　is　a　hero？　　Generally
something　conjured　out　of　a　book　she　has　read；　the　unknown；　handsome
young　man　across　the　street；　the　leading　actor　in　a　society　drama；
the　idol　of　the　movie。　　A　hero　must　of　necessity　be　handsome；　that
is　the　first　essential。　　If　he　happens　to　be　brave　and　debonair；
rich　and　aristocratic；　so　much　the　better。　　Somehow；　to　be　brave　and
to　be　heroic　are　not　actually　accepted　synonyms　in　certain　youthful
feminine　minds。　　For　instance；　every　maid　will　agree　that　her　father
is　brave；　but　tell　her　he　is　a　hero　because　he　pays　his　bills
regularly　and　she　will　accept　the　statement　with　a　smile　of　tolerant
indulgence。

Thus　Kitty　viewed　Cutty's　activities　with　a　thrill　of　amazed　wonder。
Had　the　young　man　hoisted　Cutty　to　his　shoulders　her　feeling　would
have　been　one　of　exultant　admiration。　　Let　age　crown　its　garnered
wisdom；　youth　has　no　objections　to　that；　but　feats　of　physical
strength　…　that　is　poaching　upon　youth's　preserves。　　Kitty　was　not
conscious　of　the　instinctive　resentment。　　At　that　moment　Cutty　was
to　her　the　most　extraordinary　old　man　in　the　world。

〃Forward！〃　he　whispered。　　〃I　want　to　know　why　I　am　doing　this　movie
stunt。〃　　The　journey　began　with　Kitty　in　the　lead。　　She　prayed　that
no　one　would　see　them　as　they　passed　the　two　landing　windows。　　Below
and　above　were　vivid　squares　of　golden　light。　　She　regretted　the
drizzle；　no　clothes…laden　lines　intervened　to　obscure　their　progress。
Someone　in　the　rear　of　the　houses　in　Seventy…ninth　Street　might
observe　the　silhouettes。　　The　whole　affair　must　be　carried　off
secretly　or　their　efforts　would　come　to　nothing。

Once　inside　the　kitchen　Cutty　shifted　his　burden　into　his　arms；　the
way　one　carries　a　child；　and　followed　Kitty　into　the　unused　bedroom。
He　did　not　wait　for　the　story；　but　asked　for　the　telephone。

〃I'm　going　to　call　for　a　surgeon　at　the　Lambs。　　He's　just　back　from
France　and　knows　a　lot　about　broken　heads。　　And　we　can　trust　him
absolutely。　　I　told　him　to　wait　there　until　I　called。〃

〃Cutty；　you're　a　dear。　　I　don't　wonder　father　loved　you。〃

Presently　he　turned　away　from　the　telephone。　　〃He'll　be　here　in　a
jiffy。　　Now；　then；　what　the　deuce　is　all　this　about？〃

Briefly　Kitty　narrated　the　episodes。

〃Samaritan　stuff。　　I　see。　　Any　absorbent　cotton？　　I　can　wash　the
wound　after　a　fashion。　　Warm　water　and　Castile　soap。　　We　can　have
him　in　shape　for　Harrison。〃

Alone；　Cutty　took　note　of　several　apparent　facts。　　The　victim's
flannel　shirt　was　torn　at　the　collar　and　there　were　marks　of　finger
nails　on　the　throat　and　chest。　　Upon　close　inspection　he　observed　a
thin　red　line　round　the　neck　…　the　mark　of　a　thong。　　Had　they　tried
to　strangle　him　or　had　he　carried　something　of　value？　　Silk　underwear
and　a　clean　body；　well　born；　foreign。　　After　a　conscientious
hesitance　Cutty　went　through　the　pockets。　　All　he　found　were　some
crumbs　of　tobacco　and　a　soggy　match　box。　　They　had　cleaned　him　out
evidently。　　There　were　no　tailors'　labels　in　any　of　the　pockets；　but
there　were　signs　that　these　had　once　existed。　　The　man　on　the　bed
had　probably　ripped　them　out　himself；　did　not　care　to　be　identified。

A　criminal　in　flight？　　Cutty　studied　the　face　on　the　pillow。　　Shorn
of　that　beard　it　would　be　handsome；　not　the　type　criminal；　certainly。
A　bit　of　natural　cynicism　edged　into　his　thoughts：　Kitty　had　seen
through　the　beard；　otherwise　she　would　have　turned　the　affair　over
to　the　police。　　Not　at　all　like　her　mother；　yet　equally　her　mother's
match　in　beauty　and　intelligence。　　Conover's　girl；　whose　eyes　had
nearly　popped　out　of　her　head　at　the　first　sight　of　those　drum…lined
walls　of　his。

Two…Hawks。　　What　was　it　that　was　trying　to　stir　in　his　recollection？
Two…Hawks。　　He　was　sure　he　had　heard　that　name　before。　　Hawksley
meant　nothing　at　all；　but　Two…Hawks　possessed　a　strange　attraction。
He　stared　off　into　space。　　He　might　have　heard　the　name　in　a　tongue
other　than　English。

A　sound。　　It　came　from　the　lips　of　the　young　man。　　Cutty　frowned。
The　poor　chap　wasn't　breathing　in　a　promising　way；　he　groaned　after
each　inhalation。　　And　what　had　become　of　the　old　fellow　Kitty　called
Gregory？　　A　queer　business。

Kitty　came　in　with　a　basin　and　a　roll　of　absorbent　cotton。

〃He　is　groaning！〃　she　whispered。

〃Pretty　rocky　condition；　I　should　say。　　That　handkerchief　in　his　cap
doubtless　saved　him。　　Now；　little　lady；　I　frankly　don't　like　the
idea　of　his　being　here。　　Suppose　he　dies？　　In　that　event　there'll　be
the　very　devil　to　pay。　　You're　all　alone　here；　without　even　a　maid。〃

〃Am　I　all　alone？〃　…　softly。

〃Well；　no；　come　to　think　of　it；　I'm　no　longer　your　godfather　in
theory。　　Give　me　the　cotton　and　hold　the　basin。〃

He　was　very　tender。　　The　wound　bled　a　little；　but　it　was　not　the
kind　that　bled　profusely。　　It　was　less　a　cut　than　a　smashing　bruise。

〃Well；　that's　all　I　can　do。　　Who　was　this　tenant　Gregory？〃

〃A　dear　old　man。　　A　valet　at　a　Broadway　hotel。　　Oh；　I　forgot！
Johnny　Two…Hawks　called　him　Stefani　Gregor。〃

〃Stefani　Gregor？〃

〃Yes。　　What　is　it？　　Why　do　you　say　it　like　that？〃

〃Say　it　like　what？〃　…　sparring　for　time。

〃As　if　you　had　heard　the　name　before？〃

〃Just　as　I　thought！〃　cried　Cutty；　his　nimble　mind　pouncing　upon　a
happy　invention。　　〃You're　romantic；　Kitty。　　You're　imagining　all
sorts　of　nonsense　about　this　chap；　and　you　must　not　let　the
situation　intrigue　you。　　If　I　spoke　the　name　oddly　…　this　Stefani
Gregor　…　it　was　because　I　sensed　in　a　moment　that　this　was　a　bit　of
the　overflow。　　Southeastern　Europe；　where　the　good　Samaritan　gets
kicked　instead　of　thanked。　　Now；　here's　a　good　idea。　　Of　course　we
can't　turn　this　poor　chap　loose　upon　the　public；　now　that　we　know
his　life　is　in　danger。　　That's　always　the　trouble　with　this　Samaritan
business。　　When　you　commit　a　fine　action　you　assume　an　obligation。
You　hoist　the　Old　Man　of　the　Sea　on　your　shoulders；　as　it　were。　　The
chap　cannot　be　allowed　to　remain　here。　　So；　if　Harrison　agrees；　we'll
take　him　up　to　my　diggings；　where　no　Bolshevik　will　ever　lay　eyes
upon　him。〃

〃Bolshevik？〃

〃For　the　sake　of　a　handle。　　They　might　be　Chinamen；　for　all　I　know。
I　can　take　care　of　him　until　he　is　on　his　feet。　　And　you　will　be
saved　all　this　annoyance。

〃But　I　don't　believe　it's　going　to　be　an　annoyance。　　I'm　terribly
interested；　and　want　to　see　it　through。〃

〃If　he　can　be　moved；　out　he　goes。　　No　arguments。　　He　can't　stay
in　this　apartment。　　That's　final。〃

〃Exactly　why　not？〃　Kitty　demanded；　rebelliously。

〃Because　I　say　so；　Kitty。〃

〃Is　Stefani　Gregor　an　undesirable？〃

〃You　knew　him。　　What　do　you　say？〃　countered　her　godfather；　evading
the　trap。　　The　innocent　child！　　He　smiled　inwardly。

Kitty　was　keen。　　She　sensed　an　undercurrent；　and　her　first　attempt
to　touch　it　had　failed。　　The　mere　name　of　Stefani　Gregor　had　not
roused　Cutty's　astonishment。　　She　was　quite　positive　that　the　name
was　not　wholly　unfamiliar　to　her　father's　friend。

Still；　something　warned　her　not　to　press　in　this　direction。　　He
would　be　on　the　alert。　　She　must　wait　until　he　had　forgotten　the
incident。　　So　she　drew　up　a　chair　beside　the　bed　and　sat　down。

Cutty　leaned　against　the　footrail；　his　expression　neutral。　　He
sighed　inaudibly。　　His　delightful　catnap　was　over。　　Stefani　Gregor；
Kitty's　neighbour；　a　valet　in　a　fashionable　hotel！　　Stefani　Gregor；
who；　upon　a　certain　day；　had　placed　the　drums　of　jeopardy　in　the
palms　of　a　war　correspondent　known　to　his　familiars　as　Cutty。　　And
who　was　this　young　man　on　the　bed？

〃There　goes　the　bell！〃　cried　Kitty；　jumping　up。

〃Wait！〃

The　ring　was　repeated　vigorously　and　impatiently。

〃Kitty；　I　don't　quite　like　the　sound　of　that　bell。　　Harrison　would
have　no　occasion　to　be　impatient。　　Somebody　in　a　hurry。　　Now；
attend　to　me。　　I'm　going　to　steal　out　to　the　kitchen。　　Don't　be
afraid。　　Call　if　I'm　needed。　　Open　the　door　just　a　crack；　with　your
foot　against　it。　　If　it's　Harrison　he'll　be　in　uniform。　　Call　out
his　name。　　Slam　the　door　if　it　is　someone　you　don't　know。〃

Kitty　opened　th