the drums of jeopardy-第16节

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and　don't　turn；〃　went　on　the　gruff　voice。　　〃If　I　shoot　it　will　be
to　kill。　　It　is　a　rough　game；　as　you　say。　　That's　it；　and　keep　them
up。　　Now；　then；　young　lady；　slip　on　your　kimono。　　Get　up　and　search
these　men。　　I'm　in　a　hurry；　too。〃

Kitty　obeyed；　very　lovely　in　her　dishevelment。　　Repugnant　as　the
task　was　she　disarmed　the　two　men　and　flung　their　weapons　on　the　bed。

〃Now　something　to　tie　their　hands；　anything　that　will　hold。〃

Kitty　could　see　the　speaker　now。　　Another　coal　heaver；　but　evidently
on　her　side。

〃Tie　their　hands　behind　them。。。　　I　warn　you　not　to　move；　men。　　When
I　say　I'll　shoot　I　mean　it。　　Don't　be　afraid　of　hurting　them；　miss。
Very　good。　　Now　bandage　their　eyes。　　Handkerchiefs。〃

But　Kitty's　handkerchiefs　did　not　run　to　the　dimensions'　required；
so　she　ripped　up　a　petticoat。　　Torn　between　her　eagerness　to
complete　a　disagreeable　task　and　her　offended　modesty；　Kitty　went
through　the　performance　with　creditable　alacrity。　　Then　she　jumped
back　into　bed；　doubled　her　knees；　and　once　more　drew　up　the
bedclothes　to　her　chin；　content　to　be　a　spectator；　her　eyes　as　wide
as　ever　they　possibly　could　be。

Some　secret…service　man　Cutty　had　sent　to　protect　her。　　Dear　old
Cutty！　　Small　wonder　he　had　urged　her　to　spend　the　night　at　a　hotel。
The　admiration　of　her　childhood　returned；　but　without　the　shackles
of　shyness。　　She　had　always　trusted　him　absolutely；　and　to　this
trust　was　now　added　understanding。　　To　have　him　pop　into　her　life
again　in　this　fashion；　all　the　ordinary　approaches　to　intimacy
wiped　out　by　these　amazing　episodes；　the　years　bridged　in　an　hour！
If　only　he　were　younger！

〃Watch　them；　miss。　　Don't　be　afraid　to　shoot。　　I'll　return　in　a
moment〃　…　still　gruffly。　　The　secret…service　man　pushed　his
prisoners　into　chairs　and　left　the　bedroom。

Kitty　did　not　care　how　gruff　the　voice　was；　it　was　decidedly　pleasant
in　her　ears。　　Gingerly　she　picked　up　one　of　；the　revolvers。　　Kitty
Conover　with　shooting　irons　in　her　hands；　like　a　movie　actress！　　She
heard　a　whistle。　　After　this　an　interval　of　silence；　save　for　the
ticking　of　the　alarm　clock　on　the　stand。　　She　eyed　the　blindfolded
men　speculatively；　swung　out　of　bed；　and　put　on　her　stockings　and
sandals；　then　she　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　bed　and　waited　for　the
sequence。　　Kitty　Conover　was　going　to　have　some　queer　recollections
to　tell　her　grandchildren；　providing　she　had　any。　　That　morning　she
had　risen　to　face　a　humdrum　normal　day。　　And　here　she　was；　at
midnight；　hobnobbing　with　quiescent　murder　and　sudden　death！
To…morrow　Burlingame　would　ask　her　to　hustle　up　the　Sunday　stuff；
and　she　would　hustle。　　She　wanted　to　laugh；　but　was　a　little　afraid
that　this　laughter　might　degenerate　into　incipient　hysteria。

There　was　still　in　her　mind　a　vivid　recollection　of　her　dream　…　the
fire　of　diamonds　and　the　blonde　girl　with　the　tiara　of　rubies。　　Olga；
Olga！　　Russian；　the　whole　affair　was　Russian。　　She　shivered。　　Always
that　land　and　people　had　appeared　to　her　in　sinister　aspect；　no
doubt　an　impression　acquired　from　reading　melodramas　written　by
Englishmen　who；　once　upon　a　time；　had　given　Russia　preeminence　as　a
political　menace。　　Russia；　in　all　things　…　music；　art；　literature
　…　the　tragic　note。　　Stefani　Gregor　and　Johnny　Two…Hawks　had　roused
the　enmity　of　some　political　society　with　this　result。　　Nihilist　or
Bolshevist　or　socialist；　there　was　little　choice；　and　Cutty　sensibly
did　not　want　her　drawn　into　the　whirlpool。

What　a　pleasant　intimacy　hers　and　Cutty's　promised　to　be！　　And　if
he　hadn't　casually　dropped　into　the　office　that　afternoon　she　would
have　surrendered　the　affair　to　the　police；　and　that　would　have　been
the　end　of　it。　　Amazing　thought　…　you　might　jog　along　all　your　life
at　the　side　of　a　person　and　never　know　him　half　so　well　as　someone
you　met　m　a　tense　episode；　like　that　of　the　immaculate　Cutty
crossing　the　fire　escape　with　Two…Hawks　on　his　shoulders！

She　heard　the　friendly　coal　heaver　going　down　the　corridor　to　the
door。　　When　he　returned　to　the　bedroom　two　men　accompanied　him。　　Not
a　word　was　said。　　The　two　men　marched　off　with　the　prisoners　and
left　Kitty　alone　with　her　saviour。

〃Thank　you；〃　she　said；　simply。

〃You　poor　little　chicken；　did　you　believe　I　had　deserted　you？〃　　The
voice　wasn't　gruff　now。

〃Cutty？〃　　Kitty　ran　to　him；　flinging　her　arms　round　his　neck。　　〃Oh；
Cutty！〃

Cutty's　heart；　which　had　bumped　along　an　astonishing　number　of
million　times　in　fifty…two　years；　registered　a　memorable　bump　against
his　ribs。　　The　touch　of　her　soft　arms　and　the　faint；　indescribable
perfume　which　emanates　from　a　dainty　woman's　hair　thrilled　him　beyond
any　thrill　he　had　ever　known。　　For　Kitty's　mother　had　never　put　her
arms　round　old　Cutty's　neck。　　Of　course　he　understood　readily　enough：
Molly's　girl；　flesh　of　her　flesh。　　And　she　had　rushed　to　him　as　she
would　have　rushed　to　her　father。　　He　patted　her　shoulder　clumsily；
still　a　little　dazzled　for　all　the　revelation　in　the　analysis。　　The
sweet　intimacy　of　it！　　The　door　of　Paradise　opened　for　a　moment；　and
then　shut　in　his　face。

〃I　did　not　recognize　you　at　all！〃　she　cried；　standing　off。　　〃I
shouldn't　have　known　you　on　the　street。　　And　it　is　so　simple。　　What
a　wonderful　man　you　are！〃

〃For　an　old　codger？〃　Cutty's　heart　registered　another　sizable　bump。

Kitty　laughed。　　〃Never　call　yourself　old　to　me　again。　　Are　you
always　doing　these　things？〃

〃Well；　I　keep　moving。　　I　suspected　something　like　this　might　happen。
Those　two　will　go　to　the　Tombs　to　await　deportation　if　they　are
aliens。　　Perhaps　we　can　dig　something　out　of　them　relative　to　this
man　Gregor。　　Anyhow；　we'll　try。〃

〃Cutty；　I　saw　a　man　in　the　court　with　a　pocket　lamp　before　I　went
to　bed。　　He　was　hunting　for　something。〃

〃I　didn't　find　anything　but　a　lot　of　fresh　food　someone　had　thrown
out。〃

〃It　was　you；　then？〃

〃Yes。　　There　was　a　vague　possibility　that　your　protege　might　have
thrown　out　something　valuable　during　the　struggle。〃

〃What？〃

〃Lord　knows！　　A　queer　business；　Kitty；　you've　lugged　me　into　…　my
own！　　And　there　is　one　thing　I　want　you　to　remember　particularly：
Life　means　nothing　to　the　men　opposed；　neither　chivalry　nor　ethics。
Annihilation　is　their　business。　　They　don't　want　civilization；　they
want　chaos。　　They　have　lost　the　sense　of　comparisons　or　they　would
not　seek　to　thrust　Bolshevism　down　the　throats　of　the　rest　of　the
world。　　They　say　democracy　has　failed；　and　their　substitute　is　murder
and　loot。　　Kitty；　I　want　you　to　leave　this　roost。〃

〃I　shall　stay　until　my　lease　expires。〃

〃Why？　　In　the　face　of　real　danger？〃

〃Because　I　intend　to；　Cutty　…　unless　you　kidnap　me。〃

〃Have　you　any　good　reason？〃

〃You'll　laugh；　but　something　tells　me　to　stay　here。〃

But　Cutty　did　not　laugh。　　〃Very　well。　　Tomorrow　an　assistant　janitor
will　be　installed。　　His　name　is　Antonio　Bernini。　　Every　night　he
will　whistle　up　the　tube。　　Whistle　back。　　If　you　are　going　out　for
the　evening　notify　him　where　you　intend　to　go　and　when　you　expect
to　be　back。　　A　wire　from　your　bed　to　his　cot　will　be　installed。　　In
danger；　press　the　button。　　That's　the　best　I　can　do　for　you；　since
you　decide　to　stick。　　I　don't　believe　anything　more　will　happen
to…night；　but　from　now　on　you　will　be　watched。　　Never　come　directly
to　my　apartment。　　Break　your　journey　two　or　three　times　with　taxis。
Always　use　Elevator　Four。　　The　boy　is　mine；　belongs　to　the　service。
So　our　Bolshevik　friends　won't　gather　anything　about　you　from　him。〃

As　a　matter　of　fact；　Cutty　had　now　come　to　the　conviction　that　it
would　be　well　to　let　Kitty　remain　here　as　a　lure。　　He　had　urged　her
to　leave；　and　she　had　refused；　so　his　conscience　was　tolerably　clear。
Besides；　she　would　henceforth　be　guarded　with　a　ceaseless　efficiency
second　only　to　that　which　encompasses　a　President　of　the　United
States。　　Always　some　man　of　the　service　would　be　watching　those
who　watched　her。　　This　was　going　to　develop　into　a　game　of　small
nets；　one　or　two　victims　at　a　time。　　Because　these　enemies　of
civilization　lacked　coherence　in　action　there　would　be　slim　chance
of　rounding　them　up　in　bulk。　　But　from　now　on　men　would　vanish　…　one
here；　a　pair　there；　perhaps　on　occasion　four　or　five。　　And　those　who
had　known　them　would　know　them　no　more。　　The　policy　would　be　that
employed　by　the　British　in　the　submarine　campaign　…　mysterious
silence　after　the　evanishment。

〃It's　all　so　exciting！〃　said　Kitty。　　〃But　that　poor　old　man　Gregor！
He　had　a　wonderful　violin；　Cutty；　and　sometimes　I　used　to　hear　him
play　folklore　music　…　sad；　haunting　melodies。〃

〃We'll　know　in　a　little　while　what's　become　of　him。　　I　doubt　there
is　a　foreign　organization　in　the　city　that　hasn't　one　or　more　of
our　men　on　the　inside。　　A　word　will　be　dropped　somewhere。　　I'm
rarely　active　on　this　side　of　the　Atlantic；　and　what　I'm　doing　now
is　practically　due　to　interest。　　But　every　active　operative　in　New
York；　Boston；　Philadelphia；　and　Chicago　is　on　the　lookout　for　a
man　who；　if　left　free；　will　stir　up　a　lot　of　trouble。　　He　has
leadership；　this　Boris　Karlov；　a　former　intimate　here　of　Trotzky's。
We　have　reason　to　believe　that　he　slipped　through　the　net　in　San
Francisco。　　Probably　under　a　cleverly　forged　passport。　　Now　please
describe　the