the drums of jeopardy-第24节

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was　on　his　way　elsewhere。

He　could　do　it；　and　he　based　his　assurance　upon　his　experiences　and
observations。　　Never　a　squire　of　dames；　he　knew　the　part。　　He　had
played　the　game　occasionally　in　the　capitals　of　Europe　when　there
had　been　some　information　he　had　particularly　desired。　　Clever；
scheming　women；　too。　　A　clever；　passably　good…looking　elderly　man
could　make　himself　peculiarly　attractive　to　young　women　and　women　in
the　thirties。　　Dazzlement　for　the　young；　the　man　who　knew　all　about
life；　the　trivial　little　courtesies　a　younger　man　generally　forgot；
the　moving　of　chairs；　the　holding　of　wraps；　the　gray　hairs　which
served　to　invite　trust　and　confidence；　which　lulled　the　eternal
feminine　fear　of　the　male。　　To　the　older　women；　no　callow　youth　but
a　man　of　discernment；　discretion；　wit　and　fancy　and　daring；　who
remembered　birthdays　husbands　forgot；　who　was　always　round　when
wanted。

There　was　no　vanity　back　of　these　premises。　　Cutty　was　merely
reaching　about　for　an　expedient　to　thwart　what　to　his　anticipatory
mind　promised　to　be　an　inevitability。　　Of　course　the　glamour　would
not　last；　it　never　did；　but　he　felt　he　could　sustain　it　until
yonder　chap　was　off　and　away。

That　evening　at　five…thirty　Kitty　received　a　box　of　beautiful　roses；
with　Cutty's　card。

〃Oh；　the　lovely　things！〃　she　cried。

She　kissed　them　and　set　them　in　a　big　copper　jug；　arranged　and
rearranged　them　for　the　simple　pleasure　it　afforded　her。　　What　a
dear　man　this　Cutty　was；　to　have　thought　of　her　in　this　fashion！
Her　father's　friend；　her　mother's；　and　now　hers；　she　had　inherited
him。　　This　thought　caused　her　to　smile；　but　there　were　tears　in　her
eyes。　　A　garden　some　day　to　play　in；　this　mad　city　far　away；　a　home
of　her　own；　would　it　ever　happen？

The　bell　rang。　　She　wasn't　going　to　like　this　caller　for　taking　her
away　from　these　roses；　the　first　she　had　received　in　a　long　time
　…　roses　she　could　keep　and　not　toss　out　the　window。　　For　it　must　not
be　understood　that　Kitty　was　never　besieged。

Outside　stood　a　well…dressed　gentleman；　older　than　Cutty；　with
shrewd；　inquiring　gray　eyes　and　a　face　with　strong　salients。

〃Pardon　me；　but　I　am　looking　for　a　man　by　the　name　of　Stephen
Gregory。　　I　was　referred　by　the　janitor　to　you。　　You　are　Miss
Conover？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Kitty。　　〃Will　you　come　in？〃　　She　ushered　the　stranger
into　the　living　room　and　indicated　a　chair。　　〃Please　excuse　me　for　a
moment。〃　　Kitty　went　into　her　bedroom　and　touched　the　danger　button；
which　would　summon　Bernini。　　She　wanted　her　watchdog　to　see　the
visitor。　　She　returned　to　the　living　room。　　〃What　is　it　you　wish　to
know？〃

〃Where　I　may　find　this　Gregory。〃

〃That　nobody　seems　able　to　answer。　　He　was　carried　away　from　here　in
an　ambulance；　but　we　have　been　unable　to　locate　the　hospital。　　If
you　will　leave　your　name　…　〃

〃That　is　not　necessary。　　I　am　out　of　bounds；　you　might　say；　and　I'd
rather　my　name　should　be　left　out　of　the　affair；　which　is　rather
peculiar。〃

〃In　what　way？〃

〃I　am　only　an　agent；　and　am　not　at　liberty　to　speak。　　Could　you
describe　Gregory？〃

〃Then　he　is　a　stranger　to　you？〃

〃Absolutely。〃

Kitty　described　Gregor　deliberately　and　at　length。　　It　struck　her
that　the　visitor　was　becoming　bored；　though　he　nodded　at　times。　　She
was　glad　to　hear　Bernini's　ring。　　She　excused　herself　to　admit　the
Italian。

〃A　false　alarm；〃　she　whispered。　　〃Someone　inquiring　for　Gregor。　　I
thought　it　might　be　well　for　you　to　see　him。〃

〃I'll　work　the　radiator　stuff。〃

〃Very　well。〃

Bernini　went　into　the　living　room　and　fussed　over　the　steam　cock　of
the　radiator。

〃Nothing　the　matter　with　it；　miss。　　Just　stuck。〃

〃Sorry　to　have　troubled　you；〃　said　the　stranger；　rising　and　picking
up　his　hat。

Bernini　went　down　to　the　basement；　obfuscated；　for　he　knew　the
visitor。　　He　was　one　of　the　greatest　bankers　in　New　York　…　that　is
to　say；　in　America！　　Asking　questions　about　Stefani　Gregor！



CHAPTER　XVI


About　nine　o'clock　that　same　night　a　certain　rich　man；　having
established　himself　comfortably　under　the　reading　lamp；　a　fine　book
in　his　hands　and　a　fine　after…dinner　cigar　between　his　teeth；　was
exceedingly　resentful　when　his　butler　knocked；　entered；　and　presented
a　card。

〃My　orders　were　that　I　was　not　at　home　to　any　one。〃

〃Yes；　sir。　　But　he　said　you　would　see　him　because　he　came　to　see　you
regarding　a　Mr。　Gregory。〃

〃What？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Damn　these　newspapers！　。。。　　Wait；　wait！〃　the　banker　called；　for
the　butler　was　starting　for　the　door　to　carry　the　anathema　to　the
appointed　head。　　〃Bring　him　in。　　He's　a　big　bug；　and　I　can't　afford
to　affront　him。〃

〃Yes；　sir〃　…　with　the　colourless　tone　of　a　perfect　servant。

When　the　visitor　entered　he　stopped　just　beyond　the　threshold。　　He
remained　there　even　after　the　butler　closed　the　door。　　Blue　eye　and
gray　clashed；　two　masters　of　fence　who　had　executed　the　same　stroke。
The　banker　laughed　and　Cutty　smiled。

〃I　suppose；〃　said　the　banker；　〃you　and　I　ought　to　sign　an　armistice；
too。〃

〃Agreed。〃

〃And　you've　always　been　rather　a　puzzle　to　me。　　A　rich　man；　a
gentleman；　and　yet　sticking　to　the　newspaper　game。〃

〃And　you're　a　puzzle　to　me；　too。　　A　rich　man；　a　gentleman；　and　yet
sticking　to　the　banking　game。〃

〃What　the　devil　was　our　row　about？〃

〃Can't　quite　recall。〃

〃Whatever　it　was　it　was　the　way　you　went　at　it。〃

〃A　reform　was　never　yet　accomplished　by　purring　and　pussyfooting；〃
said　Cutty。

〃Come　over　and　sit　down。　　Now；　how　the　devil　did　you　find　out　about
this　Gregory　affair？〃　　The　banker　held　out　his　hand；　which　Cutty
grasped　with　honest　pressure。　　〃If　you　are　here　in　the　capacity　of　a
newspaper　man；　not　a　word　out　of　me。　　Have　a　cigar？〃

〃I　never　smoke　anything　but　pipes　that　ruin　curtains。　　You　should
have　given　your　name　to　Miss　Conover。〃

〃I　was　under　promise　not　to　explain　my　business。　　But　before　we
proceed；　an　answer。　　Newspaper？〃

〃No。　　I　represent　the　Department　of　Justice。　　And　we'll　get　along
easier　when　I　add　that　I　possess　rather　unlimited　powers　under　that
head。　　How　did　you　happen　to　stumble　into　this　affair？〃

〃Through　Captain　Rathbone；　my　prospective　son…in…law；　who　is　in
Coblenz。　　A　cable　arrived　this　morning；　instructing　me　to　proceed
precisely　in　the　manner　I　did。　　Rathbone　is　an　intimate　friend　of
the　man　I　was　actually　seeking。　　The　apartment　of　this　man　Gregory
was　mentioned　to　Rathbone　in　a　cable　as　a　possible　temporary　abiding
place。　　What　do　you　want　to　know？〃

〃Whether　or　not　he　is　undesirable。〃

〃Decidedly；　I　should　say；　desirable。〃

〃You　make　that　statement　as　an　American　citizen？〃

〃I　do。　　I　make　it　unreservedly　because　my　future　son…in…law　is
rather　a　difficult　man　to　make　friends　with。　　I　am　acting　merely
as　Rathbone's　agent。　　On　the　other　hand；　I　should　be　a　cheerful
liar　if　I　told　you　I　wasn't　interested。　　What　do　you　know？〃

〃Everything；〃　answered　Cutty；　quietly。

〃You　know　where　this　young　man　is？〃

〃At　this　moment　he　is　in　my　apartment；　rather　seriously　battered　and
absolutely　penniless。〃

〃Well；　I'll　be　tinker…dammed！　　You　know　who　he　is；　of　course？〃

〃Yes。　　And　I　want　all　your　information　so　that　I　may　guide　my　future
actions　accordingly。　　If　he　is　really　undesirable　he　shall　be
deported　the　moment　he　can　stand　on　his　two　feet。〃

The　banker　pyramided　his　fingers；　rather　pleased　to　learn　that　he
could　astonish　this　interesting　beggar。　　〃He　has　on　account　at　my
bank　half　a　million　dollars。　　Originally　he　had　eight　hundred
thousand。　　The　three　hundred　thousand；　under　cable　orders　from
Yokohama；　was　transferred　to　our　branch　in　San　Francisco。　　This　was
withdrawn　about　two　weeks　ago。　　How　does　that　strike　you？〃

〃All　in　a　heap；〃　confessed　Cutty。　　〃When　was　this　fund　established
with　you？〃

〃Shortly　before　Kerensky's　government　blew　up。　　The　funds　were　in
our　London　bank。　　There　was；　of　course；　a　lot　of　red　tape；　excessive
charges　in　exchange；　and　all　that。　　Anyhow；　about　eight　hundred
thousand　arrived。〃

〃What　brought　him　to　America？　　Why　didn't　he　go　to　England？　　That
would　have　been　the　safest　haven。〃

〃I　can　explain　that。　　He　intends　to　become　an　American　citizen。　　Some
time　ago　he　became　the　owner　of　a　fine　cattle　ranch　in　Montana。〃

〃Well；　I'll　be　tinker…dammed；　too！〃　exploded　Cutty。

〃A　young　man　with　these　ideas　in　his　head　ought　eventually　to　become
a　first…rate　citizen。　　What　do　you　say？〃

〃I　am　considerably　relieved。　　His　forbears；　the　blood　…　〃

〃His　mother　was　a　healthy　Italian　peasant　…　a　famous　singer　in　her
time。　　His　fortune；　I　take　it；　was　his　inheritance　from　her。　　She
made　a　fortune　singing　in　the　capitals　of　Europe　and　speculating
from　time　to　time。　　She　sent　the　boy；　at　the　age　of　ten；　to　England。
Afraid　of　the　home　influence。　　He　remained　there；　under　the　name　of
Hawksley；　for　something　like　fourteen　years；　under　the　guardianship
of　this　fellow　Gregory。　　Of　Gregory　I　know　positively　nothing。　　The
young　fellow　is；　to　all　purposes；　methods　of　living；　points　of　view；
an　Englishman。　　Rathbone；　who　was　educated　at　Oxford；　met　him　there
and　they　shared　quarters。　　But　it　was　only　in　recent　years　that　he
learned　the　identity　of　his　friend。　　In　1914　the　young　fellow
returned　to　Russia。　　Military　obligations。