the drums of jeopardy-第25节

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learned　the　identity　of　his　friend。　　In　1914　the　young　fellow
returned　to　Russia。　　Military　obligations。　　That's　all　I　know。
Mighty　interesting；　though。〃

〃I　am　much　obliged　to　you。　　The　white　elephant　becomes　a　normal　drab
pachyderm；〃　said　Cutty。

〃Still　something　of　an　elephant　on　your　hands。　　I　see。　　Bring　him
here　if　you　wish。〃

〃And　sic　the　Bolshevik　at　your　door。〃

〃That's　so。　　You　spoke　of　his　having　been　beaten　and　robbed。
Bolshevik？〃

〃Yes。　　An　old　line　of　reasoning　first　put　into　effect　by　Oliver
Cromwell。　　The　axe。〃

〃The　poor　devil！〃

〃Fact。　　I'm　sorry　for　him；　but　I　wish　he　would　blow　away　conveniently。〃

〃Rathbone　says　he's　handsome；　gay；　but　decent；　considering。　　Humanity
is　being　knocked　about　some。　　The　hour　has　come　for　our　lawyers　to　go
back　to　their　offices。　　Politics　must　step　aside　for　business。　　We
ought　to　hang　up　signs　in　every　state　capitol　in　the　country：　'Men
Wanted　…　Specialists。'　　A　steel　man　from　Pittsburgh；　a　mining　man　from
Idaho；　a　shipowner　from　Boston；　a　meat　packer　from　Omaha；　a　grain　man
from　Chicago。　　What　the　devil　do　lawyers　know　about　these　things　…　the
energies　that　make　the　wheels　of　this　country　go　round？　　By　the　way；
that　Miss　Conover　was　a　remarkably　pretty　girl。　　She　seemed　to　be　a　bit
suspicious　of　me。〃

〃Good　reasons。　　That　chap　went　to　Gregor's　…　Gregor　is　his　name　…　
and　was　beaten；　robbed；　and　left　for　dead。　　She　saved　his　life。〃

〃Good　Lord！　　Does　she　know？〃

〃No。　　And　what's　more；　I　don't　want　her　to。　　I　am　practically　her
guardian。〃

〃Then　you　ought　to　get　her　out　of　that　roost。〃

〃Hang　it；　I　can't　get　her　to　leave。　　I'm　not　legally　her　guardian；
self…appointed。　　But　she　has　agreed　to　leave　in　May。〃

〃I'm　glad　you　dropped　in。　　Command　me　in　any　way　you　please。〃

〃That's　very　good　of　you；　considering。〃

〃The　war　is　over。　　We'd　be　a　fine　pair　of　fools　to　let　an　ancient
grudge　go　on。　　They　tell　me　you've　a　wonderful　apartment　on　top　of
that　skyscraper　of　yours。〃

〃Will　you　come　to　dinner　some　night？〃

〃Any　time　you　say。　　I　should　like　to　bring　my　daughter。〃

〃She　doesn't　know？〃

〃No。　　Heard　of　Hawksley；　thinks　he's　English。〃

〃I　am　certainly　agreeable。〃　　This　would　be　a　distinct　advantage　to
Kitty。　　〃I　see　you　have　a　good　book　there。　　I'll　take　myself　off。〃

In　the　Avenue　Cutty　loaded　his　pipe。　　He　struck　a　match　on　the
flagstone　and　cupped　it　over　the　bowl　of　his　pipe；　thereby　throwing
his　picturesque　countenance　into　ruddy　relief。　　Opposite　emotions
filled　the　hearts　of　the　two　men　watching　him　…　in　one；　chagrin；　in
the　other；　exultation。

Cutty　decided　to　walk　downtown；　the　night　being　fine。　　He　set　his
foot　to　a　long；　swinging　stride。　　An　elephant　on　his　hands；　truly。
Poor　devil；　for　a　fad！　　Nobody　wanted　him；　not　even　those　who　wished
him　well。　　Wanted　to　become　an　American　citizen。　　He　would　have　been
tolerably　safe　in　England。　　Here　he　would　never　be　free　of　danger。
A　ranch。　　The　beggar　would　have　a　chance　out　there　in　the　West。　　The
anarchist　and　the　Bolshevik　were　town　cooties。　　His　one　chance；
actually。　　The　poor　devil！　　Kitty　had　the　right　idea。　　It　was　a
mighty　fine　thing；　these　times；　to　be　a　citizen　under　the　protection
of　the　American　doctrine。

Three　hundred　thousand！　　And　Karlov　had　got　that　along　with　the　drums。
The　devil's　own　for　luck！　　The　fool　would　be　able　to　start　some　fine
ructions　with　all　that　capital　behind　him。　　Episodes　in　the　night。

Kitty　dreamed　of　wonderful　rose　gardens；　endless　and　changing；　but
strive　as　she　would　she　could　not　find　Cutty　anywhere；　which　worried
her；　even　in　her　dream。

The　nurse　heard　the　patient　utter　a　single　word　several　times　before
he　fell　asleep。

〃What　is　it？〃　she　asked。

〃Fan！〃　And　he　smiled。

She　hunted　for　the　palm　leaf；　but　with　a　slight　gesture　he　signified
that　that　was　not　what　he　wanted。

Cutty　played　solitaire　with　his　chrysoprase　until　the　telephone
broke　in　upon　his　reveries。　　What　he　heard　over　the　wire　disturbed
him　greatly。

〃You　were　followed　from　the　Avenue　to　the　apartment。〃

〃How　do　you　know？〃

〃I　am　Henderson。　　You　assigned　me　to　watch　the　apartment　in　Eightieth
through　the　night。　　I　followed　the　man　who　followed　you。　　He　saw　your
face　when　you　lit　the　pipe。　　When　the　banker　left　Miss　Conover　he　was
followed　home。　　That　established　him　in　the　affair。　　The　follower　hung
round；　and　so　did　I。　　You　appeared。　　He　took　a　chance　shot　in　the　dark。
Not　sure；　but　doing　a　bit　of　clever　guessing。〃

〃You　still　followed　him？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Where　did　he　wind　up？〃

〃A　house　in　the　warehouse　district。　　Vacant　warehouses　on　each　side。
Some　new　nest。　　I　can　lead　you　to　it；　sir；　any　time　you　wish。〃

〃Thanks。〃

Cutty　pushed　aside　the　telephone　and　returned　to　his　green　stones。
After　all；　why　worry？　　It　was　unfortunate；　of　course；　but　the
apartment　was　more　inaccessible　than　the　top　of　the　Matterhorn。
Still；　they　might　discover　what　his　real　business　was　and　interfere
seriously　with　his　future　work　on　the　other　side。　　A　ruin　in　the
warehouse　district？　　A　good　place　to　look　for　Stefani　Gregor　…　if
he　were　still　alive。

He　was。　　And　in　his　dark　room　he　cried　piteously　for　water　…　water
　…　water！



CHAPTER　XVII


A　March　day；　sunny　and　cloudless；　with　fresh；　bracing　winds。　　Green
things　pushed　up　from　the　soil；　an　eternal　something　was　happening
to　the　tips　of　the　tree　branches；　an　eternal　something　was　happening
in　young　hearts。　　A　robin　shook　the　dust　of　travel　from　his　wings
and　bathed　publicly　in　a　park　basin。

Here　and　there　under　the　ten　thousand　roofs　of　the　great　city　poets
were　busy　with　inkpots；　trying　to　say　an　old　thing　in　a　new　way。
Woe　to　the　pinched　soul　that　did　not　expand　this　day；　for　it　was
spring。　　Expansion！　　Nature　…　perhaps　she　was　relenting　a　little；
perhaps　she　saw　that　humanity　was　sliding　down　the　scale；　withering；
and　a　bit　of　extra　sunshine　would　serve　to　check　the　descension　and
breed　a　little　optimism。

Cutty's　study。　　The　sunlight；　thrown　westward；　turned　windows　and
roofs　and　towers　into　incomparable　bijoux。　　The　double　reflection
cast　a　white　light　into　the　room；　lifting　out　the　blue　and　old…rose
tints　of　the　Ispahan　rug。

Cutty　shifted　the　chrysoprase；　irresolutely　for　him。　　A　dozen
problems；　and　it　was　mighty　hard　to　decide　which　to　tackle　first。
Principally　there　was　Kitty。　　He　had　not　seen　her　in　four　days；
deeming　it　advisable　for　her　not　to　call　for　the　present。　　The
Bolshevik　agent　who　had　followed　him　from　the　banker's　might
decide；　without　the　aid　of　some　connecting　episode；　that　he　had
wasted　his　time。

It　did　not　matter　that　Kitty　herself　was　no　longer　watched　and
followed　from　her　home　to　the　office；　from　the　office　home。　　Was
Karlov　afraid　or　had　he　some　new　trick　up　his　sleeve？　　It　was　not
possible　that　he　had　given　up　Hawksley。　　He　was　probably　planning
an　attack　from　some　unexpected　angle。　　To　be　sure　that　Karlov
would　not　find　reason　to　associate　him　with　Kitty；　Cutty　had
remained　indoors　during　the　daytime　and　gone　forth　at　night　in
his　dungarees。

Problem　Two　was　quite　as　formidable。　　The　secret　agent　who　had
passed　as　a　negotiator　for　the　drums　of　jeopardy　had　disappeared。
That　had　sinister　significance。　　Karlov　did　not　intend　to　sell　the
drums；　merely　wanted　precise　information　regarding　the　man　who　had
advertised　for　them。　　If　the　secret…service　man　weakened　under
torture；　Cutty　recognized　that　his　own　usefulness　would　be　at　an
end。　　He　would　have　to　step　aside　and　let　the　great　currents　sweep
on　without　him。　　In　that　event　these　fifty…two　years　would　pile
upon　his　head；　full　measure；　for　the　only　thing　that　kept　him
vigorous　was　action；　interest。　　Without　some　great　incentive　he
would　shrivel　up　and　blow　away　…　like　some　exhumed　mummy。

Problem　Three。　　How　the　deuce　was　he　going　to　fascinate　Kitty　if
he　couldn't　see　her？　　But　there　was　a　bit　of　silver　lining　here。
If　he　couldn't　see　her；　what　chance　had　Hawksley？　　The　whole　sense
and　prompting　of　this　problem　was　to　keep　Kitty　and　Hawksley　apart。
How　this　was　accomplished　was　of　no　vital　importance。　　Problem
Three；　then；　hung　fire　for　the　present。　　Funny；　how　this　idea　stuck
in　his　head；　that　Hawksley　was　a　menace　to　Kitty。　　One　of　those　fool
ideas；　probably；　but　worth　trying　out。

Problem　Four。　　That　night；　all　on　his　own；　he　would　make　an　attempt
to　enter　that　old　house　sandwiched　between　the　two　vacant　warehouses。
Through　pressure　of　authority　he　had　obtained　keys　to　both　warehouses。
There　would　be　a　trap　on　the　roof　of　that　house。　　Doubtless　it　would
be　covered　with　tin；　fairly　impregnable　if　latched　below。　　But　he
could　find　out。　　From　the　third…floor　windows　of　either　warehouse
the　drop　was　not　more　than　six　feet。　　If　anywhere　in　town　poor　old
Stefani　Gregor　would　be　in　one　of　those　rooms。　　But　to　storm　the
house　frontally；　without　being　absolutely　sure；　would　be　folly。
Gregor　would　be　killed。　　The　house　was　in　fact　an　insane　asylum；
occupied　by　super…insane　men。　　Warned；　they　were　capable　of　blowing
the　house　to　kingdom　come；　themselves　with　it。

Problem　Five　was　a　mere　vanishing　point。　　He　doubted　if　he　would
ever　see　those　emeralds。　　What　an　infernal　pity！

He　built　a　coronet　and　leaned　back；　a　wisp　of　smoke　d