the drums of jeopardy-第46节

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arms　round　his　neck；　the　absolute　trust　of　that　embrace。　　Molly's
girl。　　No；　he　could　not　do　it。　　He　would　have　to　back　down；　tell
her　he　could　not　put　the　bargain　through；　invent　some　other　scheme。

The　idea　had　been　repugnant　to　her。　　It　had　taken　her　a　week　to
fight　it　out。　　It　was　a　little　beyond　his　reach；　however；　why　the
idea　should　have　been　repugnant　to　her。　　It　entailed　nothing　beyond
a　bit　of　mummery。　　The　repugnance　was　not　due　to　religious　training。
The　Conover　household；　as　he　recalled　it；　had　been　rather　lax　in
that　respect。　　Why；　then；　should　Kitty　have　hesitated？

He　thought　of　Hawksley；　and　swore。　　But　for　Hawksley's　suggestion
no　muddle　like　this　would　have　occurred。　　Devil　take　him　and　his
infernal　green　stones！

Cutty　suddenly　remembered　his　train。　　He　looked　at　his　watch　and
saw　that　his　lower　berth　was　well　on　the　way　to　Baltimore。　　Always
and　eternally　he　was　missing　something。



CHAPTER　XXIX


Not　unusually；　when　we　burn　our　bridges；　we　have　in　the　back　of　our
minds　the　dim　hope　that　there　may　be　a　shallow　ford　somewhere。　　Thus；
bridges　should　not　be　burned　impulsively；　there　may　be　no　ford。

The　idea　of　retreat　pushed　forward　in　Kitty's　mind　the　moment　she
awoke；　but　she　pressed　it　back　in　shame。　　She　had　given　her　word；
and　she　would　stand　by　it。　　

The　night　had　been　a　series　of　wild　impulses。　　She　had　not　sent　that
telegram　to　Cutty　as　the　result　of　her　deliberations　in　the　country。
Impulse；　a　flash；　and　the　thing　was　done；　her　bridges　burned。　　To
crush　Johnny　Two…Hawks；　fill　his　cup　with　chagrin；　she　had　told　him
she　was　going　to　marry　Cutty。　　That　was　the　milk　in　the　cocoanut。
Morning　has　a　way　of　showing　up　night…gold　for　what　it　is　…　tinsel。
Kitty　saw　the　stage　of　last　night's　drama　dismantled。　　If　there　was
a　shallow　ford；　she　would　never　lower　her　pride　to　seek　it。　　She
had　told　Two…Hawks；　sent　that　wire　to　Cutty；　broke　the　news　to
Bernini。

But　did　she　really　want　to　go　back？　　Not　to　know　her　own　mind；　to
swing　back　and　forth　like　a　pendulum！　　Was　it　because　she　feared
that；　having　married　Cutty；　she　might　actually　fall　in　love　with
some　other　man　later？　　She　could　still　go　through　the　mummery　as
Cutty　had　planned；　but　what　about　all　the　sublime　generosity　of
the　preceding　night？

A　queer　feeling　pervaded　her：　She　was　a　marionette；　a　human
manikin；　and　some　invisible　hand　was　pulling　the　wires　that　made
her　do　all　these　absurd　things。　　Her　own　mind　no　longer　controlled
her　actions。　　The　persistence　of　that　waltz！　　It　had　haunted　her；
broken　into　her　dreams；　awakened　her　out　of　them。　　Why　should　she
be　afraid？　　What　was　there　to　be　afraid　of　in　a　recurring　melody？
She　had　heard　a　dozen　famed　violinists　play　it。　　It　had　never
before　affected　her　beyond　a　flash　of　emotionalism。　　Perhaps　it
was　the　romantic　misfortune　of　the　man；　the　mystery　surrounding
him；　the　menace　which　walled　him　in。

Breakfast。　　Human　manikins　had　appetites。　　So　she　made　her
breakfast。　　Before　leaving　the　kitchen　she　stopped　at　the　window。
The　sun　filled　the　court　with　brilliant　light。　　The　patches　of
rust　on　the　fire…escape　ladder；　which　was　on　the　Gregor　side　of
the　platform；　had　the　semblance　of　powdered　gold。

Half　an　hour　later　she　was　speeding　downtown　to　the　office。　　All
through　the　day　she　walked；　worked；　talked　as　one　in　the　state　of
trance。　　There　were　periods　of　stupefaction　which　at　length　roused
Burlingame's　curiosity。

〃Kitty；　what's　the　matter　with　you？　　You　look　dazed　about　something。〃

〃How　do　you　clean　a　pipe？〃　she　countered；　irrelevantly。

〃Clean　a　pipe？〃　he　repeated；　nearly　overbalancing　his　chair。

〃Yes。　　You　see；　I　may　make　up　my　mind　to　marry　a　man　who　smokes　a
pipe；〃　said　Kitty；　desperately；　eager　to　steer　Burlingame　into
another　channel；　〃and　certainly　I　ought　to　know　how　to　clean　one。〃

〃Kitty；　I'm　an　old…timer。　　You　can't　sidetrack　me　like　this。
Something　has　happened。　　You　say　you　had　a　great　time　in　the
country；　and　you　come　in　as　pale　as　the　moon；　like　someone
suffering　from　shell　shock。　　Ever　since　Cutty　came　in　here　that
day　you've　been　acting　oddly。　　You　may　not　know　it；　but　Cutty
asked　me　to　send　you　out　of　town。　　You've　been　in　some　kind　of
danger。　　What's　the　yarn？〃

〃So　big　that　no　newspaper　will　ever　publish　it；　Burly。　　If　Cutty
wants　to　tell　you　some　day　he　can。　　I　haven't　the　right　to。〃

〃Did　he　drag　you　into　it　or　did　you　fall　into　it？〃

〃I　walked　into　it；　as　presently　I　shall　walk　out　of　it　…　all　on　my
own。

〃Better　keep　your　eyes　open。　　Cutty's　a　stormy　petrel；　when　he
flies　there's　rough　weather。〃

〃What　do　you　know　about　him？〃

〃Probably　what　he　has　already　told　you　…　that　he　is　a　foreign　agent
of　the　Government。　　What　do　you　know？〃

〃Everything　but　one　thing；　and　that's　a　problem　particularly　my　own。〃

〃Alien　stuff；　I　suppose。　　Cutty's　strong　on　that。　　Well；　mind　your
step。　　The　boys　are　bringing　in　queer　scraps　about　something　big
going　to　happen　May　Day　…　no　facts；　just　rumours。　　Better　shoot　for
home　the　shortest　route　each　night　and　stick　round　there。〃

There　are　certain　spiritual　exhilarants　that　nullify　caution；
warning　the　presence　of　danger。　　The　boy　with　his　first　pay　envelope；
the　lover　who　has　just　been　accepted；　the　debutante　on　the　way　to　her
first　ball；　the　impetus　that　urges　us　to　rush　in　where　angels　fear
to　tread。

At　a　quarter　after　five　Kitty　left　the　office　for　home；　unaware　that
the　attribute　designated　as　caution　had　evaporated　from　her　system。
She　proceeded　toward　the　Subway　mechanically；　the　result　of　habit。
Casually　she　noted　two　taxicabs　standing　near　the　Subway　entrance。
That　she　noted　them　at　all　was　due　to　the　fact　that　Subway　entrances
were　not　fortuitous　hunting　grounds　for　taxicabs。　　Only　the　unusual
would　have　attracted　her　in　her　present　condition　of　mind。　　It　takes
time　and　patience　to　weave　a　good　web　…　observe　any　spider　…　time　in
finding　a　suitable　place　for　it；　patience　in　the　spinning。　　All　that
worried　Karlov　was　the　possibility　of　her　not　observing　him。　　If　he
could　place　his　taxicabs　where　they　would　attract　her；　even　casually；
the　main　difficulty　would　be　out　of　the　way。　　The　moment　she　turned
her　head　toward　the　cabs　he　would　step　out　into　plain　view。　　The　girl
was　susceptible　and　adventuresome。

Kitty　saw　a　man　step　out　of　the　foremost　taxicab；　give　some
instructions　to　the　chauffeur；　and　get　back　into　the　cab；
immediately　to　be　driven　off　at　moderate　speed。　　She　recognized　the
man　at　once。　　Never　would　she　forget　that　squat；　gorilla…like　body。
Karlov！　　Yonder；　in　that　cab！　　She　ran　to　the　remaining　cab；　wherein
she　differed　from　angels。

〃Are　you　free？〃

〃Yes；　miss。〃

〃See　that　taxi　going　across　town？　　Follow　it　and　I　will　give　you　ten
extra　fare。〃

〃You're　on；　miss。〃

Karlov　peered　through　the　rear　window　of　his　cab。　　If　she　had　in
tow　a　Federal　agent　the　manoeuvre　would　fail；　at　a　great　risk　to
himself。　　But　he　would　soon　be　able　to　tell　whether　or　not　she　was
being　followed。

As　a　matter　of　fact；　she　was　not。　　She　had　returned　to　New　York　a
day　before　she　was　expected。　　Her　unknown　downtown　guardian　would
not　turn　up　for　duty　until　ordered　by　Cutty　to　do　so。　　She　entered
the　second　cab　with　no　definite　plan　in　her　head。　　Karlov；　the　man
who　wanted　to　kill　Johnny　Two…Hawks；　the　man　who　held　Stefani
Gregor　a　prisoner！　　For　the　present　these　facts　were　sufficient。
〃Don't　get　too　near；〃　said　Kitty　through　the　speaking　tube。　　〃Just
keep　the　cab　in　sight。〃

A　perfectly　logical　compensation。　　She　herself　had　set　in　motion
the　machinery　of　this　amazing　adventure；　it　was　logically　right
that　she　should　end　it。　　Poor　dear　old　Cutty　…　to　fancy　he　could
pull　the　wool　over　Kitty　Conover's　eyes！　　Cutty；　the　most　honest
man　alive；　had　set　his　foot　upon　an　unethical　bypath　and　now　found
himself　among　nettles。　　To　keep　Johnny　Two…Hawks　prisoner　in　that
lofty　apartment　while　he　hunted　for　the　drums　of　jeopardy！　　Hadn't
he　said　he　had　seen　emeralds　he　would　steal　with　half　a　chance？
Cutty；　playing　at　this　sort　of　game；　his　conscience　biting　whichever
way　he　turned！　　He　had　been　hunting　unsuccessfully　for　the　stones
that　night　he　had　come　in　with　his　face　and　hands　bloody。　　Why
hadn't　he　kissed　her？

Johnny　Two…Hawks　…　bourgeois？　　Utter　nonsense！　　Of　course　it　did
not　matter　now　what　he　was；　he　had　dug　a　bridgeless　chasm　with　that
smile。　　Sometime　to…morrow　he　and　Stefani　Gregor　would　be　on　their
way　to　Montana；　and　that　would　be　the　last　of　them　both。　　To…morrow
would　mark　the　fork　in　the　road。　　But　life　would　never　again　be
humdrum　for　Kitty　Conover。

The　taxicabs　were　bumping　over　cobbles；　through　empty　streets。　　It
was　six　by　now；　at　that　hour　this　locality；　which　she　recognized　as
the　warehouse　district；　was　always　dead。　　The　deserted　streets；　how
ever；　set　in　motion　a　slight　perturbation。　　Supposing　Karlov　grew
suspicious　and　turned　aside　from　his　objective？　　Even　as　this
disturbing　thought　took　form　Karlov's　taxicab　stopped。　　Kitty's
stopped　also；　but　without　instructions　from　her。　　She　had　intended
to　drive　on　and　from　the　rear　window　observe　if　Karlov　entered　that
old　red…brick　house。

〃Go　on！〃　she　called　through　the　tube。

The　chauffeur　obeyed；　but　he　stop