the drums of jeopardy-第47节

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old　red…brick　house。

〃Go　on！〃　she　called　through　the　tube。

The　chauffeur　obeyed；　but　he　stopped　again　directly　behind　Karlov's
taxicab。　　He　slid　off　his　seat　and　opened　the　door。　　His　face　was　grim。

Tumpitum…tump！　　Tumpitum…tump！　　She　did　not　hear　the　tocsin　this　time；
she　felt　it　on　her　spine　…　the　drums　of　fear。　　If　they　touched　her！

〃Come　with　me；　miss。　　If　you　are　sensible　you　will　not　be　harmed。　　If
you　cut　up　a　racket　I'll　have　to　carry　you。〃

〃What　does　this　mean？〃　faltered　Kitty。

〃That　we　have　finally　got　you；　miss。　　You　can　see　for　yourself　that
there　isn't　any　help　in　sight。　　Better　take　it　sensibly。　　We　don't
intend　to　hurt　you。　　It's　somebody　else　we　want。　　There's　a　heavy
score　against　you；　but　we'll　overlook　it　if　you　act　sensibly。　　You
were　very　clever　last　night；　but　the　game　depends　upon　the　last
trick。〃

〃I'll　go　sensibly；〃　Kitty　agreed。　　They　must　not　touch　her！

Karlov　did　not　speak　as　he　opened　the　door　of　the　house　for　her。
His　expression　was　Buddha…like。

〃This　way；　miss；〃　said　the　chauffeur；　affably。

〃You　are　an　American？〃

〃Whenever　it　pays。〃

Presently　Kitty　found　herself　in　the　attic；　alone。　　They　hadn't
touched　her；　so　much　was　gained。　　Poor　little　fool　that　she　was！
It　was　fairly　dark　now；　but　overhead　she　could　see　the　dim　outlines
of　the　scuttle　or　trap。　　The　attic　was　empty　except　for　a　few　pieces
of　lumber　and　some　soap　boxes。　　She　determined　to　investigate　the
trap　at　once；　before　they　came　again。

She　placed　two　soap　boxes　on　end　and　laid　a　plank　across。　　After
testing　its　stability　she　mounted。　　She　could　reach　the　trap　easily；
with　plenty　of　leverage　to　spare。　　She　was　confident　that　she　could
draw　herself　up　to　the　roof。　　She　sought　for　the　hooks　and　liberated
them；　then　she　placed　her　palms　against　the　trap　and　heaved。　　Not
even　a　creak　answered　her。　　She　pressed　upward　again　and　again。　　The
trap　was　immovable。

Light。　　She　turned；　to　behold　Kariov　in　the　doorway；　a　candlestick
in　his　hand。　　〃The　scuttle　is　covered　with　cement；　Miss　Conover。
Nobody　can　get　in　or　out。〃

Kitty　got　down；　her　knees　uncertain。　　If　he　touched　her！　　Oh；　the
fool　she　had　been！

〃What　are　you　going　to　do　with　me？〃　she　asked　through　dry　lips。

〃You　are　to　me　a　bill　of　exchange；　payable　in　something　more　precious
to　me　than　gold。　　I　am　going　to　keep　you　here　until　you　are　ransomed。
The　ransom　is　the　man　you　have　been　shielding。　　If　he　isn't　here　by
midnight　you　vanish。　　Oh；　we　shan't　harm　you。　　Merely　you　will
disappear　until　my　affairs　in　America　are　terminated。　　You　are
clever　and　resourceful　for　so　young　a　woman。　　You　will　understand
that　we　are　not　going　to　turn　aside。　　You　are　not　a　woman　to　me；　you
are　a　valuable　pawn。　　You　are　something　to　bargain　for。〃

〃I　understand；〃　said　Kitty；　her　heart　trying　to　burst　through。　　It
seemed　impossible　that　Karlov　should　not　hear　the　thunder。　　To
placate　him；　to　answer　his　questions；　to　keep　him　from　growing
angry！

〃I　thought　you　would。〃　Karlov　set　the　candle　on　Kitty's　impromptu
stepladder。　　〃We　saw　your　interest　in　the　affair；　and　attacked　you
on　that　side。　　You　had　seen　me　once。　　Being　a　newspaper　writer　…
the　New　York　kind　…　you　would　not　rest　until　you　learned　who　I　was。
You　would　not　forget　me。　　You　were　too　well　guarded　uptown。　　You
have　been　out　of　the　city　for　a　week。　　We　could　not　find　where。
You　were　reported　seen　entering　your　office　this　morning；　and　here
you　are。　　My　one　fear　was　that　you　might　not　see　me。　　Personally
you　will　have　no　cause　to　worry。　　No　hand　shall　touch　you。

〃Thank　you　for　that。〃

〃Don't　misunderstand。　　There　is　no　sentiment　behind　this　promise。
I　imagine　your　protector　will　sacrifice　much　for　your　sake。　　Simply
it　is　unnecessary　to　offer　you　any　violence。　　Do　you　know　who　the
man　is　your　protector　is　shielding？〃

Kitty　shook　her　head。

〃Has　he　played　the　fiddle　for　you？〃

〃Yes。〃

Karlov　smiled。　　〃Did　you　dance？〃

〃Dance？　　I　don't　understand。〃

〃No　matter。　　He　can　play　the　fiddle　nearly　as　well　as　his　master。
The　two　of　them　have　gone　across　the　world　fiddling　the　souls　of
women　out　of　their　bodies。〃

Kitty　sat　down　weakly　on　the　plank。　　Terror　from　all　points。
Karlov's　unexcited　tones　…　his　lack　of　dramatic　gesture　…　convinced
her　that　this　was　deadly　business。　　Terror　that　for　all　the　promise
of　immunity　they　might　lay　hands　on　her。　　Terror　for　Johnny
Two…Hawks；　for　Cutty。

〃Has　he　injured　you？〃　she　asked；　to　gain　time。

〃He　is　an　error　in　chronology。　　He　represents　an　idea　which　no
longer　exists。〃　　He　spoke　English　fluently；　but　with　a　rumbling
accent。

〃But　to　kill　him　for　that！〃

〃Kill　him？　　My　dear　young　lady；　I　merely　want　him　to　fiddle　for　me；〃
said　Karlov　with　another　smile。

〃You　tried　to　kill　him；〃　insisted　Kitty；　the　dryness　beginning　to
leave　her　throat。

〃Bungling　agents。　　Do　know　what　became　of　them　…　the　two　who　invaded
your　bedroom？〃

〃They　were　taken　away　the　police。〃

〃So　I　thought。　　What　became　of　the　wallet？〃

〃I　found　it　hidden　on　the　back　of　my　stove。〃

〃I　never　thought　to　look　there；〃　said　Karlov；　musingly。　　〃Who　has
the　drums？〃

〃The　emeralds？　　You　haven't　them！〃　cried　Kitty；　becoming　her　mother's
daughter；　though　her　heart　never　beat　so　thunderously　as　now。　　〃We
thought　you　had　them！〃

Karlov　stared　at　her；　moodily。　　〃What　is　that　button　for；　at　the
side　of　your　bed？〃

Kitty　comprehended　the　working　of　the　mind　that　formulated　this
question。　　If　she　answered　truthfully　he　would　accept　her
statements。　　〃It　rings　an　alarm　in　the　basement。〃

Karlov　nodded。　　〃You　are　truthful　and　sensible　I　haven't　the
emeralds。〃

〃Perhaps　one　of　your　men　betrayed　you。〃

〃I　have　thought　of　that。　　But　if　he　had　betrayed　me　the　drums　would
have　been　discovered　by　the　police。。。。　　Damn　them　to　hell！〃　　Kitty
wondered　whether　he　meant　the　police　or　the；　emeralds。　　

〃Later；　food　and　a　blanket　will　be　brought　to　you。　　If　your　ransom
does　not　appear　by　midnight　you　will　be　taken　away。　　If　you　struggle
we　may　have　to　handle　you　roughly。　　That　is　as　you　please。〃

Karlov　went　out；　locking　the　door。

Oh；　the　blind　little　fool　she　had　been！　　All　those　constant　warnings；
and　she　had　not　heeded！　　Cutty　had　warned　her　repeatedly；　so　had
Bernini；　and　she　had　deliberately　walked　into　this　trap。　　As　if　this
cold；　murderous　madman　would　risk　showing　himself　without　some　grim
and　terrible　purpose。　　She　had　written　either　Cutty's　or　Johnny
Two…Hawks'　death　warrant。　　She　covered　her　eyes。　　It　was　horrible。　　

Perhaps　not　Cutty；　but　assuredly　Two…hawks。　　His　life　for　her
liberty。

〃And　he　will　come！〃　she　whispered。　　She　knew　it。　　How；　was　not　to
be　analyzed。　　She　just　knew　that　he　would　come。　　What　if　he　had
smiled　like　that！　　The　European　point　of　view　and　her　own
monumental　folly。　　He　would　come　quietly；　without　protest；　and
give　himself　up。

〃God　forgive　me！　　What　can　I　do？　　What　can　I　do？〃

She　slid　to　the　floor　and　rocked　her　body。　　Her　fault！　　He　would
come　…　even　as　Cutty　would　have　come　had　he　been　the　man　demanded。
And　Karlov　would　kill　him　…　because　he　was　an　error　in　chronology！
She　sensed　also　that　the　anarchist　would　not　look　upon　his　act　as
murder。　　He　would　be　removing　an　obstacle　from　the　path　of　his　sick
dreams。

Comparisons！　　She　saw　how　much　alike　the　two　were。　　Cutty　was　only
Johnny　Two…Hawks　at　fifty…two　…　fearless　and　whimsical。　　Had　Cutty
gone　through　life　without　looking　at　some　woman　as；　last　night；
Two…Hawks　had　looked　at　her？　　All　the　rest　of　her　life　she　would
see　Two…Hawks'　eyes。

Abysmal　fool；　to　pit　her　wits　against　such　men　as　Karlov！　　Because
she　had　been　successful　to　a　certain　extent；　she　had　overrated　her
cleverness；　with　this　tragic　result。。。　He　had　fiddled　the　soul　out
of　her。　　But　death！

She　sprang　up。　　It　was　maddening　to　sit　still；　to　feel　the　approach
of　the　tragedy　without　being　able　to　prevent　it。　　She　investigated
the　windows。　　No　hope　in　this　direction。　　It　was　rapidly　growing
dark　outside。　　What　time　was　it？

The　door　opened。　　A　man　she　had　not　seen　before　came　in　with　a
blanket；　a　pitcher　of　water；　and　some　graham　crackers。　　His　fingers
were　stained　a　brilliant　yellow　and　a　peculiar　odour　emanated　from
his　clothes。　　He　did　not　speak　to　her；　but　set　the　articles　on　the
floor　and　departed。

Kitty　did　not　stir。　　An　hour　passed；　she　sat　as　one　in　a　trance。
The　tallow　dip　was　sinking。　　By　and　by　she　became　conscious　of　a
faint　sound；　a　tapping。　　Whence　it　came　she　could　not　tell。　　She
moved　about　cautiously；　endeavouring　to　locate　it。　　When　she
finally　did　the　blood　drummed　in　her　ears。　　The　trap！　　Someone　was
trying　to　get　in　through　the　trap！

Cutty！　　Thus　soon！　　Who　else　could　it　be？　　She　hunted　for　a　piece　of
lumber　light　enough　to　raise　to　the　trap。　　She　tapped　three　times；
and　waited。　　Silence。　　She　repeated　the　signal。　　This　time　it　was
answered。　　Cutty！　　In　a　little　while　she　would　be　free；　and　Two…Hawks
would　not　have　to　pay　for　her　folly　with　his　life。　　Terror　and
remorse　departed　forthwith。

She　took　the　plank　to　the　door　and　pushed　one　end　under　the　door
knob。　　Then　she　piled　the　other　planks　against　the　butt。　　The　moment
she　heard　steps　on　the　stairs　she　would　stand　on　the　planks。　　It
woul