the drums of jeopardy-第13章
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〃A dear old man。 A valet at a Broadway hotel。 Oh； I forgot！
Johnny Two…Hawks called him Stefani Gregor。〃
〃Stefani Gregor？〃
〃Yes。 What is it？ Why do you say it like that？〃
〃Say it like what？〃 … sparring for time。
〃As if you had heard the name before？〃
〃Just as I thought！〃 cried Cutty； his nimble mind pouncing upon a
happy invention。 〃You're romantic； Kitty。 You're imagining all
sorts of nonsense about this chap； and you must not let the
situation intrigue you。 If I spoke the name oddly … this Stefani
Gregor … it was because I sensed in a moment that this was a bit of
the overflow。 Southeastern Europe； where the good Samaritan gets
kicked instead of thanked。 Now； here's a good idea。 Of course we
can't turn this poor chap loose upon the public； now that we know
his life is in danger。 That's always the trouble with this Samaritan
business。 When you commit a fine action you assume an obligation。
You hoist the Old Man of the Sea on your shoulders； as it were。 The
chap cannot be allowed to remain here。 So； if Harrison agrees； we'll
take him up to my diggings； where no Bolshevik will ever lay eyes
upon him。〃
〃Bolshevik？〃
〃For the sake of a handle。 They might be Chinamen； for all I know。
I can take care of him until he is on his feet。 And you will be
saved all this annoyance。
〃But I don't believe it's going to be an annoyance。 I'm terribly
interested； and want to see it through。〃
〃If he can be moved； out he goes。 No arguments。 He can't stay
in this apartment。 That's final。〃
〃Exactly why not？〃 Kitty demanded； rebelliously。
〃Because I say so； Kitty。〃
〃Is Stefani Gregor an undesirable？〃
〃You knew him。 What do you say？〃 countered her godfather； evading
the trap。 The innocent child！ He smiled inwardly。
Kitty was keen。 She sensed an undercurrent； and her first attempt
to touch it had failed。 The mere name of Stefani Gregor had not
roused Cutty's astonishment。 She was quite positive that the name
was not wholly unfamiliar to her father's friend。
Still； something warned her not to press in this direction。 He
would be on the alert。 She must wait until he had forgotten the
incident。 So she drew up a chair beside the bed and sat down。
Cutty leaned against the footrail； his expression neutral。 He
sighed inaudibly。 His delightful catnap was over。 Stefani Gregor；
Kitty's neighbour； a valet in a fashionable hotel！ Stefani Gregor；
who； upon a certain day； had placed the drums of jeopardy in the
palms of a war correspondent known to his familiars as Cutty。 And
who was this young man on the bed？
〃There goes the bell！〃 cried Kitty； jumping up。
〃Wait！〃
The ring was repeated vigorously and impatiently。
〃Kitty； I don't quite like the sound of that bell。 Harrison would
have no occasion to be impatient。 Somebody in a hurry。 Now；
attend to me。 I'm going to steal out to the kitchen。 Don't be
afraid。 Call if I'm needed。 Open the door just a crack； with your
foot against it。 If it's Harrison he'll be in uniform。 Call out
his name。 Slam the door if it is someone you don't know。〃
Kitty opened the door as instructed； but she swung it wide because
one of the men outside was a policeman。 The man behind him was a
thickset； squat individual； with puffed； discoloured eyes and a
nose that reminded Kitty of an alligator pear。
〃What's going on here？〃 the policeman demanded to know。
CHAPTER VIII
A phrase； apparently quite irrelevant to the situation； shot into
Kitty's head。 Moribund perspectives。 Instantly she knew； with that
foretasting mind of hers； that the man peering over the policeman's
shoulder and Johnny Two…Hawks had met somewhere that day。 She was
now able to compare the results； and she placed the victory on
Two…Hawks' brow。 Yonder individual somehow justified the instinct
that had prompted her to play the good Samaritan。 Whence had this
gorilla come？ He was not one of the men who had issued in such
dramatic haste from the Gregor apartment。
〃This man here saw you and another carrying someone across the fire
escape。 What's the rumpus？〃 The policeman was not exactly
belligerent； but he was dutifully determined。 And though he was
ready to grant that this girl with the Irish eyes was beautiful； a
man never could tell。
〃There's been a tragedy of some kind；〃 began Kitty。 〃This man
certainly did see us carrying a man across the fire escape。 He had
been set upon and robbed in the apartment across the way。〃
〃Why didn't you call in the police？〃
〃Because he might have died before you got here。〃
〃Where's the man who helped you？〃
〃Gone。 He was an outsider。 He was afraid of getting mixed up in a
police affair and ran away。〃 Behind the kitchen door Cutty smiled。
She would do； this girl。
〃Sounds all right；〃 said the policeman。 〃I'll take a look at the
man。〃
〃This way； if you please；〃 said Kitty； readily。 〃You come； too；
sir；〃 she added as the squat man hesitated。 Kitty wanted to watch
his expression when he saw Johnny Two…Hawks。
Seed on rocky soil； nothing came of the little artifice。 No Buddha's
graven face was less indicative than the squat man's。 Perhaps his
face was too sore to permit mobility of expression。 The drollery
of this thought caused a quirk in one corner of Kitty's mouth。 The
squat man stopped at the foot of the bed with the air of a mere
passer…by and seemed more interested in the investigations of the
policeman than in the man on the bed。 But Kitty knew。
〃A fine bang on the coco；〃 was the policeman's observation。 〃Take
anything out of his pockets？〃
〃They were quite empty。 I've sent for a military surgeon。 He may
arrive at any moment。〃
〃This fellow live across the way？〃
〃That's the odd part of it。 No； he doesn't。〃
〃Then what was he doing there？〃
〃Probably awaiting the return of the real tenant who hasn't returned
up to this hour〃 … with an oblique glance at the squat man。
〃Kind o' queer。 Say； you stay here and watch the lady while I scout
round。〃
The squat man nodded and leaned over the foot of the bed。 The
policeman stalked out。
〃I was in the kitchen；〃 said Kitty； confidingly。 〃I saw shadows on
the window curtain。 It did not look right。 So I started to inquire
and almost bumped into two men leaving the apartment。 They took to
their heels when they saw me。
Again the squat man nodded。 He appeared to be a good listener。
〃Where were you when we crossed the fire escape？〃
〃In the yard on the other side of the fence。〃 There was reluctance
in the guttural voice。
〃Oh； I see。 You live there。〃
As this was a supposition and not a direct query； the squat man
wagged his head affirmatively。
Kitty； her ears strained for disquieting sounds in the kitchen； laid
her palm on the patient's cheek。 It was very hot。 She dipped a bit
of cotton into the water； which had grown cold； and dampened the
wounded man's cheeks and throat。 Not that she expected to accomplish
anything by this act； it relieved the nerve tension。 This man was
no fool。 If her surmises were correct he was a strong man both
in body and in mind。 In a rage he would be terrible。 However； had
Johnny Two…Hawks done it … beaten the man and escaped？ No doubt he
had been watching all the time and had at length stepped in to learn
if his subordinates had followed his instructions and to what extent
they had succeeded。
〃If he dies it will be murder。〃
〃It is a big city。〃
〃And so many terrible things happen like this every day。 But sooner
or later those who commit them are found out。 Nemesis always follows
on the heels of vengeance。〃
For the first time there was a flash of interest in the battered
eyes of the intruder。 Perhaps he saw that this was not only a pretty
woman but a keen one； and sensed the veiled threat。 Moreover； he
knew that she had lied at one point。 There had been no light in the
room across the court。
But what in the world was happening out there in the kitchen？ Kitty
wondered。 So far； not a sound。 Had Cutty really taken flight？ And
why shouldn't he have faced it out at her side？ Very odd on Cutty's
part。 Shortly she heard the heavy shoes of the policeman returning。
〃G
