the drums of jeopardy-第17章

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of　jeopardy！　　Murder　and　loot；　he　could　understand。

Immediately　after　the　patient　was　put　to　bed　Cutty　changed。　　A
nondescript　suit　of　the　day…labourer　type　and　a　few　deft　touches
of　coal　dust　completed　his　make…up。

〃I　shan't　be　back　until　morning；〃　he　announced。　　〃Work　to　do。
Kuroki　will　be　at　your　service　through　the　night；　Miss　Frances。
Strike　that　Burmese　gong　once；　at　any　hour。　　Come　along；　Harrison。〃

〃Want　any　company？〃　asked　Harrison；　with　a　belligerent　twist　to　his
moustache。

Cutty　laughed。　　〃No。　　You　run　along　to　your　lambs。　　I'm　running　with
the　wolves　to…night；　old　scout；　and　you　might　get　that　spick…and…span
uniform　considerably　mussed　up。　　Besides；　it's　raining。〃

〃But　what's　to　become　of　Miss　Conover？　　She　ought　not　to　remain
alone　in　that　apartment。〃

〃Well；　well！　　I　thought　of　that；　too。　　But　she　can　take　care　of
herself。〃

〃Those　ruffians　may　call　up　the　hospital　and　learn　that　we　tricked
them。

〃And　then？〃

〃Try　to　force　the　truth　from　Miss　Conover。〃

〃That's　precisely　the　wherefore　of　this　coal　dust。　　On　your　way！〃

Eleven　o'clock。　　Kitty　was　in　the　kitchen；　without　light；　her　chair
by　the　window；　which　she　had　thrown　up。　　She　had　gone　to　bed；　but
sleep　was　impossible。　　So　she　decided　to　watch　the　Gregor　windows。
Sometimes　the　mind　is　like　a　movie　camera　set　for　a　double　exposure。
The　whole　scene　is　visible；　but　the　camera　sees　only　half　of　it。
Thus；　while　she　saw　the　windows　across　the　court　there　entered　the
other　side　of　her　mind　a　picture　of　the　immaculate　Cutty　crossing
the　platform　with　Johnny　Two…Hawks　thrown　over　his　shoulder。　　The
mental　picture　obscured　the　actual。

She　had　called　him　old。　　Well；　he　was　old。　　And　no　doubt　he　looked
upon　her　as　a　child；　wanting　her　to　spend　the　night　at　a　hotel！　　The
affair　was　over。　　No　one　would　bother　Kitty　Conover。　　Why　should
they？　　But　it　took　strength　to　shoulder　a　man　like　that。　　What　fun
he　and　her　father　must　have　had　together！　　And　Cutty　had　loved　her
mother！　　That　made　Kitty　exquisitely　tender　for　a　moment。　　All
alone；　at　the　age　when　new　friendships　were　impossible。　　A　lovable
man　like　that　going　down　through　life　alone！

Census　taker　of　alien　undesirables；　a　queer　occupation　for　a　man　so
famous　as　Cutty。　　Patriotism　…　to　plunge　into　that　seething
revolutionary　scum　to　sort　the　dangerous　madmen　from　the　harmless
mad…men。　　Courage　and　strength　and　mental　resource；　yes；　Cutty
possessed　these；　and　he　would　be　the　kind　to　laugh　at　a　joke　or　a
hurt。

One　thing；　however；　was　indelibly　printed　on　her　mind。　　Stefani
Gregor　…　either　Cutty　had　met　and　known　the　man　or　he　had　heard　of
him。

Suddenly　she　became　conscious　that　she　was　blinking　as　one　blinks
from　mirror…reflected　sunlight。　　She　cast　about　for　the　source　of
this　phenomenon。　　Obliquely　from　between　the　interstices　of　the
fire…escape　platform　came　a　point　of　moving　white　light。　　She　craned
her　neck。　　A　battery　lamp！　　The　round　spot　of　light　worked　along　the
cement　floor；　vanished　occasionally；　reappeared；　and　then　vanished
altogether。　　Somebody　was　down　there　hunting　for　something。　　What？

Kitty　remained　with　her　head　out　of　the　window　for　some　time；
unmindful　of　the　spatter　of　rain。　　But　nothing　happened。　　The　man
was　gone。　　Of　course　the　incident　might　not　have　the　slightest
bearing　upon　the　previous　adventures　of　this　amazing　night；　still；
it　was　suggestive。　　The　young　man　had　worn　something　round　his　neck。
But　if　his　enemies　had　it　why　should　this　man　comb　the　court；
unless　he　was　a　tenant　and　had　knocked　something　off　a　window　ledge？

She　began　to　appreciate　that　she　was　very　tired；　and　decided　to　go
back　to　bed。　　This　time　she　fell　asleep。　　Her　disordered　thoughts
rearranged　themselves　in　a　dazzling　dream。　　She　found　herself
wandering　through　a　glorious　translucent　green　cavern　…　a　huge
emerald。　　And　in　the　distance　she　heard　that　unmistakable
tumpitum…tump！　　tumpitum…tump！　　It　drew　her　irresistibly。　　She
fought　and　struggled　against　the　fascinating　sound；　but　it　continued
to　draw　her　on。　　Suddenly　from　round　a　corner　came　the　squat　man；
his　hair　a　la　Fuzzy…Wuzzy。　　He　caught　her　savagely　by　the　shoulder
and　dragged　her　toward　a　fire　of　blazing　diamonds。　　On　the　other
side　of　that　fire　was　a　blonde　young　woman　with　a　tiara　of　rubies
on　her　head。　　〃Save　me！　　I　am　Olga；　Olga！〃　　Kitty　struggled
fiercely　and　awoke。

The　light　was　on。　　At　the　side　of　her　bed　were　two　men。　　One　of
them　was　holding　her　bare　shoulder　and　digging　his　fingers　into　it
cruelly。　　They　looked　like　coal　heavers。

〃We　do　not　wish　to　harm　you；　and　won't　if　you're　sensible。　　Where
did　they　take　the　man　you　brought　


CHAPTER　XI


Kitty　did　not　wrench　herself　loose　at　once。　　She　wasn't　quite　sure
that　this　was　not　a　continuance　of　her　nightmare。　　She　knew　that
nightmares　had　a　way　of　breaking　off　in　the　middle　of　things；　of
never　arriving　anywhere。　　The　room　looked　natural　enough　and　the
pain　in　her　shoulder　seemed　real　enough；　but　one　never　could　tell。
She　decided　to　wait　for　the　next　episode。

〃Answer！〃　cried　the　spokesman　of　the　two；　twisting　Kitty's　shoulder。
〃Where　did　they　take　him？〃

Awake！　　Kitty　wrenched　her　shoulder　away　and　swept　the　bedclothes
up　to　her　chin。　　She　was　thoroughly　frightened；　but　her　brain　was
clear。　　The　spark　of　self…preservation　flew　hither　and　about　in
search　of　expediencies；　temporizations。　　She　must　come　through　this
somehow　with　the　vantage　on　her　side。　　She　could　not　possibly　betray
that　poor　young　man；　for　that　would　entail　the　betrayal　of　Cutty
also。　　She　saw　but　one　avenue；　the　telephone；　and　these　two　men
were　on　the　wrong　side　of　the　bed；　between　her　and　the　door。

〃What　do　you　want？〃　　Her　throat　was　so　dry　she　wondered　whether
the　words　were　projected　far　enough　for　them　to　hear。

〃We　want　the　address　of　the　wounded　man　you　brought　into　this
apartment。〃

〃They　took　him　to　a　hospital。〃

〃He　was　taken　away　from　there。〃

〃He　was？〃

〃Yes；　he　was。　　You　may　not　know　where；　but　you　will　know　the　address
of　the　man　who　tricked　us；　and　that　will　be　sufficient。〃

〃The　army　surgeon？　　He　was　called　in　by　chance。　　I　don't　know　where
he　lives。〃

〃The　man　in　the　dress　suit。〃

〃He　was　with　the　surgeon。〃

〃He　came　first。　　Come；　we　have　no　time　to　waste。　　We　don't　want　to
hurt　you；　and　we　hope　you　will　not　force　us。

〃Will　you　step　out　of　the　room　while　I　dress？〃

〃No。　　Tell　us　where　the　man　lives；　and　you　can　have　the　whole
apartment　to　yourself。〃

〃You　speak　English　very　well。〃

〃Enough！　　Do　you　want　us　to　bundle　you　up　in　the　bedclothes　and
carry　you　off？　　It　will　not　be　a　pleasant　experience　for　a　pretty
young　woman　like　yourself。　　Something　happened　to　the　man　you　knew
as　Gregory。　　Will　that　make　you　understand？〃

〃You　know　what　abduction　means？〃

〃Your　police　will　not　catch　us。〃

〃But　I　might　give　you　the　wrong　address。〃

〃Try　it　and　see　what　happens。　　Young　lady；　this　is　a　bad　affair
for　a　woman　to　be　mixed　up　in。　　Be　sensible。　　We　are　in　a　hurry。〃

〃Well；　you　seem　to　have　acquired　at　least　one　American　habit！〃　said
a　gruff　voice　from　the　bedroom　doorway。　　〃Raise　your　hands　quickly；
and　don't　turn；〃　went　on　the　gruff　voice。　　〃If　I　shoot　it　will　be
to　kill。　　It　is　a　rough　game；　as　you　say。　　That's　it；　and　keep　them
up。　　Now；　then；　young　lady；　slip　on　your　kimono。　　Get　up　and　search
these　men。　　I'm　in　a　hurry；　too。〃

Kitty　obeyed；　very　lovely　in　her　dishevelment。　　Repugnant　as　the
task　was　she　disarmed　the　two　men　and　flung　their　weapons　on　the　bed。

〃Now　something　to　tie　their　hands；　anything　that　will　hold。〃

Kitty　could　see　the　speaker　now。　　Another　coal　heaver；　but　evidently
on　her　side。

〃Tie　their　hands　behind　them。。。　　I　warn　you　not　to　move；　men。　　When
I　say　I'll　shoot　I　mean　it。　　Don't　be　afraid　of　hurting　them；　miss。
Very　good。　　Now　bandage　their　eyes。　　Handkerchiefs。〃

But　Kitty's　handkerchiefs　did　not　run　to　the　dimensions'　required；
so　she　ripped　up　a　petticoat。　　Torn　between　her　eagerness　to
complete　a　disagreeable　task　and　her　offended　modesty；　Kitty　went
through　the　performance　with　creditable　alacrity。　　Then　she　jumped
back　into　bed；　doubled　her　knees；　and　once　more　drew　up　the
bedclothes　to　her　chin；　cont