the drums of jeopardy-第26章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃A girl … who gave me something to eat？〃
〃Yes。 She fed you； and later probably your life。〃
〃Thanks。〃 Hawksley closed his eyes。
Cutty and the nurse watched him interestedly for a few minutes； but
as he did not stir again the nurse took up her temperature sheet and
Cutty returned to his eggs。 Was there a girl？ No question about
the emeralds； no interest in the day and the hour。 Was there a
girl？ The last person he had seen； Kitty； the first question； after
coming into the light： Had he seen her？ Then and there Cutty knew
that when he died he would carry into the Beyond； of all his earthly
possessions … a chuckle。 Human beings！
The yarn that reporter had missed by a hair … front page；
eight…column head！ But he had missed it； and that was the main thing。
The poor devil！ Beaten and without a sou marque in his pockets； his
trail was likely to be crowded without the assistance of any
newspaper publicity。 But what a yarn！ What a whale of a yarn！
In his fevered flights Hawksley had spoken of having paid Kitty for
that meal。
Kitty had said nothing about it。 Supposing …
〃Telephone； sair；〃 announced the Jap。 〃Lady。〃
Molly's girl！ Cutty sprinted to the telephone。
〃Hello！ That you； Kitty？〃
〃Yes。 How is Johnny Two…Hawks？〃
〃Back to earth。〃
'When can I see him？ I'm just crazy to know what the story is！〃
〃Say the third or fourth day from this。 We'll have him shaved and
sitting up then。〃
〃Has he talked？〃
〃Not permitted。 Still determined to stay the run of your lease？〃
Cutty heard a laugh。 〃All right。 Only I hope you will never have
cause to regret this decision。〃
〃Fiddlesticks！ All I've got to do in danger is to press a button；
and presto！ here's Bernini。〃
〃Kitty； did Hawksley pay you for that meal？〃
〃Good heavens； no！ What makes you ask that？〃
〃In his delirium he spoke of having paid you。 I didn't know。〃
Cutty's heart began to rap against his ribs。 Supposing； after all；
Karlov hadn't the stones？ Supposing Hawksley had hidden them
somewhere in Kitty's kitchen？
〃Anything about Gregor？〃
〃No。 Remember； you're to call me up twice a day and report the news。
Don't go out nights if you can avoid it。〃
〃I'll be good；〃 Kitty agreed。 〃And now I must hie me to the job。
Imagine； Cutty ！ … writing personalities about stage folks and
gabfesting with Burlingame and all the while my brain boiling with
this affair！ The city room will kill me； Cutty； if it ever finds
out that I held back such a yarn。 But it wouldn't he fair to Johnny
Two…Hawks。 Cutty； did you know that your wonderful drums of jeopardy
are here in New York？〃
〃What？〃 barked Cutty。
〃Somebody is offering to buy them。 There was an advertisement in
the paper this morning。 Cutty？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃The first problem in arithmetic is two and two make four。 By…by！〃
Dizzily Cutty hung up the receiver。 He had not reckoned on the
possibility of Kitty seeing that damfool advertisement。 Two and
two made four； and four and four made eight； so on indefinitely。
That is to say； Kitty already had a glimmer of the startling truth。
The initial misstep on his part had been made upon her pronouncement
of the name Stefani Gregor。 He hadn't been able to control his
surprise。 And yesterday； having frankly admitted that he knew
Gregor； all that was needed to complete the circle was that
advertisement。 Cutty tore his hair； literally。 The very door he
hoped she might overlook he had thrown open to her。
Thaddeus of Warsaw。 But it should not be。 He would continue to
offer a haven to that chap； but no nonsense。 None of that sinister
and unfortunate blood should meddle with Kitty Conover's happiness。
Her self…appointed guardian would attend to that。
He realized that his attitude was rather inexplicable； but there
were some adventures which hypnotized women； and one of this sort
was now unfolding for Kitty。 That she had her share of common
sense was negligible in face of the facts that she was imaginative
and romantical and adventuresome； and that for the first time she
was riding one of the great middle currents in human events。 She
was Molly's girl； Cutty was going to look out for her。
Mighty odd that this fear for her should have sprung into being that
night； quite illogically。 Prescience？ He could not say。 Perhaps
it was a borrowed instinct … fatherly； the same instinct that would
have stirred her father into action … the protection of that dearest
to him。
If he told her who Hawksley really was； that would intrigue her。 If
he made a mystery of the affair； that； too； would intrigue her。 And
there you were； 'twixt the devil and the deep blue sea。 Hang it；
what evil luck had stirred him to tell her about those emeralds？
Already she was building a story to satisfy her dramatic fancy。 Two
and two made four … which signified that she was her father's
daughter； that she would not rest until she had explored every corner
of this dark room。 Wanting to keep her out of it； and then dragging
her into it through his cupidity。 Devil take those emeralds！ Always
the same； trouble wherever they were。
The real danger would rise during the convalescence。 Kitty would be
contriving to drop in frequently； not to see Hawksley especially； but
her initial success in playing hide and seek with secret agents；
friendly and otherwise； had tickled her fancy。 For a while it would
be an exciting game； then it might become only a means to an end。
Well； it should not be。
Was there a girl！ Already Hawksley had recorded her beauty。 Very
well； the first sign of sentimental nonsense； and out he should go；
Karlov or no Karlov。 Kitty wasn't going to know any hurt in this
affair。 That much was decided。
Cutty stormed into his study； growling audibly。 He filled a pipe
and smoked savagely。 Another side； Kitty's entrance into the drama
promised to spoil his own fun； he would have to play two games
instead of one。 A fine muddle！
He came to a stand before one of the windows and saw the glory of
the morning flashing from the myriad spires and towers and roofs；
and wondered why artists bothered about cows in pastures。
Touching his knees was an antique Florentine bridal chest； with
exquisite carving and massive lock。 He threw back the lid and
disclosed a miscellany never seen by any eye save his own。 It was
all the garret he had。 He dug into it and at length resurrected
the photograph of a woman whose face was both roguish and beautiful。
He sat on the floor a la Turk and studied the face； his own tender
and wistful。 No resemblance to Kitty except in the eyes。 How
often he had gone to her with the question burning his lips； only
to carry it away unspoken！ He turned over the photograph and read：
〃To the nicest man I know。 With love from Molly。〃 With love。 And
he had stepped aside for Tommy Conover！
By George！ He dropped the photograph into the chest； let down the
lid； and rose to his feet。 Not a bad idea； that。 To intrigue Kitty
himself； to smother her with attentions and gallantries； to give her
out of his wide experience； and to play the game until this intruder
was on his way elsewhere。
He could do it； and he based his assurance upon his experiences and
observations。 Never a squire of dames； he knew the part。 He had
played the game occasionally in the capitals of Europe when there
had been some information he had particularly desired。 Clever；
scheming women； too。 A clever； passably good…looking elderly man
could make himself peculiarly attractive to young women and women in
the thirties。 Dazzlement for the young； the man who knew all about
life； the trivial little courtesies a younger man generally forgot；
the moving of chairs； the holding of wraps； the gray hairs which
served to invite trust and confidence； which lulled the eternal
feminine fear of the male。 To the older women； no callow youth but
a man of discernment； discretion； wit and fancy and daring； who
remembered birthdays husbands forgot； who was always round when
wanted。
There was no vanity back of these premises。 Cutty was merely
reaching about for an expedient to thwart what to his anticipatory
mind promised to be an inevitabili
