the drums of jeopardy-第38章
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time putting one over on the old gentleman had a novel appeal。
He stood up and wiped a tickling cobweb from his cheek。 As the
window from which he had descended came into range he stared；
loose…jawed。 Then be chuckled； as thoroughbred adventurers generally
chuckle when they find themselves at the bottom of the sack； the
mouth of which has subitaneously and automatically closed。 Wasn't
he the brainy old top？ Wasn't he Sherlock Holmes plus？ Old fool；
how the devil was he going to get back through that window？
The drums of jeopardy … even to think of them was unlucky！ Not to
have planned a retreat； to have climbed down a well and cut the
bucket rope！ For in effect that was precisely what he had done。
Only wings could carry him up to that window。 With sardonic humour
he felt of his shoulder blades。 Not a feather in sight。 Then he
touched his ears。 Ah； here was something definite； they had grown
several inches during the past few hours。 Monumental ass！
Of course there would be the drain。 He could escape； but； dear Lord！
with enough noise to wake the dead。 And that would write 〃Finis〃 to
this particular adventure。 The quarry and the emeralds would be
gone before he could return with help。 When everything had gone so
smoothly … a jolt like this！
A crowded day； and no mistake； as full of individual acts as a bill
at a vaudeville； trained…animal act last。 Was it possible that he
had gone fiddle hunting that morning； netting an Amati worth ten
thousand dollars？ Hawksley … no； he couldn't blame Hawksley。 Still；
if this young Humpty…Dumpty hadn't been pushed off his wall he；
Cutty； would not now be marooned upon this roof 'twixt the devil
and the deep blue sea。 To remain here until sunrise would be
impossible； to slide down the drain was equally impossible … that
is； if he ever wanted to see Boris Karlov again。 The way of the
transgressor was hard。
He sat on his heels and let his gaze rove four…square； permitting
no object to escape。 He saw a clothes pole leaning against the
chimney。 Evidently the former tenants had hung up their laundry
here。 There was no clothesline； however。 Caught； jolly well；
blooming well caught！ If ever this got abroad he would be laughed
out of the game。 He wasn't going to put one over on Uncle Sam after
all。 There might be some kind of a fire escape on the front of
the house。 No harm in taking a look； it would serve to pass the
time。
There was the usual frontal parapet about three feet in height。
Upturned in the shadow lay a gift from the gods…a battered kitchen
chair； probably used to reach the clothesline in the happy days when
the word 〃Bolshevism〃 was known to only a select few dark angels。
Cutty waved a hand cheerfully if vaguely toward his guiding star；
picked up the chair； commandeered the clothes pole； and silently
manoeuvred to the wall of the warehouse。 Standing on the chair he
placed the tip of the pole against the top of the upper frame and
pushed the frame halfway up。 He repeated this act upon the obdurate
lower half。 He heaved slowly but with all his force。 Glory be；
the lower half went up far enough to afford ingress！ He would eat
his breakfast in the apartment as usual。 To…morrow night he would
establish his line of retreat by fetching a light rope ladder。
There was sweat at the roots of his hair； however； when he finally
gained the street。 He was very tired。 He observed mournfully that
the vigour which had always recharged itself； no matter how
recklessly he had drawn upon it； was beginning to protest。
Fifty…two。
Well； his troubles were over for the night。 So he believed。
Arriving home； dirty and spent； he had to find Kitty asleep on the
divan！
CHAPTER XXII
〃Kitty；〃 he said； breaking the tableau； 〃what are you doing here？〃
〃You've been hurt！ There is blood on you！〃
〃A trifling cut。 But I'm hurt； nevertheless； that you should be so
thoughtless as to come here against my orders。 It doesn't matter
that Karlov has given up the idea of having you followed。 But for
the sake of us all you must be made to understand that we are
dealing with high explosives and poison gas。 It's not what might
happen to me or to Uncle Sam's business。 It's you。 Any moment
they may take it into their heads to get at me and Hawksley through
you。 That's why we watch over you。 You don't want to see Hawksley
done in； do you？ It's real tragedy； Kitty； and nobody can guess
what the end is going to
Kitty's lip quivered。 〃Cutty； if you talk like that to me I shall
cry。〃
〃Good Lord； what about？〃 … bewildered。
〃About everything。 I've been on the verge of hysterics all day。〃
〃Kitty； you poor child； what's happened？〃
〃Nothing … everything。 Lonesome。 When I saw all those mothers and
wives and sisters and sweethearts on the curb to…day； watching their
boys march by； it hit me hard。 I was alone。 Nobody。 So please
don't be cross with me。 I'm on the ragged edge。 Silly； I know。
But we women often go to pieces over nothing； without any logical
reason。 Ready to face murder and battle and sudden death； and then
to blow up； as you men say it； over nothing。 I had to move； go
somewhere； do something； so I came here。 But I came on … what do
you call it？ … official business。 Here！〃 She offered him the
wallet。
〃What's this？〃
〃Belongs to Johnny Two…Hawks。 He hid it that night behind my
flatirons on the range。 Why； Cutty； he's rich！〃
〃Did he show the contents？〃
〃Only the money and the bonds。 He said if he had died the money
and bonds would have been mine。
〃Providing Gregor was also dead。〃 Cutty looked into the wallet； but
disturbed nothing。 〃I imagine these funds are actually Gregor's。〃
〃He told me to give the wallet to you。 And so I waited。 I fell
asleep。 So please don't scold me。〃
〃I'm a brute！ But it's because you've become so much to me that
I was angry。 You're Tommy and Molly's girl； and I've got to watch
out for you until you reach some kind of a port。〃
〃Thank you for the flowers。 You'll never know just what they did
for me。 There was somebody who gave me a thought。〃
〃Kitty； I honestly don't get you。 A beauty like you； lonesome！〃
〃That's it。 I am pretty。 Why should I deny it？ If I'd been homely
I shouldn't have been ashamed to invite my friends to my shabby home。
I shouldn't have cold shouldered everybody through false pride。 But
where have you been； and what have you been doing？〃
〃Official business。 But I just missed being a fine jackass。 I'll
look into the wallet after I've cleaned up。 I'm a mess of gore and
dust。 Is it interesting stuff？〃 dreading her answer。
〃The wallet？ I did not look into it。 I had no right。〃
〃Ah！ Well； I'll be back in two jigs。
He hurried off； relieved to learn that the secret was still beyond
Kitty's knowledge。 Of course Hawksley wouldn't carry anything in
the wallet by which his true identity might be made known。 Still；
there would be stuff to excite her interest and suspicion。 Hawksley
had shown her some of that three hundred thousand probably。 What
a game！
He would say nothing about his own adventures and discoveries。 He
worked on the theory that the best time to tell about something was
after it had become a fact。 But no theory is perfect； and in this
instance his reticence was going to cost him intolerable agony in
the near future。
Within a quarter of an hour he was back in the living room。 Kitty
was out of sight； probably had curled up on the divan again。 He
would not disturb her。 Hawksley's wallet！ He drew a chair under
the reading lamp and explored the wallet。 Money and bonds he rather
expected； but the customs appraiser's receipt was like a buffet。
The emeralds belonged honorably to his guest！ All his own plans
were knocked galley…west by this discovery。
An odd sense of indignation blazed up in him； as though someone had
imposed upon him。 The sport was gone； the fun of the thing； it
became merely official business。 To appropriate a pair of smuggled
emeralds was a first…class sporting proposition； with a humorous
twist。 As it stood now； he would be picking Hawksley's pocket； and
he wasn't rogue enough for that。 Hang
