the drums of jeopardy-第44章

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mother　out　to　supper　I　used　to　preen　an　hour　before　the　mirror。　　My
collar；　my　cravat；　my　hair；　the　nap　on　my　stovepipe；　my　gloves
　…　terrible　things！　　And　what　happened？　　Your　dad；　dressed　in　his
office　clothes；　came　along　like　a　cyclone；　walked　all　over　my　toes；
and　swooped　up　your　mother　right　from　under　my　nose。　　Now　just　look
the　proposition　over　from　all　angles。　　Think　of　yourself；　let　the
old　world　go　hang。　　They'll　call　it　alimony。　　In　a　year　or　so　you'll
be　free；　and　some　chap　like　Tommy　Conover　will　come　along；　and　bang！
You'll　know　all　about　love。　　Here's　old　Brooklyn　Bridge。　　I'll　see
you　to　the　elevator。　　All　nonsense　that　you　should　have　the　least
hesitance。〃

Fifteen　minutes　later　he　was　striding　along　Park　Row。　　By　the　swing
of　his　stride　any　onlooker　would　have　believed　that　Cutty　was　in　a
hurry　to　arrive　somewhere。　　Instead；　one　was　only　walking。　　Suddenly
he　stopped　in　the　middle　of　the　sidewalk　with　the　two　currents　of
pedestrians　flowing　on　each　side　of　him；　as　a　man　might　stop　who
saw　some　wonderful　cloud　effect。　　But　there　was　nothing　ecstatical
in　his　expression；　on　the　contrary；　there　was　a　species　of　bewildered
terror。　　The　psychology　of　all　his　recent　actions　had　in　a　flash
become　vividly　clear。

An　unbelievable　catastrophe　had　overtaken　him。　　He　loved　Kitty；
loved　her　with　an　intense；　shielding　passion；　quite　unlike　that
which　he　had　given　her　mother。　　Such　a　thing　could　happen！　　He
offered　not　the　least　combat；　the　revelation　was　too　smashing　to
admit　of　any　doubt。　　It　was　not　a　recrudescence　of　his　love　for
Molly；　stirred　into　action　by　the　association　with　Molly's　daughter。
He　wanted　Kitty　for　himself；　wanted　her　with　every　fibre　in　his
body；　fiercely。　　And　never　could　he　tell　her　…　now。

The　tragic　irony　of　it　all　numbed　him。　　Fate　hadn't　played　the
game　fairly。　　He　was　fifty…two；　on　the　far　side　of　the　plateau；
near　sunset。　　It　wasn't　a　square　deal。

Still　he　stood　there　on　the　sidewalk；　like　a　rock　in　the　middle　of
a　turbulent　stream；　rejecting　selfish　thoughts。　　Marry　Kitty；　and
tell　her　the　truth　afterward。　　He　knew　the　blood　of　her　…　loyalest
of　the　loyal。　　He　could　if　he　chose　play　that　sort　of　game　…　cheat
her。　　He　could　not　withdraw　his　proposition。　　If　she　accepted　it　he
would　have　to　carry　it　through。　　Cheat　her。




CHAPTER　XXV


Kitty　hung　up　her　hat　and　coat。　　She　did　not　pat　her　hair　or　tuck
in　the　loose　ends　before　the　mirror　…　a　custom　as　invariable　as
sunrise。　　The　coat　tree　stood　at　the　right　of　the　single　window；
and　out　of　this　window　Kitty　stared　solemnly；　at　everything　and　at
nothing。

Burlingame　eyed　her　seriously。　　Cutty　had　given　him　a　glimmer　of
the　tale　…　enough　to　make　known　to　him　that　this　pretty；　sensible
girl；　though　no　fault　of　her　own；　was　in　the　shadow　of　some　actual
if　unknown　danger。　　And　Cutty　wanted　her　out　of　town　for　a　few
days。　　Burlingame　had　intended　sending　Kitty　out　of　town　on　an
assignment　during　Easter　week。　　An　exchange　of　telegrams　that
morning　had　closed　the　gap　in　time。

〃Well；　you　might　say　'Good　morning。'〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Burly！〃　　In　newspaper　offices　you　belong　at
once　or　you　never　belong；　and　to　belong　is　to　have　your　name
sheared　to　as　few　syllables　as　possible。　　You　are　formal　only　to
the　city　editor；　the　managing　editor；　and　the　auditor。

〃What's　the　matter？〃

〃I've　been　set　in　the　middle　of　a　fairy　story；〃　said　Kitty；　〃and
I'm　wondering　if　it's　worth　the　trouble　to　try　to　find　a　way　out。
A　Knight　of　the　Round　Table；　a　prince　of　chivalry。　　What　would
you　say　if　you　saw　one　in　spats　and　a　black　derby？〃

〃Why；〃　answered　Burlingame；　〃I　suppose　I'd　consider　July　first　as
the　best　thing　that　could　happen　to　me。〃

Kitty　laughed；　and　that　was　what　he　wanted。

What　had　that　old　rogue　been　doing　now　…　offering　Kitty　his
eighteen…story　office　building？

〃It's　odd；　isn't　it；　that　I　shouldn't　possess　a　little　histrionic
ability。　　You'd　think　it　would　be　in　my　blood　to　act。〃

〃It　is；　Kitty；　only　not　to　mimic。　　You're　an　actress；　but　the　Big
Dramatist　writes　your　business　for　you。　　Now；　I've　got　some　fairly
good　news　for　you。　　An　assignment。〃

〃Work！　　What　is　it？〃

〃I　am　going　to　send　you　on　a　visit　to　the　most　charming　movie　queen
in　the　business。　　She　is　going　to　return　to　Broadway　this　autumn；
and　she　has　a　trunkful　of　plays　to　read。　　I　have　found　your　judgment
ace…high。　　Mornings　you　will　read　with　her；　afternoons　you　will
visit。　　She　remembers　your　mother；　who　was　the　best　comedienne　of
her　day。　　So　she　will　be　quite　as　interested　in　you　as　you　are
in　her。　　I　want　you　to　note　her　ways；　how　she　amuses　herself；　eats；
exercises。　　I　want　you　to　note　the　contents　of　her　beautiful　home；
if　she　likes　dogs　or　cats　or　horses。　　You　will　take　a　camera　and
get　half　a　dozen　good　pictures；　and　a　page　yarn　for　Easter　Sunday。
Stay　as　long　as　she　wants　you　to。〃

〃But　who？〃

Burlingame　jerked　his　thumb　toward　a　photograph　on　the　wall。

〃Oh！　　This　will　be　the　most　scrumptious　event　in　my　life。　　I'm
wild　about　her！　　But　I　haven't　any　clothes！〃

Burlingame　waved　his　hands。　　〃I　knew　I'd　hear　that　yodel。　　Eve
didn't　have　anything　to　speak　of；　but　she　travelled　a　lot。　　Truth
is；　Kitty；　you'd　better　dress　in　monotones。　　She　might　wake　up　to
the　fact　that　you're　a　mighty　pretty　young　woman　and　suddenly
become　temperamental。　　She　has　a　husband　round　the　lot　somewhere。
Make　him　think　his　wife　is　a　lucky　woman。　　Here's　all　the　dope
　…　introduction；　expenses；　and　tickets。　　Train　leaves　at　two…fifty。
Run　along　home　and　pack。　　Remember；　I　want　a　page　yarn。　　No
flapdoodle　or　mush；　straight　stuff。　　She　doesn't　need　any
advertising。　　If　you　go　at　it　right　you　two　will　react　upon　each
other　as　a　tonic。

Kitty　realized　that　this　little　junket　was　the　very　thing　she　needed
　…　open　spaces；　long　walks　in　which　to　think　out　her　problem。　　She
hurried　home　and　spent　the　morning　packing。　　When　this　heartrending
business　was　over　she　summoned　Tony　Bernini。

〃I　am　going　out　of　town；　Mr。　Bernini。　　I　may　be　gone　a　week。〃

〃All　right；　Miss　Conover。〃　　Bernini　hid　a　smile。　　He　knew　all　about
this　trip；　having　been　advised　by　Cutty　over　the　wire。

〃Am　I　being　followed　any　more？〃

〃Not　that　we　know　of。　　Still；　you　never　can　tell。　　What's　your
destination？〃　　Kitty　told　him。　　〃Better　not　go　by　train。　　I　can　get
a　fast　roadster　and　run　you　out　in　a　couple　of　hours。　　Right　after
lunch　you　go　to　the　boss's　garage　and　wait　for　me。　　I'll　take　care
of　your　grips　and　camera。　　I'll　follow　on　your　heels。〃

〃Anybody　would　consider　that　Karlov　was　after　me　instead　of　Hawksley。〃

Bernini　smiled。　　〃Miss　Conover；　the　moment　Karlov　puts　his　hands
on　you　the　whole　game　goes　blooey。　　That's　the　plain　fact。　　There
is　death　in　this　game。　　These　madmen　expect　to　blow　up　the　United
States　on　May　first。　　We　are　easing　them　along　because　we　want　the
top　men　in　our　net。　　But　if　Karlov　takes　it　into　his　head　to　get　you；
and　succeeds；　he'll　have　a　stranglehold　on　the　whole　local　service；
because　we'd　have　to　make　great　concessions　to　free　you。〃

〃Why　wasn't　I　told　this　at　the　start？〃

〃You　were　told；　indirectly。　　We　did　not　care　to　frighten　you。〃

〃I'm　not　frightened；〃　said　Kitty。

〃Nope。　　But　we　wish　to　the　Lord　you　were；　Miss　Conover。　　When　you
want　to　come　home；　wire　me　and　I'll　motor　out　for　you。〃

Another　fragment。　　Karlov's　agent　sought　his　chief　and　found　him　in
the　cellar　of　the　old　house；　sinisterly　engaged。　　The　wall　bench
was　littered　with　paraphernalia　well　known　to　certain　chemists。　　Had
the　New　York　bomb　squad　known　of　the　existence　of　this　den；　the
short　hair　on　their　necks　would　have　risen。

〃Well？〃　greeted　Karlov；　moodily。

〃I　have　found　the　man　in　the　dress　suit。〃

〃He　and　the　Conover　girl　left　that　office　building　together　this
morning；　and　I　followed　them　to　Park　Row。　　This　man　uses　the　loft
of　the　building　for　his　home。　　No　elevator　goes　up　unless　you　have
credentials。　　Our　man　is　hiding　there；　Boris。〃

Karlov　dry…washed　his　hands。　　〃We'll　send　him　one　of　the　samples　if
we　fail　in　regard　to　the　girl。　　You　say　she　arrives　daily　at　the
newspaper　office　about　nine　and　leaves　between　five　and　six？〃

〃Every　day　but　Sunday。〃

〃Good　new