the drums of jeopardy-第58章
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missing to date。 But I had no right to let him come。 I thought he
was fairly fit； but he wasn't。 Saved my life； though。 Kitty； your
Johnny Two…Hawks is a real man； how real I did not know until
to…night。 He has earned his American citizenship。 Fights like he
fiddles … on all four strings。 All our troubles are at an end； so
buck up。〃
〃Alive？ He is alive？〃
The wild joy in her voice！ 〃Yes； ma'am； and we two can regularly
thank him for being alive also。 That lunge gave me my chance。 He's
only stunned。 Perhaps he'll need a nurse again。 Anyhow； he'll be
coming round in a minute or two。 I'll wager the first thing he
does is to smile。 I should。〃
Suddenly Kitty grew strangely shy。 She became conscious of her
anomalous position。 She had promised to marry Cutty； promised
herself that she would be his true wife … and here she was； holding
another man's head to her heart as if it were the most precious
head in all the world。 She could not put that head upon the floor
at once； that would be a confession of her embarrassment； and yet
she could not continue to hold Hawksley while Cutty eyed her with
semi…humorous concern。 Cutty was merciful； however。 〃Let me hold
him while you make a pillow out of your coat。〃 After he had laid
Hawksley's head on the coat he said： 〃He'll come about quicker this
way。 We've had some excitement； haven't we？〃
〃I don't want any more； Cutty； never any more。 I've been a silly；
romantic fool！〃
〃Not silly； only glorious。〃
〃Your poor face！〃
〃Banged up？ Well； honestly； it feels as it looks； Kitty； this chap
was going to give himself up in exchange for you。 Not a word of
protest； not a question。 All he said was： 'I am ready。' That's why
I'm always going to be on his side。〃
〃He did that … for me？〃
〃For you。 Did it never occur to you that you're the sort folks
always want to do things for if you'll let them？〃
〃God bless you； Cutty！〃
〃He's always blessing me； Kitty。 He blessed me with your mother's
friendship； now yours。 Kitty； I'm going to jilt you。〃
〃Jilt me？〃 … her heart leaping。
〃Yes； ma'am。 We can't go through with that mummery。 We aren't
built that way。 I'll figure it out in some other fashion。 But
marriage is a sacred contract； and this farce would have left a
scar on your honest mind。 You'd have to tell some man。 Your kind
can't go through life without being loved。 Would he understand？
I wonder。 He'll be human or you wouldn't fall in love with him；
and always he'll be pondering and bedevilling himself with queer
ideas … because he'll be human。 Of course there's a loophole
… you can sue me for breach of promise。〃
〃Please； Cutty； don't laugh！ You're one of those men they call
Greathearts。 And now I'm going to tell you something。 It wasn't
going to be a farce。 I intended to become your true wife； Cutty；
make you as happy as I could。〃
Cutty patted her hand and got up。 Lord； how bruised and sore his
old body was！ 。。。 His true wife！ She might have been his if he had
not missed that train。 But for this hour； hot with life； she might
never have discovered that she loved Hawksley。 His true wife！ Ah；
she would have been all of that … Molly's girl！
〃Will you mind waiting here until I see where old Stefani Gregor is？〃
〃No；〃 answered Kitty； dreamily。
Cutty limped to the door。 Outside he leaned against the partition。
Done in； body and soul。 Always opening the gates of paradise for
somebody else。。。 His true wife！ Slowly he descended the stairs。
Alone； Kitty smoothed back the dank hair from Hawksley's brow； which
she kissed。 Benediction and good…bye。
CHAPTER XXXII
Because it was assumed that some of Karlov's pack might be at large
and unsuspectingly return to the trap； Federal agents would remain on
guard all night。 They explored the house； hunting for chemicals；
documents； letters； and addresses。 They found enough high explosive
to blow up the district。 And they found Stefani Gregor。 They were
standing by the cot as Cutty came in。
〃Yes； sir。 Just this minute went out。〃
〃Did he speak？〃
〃A woman's name。〃
〃Rosa？〃
〃Yes； sir。 Looks to me as if he had been starved to death。 Know
who he was？〃
〃Yes。 Tell the coroner to be gentle。 Once upon a time Stefani
Gregor spoke to kings by right of genius。〃
The thought that he himself might have been the indirect cause of
Gregor's death shocked Cutty； who was above all things tender。
He had held back the raid for several days； to serve his own ends。
He could have ordered the raid from Washington； and it would have
gone through as smoothly as to…night。 The drums of jeopardy。 Well；
that phase of the game was done with。 He had held up this raid so
that he might be on hand to search Karlov； and until now he had
forgotten the drums。 Accurst！ They were accurst。 The death of
Stefani Gregor would always be on his conscience。
Cutty stared … not very clearly … at the cameo…like face so
beautifully calm。 As in life； so it was in death； the calm that
had brooked and beaten down the turbulent instincts of the boy；
the imperturbable calm of a great soul。 Rosa。 The sublime
unselfishness of the man！ He had sacrificed wealth and fame for
the love of the boy's mother … unspoken； unrequited love； the
quality that passes understanding。 And his reward： to die on this
cot； in horrid loneliness。 Rosa。
All at once Cutty felt himself little； trivial； beside this forlorn
bier。 What did he know about love？ He had never made any
sacrifices； he had simply carried in his heart a bittersweet
recollection。 But here！ Twenty…odd years of unremitting devotion
to the son of the woman he had loved … Stefani Gregor。 Creating
environments that would develop the noble qualities in the boy；
interposing himself between the boy and the evil pleasures of the
uncle； teaching him the beautiful； cleansing his soul of the
inherited mud。 Reverently Cutty drew the coverlet over the fine
old head。
〃What's this？〃 asked one of the operatives。 〃Looks like the pieces
of a broken fiddle。〃
Out of those dark red bits of wood … some of them bearing the
imprints of hobnails … Cutty constructed the scene。 A wave of
bitter rage rolled over him。 The beast！ Karlov had done this
thing； with poor old Gregor looking on； too weak to intervene。
Not so many years ago these bits of wood； under the master's
touch； had entranced the souls of thousands。 Cutty recalled a
fairy tale he had read when a boy about a prince whose soul had
been transformed into a flower which； if plucked or broken； died。
Karlov had murdered Stefani Gregor； perhaps not legally but
actually nevertheless。
Rehabilitated in soul； Cutty left the room。 He had read a
compelling lesson in self…sacrifice。 He was going to pick up his
cross and go on with it； smiling。 After all； Kitty was only an
interlude； the big thing was the game； and shortly he would be in
the thick of great events again。 But Kitty should be happy。
His old analytical philosophy resumed its functions。 The contempt
and jealousy of one race for another； what was God's idea in
implanting that in souls？ Hawksley was at base Russian。 The boy's
English education； his adopted outlook upon life； made it possible
for Cutty to ignore the racial antagonism of the Anglo…Saxon for
all other races。 Stefani Gregor at one end of the world and he at
the other； blindly working out the destinies of Kitty Conover and
Ivan Mikhail Feodorovich and so forth and so on； with the blood
of Catharine in his veins！ Made a chap dizzy to think of it。
Traditions were piling up along with crowns and sceptres in the
abyss。
When he returned to the attic he felt himself fortified against
any inevitability。 Hawksley was sitting up； his back to the wall；
staring groggily but with reckless adoration into Kitty's lovely
face。 Youth will be served。 As if； watching these two； there
could be any doubt of it！ And he had bent part of his energies
toward keeping them separated。
〃Ha！〃 he cried； cheerfully。 〃Back on top again； I see。 How's
the head？〃
〃Haven't any； no legs； I'm nothing at all but a bit of my own
imagination。 How do you feel？〃
〃Like the aftermath of an Ir
