the drums of jeopardy-第11部分

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escape。　　What's　the　rumpus？〃　　The　policeman　was　not　exactly
belligerent；　but　he　was　dutifully　determined。　　And　though　he　was
ready　to　grant　that　this　girl　with　the　Irish　eyes　was　beautiful；　a
man　never　could　tell。

〃There's　been　a　tragedy　of　some　kind；〃　began　Kitty。　　〃This　man
certainly　did　see　us　carrying　a　man　across　the　fire　escape。　　He　had
been　set　upon　and　robbed　in　the　apartment　across　the　way。〃

〃Why　didn't　you　call　in　the　police？〃

〃Because　he　might　have　died　before　you　got　here。〃

〃Where's　the　man　who　helped　you？〃

〃Gone。　　He　was　an　outsider。　　He　was　afraid　of　getting　mixed　up　in　a
police　affair　and　ran　away。〃　　Behind　the　kitchen　door　Cutty　smiled。
She　would　do；　this　girl。

〃Sounds　all　right；〃　said　the　policeman。　　〃I'll　take　a　look　at　the　
man。〃

〃This　way；　if　you　please；〃　said　Kitty；　readily。　　〃You　come；　too；
sir；〃　she　added　as　the　squat　man　hesitated。　　Kitty　wanted　to　watch
his　expression　when　he　saw　Johnny　Two…Hawks。

Seed　on　rocky　soil；　nothing　came　of　the　little　artifice。　　No　Buddha's
graven　face　was　less　indicative　than　the　squat　man's。　　Perhaps　his
face　was　too　sore　to　permit　mobility　of　expression。　　The　drollery
of　this　thought　caused　a　quirk　in　one　corner　of　Kitty's　mouth。　　The
squat　man　stopped　at　the　foot　of　the　bed　with　the　air　of　a　mere
passer…by　and　seemed　more　interested　in　the　investigations　of　the
policeman　than　in　the　man　on　the　bed。　　But　Kitty　knew。

〃A　fine　bang　on　the　coco；〃　was　the　policeman's　observation。　　〃Take
anything　out　of　his　pockets？〃

〃They　were　quite　empty。　　I've　sent　for　a　military　surgeon。　　He　may
arrive　at　any　moment。〃

〃This　fellow　live　across　the　way？〃

〃That's　the　odd　part　of　it。　　No；　he　doesn't。〃

〃Then　what　was　he　doing　there？〃

〃Probably　awaiting　the　return　of　the　real　tenant　who　hasn't　returned
up　to　this　hour〃　…　with　an　oblique　glance　at　the　squat　man。

〃Kind　o'　queer。　　Say；　you　stay　here　and　watch　the　lady　while　I　scout
round。〃

The　squat　man　nodded　and　leaned　over　the　foot　of　the　bed。　　The
policeman　stalked　out。

〃I　was　in　the　kitchen；〃　said　Kitty；　confidingly。　　〃I　saw　shadows　on
the　window　curtain。　　It　did　not　look　right。　　So　I　started　to　inquire
and　almost　bumped　into　two　men　leaving　the　apartment。　　They　took　to
their　heels　when　they　saw　me。

Again　the　squat　man　nodded。　　He　appeared　to　be　a　good　listener。

〃Where　were　you　when　we　crossed　the　fire　escape？〃

〃In　the　yard　on　the　other　side　of　the　fence。〃　　There　was　reluctance
in　the　guttural　voice。

〃Oh；　I　see。　　You　live　there。〃

As　this　was　a　supposition　and　not　a　direct　query；　the　squat　man
wagged　his　head　affirmatively。

Kitty；　her　ears　strained　for　disquieting　sounds　in　the　kitchen；　laid
her　palm　on　the　patient's　cheek。　　It　was　very　hot。　　She　dipped　a　bit
of　cotton　into　the　water；　which　had　grown　cold；　and　dampened　the
wounded　man's　cheeks　and　throat。　　Not　that　she　expected　to　accomplish
anything　by　this　act；　it　relieved　the　nerve　tension。　　This　man　was
no　fool。　　If　her　surmises　were　correct　he　was　a　strong　man　both
in　body　and　in　mind。　　In　a　rage　he　would　be　terrible。　　However；　had
Johnny　Two…Hawks　done　it　…　beaten　the　man　and　escaped？　　No　doubt　he
had　been　watching　all　the　time　and　had　at　length　stepped　in　to　learn
if　his　subordinates　had　followed　his　instructions　and　to　what　extent
they　had　succeeded。

〃If　he　dies　it　will　be　murder。〃

〃It　is　a　big　city。〃

〃And　so　many　terrible　things　happen　like　this　every　day。　　But　sooner
or　later　those　who　commit　them　are　found　out。　　Nemesis　always　follows
on　the　heels　of　vengeance。〃

For　the　first　time　there　was　a　flash　of　interest　in　the　battered
eyes　of　the　intruder。　　Perhaps　he　saw　that　this　was　not　only　a　pretty
woman　but　a　keen　one；　and　sensed　the　veiled　threat。　　Moreover；　he
knew　that　she　had　lied　at　one　point。　　There　had　been　no　light　in　the
room　across　the　court。

But　what　in　the　world　was　happening　out　there　in　the　kitchen？　　Kitty
wondered。　　So　far；　not　a　sound。　　Had　Cutty　really　taken　flight？　　And
why　shouldn't　he　have　faced　it　out　at　her　side？　　Very　odd　on　Cutty's
part。　　Shortly　she　heard　the　heavy　shoes　of　the　policeman　returning。

〃Guess　it's　all　right；　miss。　　I'll　report　the　affair　at　the　precinct
and　have　an　ambulance　sent　over。　　You'll　have　to　come　along　with　me；
sir。〃

〃Is　that　legally　necessary？〃　asked　the　squat　man；　rather　perturbed。

〃Sure。　　You　saw　the　thing　and　I　verified　it；〃　declared　the　policeman。
〃It　won't　take　ten　minutes。　　Your　name　and　address；　in　case　this　man
dies。〃

〃I　see。　　Very　well。〃

Kitty　wasn't　sure；　but　the　policeman　seemed　embarrassed　about
something。　　The　directness　was　gone　from　his　eyes　and　his　speech　was
no　longer　brisk。

〃My　name　is　Conover；〃　said　Kitty。

〃I　got　that　coming　in；〃　replied　the　policeman。　　〃We'll　be　on　our
way。〃

Not　once　again　did　the　squat　man　glance　at　the　man　on　the　bed。　　He
followed　the　policeman　into　the　hall；　his　air　that　of　one　who　had
accepted　a　certain　obligation　to　community　welfare　and　cancelled
it。

Kitty　shut　the　door　…　and　leaned　against　it　weakly。　　Where　had　Cutty
gone？　　Even　as　she　expressed　the　query　she　smelt　burning　tobacco。
She　ran　out　into　the　kitchen；　to　behold　Cutty　seated　in　a　chair
calmly　smoking　his　infamous　pipe！

〃And　I　thought　you　were　gone！　　What　did　you　say　to　that　policeman？〃

〃I　hypnotized　him；　Kitty。〃

〃The　newspaper？〃

〃No。　　Just　looked　into　his　eye　and　made　a　few　passes　with　my　hands。〃

〃Of　course；　if　you　believe　you　ought　not　to　tell　me　…　〃　said　Kitty；
which　is　the　way　all　women　start　their　wheedling。

Cutty　looked　into　the　bowl　of　his　pipe。

〃Kitty；　when　you　throw　a　cobble　into　a　pond；　what　happens？　　A　splash。
But　did　you　ever　notice　the　way　the　ripples　have　of　running　on　and
on；　until　they　touch　the　farthest　shore？〃

〃Yes。　　And　this　is　a　ripple　from　some　big　stone　cast　into　the　pond
of　southeastern　Europe。　　I　understand。〃

〃That's　just　the　difficulty。　　If　you　understood　nothing　it　would　be
much　easier　for　me。　　But　you　know　just　enough　to　want　to　follow　up
on　your　own　hook。　　I　know　nothing　definitely；　I　have　only　suspicions。
I　calmed　that　policeman　by　showing　him　a　blanket　police　power　issued
by　the　commissioner。　　I　want　you　to　pack　up　and　move　out　of　this
neighbourhood。　　It's　not　congenial　to　you。〃

〃I'm　afraid　I　can't　afford　to　move　until　May。〃

〃I'll　take　care　of　that　gladly；　to　get　you　out　of　this　garlicky
ruin。〃

〃No；　Cutty；　I'm　going　to　stay　here　until　the　lease　is　up。〃

〃Gee…whiz！　　The　Irish　are　all　alike；〃　cried　the　war　correspondent；
hopelessly。　　〃Petticoat　or　pantaloon；　always　looking　for　trouble。〃

〃No；　Cutty；　simply　we　don't　run　away　from　it。　　And　there's　just　as
much　Irish　in　you　as　there　is　in　me。〃

〃Sure！　　And　for　thirty　years　I've　gone　hunting　for　trouble；　and
never　failed　to　find　it。　　I　don't　like　this　affair；　Kitty；　and
because　I　don't　I'm　going　to　risk　my　Samson　locks　in　your　lily…white
hands。　　I　am　going　to　tell　you　two　things：　I　am　a　secret　foreign
agent　of　the　United　States　Government。　　Now　don't　light　up　that　way。
Dark　alleys　and　secret　papers　and　beautiful　adventuresses　and
bang…bang　have　nothing　at　all　to　do　with　my　job。　　There　isn't　a
grain　of　romance　in　it。　　Ostensibly　I　am　a　war　correspondent。　　I
have　handled　all　the　big　events　in　Serbia　and　Bulgaria　and　Greece
and　southwestern　Russia。　　Boiled　down；　I　am　a　census　taker　of
undesirables。　　Socialist；　anarchist　and　Bolshevik　…　I　photograph　them
in　my　mental　'fillums'　and　transmit　to　Washington。　　Thus；　when　Feodor
Slopeski　lands　at　Ellis　Island　with　the　idea　of　blowing　up　New　York；
he　is　returned　with　thanks。　　I　didn't　ask　for　the　job；　it　was　thrust
upon　me　because　of　my　knowledge　of　the　foreign　tongues。　　I　accepted
it　because　I　am　a　loyal　American　citizen。〃

〃And　you　left　me　because　you'　didn't　know　who　might　be　at　the　door！〃

〃Precisely。　　I　am　known　in　lower　New　York　under　another　name。　　I'm　a
rabid　internationalist。　　Down　with　everything！　　I　don't　go　out　much
these　days；　keep　under　cover　as　much　as　I　can。　　Once　recognized；　my
value　would　be　nil。　　In　a　flannel　shirt　I'm　a　dangerous　codger。〃

〃And　Gregor　and　this　poor　young　man　are　in　some　way　mixed　up　with
internationalism！〃

〃Victims；　probably。〃

〃What　is　the　other　thing　you　wish　to　tell　me？〃

〃Because　your　eyes　are　slate　blue　like　your　mother's。　　I　loved　your
mother；　Kitty；〃　said　Cutty；　blinking　into　his　pipe。　　〃And　the
singular　fact　is；　your　father　knew　but　your　mother　never　did。　　I
was　never　able　to　tell　your　mother　after　your　father　died。　　Their
bodies　were　separated；　but　not　their　spirits。〃

Kitty　nodded。　　So　that　was　it？　　Poor　Cutty！

〃I　make　this　confession　because　I　want　you　to　understand　my　attitude
toward　you。　　I　am　going　to　elect　myself　as　your　special　guardian　so
long　as　I'm　in　New　York。　　From　now　on；　when　I　ask　you　to　do
something；　understand　that　I　believe　it　best　for　you。　　If　my
suspicions　are　correct　we　are　not　dealing　with　fools　but　with　madmen。
The　most　dangerous　human　being；　Kitty；　is　an　honest　man　with　a
half…baked　or　crooked　idea；　and　that's　what　this　world　pother；
Bolshevism；　is　…　honest　men　with　crooked　ideas；　carrying　the　torch
of　anarchism　and　believing　it　enlightenment。　　What　makes　them　tear
down　things？　　Every　beautiful　building　is　only　a　monument　to　their
former　wretchedness；　and　so　they　annihilate。　　None　of　them　actually
knows　what　he　wants。　　A　thousand　will…o'…the…wisps　in　front　of
them；　and　all　alike。　　A　thousand　years　to　throw　off　the　shackles；
and　they　expect　Utopia　in　ten　minutes！　　It　makes　you　want　to　weep。
Socialism　…　the　brotherhood　of　man　…　is　a　beautiful　thing
theoretically；　but　it　is　like　some　plays　…　they　read　well　but　do　not
act。　　Lopping　off　heads；　believing　them　to　be　ideas！〃

〃The　poor　things！〃

〃That's　it。　　Though　I　betray　them　I　pity　them。　Democracy；　slowly
and　surely。　　As　prickly　with　faults　as　a　cactus　pear；　but　every　year
there　are　less　prickles。　　We　don't　stand　still　or　retrogress；　we
keep　going　on　and　up。　　Take　this　town。　　Think　of　It　to…day　and
compare　it　with　the　town　your　father　knew。　　There's　the　bell。　　I
imagine　that　will　be　Harrison。　　If　we　can　move　this　chap　will　you
go　to　a　hotel　for　the　night？〃

〃I'm　going　to　stay　here；　Cutty。　　That's　final。〃

Cutty　sighed。



CHAPTER　IX