the drums of jeopardy-第39部分

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Hawksley　wondered　if　he　could　walk　round　the　block　without　falling
down。　　He　saw　that　he　was　facing　a　physical　collapse；　hastened　by
the　knowledge　that　the　safety　of　the　girl　depended　largely　upon
himself。　　What　he　had　accepted　at　the　beginning　as　strength　had
been　nothing　more　than　exhilaration　and　nerve　energy。　　There　was　now
nothing　but　the　latter；　and　only　feeble　straws　at　that。　　Oh；　he
would　manage　somehow；　he　jolly　well　had　to；　and　there　was　a　bare
chance　of　falling　in　with　a　bobby。　　But　run？　　Honestly；　now；　how
the　devil　was　a　chap　to　run　on　a　pair　of　spools？

Arriving　at　the　appointed　spot　they　separated。　　He　waved　his　hand
airily　and　marched　off。　　If　he　fell　it　would　be　out　of　sight；　where
the　girl　could　not　see　him。　　Clever　chap　…　what？　　Damned　rotter！
For　himself　he　did　not　care。　　He　was　weary　of　this　game　of　hide　and
seek。　　But　to　have　lured　the　girl　into　it！　　When　he　turned　the
first　corner　of　his　journey　he　paused　and　leaned　against　the　wall；
his　eyes　shut。　　When　he　opened　them　the　sidewalk　and　the　street
lamps　were　normal　again。

As　soon　as　he　disappeared　a　new　plan　came　to　Kitty。　　She　put　it
into　execution　at　once；　on　the　basis　that　yonder　taxicab　was　an
enemy　machine。　　She　left　her　retreat　and　walked　boldly　down　the
street；　her　eyes　alert　for　the　least　suspicious　sign。　　If　she
could　make　the　entrance　before　they　suspected　the　trick；　she　could
obtain　help　before　Johnny　Two…Hawks　made　the　south　turn。　　She
reached　her　objective；　pushed　through　the　revolving　doors；　and
turned。　　Dimly　she　could　see　the　taxi　driver；　but　he　appeared　to
be　dozing　on　the　seat。

As　a　matter　of　fact；　one　of　the　three　men　in　the　taxi　recognized
Kitty；　but　too　late　to　intercept　her。　　Her　manoeuvre　had　confused
him　temporarily。　　And　while　he　and　his　companions　were　debating；
Kitty　had　time　to　summon　Cutty's　man　from　Elevator　Four。

〃Step　into　the　car！〃　he　roughly　ordered；　after　she　had　given　him　a
gist　of　her　suspicions。　　He　turned　off　the　lights；　stepped　out；　and
shut　the　gates　with　a　furious　bang。　　〃And　stick　to　the　corner！　　I'll
attend　to　the　other　fool。〃

He　rushed　into　the　street；　his　automatic　ready；　eyed　the　taxicab
speculatively；　wheeled　suddenly；　and　ran　south　at　a　dog…trot。　　He
rounded　the　south　corner；　but　he　did　not　see　Hawksley　anywhere。　　The
dog…trot　became　a　dead　run。　　As　he　wheeled　round　the　corner　of　the
parallel　street　he　almost　bumped　into　Hawksley；　who　had　a　policeman
in　tow。

〃Officer；〃　said　the　man　with　the　boy's　face；　〃this　is　Federal
business。　　Aliens。　　Come　along。　　There　may　be　trouble。　　If　there
should　be　any　shooting　don't　bother　with　the　atmosphere。　　Pick　out
a　real　target。〃

〃Anarchists？〃

〃About　the　size　of　it。〃

〃Miss　Conover？〃　asked　Hawksley。

〃Safe。　　No　thanks　to　you；　though。　　I'd　like　to　knock　your　block　off；
if　you　want　to　know！〃

〃Do　it！　　Damned　little　use　to　me；〃　declared　Hawksley；　sagging。

〃Here；　what's　the　matter　with　you？〃　cried　the　policeman；　throwing
his　arm　round　Hawksley。

〃They　nearly　killed　him　a　few　days　gone。　　A　crack　on　the　bean；　but
he　wasn't　satisfied。　　Help　him　along。　　I'll　be　hiking　back。〃

But　the　taxicab　was　gone。

Before　Cutty's　lieutenant　opened　the　gate　to　the　apartment　he　spoke
to　Hawksley。　　〃The　boss　is　doing　everything　he　can　to　put　you
through；　sir。　　Miss　Conover's　wit　saved　you。　　For　if　you　hadn't
separated　they'd　have　nailed　you。　　I've　been　running　round　like　a
chicken　with　its　head　cut　off。　　I　forgot　that　door　on　the
seventeenth　floor。　　I　tell　you　honestly；　you've　been　playing　with
death。　　It　wasn't　fair　to　Miss　Conover。〃

〃It　was　my　fault；〃　volunteered　Kitty。

〃Mine；〃　protested　Hawksley。

〃Well；　they　know　where　you　roost　now；　for　a　fact。　　You've　spilled
the　beans。　　I'm　sorry　I　lost　my　temper。　　The　devil　fly　away　with
you　both！〃　　The　boy　laughed。　　〃You're　game；　anyhow。　　But　darn　it
all；　if　anything　had　happened　to　you　the　boss　would　never　have
forgiven　me。　　He's　the　whitest　old　scout　God　ever　put　the　breath
of　life　into。　　He's　always　doing　something　for　somebody。　　He'd　give
you　the　block　if　you　had　the　gall　to　ask　for　it。　　Play　the　game
fifty…fifty　with　him　and　you'll　land　on　both　feet。　　And　you；　Miss
Conover；　must　not　come　here　again。〃

〃I　promise。〃

〃I'll　tell　you　a　little　secret。　　It　was　the　boss　who　sent　you　out
of　town。　　He　was　afraid　you'd　do　something　like　this。　　When　you　are
ready　to　go　home　you'll　find　Tony　Bernini　downstairs。　　Sore　as　a
crab；　too；　I'll　bet。〃

〃I'll　be　glad　to　go　home　with　him；〃　said　Kitty；　thoroughly　chastened
in　spirit。

〃That's　all　for　to…night。〃

Kitty　and　Hawksley　stepped　out　into　the　corridor；　the　problem　they
had　sought　to　shake　off　reestablished　in　their　thoughts；　added　too；
if　anything。

〃How　do　you　feel？〃

〃Top…hole；〃　lied　Hawksley。　　〃My　word；　though；　I　wobbled　a　bit　going
round　that　block。　　I　almost　kissed　the　hobby。　　I　say；　he　thought　I'd
been　tilting　a　few。　　But　it　was　a　lark！〃

〃Dinner　is　served；〃　announced　Kuroki　at　their　elbows。　　His　expression
was　coldly　bland。

〃Dinner！〃　cried　Hawksley；　brightening。　　〃What　does　the　American
soldier　say？〃

〃Eats！〃　answered　Kitty。

All　tension　vanished　in　the　double　laughter　that　followed。　　They
approached　dinner　with　something　of　the　spirit　that　had　induced
Hawksley　to　fiddle　and　Kitty　to　pass　the　hat　in　front　of　the
Metropolitan　Opera　House。　　Hawksley's　recuperative　powers　promised
well　for　his　future。　　By　the　time　coffee　was　served　his　head　had
cleared　and　his　legs　had　resumed　their　normal　functions　of　support。

〃I　was　so　infernally　bored！〃

〃And　now？〃　asked　Kitty；　recklessly。

〃Fancy　asking　me　that！〃

〃Do　you　realize　that　all　this　is　dreadfully　improper？〃

〃Oh；　I　say；　now！　　Where's　the　harm？　　If　ever　there　was　a　young
woman　capable　of　taking　care　of　herself　…　〃

〃That　isn't　it。　　It's　just　being　here　alone　with　you。〃

〃But　you　are　not　alone　with　me！〃

〃Kuroki？〃　　Kitty　shrugged。

〃No。　　At　my　side　of　the　table　is　Stefani　Gregor；　at　yours　the　man
who　has　befriended　me。〃

〃Thank　you　for　that。　　I　don't　know　of　anything　nicer　you　could　say。
But　the　outside　world　would　see　neither　of　our　friends。　　I　did　not
come　here　to　see　you。〃

〃No　need　of　telling　me　that。〃

〃I　had　a　problem　…　a　very　difficult　one　…　to　solve；　and　I　believed
that　I　might　solve　it　if　I　came　to　these　rooms。　　I　had　quite
forgotten　you。〃

Instantly；　upon　receiving　this　blunt　explanation；　he　determined　that
she　should　never　cease　to　remember　him　after　this　night。　　His　vanity
was　not　touched；　it　was　something　far　more　elusive。　　It　was　perhaps
a　recurrence　of　that　inexplicable　desire　to　hurt。　　Somehow　he　sensed
the　flexible　steel　behind　which　lay　the　soul　of　this　baffling　girl。
He　would　presently　find　a　chink　in　the　armour　with　that　old　Amati。

Blows　on　the　head　have　few　surgical　comparisons。　　That　which　kills
one　man　only　temporarily　stuns　another。　　One　man　loses　his　identity；
another　escapes　with　all　his　faculties　and　suffers　but　trifling
inconvenience。　　In　Hawksley's　case　the　blow　had　probably　restricted
some　current　of　thought；　and　that　which　would　have　flowed　normally
now　shot　out　obliquely；　perversely。　　It　might　be　that　the　natural
perverseness　of　his　blood；　unchecked　by　the　noble　influence　of
Stefani　Gregor　and　liberated　by　the　blow；　governed　his　thoughts　in
relation　to　Kitty。　　The　subjugation　of　women；　the　old　cynical
warfare　of　sex　…　the　dominant　business　of　his　rich　and　idle
forbears；　the　business　that　had　made　Boris　Karlov　a　deadly　and
implacable　enemy　…　became　paramount　in　his　disordered　brain。

She　had　forgotten　him！　　Very　well。　　He　would　stir　the　soul　of　her；
play　with　it；　lift　it　to　the　stars　and　dash　it　down　…　if　she　had　a
soul。　　Beautiful；　natural；　alone。　　He　became　all　Latin　under　the
pressure　of　this　idea。

〃I　will　play　for　you；〃　he　said；　quietly。

〃Please！　　And　then　I'll　go　home　where　I　belong。　　I'll　be　in　the
living　room。〃

When　he　returned　he　found　her　before　a　window；　staring　at　the　myriad
lights。

〃Sit　here；〃　he　said；　indicating　the　divan。　　〃I　shall　stand　and　walk
about　as　I　play。〃

Kitty　sat　down；　touching　the　pillows；　reflectively。　　She　thought　of
the　tears　she　had　wept　upon　them。　　That　sinister　and　cynical　thought！
Suddenly　she　saw　light。　　Her　problem　would　have　been　none　at　all　if
Cutty　had　said　he　loved　her。　　There　would　have　been　something　sublime
in　making　him　happy　in　his　twilight。　　He　had　loved　and　lost　her
mother。　　To　pay　him　for　that！　　He　was　right。　　Those　twenty…odd　years
　…　his　seniority　…　had　mellowed　him；　filled　him　with　deep　and　tender
understanding。　　To　be　with　him　was　restful；　the　very　thought　of　him
now　was　resting。　　No　matter　how　much　she　might　love　a　younger　man　he
would　frequently　torture　her　by　unconscious　egoism；　and　by　the　time
he　had　mellowed；　the　mulled　wine　would　be　cold。　　If　only　Cutty　had
said　he　loved　her！

〃What　shall　I　play？〃

Kitty　raised　her　eyes　in　frank　astonishment。　　There　was　a　fiercely
proud　expression　on　Hawksley's　face。　　It　was　not　the　man；　it　was　the
artist　who　was　angry。

〃Forgive　me！　　I　was　dreaming　a　little；〃　she　apologized　with　quick
understanding。　　〃I　am　not　quite　…　myself。〃

〃Neither　am　I。　　I　will　play　something　to　fit　your　dream。　　But　wait！
When　I　play　I　am　articulate。　　I　can　express　myself　…　all　emotions。
I　am　what　I　play　…　happy；　sad；　gay；　full　of　the　devil。　　I　warn
you。　　I　can　speak　all　things。　　I　can　laugh　at　you；　weep　with　you；
despise　you；　love　you！　　All　in　the　touch　of　these　strings。　　I　warn
you　there　is　magic　in　this　Amati。　　Will　you　risk　it？〃

Ordinarily　…　had　this　florid　outburst　come　from　another　man　…　Kitty
would　have　laughed。　　It　had　the　air　of　piqued　vanity；　but　she　knew
that　this　was　not　the　interpretation。　　On　the　streets　he　had　been
the　most　amusing　and　surprising　comrade　she　had　ever　known；　as
merry　and　whimsical　as　Cutty　…　young　and　handsome　…　the　real　man。
He　had　been　real　that　night　when　he　entered　through　her　kitchen
window；　with　the　drums　of　jeopardy　about　his　neck。　　He　had　been　real
that　night　she　had　brought　him　his　wallet。

Electric　antagonism　…　the　room　seemed　charged　with　it。　　The　man　had
stepped　aside　for　a　moment　and　the　great　noble　had　taken　his　place。
It　was　not　because　she　had　been　reared　in　rather　a　theatrical
atmospher