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to altitudes there are always two angles of vision … that from the
summit and that from the green valley below。 Kitty saw him beyond
the tree line； but just this side of the snows … and matched his
condescension with pity！ He chuckled。 Doddering old ass； what
did it matter how she looked at him？
Beautiful and young and full of common sense； yet dangerously
romantical。 To wait for the man she wanted； what did that signify
but romance？ And there was her Irish blood to consider。 The
association of pretty nurse and interesting patient always afforded
excellent background for sentimental nonsense； the obligations of
the one and the gratitude of the other。 Well； he had nipped that
in the bud。
And why hadn't he taken this Two…Hawks person … how easy it was to
fall into Kitty's way of naming the chap！ … why hadn't he taken him
directly to the Roosevelt？ Why all this pother and secrecy over
a total stranger？ Stefani Gregor； who lived opposite Kitty and who
hadn't prospered particularly since the day he had exhibited the
drums of jeopardy … he was the reason。 These were volcanic days；
and a friend of Stefani Gregor … who played the violin like
Paganini … might well be worth the trouble of a little courtesy。
Then； too； there was that mark of the thong … a charm； a military
identification disk or something of value。 Whatever it was； the
rogues had got it。 Murder and loot。 And as soon as he returned
to consciousness the young fellow would be making inquiries。
Perhaps Kitty's point of view regarding a certain duffer aged
fifty…two was nearer the truth than the duffer himself realized。
Second childhood！ As if the drums of jeopardy would ever again
see light； after that tempest of fire and death … that mud
volcano！
One thing was certain … there would be no more cat…napping。 The
game was on again。 He was assured of that side of it。
Green stones； the sunlight breaking against the flaws in a shower
of golden sparks； green as the pulp of a Champagne grape； the drums
of jeopardy！ Murder and loot； he could understand。
Immediately after the patient was put to bed Cutty changed。 A
nondescript suit of the day…labourer type and a few deft touches
of coal dust completed his make…up。
〃I shan't be back until morning；〃 he announced。 〃Work to do。
Kuroki will be at your service through the night； Miss Frances。
Strike that Burmese gong once； at any hour。 Come along； Harrison。〃
〃Want any company？〃 asked Harrison； with a belligerent twist to his
moustache。
Cutty laughed。 〃No。 You run along to your lambs。 I'm running with
the wolves to…night； old scout； and you might get that spick…and…span
uniform considerably mussed up。 Besides； it's raining。〃
〃But what's to become of Miss Conover？ She ought not to remain
alone in that apartment。〃
〃Well； well！ I thought of that； too。 But she can take care of
herself。〃
〃Those ruffians may call up the hospital and learn that we tricked
them。
〃And then？〃
〃Try to force the truth from Miss Conover。〃
〃That's precisely the wherefore of this coal dust。 On your way！〃
Eleven o'clock。 Kitty was in the kitchen； without light； her chair
by the window； which she had thrown up。 She had gone to bed； but
sleep was impossible。 So she decided to watch the Gregor windows。
Sometimes the mind is like a movie camera set for a double exposure。
The whole scene is visible； but the camera sees only half of it。
Thus； while she saw the windows across the court there entered the
other side of her mind a picture of the immaculate Cutty crossing
the platform with Johnny Two…Hawks thrown over his shoulder。 The
mental picture obscured the actual。
She had called him old。 Well； he was old。 And no doubt he looked
upon her as a child； wanting her to spend the night at a hotel！ The
affair was over。 No one would bother Kitty Conover。 Why should
they？ But it took strength to shoulder a man like that。 What fun
he and her father must have had together！ And Cutty had loved her
mother！ That made Kitty exquisitely tender for a moment。 All
alone； at the age when new friendships were impossible。 A lovable
man like that going down through life alone！
Census taker of alien undesirables； a queer occupation for a man so
famous as Cutty。 Patriotism … to plunge into that seething
revolutionary scum to sort the dangerous madmen from the harmless
mad…men。 Courage and strength and mental resource； yes； Cutty
possessed these； and he would be the kind to laugh at a joke or a
hurt。
One thing； however； was indelibly printed on her mind。 Stefani
Gregor … either Cutty had met and known the man or he had heard of
him。
Suddenly she became conscious that she was blinking as one blinks
from mirror…reflected sunlight。 She cast about for the source of
this phenomenon。 Obliquely from between the interstices of the
fire…escape platform came a point of moving white light。 She craned
her neck。 A battery lamp！ The round spot of light worked along the
cement floor； vanished occasionally； reappeared； and then vanished
altogether。 Somebody was down there hunting for something。 What？
Kitty remained with her head out of the window for some time；
unmindful of the spatter of rain。 But nothing happened。 The man
was gone。 Of course the incident might not have the slightest
bearing upon the previous adventures of this amazing night； still；
it was suggestive。 The young man had worn something round his neck。
But if his enemies had it why should this man comb the court；
unless he was a tenant and had knocked something off a window ledge？
She began to appreciate that she was very tired； and decided to go
back to bed。 This time she fell asleep。 Her disordered thoughts
rearranged themselves in a dazzling dream。 She found herself
wandering through a glorious translucent green cavern … a huge
emerald。 And in the distance she heard that unmistakable
tumpitum…tump！ tumpitum…tump！ It drew her irresistibly。 She
fought and struggled against the fascinating sound； but it continued
to draw her on。 Suddenly from round a corner came the squat man；
his hair a la Fuzzy…Wuzzy。 He caught her savagely by the shoulder
and dragged her toward a fire of blazing diamonds。 On the other
side of that fire was a blonde young woman with a tiara of rubies
on her head。 〃Save me！ I am Olga； Olga！〃 Kitty struggled
fiercely and awoke。
The light was on。 At the side of her bed were two men。 One of
them was holding her bare shoulder and digging his fingers into it
cruelly。 They looked like coal heavers。
〃We do not wish to harm you； and won't if you're sensible。 Where
did they take the man you brought
CHAPTER XI
Kitty did not wrench herself loose at once。 She wasn't quite sure
that this was not a continuance of her nightmare。 She knew that
nightmares had a way of breaking off in the middle of things； of
never arriving anywhere。 The room looked natural enough and the
pain in her shoulder seemed real enough； but one never could tell。
She decided to wait for the next episode。
〃Answer！〃 cried the spokesman of the two； twisting Kitty's shoulder。
〃Where did they take him？〃
Awake！ Kitty wrenched her shoul