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〃Where did they take him？〃
Awake！ Kitty wrenched her shoulder away and swept the bedclothes
up to her chin。 She was thoroughly frightened； but her brain was
clear。 The spark of self…preservation flew hither and about in
search of expediencies； temporizations。 She must come through this
somehow with the vantage on her side。 She could not possibly betray
that poor young man； for that would entail the betrayal of Cutty
also。 She saw but one avenue； the telephone； and these two men
were on the wrong side of the bed； between her and the door。
〃What do you want？〃 Her throat was so dry she wondered whether
the words were projected far enough for them to hear。
〃We want the address of the wounded man you brought into this
apartment。〃
〃They took him to a hospital。〃
〃He was taken away from there。〃
〃He was？〃
〃Yes； he was。 You may not know where； but you will know the address
of the man who tricked us； and that will be sufficient。〃
〃The army surgeon？ He was called in by chance。 I don't know where
he lives。〃
〃The man in the dress suit。〃
〃He was with the surgeon。〃
〃He came first。 Come； we have no time to waste。 We don't want to
hurt you； and we hope you will not force us。
〃Will you step out of the room while I dress？〃
〃No。 Tell us where the man lives； and you can have the whole
apartment to yourself。〃
〃You speak English very well。〃
〃Enough！ Do you want us to bundle you up in the bedclothes and
carry you off？ It will not be a pleasant experience for a pretty
young woman like yourself。 Something happened to the man you knew
as Gregory。 Will that make you understand？〃
〃You know what abduction means？〃
〃Your police will not catch us。〃
〃But I might give you the wrong address。〃
〃Try it and see what happens。 Young lady； this is a bad affair
for a woman to be mixed up in。 Be sensible。 We are in a hurry。〃
〃Well； you seem to have acquired at least one American habit！〃 said
a gruff voice from the bedroom doorway。 〃Raise your hands quickly；
and don't turn；〃 went on the gruff voice。 〃If I shoot it will be
to kill。 It is a rough game； as you say。 That's it； and keep them
up。 Now； then； young lady； slip on your kimono。 Get up and search
these men。 I'm in a hurry； too。〃
Kitty obeyed； very lovely in her dishevelment。 Repugnant as the
task was she disarmed the two men and flung their weapons on the bed。
〃Now something to tie their hands； anything that will hold。〃
Kitty could see the speaker now。 Another coal heaver； but evidently
on her side。
〃Tie their hands behind them。。。 I warn you not to move； men。 When
I say I'll shoot I mean it。 Don't be afraid of hurting them； miss。
Very good。 Now bandage their eyes。 Handkerchiefs。〃
But Kitty's handkerchiefs did not run to the dimensions' required；
so she ripped up a petticoat。 Torn between her eagerness to
complete a disagreeable task and her offended modesty； Kitty went
through the performance with creditable alacrity。 Then she jumped
back into bed； doubled her knees； and once more drew up the
bedclothes to her chin； content to be a spectator； her eyes as wide
as ever they possibly could be。
Some secret…service man Cutty had sent to protect her。 Dear old
Cutty！ Small wonder he had urged her to spend the night at a hotel。
The admiration of her childhood returned； but without the shackles
of shyness。 She had always trusted him absolutely； and to this
trust was now added understanding。 To have him pop into her life
again in this fashion； all the ordinary approaches to intimacy
wiped out by these amazing episodes； the years bridged in an hour！
If only he were younger！
〃Watch them； miss。 Don't be afraid to shoot。 I'll return in a
moment〃 … still gruffly。 The secret…service man pushed his
prisoners into chairs and left the bedroom。
Kitty did not care how gruff the voice was； it was decidedly pleasant
in her ears。 Gingerly she picked up one of ；the revolvers。 Kitty
Conover with shooting irons in her hands； like a movie actress！ She
heard a whistle。 After this an interval of silence； save for the
ticking of the alarm clock on the stand。 She eyed the blindfolded
men speculatively； swung out of bed； and put on her stockings and
sandals； then she sat on the edge of the bed and waited for the
sequence。 Kitty Conover was going to have some queer recollections
to tell her grandchildren； providing she had any。 That morning she
had risen to face a humdrum normal day。 And here she was； at
midnight； hobnobbing with quiescent murder and sudden death！
To…morrow Burlingame would ask her to hustle up the Sunday stuff；
and she would hustle。 She wanted to laugh； but was a little afraid
that this laughter might degenerate into incipient hysteria。
There was still in her mind a vivid recollection of her dream … the
fire of diamonds and the blonde girl with the tiara of rubies。 Olga；
Olga！ Russian； the whole affair was Russian。 She shivered。 Always
that land and people had appeared to her in sinister aspect； no
doubt an impression acquired from reading melodramas written by
Englishmen who； once upon a time； had given Russia preeminence as a
political menace。 Russia； in all things … music； art； literature
… the tragic note。 Stefani Gregor and Johnny Two…Hawks had roused
the enmity of some political society with this result。 Nihilist or
Bolshevist or socialist； there was little choice； and Cutty sensibly
did not want her drawn into the whirlpool。
What a pleasant intimacy hers and Cutty's promised to be！ And if
he hadn't casually dropped into the office that afternoon she would
have surrendered the affair to the police； and that would have been
the end of it。 Amazing thought … you might jog along all your life
at the side of a person and never know him half so well as someone
you met m a tense episode； like that of the immaculate Cutty
crossing the fire escape with Two…Hawks on his shoulders！
She heard the friendly coal heaver going down the corridor to the
door。 When he returned to the bedroom two men accompanied him。 Not
a word was said。 The two men marched off with the prisoners and
left Kitty alone with her saviour。
〃Thank you；〃 she said； simply。
〃You poor little chicken； did you believe I had deserted you？〃 The
voice wasn't gruff now。
〃Cutty？〃 Kitty ran to him； flinging her arms round his neck。 〃Oh；
Cutty！〃
Cutty's heart； which had bumped along an astonishing number of
million times in fifty…two years； registered a memorable bump against
his ribs。 The touch of her soft arms and the faint； indescribable
perfume which emanates from a dainty woman's hair thrilled him beyond
any thrill he had ever known。 For Kitty's mother had never put her
arms round old Cutty's neck。 Of course he understood readily enough：
Molly's girl； flesh of her flesh。 And she had rushed to him as she
would have rushed to her father。 He patted her shoulder clumsily；
still a little dazzled for all the revelation in the analysis。 The
sweet intimacy of it！ The door of Paradise opened for a moment； and
then shut in his face。
〃I did not recognize you at all！〃 she cried； standing off。 〃I
shouldn't have known you on the