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the anarch is flattery； attention。 Had the newspapers ignored
Trotzky's advent into Russia； had they omitted the daily chronicle of
his activities； the Russian problem would not be so large as it is
this day。 Trotzky would have died of chagrin。
He would answer this advertisement。 Trap？ He would set one himself。
The man who eventually came to negotiate would be made a prisoner and
forced to disclose the identity of the man who had interfered with
the great projects of Boris Karlov； plenipotentiary extraordinary for
the red government of Russia。
Midtown； Cutty tapped his breakfast egg dubiously。 Not that he
speculated upon the freshness of the egg。 What troubled him was that
advertisement。 Last night； keyed high by his remarkable discovery
of the identity of his guest and his cupidity relative to the
emeralds； he had laid himself open。 If he knew anything at all about
the craft； that reporter would be digging in。 Fortunately he had
resources unsuspected by the reporter。 Legitimately he could send
a secret…service operative to collect the mail … if Karlov decided to
negotiate。 Still within his rights； he could use another operative
to conduct the negotiations。 If in the end Karlov strayed into the
net the use of the service for private ends would be justified。
Lord； those green stones！ Well； why not？ Something in the world
worth a hazard。 What had he in life but this second grand passion？
There shot into his mind obliquely an irrelevant question。 Supposing；
in the old days； he had proceeded to reach for Molly as he was now
reaching for the emeralds … a bit lawlessly？ After all these years；
to have such a thought strike him！ Hadn't he stepped aside meekly
for Conover？ Hadn't he observed and envied Conover's dazzling
assault？ Supposing Molly had been wavering； and this method of
attack had decided her？ Never to have thought of that before！ What
did a woman want？ A love storm； and then an endless after…calm。
And it had taken him twenty…odd years to make this discovery。
Fact。 He had never been shy of women。 He had somehow preferred to
play comrade instead of gallant； and all the women had taken
advantage of that； used him callously to pair with old maids； faded
wives； and homely debutantes。
What impellent was driving him toward these introspections？ Kitty；
Molly's girl。 Each time he saw her or thought of her … the uninvited
ghost of her mother。 Any other man upon seeing Kitty or thinking
about her would have jumped into the future from the spring of a
dream。 The disparity in years would not have mattered。 It was all
nonsense； of course。 But for his dropping into the office and
casually picking up the thread of his acquaintance with Kitty； Molly
… the memory of her … would have gone on dimming。 Actions；
tremendous and world…wide； had set his vision toward the future； he
had been too busy to waste time in retrospection and introspection。
Thus； instead of a gently rising and falling tide； healthily
recurrent； a flood of mixed longings that was swirling him into
uncertain depths。 Those emeralds had bobbed up just in time。 The
chase would serve to pull him out of this bog。
He heard a footstep and looked up。 The nurse was beckoning to him。
〃What is it？〃
〃He's awake； and there is sanity in his eyes。〃
〃Great！ Has he talked？〃
〃No。 The awakening happened just this moment； and I came to you。
You never can tell about blows on the skull or brain fever … never
any two eases alike。〃
Cutty threw down his napkin and accompanied the nurse to the bedside。
The glance of the patient trailed from Cutty to the nurse and back。
〃Don't talk；〃 said Cutty。 〃Don't ask any questions。 Take it easy
until later in the day。 You are in the hands of persons who wish
you well。 Eat what the nurse gives you。 When the right time comes
we'll tell you all about ourselves； You've been robbed and beaten。
But the men who did it are under arrest。〃
〃One question；〃 said the patient； weakly。
〃Well； just one。〃
〃A girl … who gave me something to eat？〃
〃Yes。 She fed you； and later probably your life。〃
〃Thanks。〃 Hawksley closed his eyes。
Cutty and the nurse watched him interestedly for a few minutes； but
as he did not stir again the nurse took up her temperature sheet and
Cutty returned to his eggs。 Was there a girl？ No question about
the emeralds； no interest in the day and the hour。 Was there a
girl？ The last person he had seen； Kitty； the first question； after
coming into the light： Had he seen her？ Then and there Cutty knew
that when he died he would carry into the Beyond； of all his earthly
possessions … a chuckle。 Human beings！
The yarn that reporter had missed by a hair … front page；
eight…column head！ But he had missed it； and that was the main thing。
The poor devil！ Beaten and without a sou marque in his pockets； his
trail was likely to be crowded without the assistance of any
newspaper publicity。 But what a yarn！ What a whale of a yarn！
In his fevered flights Hawksley had spoken of having paid Kitty for
that meal。
Kitty had said nothing about it。 Supposing …
〃Telephone； sair；〃 announced the Jap。 〃Lady。〃
Molly's girl！ Cutty sprinted to the telephone。
〃Hello！ That you； Kitty？〃
〃Yes。 How is Johnny Two…Hawks？〃
〃Back to earth。〃
'When can I see him？ I'm just crazy to know what the story is！〃
〃Say the third or fourth day from this。 We'll have him shaved and
sitting up then。〃
〃Has he talked？〃
〃Not permitted。 Still determined to stay the run of your lease？〃
Cutty heard a laugh。 〃All right。 Only I hope you will never have
cause to regret this decision。〃
〃Fiddlesticks！ All I've got to do in danger is to press a button；
and presto！ here's Bernini。〃
〃Kitty； did Hawksley pay you for that meal？〃
〃Good heavens； no！ What makes you ask that？〃
〃In his delirium he spoke of having paid you。 I didn't know。〃
Cutty's heart began to rap against his ribs。 Supposing； after all；
Karlov hadn't the stones？ Supposing Hawksley had hidden them
somewhere in Kitty's kitchen？
〃Anything about Gregor？〃
〃No。 Remember； you're to call me up twice a day and report the news。
Don't go out nights if you can avoid it。〃
〃I'll be good；〃 Kitty agreed。 〃And now I must hie me to the job。
Imagine； Cutty ！ … writing personalities about stage folks and
gabfesting with Burlingame and all the while my brain boiling with
this affair！ The city room will kill me； Cutty； if it ever finds
out that I held back such a yarn。 But it wouldn't he fair to Johnny
Two…Hawks。 Cutty； did you know that your wonderful drums of jeopardy
are here in New York？〃
〃What？〃 barked Cutty。
〃Somebody is offering to buy them。 There was an advertisement in
the paper this morning。 Cutty？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃The first problem in arithmetic is two and two make four。 By…by！〃
Dizzily Cutty hung up the receiver。 He had not reckoned on the
possibility of Kitty seeing that damfool advertisement。 Two and
two made four； and four and four made eight； so on indefinitely。
That is to say； Kitty already had a glimmer of the startling truth。
The initial misstep on his part had been made upon her pronouncem