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Idaho； a shipowner from Boston； a meat packer from Omaha； a grain man
from Chicago。 What the devil do lawyers know about these things … the
energies that make the wheels of this country go round？ By the way；
that Miss Conover was a remarkably pretty girl。 She seemed to be a bit
suspicious of me。〃
〃Good reasons。 That chap went to Gregor's … Gregor is his name …
and was beaten； robbed； and left for dead。 She saved his life。〃
〃Good Lord！ Does she know？〃
〃No。 And what's more； I don't want her to。 I am practically her
guardian。〃
〃Then you ought to get her out of that roost。〃
〃Hang it； I can't get her to leave。 I'm not legally her guardian；
self…appointed。 But she has agreed to leave in May。〃
〃I'm glad you dropped in。 Command me in any way you please。〃
〃That's very good of you； considering。〃
〃The war is over。 We'd be a fine pair of fools to let an ancient
grudge go on。 They tell me you've a wonderful apartment on top of
that skyscraper of yours。〃
〃Will you come to dinner some night？〃
〃Any time you say。 I should like to bring my daughter。〃
〃She doesn't know？〃
〃No。 Heard of Hawksley； thinks he's English。〃
〃I am certainly agreeable。〃 This would be a distinct advantage to
Kitty。 〃I see you have a good book there。 I'll take myself off。〃
In the Avenue Cutty loaded his pipe。 He struck a match on the
flagstone and cupped it over the bowl of his pipe； thereby throwing
his picturesque countenance into ruddy relief。 Opposite emotions
filled the hearts of the two men watching him … in one； chagrin； in
the other； exultation。
Cutty decided to walk downtown； the night being fine。 He set his
foot to a long； swinging stride。 An elephant on his hands； truly。
Poor devil； for a fad！ Nobody wanted him； not even those who wished
him well。 Wanted to become an American citizen。 He would have been
tolerably safe in England。 Here he would never be free of danger。
A ranch。 The beggar would have a chance out there in the West。 The
anarchist and the Bolshevik were town cooties。 His one chance；
actually。 The poor devil！ Kitty had the right idea。 It was a
mighty fine thing； these times； to be a citizen under the protection
of the American doctrine。
Three hundred thousand！ And Karlov had got that along with the drums。
The devil's own for luck！ The fool would be able to start some fine
ructions with all that capital behind him。 Episodes in the night。
Kitty dreamed of wonderful rose gardens； endless and changing； but
strive as she would she could not find Cutty anywhere； which worried
her； even in her dream。
The nurse heard the patient utter a single word several times before
he fell asleep。
〃What is it？〃 she asked。
〃Fan！〃 And he smiled。
She hunted for the palm leaf； but with a slight gesture he signified
that that was not what he wanted。
Cutty played solitaire with his chrysoprase until the telephone
broke in upon his reveries。 What he heard over the wire disturbed
him greatly。
〃You were followed from the Avenue to the apartment。〃
〃How do you know？〃
〃I am Henderson。 You assigned me to watch the apartment in Eightieth
through the night。 I followed the man who followed you。 He saw your
face when you lit the pipe。 When the banker left Miss Conover he was
followed home。 That established him in the affair。 The follower hung
round； and so did I。 You appeared。 He took a chance shot in the dark。
Not sure； but doing a bit of clever guessing。〃
〃You still followed him？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Where did he wind up？〃
〃A house in the warehouse district。 Vacant warehouses on each side。
Some new nest。 I can lead you to it； sir； any time you wish。〃
〃Thanks。〃
Cutty pushed aside the telephone and returned to his green stones。
After all； why worry？ It was unfortunate； of course； but the
apartment was more inaccessible than the top of the Matterhorn。
Still； they might discover what his real business was and interfere
seriously with his future work on the other side。 A ruin in the
warehouse district？ A good place to look for Stefani Gregor … if
he were still alive。
He was。 And in his dark room he cried piteously for water … water
… water！
CHAPTER XVII
A March day； sunny and cloudless； with fresh； bracing winds。 Green
things pushed up from the soil； an eternal something was happening
to the tips of the tree branches； an eternal something was happening
in young hearts。 A robin shook the dust of travel from his wings
and bathed publicly in a park basin。
Here and there under the ten thousand roofs of the great city poets
were busy with inkpots； trying to say an old thing in a new way。
Woe to the pinched soul that did not expand this day； for it was
spring。 Expansion！ Nature … perhaps she was relenting a little；
perhaps she saw that humanity was sliding down the scale； withering；
and a bit of extra sunshine would serve to check the descension and
breed a little optimism。
Cutty's study。 The sunlight； thrown westward； turned windows and
roofs and towers into incomparable bijoux。 The double reflection
cast a white light into the room； lifting out the blue and old…rose
tints of the Ispahan rug。
Cutty shifted the chrysoprase； irresolutely for him。 A dozen
problems； and it was mighty hard to decide which to tackle first。
Principally there was Kitty。 He had not seen her in four days；
deeming it advisable for her not to call for the present。 The
Bolshevik agent who had followed him from the banker's might
decide； without the aid of some connecting episode； that he had
wasted his time。
It did not matter that Kitty herself was no longer watched and
followed from her home to the office； from the office home。 Was
Karlov afraid or had he some new trick up his sleeve？ It was not
possible that he had given up Hawksley。 He was probably planning
an attack from some unexpected angle。 To be sure that Karlov
would not find reason to associate him with Kitty； Cutty had
remained indoors during the daytime and gone forth at night in
his dungarees。
Problem Two was quite as formidable。 The secret agent who had
passed as a negotiator for the drums of jeopardy had disappeared。
That had sinister significance。 Karlov did not intend to sell the
drums； merely wanted precise information regarding the man who had
advertised for them。 If the secret…service man weakened under
torture； Cutty recognized that his own usefulness would be at an
end。 He would have to step aside and let the great currents sweep
on without him。 In that event these fifty…two years would pile
upon his head； full measure； for the only thing that kept him
vigorous was action； interest。 Without some great incentive he
would shrivel up and blow away … like some exhumed mummy。
Problem Three。 How the deuce was he going to fascinate Kitty if
he couldn't see her？ But there was a bit of silver lining here。
If he couldn't see her； what chance had Hawksley？ The whole sense
and prompting of this problem was to keep Kitty and Hawksley apart。
How this was accomplished was of no vital importance。 Problem
Three； then； hung fire for the present。 Funny； how this idea stuck
in his head； that Hawksley was a