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his world； and he was still thinking in the ancient make…up。 Middle
class！ He was no better than a troglodyte； set down in a new
wilderness。
He heard the curtain rings slither on the pole。 Believing the
intruder to be Kuroki he turned belligerently。 And there she stood
… the girl herself！ The poise of her reminded him of the Winged
Victory in the Louvre。 Where there had been a cup of champagne in
his veins circumstance now poured a magnum。
〃You！〃 he cried。
〃What has happened？ Where are you going in those clothes？〃 demanded
Kitty。
〃I am running away … for an hour or so。〃
〃But you must not！ The risks … after all the trouble we've had to
help you！〃
〃I shall be perfectly safe； for you are going with me。 Aren't you
my guardian angel？ Well； rather！ The two of us … people； lights；
shop windows！ Perfectly splendiferous！ Honestly； now； where's the
harm？〃 He approached her rapidly as he spoke； and before the spell
of him could be shaken off Kitty found her hands imprisoned in his。
〃Please！ I've been so damnably bored。 The two of us in the streets；
among the crowds！ No one will dare touch us。 Can't you see？ And
then … I say； this is ripping ！ … we'll have dinner together here。
I will play for you on the old Amati。 Please！〃
The fire of him communicated to the combustibles in Kitty's soul。
A wild； reckless irony besieged her。 This adventure would be
exactly what she needed； it would sweep clear the fog separating
one side of her brain from the other。 For it was plain enough
that part of her brain refused to cooperate with the other。 A
break in the trend of thought： she might succeed in getting hold
of the puzzle if she could drop it absolutely for a little while
and then pick it up again。
She had not gone home。 She had not notified Bernini。 She had
checked her luggage in the station parcel room and come directly
here。 For what？ To let the sense of luxury overcome the hidden
repugnance of the idea of marrying Cutty； divorcing him； and
living on his money。 To put herself in the way of visible
temptation。 What fretted her so； what was wearing her down to
the point of fatigue； was the patent imbecility of her reluctance。
There would have been some sense of it if Cutty had proposed a
real marriage。 All she had to do was mumble a few words； sign
her name to a document； live out West for a few months； and be
in comfortable circumstances all the rest of her life。 And she
doddered！
She would run the streets with Johnny Two…Hawks； return； and dine
with him。 Who cared？ Proper or improper； whose business was it but
Kitty Conover's？ Danger？ That was the peculiar attraction。 She
wanted to rush into danger； some tense excitement the strain of
which would lift her out of her mood。 A recurrent touch of the wild
impulsiveness of her childhood。 Hadn't she sometimes flown out into
thunderstorms； after merited punishment； to punish the mother whom
thunder terrorized？ And now she was going to rush into unknown
danger to punish Fate … like a silly child！ Nevertheless； she would
go into the streets with Johnny Two…Hawks。
〃But are you strong enough to venture on the streets？〃
〃Rot！ Dash it all； I'm no mollycoddle！ All nonsense to keep me
pinned in like this。 Will you go with me … be my guide？〃
〃Yes！〃 She shot out the word and crossed the Rubicon before reason
could begin to lecture。 Besides； wasn't reason treating her shabbily
in withholding the key to the riddle？ 〃Johnny Two…Hawks； I will go
as far as Harlem if you want me to。〃
〃Johnny Two…Hawks！〃 He laughed joyously； then kissed her hands。
But he had to pay for this bending … a stab that filled his eyes
with flying sparks。 He must remember； once out of doors； not to
stoop quickly。 〃I say； you're the jolliest girl I ever met！ Just
the two of us； what？〃
〃The way you speak English is wonderful！〃
〃Simple enough to explain。 Had an English nurse from the beginning。
Spoke English and Italian before I spoke Russian。〃
He seized the wooden mallet and beat the Burmese gong … a flat piece
of brass cut in the shape of a bell。 The clear； whirring vibrations
filled the room。 Long before these spent themselves Kuroki appeared
on the threshold。 He bobbed。
〃Kuroki； Miss Conover is dining here with me to…night。 Seven
o'clock sharp。 The best you have in the larder。〃
〃Yes； sair。 You are going out； sair？〃
〃For a bit of fresh air。〃
〃And I am going with him； Kuroki；〃 said Kitty。 Kuroki bobbed again。
〃Dinner at seven； sair。〃 Another bob； and he returned to the
kitchen； smiling。 The girl was free to come and go； of course； but
the ancient enemy of Nippon would not pass the elevator door。 Let
him find that out for himself。
When the elevator arrived the boy did not open the door。 He noted
the derby on Hawksley's head。
〃I can take you down； Miss Conover； but I cannot take Mr。 Hawksley。
When the boss gives me an order I obey it … if I possibly can。 On
the day the boss tells me you can go strolling； I'll give you the
key to the city。 Until then； nix！ No use arguing； Mr。 Hawksley。〃
〃I shan't argue；〃 replied Hawksley； meekly。 〃I am really a prisoner；
then？〃
〃For your own good； sir。 Do you wish to go down； Miss Conover？〃
〃No。〃
The boy swung the lever； and the car dropped from sight。
〃I'm sorry；〃 said Kitty。
Hawksley smiled and laid a finger on his lips。 〃I wanted to know；〃
he whispered。 〃There's another way down from this Matterhorn。 Come
with me。 Off the living room is a storeroom。 I found the key in
the lock the other day and investigated。 I still have the key。 Now；
then； there's a door that gives to the main loft。 At the other end
is the stairhead。 There is a door at the foot of the first flight
down。 We can jolly well leave this way； but we shall have to return
by the lift。 That bally young ruffian can't refuse to carry us up；
y' know！〃
Kitty laughed。 〃This is going to be fun！〃
〃Rather！〃
They groped their way through the dim loft … for it was growing dark
outside … and made the stairhead。 The door to the seventeenth floor
opened； and they stepped forth into the lighted hallway。
〃Now what？〃 asked Kitty； bubbling。
〃The floor below； and one of the other lifts； what？〃 Twenty minutes
later the two of them； arm in arm； turned into Broadway。
〃This； sir；〃 began Kitty with a gesture； 〃is Broadway … America's
backyard in the daytime and Ali Baba's cave at night。 The way of
the gilded youth； the funnel for papa's money； the chorus lady； the
starting point of the high cost of living。 We New Yorkers despise
it because we can't afford it。〃
〃The lights！〃 gasped Hawksley。
〃Wreckers' lights。 Behold！ Yonder is a highly nutritious whisky
blinking its bloomin' farewell。 Do you chew gum？ Even if you
don't； in a few minutes I'll give you a cud for thought。 Chewing
gum was invented by a man with a talkative wife。 He missed the
physiological point； however； that a body can chew and talk at the
same time。 Come on！〃
They went on uptown； Hawksley highly amused； exhilarated； but
frequently puzzled。 The pungent irony of her observations conveyed
to him that under this gayety was a current