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to him that under this gayety was a current of extreme bitterness。
〃I say； are all American girls like you？〃
〃Heavens； no！ Why？〃
〃Because I never met one like you before。 Rather stilted … on their
good behaviour； I fancy。〃
〃And I interest you because I'm not on my good behaviour？〃 Kitty
whipped back。
〃Because you are as God made you … without camouflage。〃
〃The poor innocent young man！ I'm nothing but camouflage to…night。
Why are you risking your life in the street？ Why am I sharing
that risk？ Because we both feel bound and are blindly trying
to break through。 What do you know about me？ Nothing。 What do
I know about you？ Nothing。 But what do we care？ Come on； come on！〃
Tumpitum … tump！ tumpitum … tump！ drummed the Elevated。 Kitty
laughed。 The tocsin！ Always something happened when she heard it。
〃Pearls！〃 she cried； dragging him toward a jeweller's window。
〃No！〃 he said； holding back。 〃I hate … jewels！ How I hate them！〃
He broke away from her and hurried on。
She had to run after him。 Had she hesitated they might have become
separated。 Hated jewels？ No； no！ There should be no questions；
verbal or mental； this night。 She presently forced him to slow down。
〃Not so fast！ We must never become separated；〃 she warned。 〃Our
safety … such as it is … lies in being together。〃
〃I'm an ass。 Perhaps my head is ratty without my realizing it。 I
fancy I'm like a dog that's been kicked； I'm trying to run away
from the pain。 What's this tomb？〃
〃The Metropolitan Opera House。〃
As they were passing a thin； wailing sound came to the ears of both。
Seated with his back to the wall was a blind fiddler with a tin cup
strapped to a knee。 He was out of bounds； he had no right on
Broadway； but he possessed a singular advantage over the law。 He
could not be forced to move on without his guide … if he were
honestly blind。 Hundreds of people were passing； but the fiddler's
〃Last Rose of Summer〃 wasn't worth a cent。 His cup was empty。
〃The poor thing！〃 said Kitty。
〃Wait！〃 Hawksley approached the fiddler； exchanged a few words with
him； and the blind man surrendered his fiddle。
〃Give me your hat！〃 cried Kitty； delighted。
Carefully Hawksley pried loose his derby and handed it to Kitty。
No stab of pain； something to find that out。 He turned the
instrument； tucked it under his chin and began 〃Traumerei。〃 Kitty；
smiling； extended the hat。 Just the sort of interlude to make the
adventure memorable。 She knew this thoroughfare。 Shortly there
would be a crowd； and the fiddler's cup would overflow … that is；
if the police did not interfere too soon。
As for the owner of the wretched fiddle； he raised his head； his
mouth opened。 Up there； somewhere； a door to heaven had opened。
True to her expectations a crowd slowly gathered。 The beauty of
the girl and the dark； handsome face of the musician； his picturesque
bare head； were sufficient for these cynical passers…by。 They
understood。 Operatic celebrities； having a little fun on their own。
So quarters and dimes and nickels began to patter into Cutty's
ancient derby hat。 Broadway will always contribute generously toward
a novelty of this order。 Famous names were tossed about in
undertones。
Entered then the enemy of the proletariat。 Kitty； being a New
Yorker born； had had her weather eye roving。 The brass…buttoned
minion of the law was always around when a bit of innocent fun was
going on。 As the policeman reached the inner rim of the audience
the last notes of Handel's 〃Largo〃 were fading on the ear。
〃What's this？〃 demanded the policeman。
〃It's all over； sir；〃 answered Kitty； smiling。
〃Can't have this on Broadway； miss。 Obstruction。〃 He could not
speak gruffly in the face of such beauty … especially with a
Broadway crowd at his back。
〃It's all over。 Just let me put this money in the blind man's cup。〃
Kitty poured her coins into the receptacle。 At the same time
Hawksley laid the fiddle in the blind man's lap。 Then he turned to
Kitty and boomed a long Russian phrase at her。 Her quick wit caught
the intent。 〃You see； he doesn't understand that this cannot be
done in New York。 I couldn't explain。〃
〃All right； miss； but don't do it again。〃 The policeman grinned。
〃And please don't be harsh with the blind man。 Just tell him he
mustn't play on Broadway again。 Thank you！'
She linked her arm in Hawksley's； and they went on； and the crowd
dissolved； only the policeman and the blind man remained； the one
contemplating his duty and the other his vision of heaven。
〃What a lark！〃 exclaimed Hawksley。
〃Were you asking me for your hat？〃
〃I was telling the bobby to go to the devil！〃
They laughed like children。
〃March hares！〃 he said。
〃No。 April fools！ Good heavens； the time！ Twenty minutes to
seven。 Our dinner！〃
〃We'll take a taxi。。。。 Dash it！〃
〃What's wrong？〃
〃Not a bally copper in my pockets！〃
〃And I left my handbag on the sideboard！ We'll have to walk。 If
we hurry we can just about make it。〃
Meantime； there lay in wait for them … this pair of April fools … a
taxicab。 It stood snugly against the curb opposite the entrance to
Cutty's apartment。 The door was slightly ajar。
The driver watched the south corner； the three men inside never took
their gaze off the north corner。
〃But； I say； hasn't this been a jolly lark？〃
〃If we had known we could have borrowed a dollar from the blind man；
he'd never have missed it。〃
CHAPTER XXVII
Champagne in the glass is a beautiful thing to see。 So is water；
the morning after。 That is the fault with frolic； there is always
an inescapable rebound。 The most violent love drops into humdrum
tolerance。 A pessimist is only a poor devil who has anticipated the
inevitable； he has his headache at the start。 Mental champagnes have
their aftermaths even as the juice of the grape。
Hawksley and Kitty； hurrying back； began to taste lees。 They began
to see things； too … menace in every loiterer； threat in every alley。
They had had a glorious lark； somewhere beyond would be the piper
with an appalling bill。 They exaggerated the dangers； multiplied
them； perhaps wisely。 There would be no let…down in their vigilance
until they reached haven。 But this state of mind they covered with
smiling masks； banter； bursts of laughter； and flashes of wit。
They were both genuinely frightened； but with unselfish fear。 Kitty's
fear was not for herself but for Johnny Two…Hawks。 If anything
happened the blame would rightly be hers。 With that head he wasn't
strictly accountable for what he did； she was。 A firm negative on her
part and he would never have left the apartment。 And his fear was
wholly for this astonishing girl。 He had recklessly thrust her into
grave danger。 Who knew； better than he； the implacable hate of the
men who sought to kill him？
Moreover； his strength was leaving him。 There was an alarming
weakness in his legs； purely physical。 He had overdone； and if need
rose he would not be able to protect her。 Damnable fool！ But she
had known。 That was the odd phase of it。 She hadn't come blindly。
What mood had urged her to share the danger a