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minds the dim hope that there may be a shallow ford somewhere。 Thus；
bridges should not be burned impulsively； there may be no ford。
The idea of retreat pushed forward in Kitty's mind the moment she
awoke； but she pressed it back in shame。 She had given her word；
and she would stand by it。
The night had been a series of wild impulses。 She had not sent that
telegram to Cutty as the result of her deliberations in the country。
Impulse； a flash； and the thing was done； her bridges burned。 To
crush Johnny Two…Hawks； fill his cup with chagrin； she had told him
she was going to marry Cutty。 That was the milk in the cocoanut。
Morning has a way of showing up night…gold for what it is … tinsel。
Kitty saw the stage of last night's drama dismantled。 If there was
a shallow ford； she would never lower her pride to seek it。 She
had told Two…Hawks； sent that wire to Cutty； broke the news to
Bernini。
But did she really want to go back？ Not to know her own mind； to
swing back and forth like a pendulum！ Was it because she feared
that； having married Cutty； she might actually fall in love with
some other man later？ She could still go through the mummery as
Cutty had planned； but what about all the sublime generosity of
the preceding night？
A queer feeling pervaded her： She was a marionette； a human
manikin； and some invisible hand was pulling the wires that made
her do all these absurd things。 Her own mind no longer controlled
her actions。 The persistence of that waltz！ It had haunted her；
broken into her dreams； awakened her out of them。 Why should she
be afraid？ What was there to be afraid of in a recurring melody？
She had heard a dozen famed violinists play it。 It had never
before affected her beyond a flash of emotionalism。 Perhaps it
was the romantic misfortune of the man； the mystery surrounding
him； the menace which walled him in。
Breakfast。 Human manikins had appetites。 So she made her
breakfast。 Before leaving the kitchen she stopped at the window。
The sun filled the court with brilliant light。 The patches of
rust on the fire…escape ladder； which was on the Gregor side of
the platform； had the semblance of powdered gold。
Half an hour later she was speeding downtown to the office。 All
through the day she walked； worked； talked as one in the state of
trance。 There were periods of stupefaction which at length roused
Burlingame's curiosity。
〃Kitty； what's the matter with you？ You look dazed about something。〃
〃How do you clean a pipe？〃 she countered； irrelevantly。
〃Clean a pipe？〃 he repeated； nearly overbalancing his chair。
〃Yes。 You see； I may make up my mind to marry a man who smokes a
pipe；〃 said Kitty； desperately； eager to steer Burlingame into
another channel； 〃and certainly I ought to know how to clean one。〃
〃Kitty； I'm an old…timer。 You can't sidetrack me like this。
Something has happened。 You say you had a great time in the
country； and you come in as pale as the moon； like someone
suffering from shell shock。 Ever since Cutty came in here that
day you've been acting oddly。 You may not know it； but Cutty
asked me to send you out of town。 You've been in some kind of
danger。 What's the yarn？〃
〃So big that no newspaper will ever publish it； Burly。 If Cutty
wants to tell you some day he can。 I haven't the right to。〃
〃Did he drag you into it or did you fall into it？〃
〃I walked into it； as presently I shall walk out of it … all on my
own。
〃Better keep your eyes open。 Cutty's a stormy petrel； when he
flies there's rough weather。〃
〃What do you know about him？〃
〃Probably what he has already told you … that he is a foreign agent
of the Government。 What do you know？〃
〃Everything but one thing； and that's a problem particularly my own。〃
〃Alien stuff； I suppose。 Cutty's strong on that。 Well； mind your
step。 The boys are bringing in queer scraps about something big
going to happen May Day … no facts； just rumours。 Better shoot for
home the shortest route each night and stick round there。〃
There are certain spiritual exhilarants that nullify caution；
warning the presence of danger。 The boy with his first pay envelope；
the lover who has just been accepted； the debutante on the way to her
first ball； the impetus that urges us to rush in where angels fear
to tread。
At a quarter after five Kitty left the office for home； unaware that
the attribute designated as caution had evaporated from her system。
She proceeded toward the Subway mechanically； the result of habit。
Casually she noted two taxicabs standing near the Subway entrance。
That she noted them at all was due to the fact that Subway entrances
were not fortuitous hunting grounds for taxicabs。 Only the unusual
would have attracted her in her present condition of mind。 It takes
time and patience to weave a good web … observe any spider … time in
finding a suitable place for it； patience in the spinning。 All that
worried Karlov was the possibility of her not observing him。 If he
could place his taxicabs where they would attract her； even casually；
the main difficulty would be out of the way。 The moment she turned
her head toward the cabs he would step out into plain view。 The girl
was susceptible and adventuresome。
Kitty saw a man step out of the foremost taxicab； give some
instructions to the chauffeur； and get back into the cab；
immediately to be driven off at moderate speed。 She recognized the
man at once。 Never would she forget that squat； gorilla…like body。
Karlov！ Yonder； in that cab！ She ran to the remaining cab； wherein
she differed from angels。
〃Are you free？〃
〃Yes； miss。〃
〃See that taxi going across town？ Follow it and I will give you ten
extra fare。〃
〃You're on； miss。〃
Karlov peered through the rear window of his cab。 If she had in
tow a Federal agent the manoeuvre would fail； at a great risk to
himself。 But he would soon be able to tell whether or not she was
being followed。
As a matter of fact； she was not。 She had returned to New York a
day before she was expected。 Her unknown downtown guardian would
not turn up for duty until ordered by Cutty to do so。 She entered
the second cab with no definite plan in her head。 Karlov； the man
who wanted to kill Johnny Two…Hawks； the man who held Stefani
Gregor a prisoner！ For the present these facts were sufficient。
〃Don't get too near；〃 said Kitty through the speaking tube。 〃Just
keep the cab in sight。〃
A perfectly logical compensation。 She herself had set in motion
the machinery of this amazing adventure； it was logically right
that she should end it。 Poor dear old Cutty … to fancy he could
pull the wool over Kitty Conover's eyes！ Cutty； the most honest
man alive； had set his foot upon an unethical bypath and now found
himself among nettles。 To keep Johnny Two…Hawks prisoner in that
lofty apartment while he hunted for the drums of jeopardy！ Hadn't
he said he had seen emeralds he would steal with half a chance？
Cutty； playing at this sort of game； his conscience biting whichever
way he turned！ He had been hunting unsuccessfully for the stones
that night he had come in with his face and hands bloody。 Why
hadn't