按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
carry。 We go straight down to the boiler room。 We come up the ash
exit on the street side。 Remember； no suspicious haste。 Two
engineers off for their evening swig of beer at the corner groggery。
Through the side door there； and into my taxi。 Obey every order I
give。 Now run along to Kuroki and say night work for both of us。
He'll understand what's wanted。 I'll set the machinery in motion
for a raid。 How do you feel？ I want the truth。 I don't want to
turn to you for help and not get it。〃
Hawksley laughed。 〃Don't worry about me。 I'll carry on。 Don't
you understand？ To have an end of it； one way or the other！ To
come free or to die there！〃
〃And if Kitty is not where I believe her to be？〃
〃Then I'll return to the taxi outside。〃
To be young like that！ thought Cutty； feeling strangely sad and
old。 〃To come free or to die there！〃 That was good Anglo…Saxon。
He would make a good American citizen … if he were in luck。
At half after nine the two of them knelt on the roof before the
cemented trap。 Nothing but raging heat disintegrates cement。 So
the liberation of this trap； considering the time； was a Herculean
task； because it had to be accomplished with little or no noise。
Cold chisels； fulcrums； prying； heaving； boring。 To free the under
edge； the top did not matter。 Not knowing if Kitty were below …
that was the worst part of the job。
The sweat of agony ran down Hawksley's face； but he never faltered。
He was going to die to…night； somehow； somewhere； but with free
hands； the way Stefani would have him die； the way the girl would
have him die。 All these thousands of miles … to die in a house he
had never seen before； just when life was really worth something！
An hour went by。 Then they heard Kitty's signal。 Instinctively the
two of them knew that the taps came from her。 They were absolutely
certain when her signal was repeated。 She was below； alone。
〃Faster！〃 whispered Cutty。
Hawksley smiled。 To say that to a chap when he was digging into
his tomb！
When the sides of the trap were free Cutty tapped to Kitty again。
There was a long； agonizing wait。 Then three taps came from below。
Cutty flashed a signal to the warehouse windows。 In five minutes
the raid would be in full swing … from the roof； from the street；
from the cellar。
With their short crowbars braced by stout fulcrums the two men
heaved。 Noise did not matter now。 Presently the trap went over。
〃Look out for your hands； there's lots of loose glass。 And together
when we drop。〃
〃Right…o！〃 whispered Hawksley； assured that when he dropped through
the trap the result would be oblivion。 Done in。
CHAPTER XXXI
Karlov； upon forcing his way past Kitty's barricade； stared at her
doubtfully。 This was a clever girl； she had proved her cleverness
frequently。 She might have some reason other than fear in keeping
him out。 So he put a fresh candle in the sconce and began to prowl。
He pierced the attic windows with a ranging glance； no one was in
the yard or on the Street。 The dust on the windows had not been
disturbed。
To Kitty the suspense was intolerable。 At any moment Cutty might
tap a query to her。 How to warn him that all was not well？ A scream
would do it； but in that event when Cutty arrived there would be no
Kitty Conover。 Something that would sound unusual to Cutty and
accidental to Karlov。 She hit upon it。 She seized a plank from her
barricade； raised it to a perpendicular position； then flung it
down violently。 Would Cutty hear and comprehend that she was warning
him？ As a matter of fact； Cutty never heard the crash； for at that
particular minute he was standing up to get the kinks out of his
knees。
Karlov whirled on his heels； ran to Kitty； and snatched her wrist。
〃Why did you do that？〃
Kitty remained mute。 〃Answer ！〃 … with a cruel twist。
〃You hurt！〃 she gasped。 Anything to gain time。 She tried to break
away。
〃Why did you do that？〃
〃I was going to thrust it through a window to attract attention。
It was too heavy。〃
This explanation was within bounds of reason。 It is possible that
Karlov … who had merely come up with a fresh candle … would have
departed but for a peculiarly grim burst of humour on the part of
Fate。
Tap … tap … tap？ inquired the unsuspecting man on the roof …
exactly to Kitty like some innocent； inquisitive child embarrassing
the family before company。
Karlov flung her aside roughly； stepped under the trap； and cupped
an ear。 He required no explanations from Kitty； who shrank to the
wall and remained pinned there by terror。 Karlov's intuition was
keen。 Men on the roof held but one significance。 The house was
surrounded by Federal agents。 For a space he wavered between two
desires； the political and the private vengeance。
A call down the stairs； and five minutes afterward there would be
nothing on the spot but a jumble of smoking wood and brick。 But
not to see them die！
His subsequent acts； cold and methodical； fascinated Kitty。 He
took a step toward her。 The scream died in her throat。 But he
did not go beyond that step。 The picture of her terror decided
his future actions。 He would see them die； here； with the girl
looking on。 A full measure。 Well enough he knew who were
digging away the cement of the trap。 What gave lodgment to this
conviction he did not bother to analyze。 The man he had not yet
seen； who had balked him； now here； now there； from that first
night； and who but the last of that branch of the hated house
should be with him？ To rend； batter； crush； kill！ If he were
bound for hell； to go there with the satisfaction of knowing that
his private vengeance had been cancelled。 The full reckoning for
Anna's degradation： Stefani Gregor； broken and dying； and all
the others dead！
He would shoot them as they dropped through the trap。 Not to
kill； but to maim； render helpless； then he would taunt them and
grind his heels in their faces。 Up there； the two he most hated
of all living men！
First he restored Kitty's barricade … to keep assistance from
entering before his work was completed。 The butt of the first
plank he pushed under the door knob。 The other planks he laid flat；
end to end； with the butt of the last snug against the brick
chimney。 The door would never give as a whole； it would have to
be smashed in by axes。 He then set the candle on the floor；
backed by an up…ended soapbox。 His enemies would drop into a pool
of light； while they would not be able to see him at once。 The
girl would not matter。 Her terror would hold her for some time。
These manoeuvres completed； he answered the signal； sat down on
another box and waited； reminding Kitty of some grotesque
Mongolian idol。
Kitty saw the inevitable。 Thereupon her terror ceased to bind her。
As Cutty flung back the trap she would cry out a warning。 Karlov
might … and probably would … kill her。 Her share in this night's
work … her incredible folly … required full payment。 Having decided
to die with Cutty； all her courage returned。 This is the normal
result of any sublime resolve。 But with the return of her courage
she evolved another plan。 She measur