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babied when there was nothing the matter with him but his head； his
body； and his legs。
Why didn't she look at him？ What was the meaning of this persistent
avoidance？ She must have forgiven last night。 She was too much of
a thoroughbred to harbour ill feeling over that。 Why didn't she
look at him？
The telephone called Cutty from the room。
Kitty went into the dining room for an extra pair of salt cellars
and delayed her return until she heard Cutty coming back。
〃Karlov is dead；〃 he announced。 〃Started a fight in the taxi； got
out； and was making for safety when one of the boys shot him。 He
hadn't the jewels on him； John。 I'm afraid they are gone； unless he
hid them somewhere in that … What's the matter； Kitty？〃
For Kitty had dropped the salt cellars and pressed her hands against
her bosom； her face colourless。
Hawksley； terrified； tried to get up。
〃No； no！ Nothing is the matter with me but my head。。。。 To think I
could forget！ Good … heavens！〃 She prolonged the words drolly。
〃Wait。〃
She turned her back to them。 When she faced them again she extended
a palm upon which lay a leather tobacco pouch； cracked and parched
and blistered by the reactions of rain and sun。
〃Think of my forgetting them！ I found them this morning。 Where do
you suppose？ On a step of the fire…escape ladder。〃
〃Well； I'll be tinker…dammed！〃 said Cutty。
〃I've reasoned it out；〃 went on Kitty； breathlessly； looking at
Cutty； 〃When the anarchist tore them from Mr。 Hawksley's neck； he
threw them out of the window。 The room was dark； his companion
could not see。 Later he intended； no doubt； to go into the court
and recover them and cheat his master。 I was looking out of the
window； when I noticed a brilliant flash of purple； then another
of green。 The pouch was open； the stones about to trickle out。
I dared not leave them in the apartment or tell anybody until you
came home。 So I carried them with me to the office。 The drums；
Cutty！ The drums！ Tumpitum…tump！ Look！〃
She poured the stones upon the white linen tablecloth。 A thousand
fires！
〃The wonderful things！〃 she gasped。 〃Oh； the wonderful things！
I don't blame you； Cutty。 They would tempt an angel。 The drums of
jeopardy； and that I should find them！〃
〃Lord！〃 said Cutty； in an awed whisper。 Green stones！ The
magnificent rubies and sapphires and diamonds vanished； he could
see nothing but the exquisite emeralds。 He picked up one … still
warm with Kitty's pulsing life … and toyed with it。 Actually； the
drums！ And all this time they had been inviting the first comer
to appropriate them。 Money； love； tragedy； death； history； pageants；
lovely women； murder and loot！ All these days on the step of the
fire…escape ladder！ He must have one of them； positively he must。
Could he prevail upon Hawksley to sell one？ Had he carried them
through sentiment？
He turned to broach the suggestion of purchase； but remained mute。
Hawksley's head was sunk upon his chest； his arms hung limply at
the sides of his chair。
〃He is fainting！〃 cried Kitty； her love outweighing her resolves。
〃Cutty！〃 … desperately； fearing to touch Hawksley herself。
〃No！ The stones； the stones！ Take them away … out of sight！ I'm
too done in！ I can't stand it！ I can't … The Red Night！ Torches
and hobnailed boots！〃
CHAPTER XXXIII
Her fingers seemingly all thumbs； her heart swelling with misery
and loneliness； wanting to go to him but fearing she would be
misunderstood； Kitty scooped up the dazzling stones and poured
them hastily into the tobacco pouch； which she thrust into Cutty's
hands。 What she had heard was not the cry of a disordered brain。
There was some clear reason for the horror in Hawksley's tones。
What tragedy lay behind these wonderful prisms of colour that the
legitimate owner could not look upon them without being stirred in
this manner？
〃Take them into the study；〃 urged Kitty。
〃Wait！〃 interposed Hawksley。 〃I give one of the emeralds to you；
Cutty。 They came out of hell … if you want to risk it！ The other
is for Miss Conover； with Mister Hawksley's compliments。〃 He was
looking at Kitty now； his face drawn； his eyes bloodshot。 〃Don't
be apprehensive。 They bring evil only to men。 With one in your
possession you will be happy ever after； as the saying goes。 Oh；
they are mine to give； mine by right of inheritance。 God knows I
paid for them！〃
〃If I said Mister … 〃 began Kitty； her brain confused； her tongue
clumsy。
〃You haven't forgiven！〃 he interrupted。 〃A thoroughbred like you；
to hold last night against me！ Mister … after what we two have
shared together！ Why didn't you leave me there to die？〃
Cutty observed that the drama had resolved itself into two
characters； he had been relegated to the scenes。 He tiptoed toward
his study door； and as he slipped inside he knew that Gethsemane was
not an orchard but a condition of the mind。 He tossed the pouch on
his desk； eyed it ironically； and sat down。 His； one of them … one
of those marvellous emeralds was his！ He interlaced his fingers
and rested his brow upon them。 He was very tired。
Kitty missed him only when she heard the latch snap。
She was alone with Hawksley； and all her terror returned。 Not to
touch him； not to console him； to stand staring at him like a dumb
thing！
〃I do forgive … Johnny！ But your world and my world …〃
〃Those stains！ The wretches hurt you！〃
〃What？ Where？〃 … bewildered。
〃The blood on your waist！〃
Kitty looked down。 〃That is not my blood； Johnny。 It is yours。〃
〃Mine？〃 Johnny。 Something in the way she said it。 〃Mine？〃 … trying
to solve the riddle。
〃Yes。 It is where your cheek rested when … I thought you were dead。〃
The sense of misery； of oppression； of terror； all fell away
miraculously； leaving only the flower of glory。 She would be his
plaything if he wanted her。
Silence。
〃Kitty； I came out of a dark world … to find you。 I loved you the
moment I entered your kitchen that night。 But I did not know it。
I loved you the night you brought the wallet。 Still I did not
understand。 It was when I heard the lift door and knew you had gone
forever that I understood。 Loved you with all my heart； with all
that poor old Stefani had fashioned out of muck and clay。 If you
held my head to your heart； if that is my blood there … Do you； can
you care a little？〃
〃I can and do care very much； Johnny。〃
Her voice to his ears was like the G string of the Amati。 〃Will
you go with me？〃
〃Anywhere。 But you are a prince of some great Russian house； Johnny；
and I am nobody。〃
〃What am I； Kitty？ Less than nobody … a homeless outcast； with only
you and Cutty。 An American！ Well； when I'm that it will be
different； I'll be somebody。 God forgive me if I do not give it
absolute loyalty； this new country！ 。。。 Never call me anything but
Johnny。〃
〃Johnny。〃 Anywhere； whatever he willed her to be。
〃I'm a child； Kitty。 I want to grow up … if I can … to be an
American； something like that ripping old thoroughbred yonder。〃
Cutty！ Johnny wanted to be something like Cutty。 Johnny would have
to grow up to be his own true self； for nobody