the drums of jeopardy-第17章

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every　indication　of　fire　and　genius。　　It　must　be　understood　that　he
rarely　saw　the　photographs　when　he　played　this　game。　　It　wasn't　an
amusing　pastime；　a　mental　relaxation。　　It　was　a　unique　game　of
solitaire；　the　photographs　and　chrysoprase　being　substituted　for
cards；　and　in　some　inexplicable　manner　it　permitted　him　to　concentrate
upon　whatever　problem　filled　his　thoughts。　　It　was　purely　accidental
that　he　saw　Patti　to…night　or　recalled　her　art。　　Coming　upon　the　last
photograph　without　having　found　a　solution　of　the　riddle　of　Two…Hawks
he　relaxed　the　mental　pressure；　and　his　sight　reestablished　its
ability　to　focus。

〃Good　Lord！〃　he　ejaculated。

He　seized　the　photograph　excitedly；　scattering　the　green　stones。
She！　　The　Calabrian；　the　enchanting　colouratura　who　had　vanished
from　the　world　at　the　height　of　her　fame；　thirty…odd　years　gone！
Two…Hawks！

Cutty　saw　himself　at　twenty；　in　the　pit　at　La　Scala；　with　music…mad
Milan　all　about　him。　　Two…Hawks！　　He　remembered　now。　　The　nickname
the　young　bloods　had　given　her　because　she　had　been　eternally
guarded　by　her　mother　and　aunt；　fierce…beaked　Calabrians；　who　had
determined　that　Rosa　should　never　throw　herself　away　on　some　beggarly
Adonis。

And　this　chap　was　her　son！　　Yesterday；　rich　and　powerful；　with　a
name　that　was　open　sesame　wherever　he　went；　to…day；　hunted；
penniless；　and　forlorn。　　Cutty　sank　back　in　his　chair；　stunned　by
the　revelation。　　In　that　room　yonder！



CHAPTER　XIV

For　a　long　time　Cutty　sat　perfectly　motionless；　his　pipe　at　an
upward　angle　…　a　fine　commentary　on　the　strength　of　his　jaws　…　and
his　gaze　boring　into　the　shadows　beyond　his　desk。　　What　was
uppermost　in　his　thoughts　now　was　the　fateful　twist　of　events　that
had　brought　the　young　man　to　the　assured　haven　of　this　towering
loft。

All　based；　singularly　enough；　upon　his　wanting　to　see　Molly's　girl
for　a　few　moments；　and　thus　he　had　established　himself　in　Kitty's
thoughts。　　Instead　of　turning　to　the　police　she　had　turned　to　him。
Old　Cutty；　reaching　round　vaguely　for　something　to　stay　the　current
　…　age；　hoping　by　seeing　this　living　link　'twixt　the　present　and　the
past　to　stay　the　afterglow　of　youth。　　As　if　that　could　be　done！　　He；
who　had　never　paid　any　attention　to　gray　hairs　and　wrinkles　and
time；　all　at　once　found　himself　in　a　position　similar　to　that　of
the　man　who　supposes　he　has　an　inexhaustible　sum　at　the　bank　and
has　just　been　notified　that　he　has　overdrawn。

Cutty　knew　that　life　wasn't　really　coordination　and　premeditation
so　much　as　it　was　coincident。　　Trivials。　　Nothing　was　absolute　and
dependable　but　death；　between　birth　and　death　a　series　of　accidents
and　incidents　and　coincidents　which　men　called　life。

He　tapped　his　pipe　on　the　ash　tray　and　stood　up。　　He　gathered　the
chrysoprase　and　restored　the　stones　to　the　canvas　bag。　　Then　he
carefully　stacked　the　photographs　and　carried　them　to　the　portfolio。
The　green　stones　he　deposited　in　a　safe；　from　which　he　took　a
considerable　bundle　of　small　notebooks；　returning　to　the　desk　with
these。　　Denatured　dynamite；　these　notebooks；　full　of　political
secrets；　solutions　of　mysteries　that　baffle　historians。　　A　truly
great　journalist　never　writes　history　as　a　historian；　he　is　afraid
to。　　Sometimes　conjecture　is　safer　than　fact。　　And　these　little
notebooks　were　the　repository　of　suppressed　facts　ranging　over
twenty…odd　years。　　Gerald　Stanley　Lee　would　have　recognized　them
instantly　as　coming　under　the　head　of　what　he　calls　Sh！

An　hour　later　Cutty　returned　the　notebooks　to　their　abiding　place；
his　memory　refreshed。　　The　poor　devil！　　A　dissolute　father　and　uncle；
dissolute　forbears；　corrupt　blood　weakened　by　intermarriage；　what
hope　was　there？　　Only　one　…　the　rich；　fiery　blood　of　the　Calabrian
mother。

But　why　had　the　chap　come　to　America？　　Why　not　England　or　the
Riviera；　where　rank；　even　if　shorn　of　its　prerogatives；　is　still
treated　respectfully？　　But　America！

Cutty's　head　went　up。　　Perhaps　that　was　it　…　to　barter　his　phantom
greatness　for　money；　to　dazzle　some　rich　fool　of　an　American　girl。
In　that　case　Karlov　would　be　welcome。　　But　wait　a　moment。　　The　chap
had　come　in　from　the　west。　　In　that　event　there　should　be　an　Odyssey
of　some　kind　tucked　away　in　the　affair。

Cutty　resumed　his　pacing。　　The　moment　his　imagination　caught　the
essentials　he　visualized　the　Odyssey。　　Across　mountains　and　deserts；
rivers　and　seas；　he　followed　Two…Hawks　in　fancy；　pursued　by　an
implacable　hatred；　more　or　less　historical；　of　which　the　lad　was
less　a　cause　than　an　abstract　object。　　And　Karlov　…　Cutty　understood
Karlov　now　…　always　span　near；　his　hate　reenergizing　his　faltering
feet。

There　was　evidently　some　iron　in　this　Two…Hawks'　blood。　　Fear　never
would　have　carried　him　thus　far。　　Fear　would　have　whispered；
〃Futility！　　Futility！〃　　And　he　would　have　bent　his　head　to　the　stroke。
So　then　there　was　resource　and　there　was　courage。　　And　he　lay　in
yonder　room；　beaten　and　penniless。　　The　top　piece　in　the　grim　irony
　…　to　have　come　all　these　thousands　of　miles　unscathed；　to　be　dropped
at　the　goal。　　But　America？　　Well；　that　would　be　solved　later。

〃By　the　Lord　Harry！〃　Cutty　stopped　and　struck　his　hands　together。
〃The　drums！〃

》From　the　hour　Kitty　had　pronounced　the　name　Stefani　Gregor　an　idea
had　taken　lodgment；　an　irrepressible　idea；　that　somewhere　in　this
drama　would　be　the　drums　of　jeopardy。　　The　mark　of　the　thong！　　Never
any　doubt　of　it　now。　　Those　magnificent　emeralds　were　here　in　New
York；　The　mob　…　the　Red　Guard　…　hammering　on　the　doors；　what　would
have　been　Two…Hawks'　most　natural　first　thought？　　To　gather　what
treasures　the　hand　could　be　laid　to　and　flee。　　Here　in　New　York；
and　in　Karlov's　hands；　ultimately　to　be　cut　up　for　Bolshevik
propaganda！　　The　infernal　pity　of　it！

The　passion　of　the　gem　hunter　blazed　forth；　dimming　all　other　phases
of　the　drama。　　Here　was　a　real　game；　a　man's　game；　sport！　　Cutty
rubbed　his　hands　together　pleasurably。　　To　recover　those　green　flames
before　they　could　be　broken　up；　under　the　ancient　ruling　that
〃Findings　is　keepings。〃　　The　stones；　of　course；　meant　nothing　to
Karlov　beyond　the　monetary　value；　and　upon　this　fact　Cutty　began
developing　a　plan。　　He　stood　ready　to　buy　those　stones　if　he　could
draw　them　into　the　open。　　Lord；　how　he　wanted　them！　　Murder　and　loot；
always　murder　and　loot！

The　thought　of　those　two　incomparable　emeralds　being　broken　up
distressed　him　profoundly。　　He　must　act　at　once；　before　the
desecration　could　be　consummated。　　Two…Hawks　…　Hawksley　hereafter；
for　the　sake　of　convenience　…　had　an　equity　in　the　gems；　but　what
of　that？　　In　smuggling　them　in　…　and　how　the　deuce　had　he　done　it？
　　…　he　had　thrown　away　his　legal　right　to　them。　　Cutty　kneaded　his
conscience　into　a　satisfactory　condition　of　quiescence　and　went
on　with　his　planning。　　If　he　succeeded　in　recovering　the　stones
and　his　conscience　bit　a　little　too　deeply　for　comfort　…　why；　he
could　pay　over　to　Hawksley　twenty　per　cent。　of　the　price　Karlov
demanded。　　He　could　take　it　or　leave　it。　　In　a　case　like　this　…　to
a　bachelor　without　dependents　…　money　was　no　object。　　All　his　life
he　had　wanted　a　fine　emerald　to　play　with；　and　here　was　an
opportunity　to　acquire　two！

If　this　plan　failed　to　draw　Karlov　into　the　open；　then　every
jeweller　and　pawnbroker　in　town　would　be　notified　and　warned。　　What
with　the　secret…service　operatives　and　the　agents　of　the　Department
of　Justice　on　the　watch　for　Karlov　…　who　would　recognize　his
limitations　of　mobility　…　it　was　reasonable　to　assume　that　the
Bolshevik　would　be　only　too　glad　to　dicker　secretly　for　the　disposal
of　the　stones。　　Now　to　work。　　Cutty　looked　at　his　watch。

Nearly　midnight。　　Rather　late；　but　he　knew　all　the　tricks　of　this
particular　kind　of　game。　　If　the　advertisement　appeared　isolated；
all　the　better。　　The　real　job　would　be　to　hide　his　identity。　　He
saw　a　way　round　this　difficulty。　　He　wrote　out　six　advertisements；
all　worded　the　same。　　He　figured　out　the　cost　and　was　delighted　to
find　that　he　carried　the　necessary　currency。　　Then　he　got　into　his
engineer's　…　dungarees；　touched　up　his　face　and　hands　to　the
required　griminess；　and　sallied　forth。

Luck　attended　him　until　he　reached　the　last　morning　newspaper　on　the
list。　　Here　he　was　obliged　to　proceed　to　the　city　room　…　risky
business。　　A　queer　advertisement　coming　into　the　city　room　late　at
night　was　always　pried　into；　as　he　knew　from　experience。　　Still；　he
felt　that　he　ought　not　to　miss　any　chance　to　reach　Karlov。

He　explained　his　business　to　the　sleepy　gate　boy；　who　carried　the
advertisement　and　the　cash　to　the　night　city　editor's　desk。
Ordinarily　the　night　city　editor　would　have　returned　the
advertisement　with　the　crisp　information　that　he　had　no　authority
to　accept　advertisements。　　But　the　〃drums　of　jeopardy〃　caught　his
attention；　and　he　sent　a　keen　glance　across　the　busy　room　to　the
rail　where　Cutty　stood；　perhaps　conspicuously。

〃Humph！〃　He　called　to　one　of　the　reporters。　　〃This　looks　like　a
story。　　I'll　run　it。　　Follow　that　guy　in　the　overalls　and　see　what's
in　it。〃

Cutty　appreciated　the　interlude　for　what　it　was　worth。　　Someone　was
going　to　follow　him。　　When　the　gate　boy　returned　to　notify　him　that
the　advertisement　had　been　accepted；　Cutty　went　down　to　the　street。

〃Hey；　there；　just　a　moment！〃　hailed　the　reporter。　　〃I　want　a　word
with　you　about　that　advertisement。〃

Cutty　came　to　a　standstill。　　〃I　paid　for　it；　didn't　I？〃

〃Sure。　　But　what's　this　about　the　drums　of　jeopardy？〃

〃Two　great　emeralds　I'm　hunting　for；〃　explained　Cutty；　recalling
the　man　who　stood　on　London　Bridge　and　peddled　sovereigns　at　two
bits　each；　and　no　buyer。

〃Can　it！　　Can　it！〃　jeered　the　reporter。　　〃Be　a　good　sport　and　give
us　the　tip。　　Strike　call　among　the　city　engineers？〃

〃I'm　telling　you。〃

〃Like　Mike　you　are！〃

〃All　right。　　It's　the　word　to　tie　up　the　surface　lines；　like　Newark；
if　you　want　to　know。　　Now；　get　t'　hell　out　o'　here　before　I　hand
you　one　on　the　jaw！〃

The　reporter　backed　away。　　〃Is　that　on　the　level？〃

〃Call　up　the　barns　and　find　out。　　They'll　tell　you　what's　on。　　And
listen；　if　you　follow　me；　I'll　break　your　head。　　On　your　way！〃

The　reporter　dashed　for　the　elevator　…　and　back　to　the　doorway　in
time　to　see　Cutty　legging　it　for　the　Subway。　　As　he　was　a　reporter
of　the　first　class　he　managed　to　catch　the　same　express　uptown。

On　the　way　uptown　Cutty　considered　that　he　had　accomplished　a　shrewd
bit　of　work。　　Karlov　or　one　of　his　agents　would　certainly　see　that
advertisement；　and　even　if　Karlov　suspected　a　Federal　trap　he　would
find　some　means　of　communicating　with　the　issuer　of　the　advertisement。

The　thought　of　Kitty　returned。　　What　the　dickens　would　she　say　…　how
would　she　act　…　when　she　learned　who　this　Hawksley　was？　　He　fervently
hoped　that　she　had　never　read　〃Thaddeus　of　Warsaw。〃　　There　would
be　all　the　difference　in　the　world　between　an　elegant　refugee　Pole
and　a　derelict　of　the　Russian　autocracy。　　Perhaps　the　best　course　to
pursue　would　be　to　say　nothing　at　all　to　her　about　the　amazing
discovery。

Upon　leaving　Elevator　Four　Cutty　said：　〃Bob；　I've　been　followed　by
a　sharp　reporter。　　Sheer　him　off　with　any　tale　you　please；　and　go
home。　　Goodnight。〃

〃I'll　fix　him；　sir。〃