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was on his way elsewhere。
He could do it； and he based his assurance upon his experiences and
observations。 Never a squire of dames； he knew the part。 He had
played the game occasionally in the capitals of Europe when there
had been some information he had particularly desired。 Clever；
scheming women； too。 A clever； passably good…looking elderly man
could make himself peculiarly attractive to young women and women in
the thirties。 Dazzlement for the young； the man who knew all about
life； the trivial little courtesies a younger man generally forgot；
the moving of chairs； the holding of wraps； the gray hairs which
served to invite trust and confidence； which lulled the eternal
feminine fear of the male。 To the older women； no callow youth but
a man of discernment； discretion； wit and fancy and daring； who
remembered birthdays husbands forgot； who was always round when
wanted。
There was no vanity back of these premises。 Cutty was merely
reaching about for an expedient to thwart what to his anticipatory
mind promised to be an inevitability。 Of course the glamour would
not last； it never did； but he felt he could sustain it until
yonder chap was off and away。
That evening at five…thirty Kitty received a box of beautiful roses；
with Cutty's card。
〃Oh； the lovely things！〃 she cried。
She kissed them and set them in a big copper jug； arranged and
rearranged them for the simple pleasure it afforded her。 What a
dear man this Cutty was； to have thought of her in this fashion！
Her father's friend； her mother's； and now hers； she had inherited
him。 This thought caused her to smile； but there were tears in her
eyes。 A garden some day to play in； this mad city far away； a home
of her own； would it ever happen？
The bell rang。 She wasn't going to like this caller for taking her
away from these roses； the first she had received in a long time
… roses she could keep and not toss out the window。 For it must not
be understood that Kitty was never besieged。
Outside stood a well…dressed gentleman； older than Cutty； with
shrewd； inquiring gray eyes and a face with strong salients。
〃Pardon me； but I am looking for a man by the name of Stephen
Gregory。 I was referred by the janitor to you。 You are Miss
Conover？〃
〃Yes；〃 answered Kitty。 〃Will you come in？〃 She ushered the stranger
into the living room and indicated a chair。 〃Please excuse me for a
moment。〃 Kitty went into her bedroom and touched the danger button；
which would summon Bernini。 She wanted her watchdog to see the
visitor。 She returned to the living room。 〃What is it you wish to
know？〃
〃Where I may find this Gregory。〃
〃That nobody seems able to answer。 He was carried away from here in
an ambulance； but we have been unable to locate the hospital。 If
you will leave your name … 〃
〃That is not necessary。 I am out of bounds； you might say； and I'd
rather my name should be left out of the affair； which is rather
peculiar。〃
〃In what way？〃
〃I am only an agent； and am not at liberty to speak。 Could you
describe Gregory？〃
〃Then he is a stranger to you？〃
〃Absolutely。〃
Kitty described Gregor deliberately and at length。 It struck her
that the visitor was becoming bored； though he nodded at times。 She
was glad to hear Bernini's ring。 She excused herself to admit the
Italian。
〃A false alarm；〃 she whispered。 〃Someone inquiring for Gregor。 I
thought it might be well for you to see him。〃
〃I'll work the radiator stuff。〃
〃Very well。〃
Bernini went into the living room and fussed over the steam cock of
the radiator。
〃Nothing the matter with it； miss。 Just stuck。〃
〃Sorry to have troubled you；〃 said the stranger； rising and picking
up his hat。
Bernini went down to the basement； obfuscated； for he knew the
visitor。 He was one of the greatest bankers in New York … that is
to say； in America！ Asking questions about Stefani Gregor！
CHAPTER XVI
About nine o'clock that same night a certain rich man； having
established himself comfortably under the reading lamp； a fine book
in his hands and a fine after…dinner cigar between his teeth； was
exceedingly resentful when his butler knocked； entered； and presented
a card。
〃My orders were that I was not at home to any one。〃
〃Yes； sir。 But he said you would see him because he came to see you
regarding a Mr。 Gregory。〃
〃What？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Damn these newspapers！ 。。。 Wait； wait！〃 the banker called； for
the butler was starting for the door to carry the anathema to the
appointed head。 〃Bring him in。 He's a big bug； and I can't afford
to affront him。〃
〃Yes； sir〃 … with the colourless tone of a perfect servant。
When the visitor entered he stopped just beyond the threshold。 He
remained there even after the butler closed the door。 Blue eye and
gray clashed； two masters of fence who had executed the same stroke。
The banker laughed and Cutty smiled。
〃I suppose；〃 said the banker； 〃you and I ought to sign an armistice；
too。〃
〃Agreed。〃
〃And you've always been rather a puzzle to me。 A rich man； a
gentleman； and yet sticking to the newspaper game。〃
〃And you're a puzzle to me； too。 A rich man； a gentleman； and yet
sticking to the banking game。〃
〃What the devil was our row about？〃
〃Can't quite recall。〃
〃Whatever it was it was the way you went at it。〃
〃A reform was never yet accomplished by purring and pussyfooting；〃
said Cutty。
〃Come over and sit down。 Now； how the devil did you find out about
this Gregory affair？〃 The banker held out his hand； which Cutty
grasped with honest pressure。 〃If you are here in the capacity of a
newspaper man； not a word out of me。 Have a cigar？〃
〃I never smoke anything but pipes that ruin curtains。 You should
have given your name to Miss Conover。〃
〃I was under promise not to explain my business。 But before we
proceed； an answer。 Newspaper？〃
〃No。 I represent the Department of Justice。 And we'll get along
easier when I add that I possess rather unlimited powers under that
head。 How did you happen to stumble into this affair？〃
〃Through Captain Rathbone； my prospective son…in…law； who is in
Coblenz。 A cable arrived this morning； instructing me to proceed
precisely in the manner I did。 Rathbone is an intimate friend of
the man I was actually seeking。 The apartment of this man Gregory
was mentioned to Rathbone in a cable as a possible temporary abiding
place。 What do you want to know？〃
〃Whether or not he is undesirable。〃
〃Decidedly； I should say； desirable。〃
〃You make that statement as an American citizen？〃
〃I do。 I make it unreservedly because my future son…in…law is
rather a difficult man to make friends with。 I am acting merely
as Rathbone's agent。 On the other hand； I should be a cheerful
liar if I told you I wasn't interested。 What do you know？〃
〃Everything；〃 answered Cutty； quietly。
〃You know where this young man is？〃
〃At this moment he is in my apartment； rather seriously battered and
absolutely penniless。〃
〃Well； I'll be tinker…dammed！ You know who he is； of course？〃
〃Yes。 And I want all your information so that I may guide my future
actions accordingly。 If he is really undesirable he shall be
deported the moment he can stand on his two feet。〃
The banker pyramided his fingers； rather pleased to learn that he
could astonish this interesting beggar。 〃He has on account at my
bank half a million dollars。 Originally he had eight hundred
thousand。 The three hundred thousand； under cable orders from
Yokohama； was transferred to our branch in San Francisco。 This was
withdrawn about two weeks ago。 How does that strike you？〃
〃All in a heap；〃 confessed Cutty。 〃When was this fund established
with you？〃
〃Shortly before Kerensky's government blew up。 The funds were in
our London bank。 There was； of course； a lot of red tape； excessive
charges in exchange； and all that。 Anyhow； about eight hundred
thousand arrived。〃
〃What brought him to America？ Why didn't he go to England？ That
would have been the safest haven。〃
〃I can explain that。 He intends to become an American citizen。 Some
time ago he became the owner of a fine cattle ranch in Montana。〃
〃Well； I'll be tinker…dammed； too！〃 exploded Cutty。
〃A young man with these ideas in his head ought eventually to become
a first…rate citizen。 What do you say？〃
〃I am considerably relieved。 His forbears； the blood … 〃
〃His mother was a healthy Italian peasant … a famous singer in her
time。 His fortune； I take it； was his inheritance from her。 She
made a fortune singing in the capitals of Europe and speculating
from time to time。 She sent the boy； at the age of ten； to England。
Afraid of the home influence。 He remained there； under the name of
Hawksley； for something like fourteen years； under the guardianship
of this fellow Gregory。 Of Gregory I know positively nothing。 The
young fellow is； to all purposes； methods of living； points of view；
an Englishman。 Rathbone； who was educated at Oxford； met him there
and they shared quarters。 But it was only in recent years that he
learned the identity of his friend。 In 1914 the young fellow
returned to Russia。 Military obligations。