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inside out it would fool any man。 She wore spats。 These she would
leave behind when she made the change。
Someone might follow her as far as the Knickerbocker； but beyond
there； never。 She was sorry； but she dared not warn Bernini。 He
might object； notify Cutty； and spoil everything。
By the time she reached the street exhilaration suffused her。 The
melancholia was gone。 The sinister and cynical idea had vanished
apparently。 Apparently。 Merely it had found a hiding place and
was content to abide there for the present。 Such ideas are not
without avenues of retreat； they know the hours of attack。 Kitty
was alive to but one fact： The game of hide and seek was on again。
She was going to have some excitement。 She was going into the
night on an adventure； as children play at bears in the dark。 The
youth in her still rejected the fact that the woof and warp of this
adventure were murder and loot and pain。
En route to the Subway she never looked back。 At Forty…second Street
she detrained； walked into the Knickerbocker； entered the ladies
dressing room； turned her coat； redraped her hat； checked her
gaiters； and sought a taxi。 Within two blocks of Cutty's she
dismissed the cab and finished the journey on foot。
At the left of the lobby was an all…night apothecary's； with a door
going into the lobby。 Kitty proceeded to the elevator through this
avenue。 Number Four was down； and she stepped inside； raising her
veil。
〃You； miss？〃
〃Very important。 Take me up。〃
〃The boss is out。〃
〃No matter。 Take me up。
〃You're the doctor！〃 What a pretty girl she was。 No come…on in her
eyes； though。 〃The boss may not get back until morning。 He just
went out in his engineer's togs。 He sure wasn't expecting you。
〃Do you know where he went？〃
〃Never know。 But I'll be in this bird cage until he comes back。〃
〃I shall have to wait for him。〃
〃Up she goes！〃
As Kitty stepped out into the corridor a wave of confusion assailed
her。 She hadn't planned against Cutty's absence。 There was nothing
she could say to the nurse； and if Johnny Two…Hawks was asleep
… why； all she could do would be to curl up on a divan and await
Cutty's return。
The nurse appeared。 〃You； Miss Conover？〃
〃Yes。〃 Kitty realized at once that she must take the nurse into her
confidence。 〃I have made a really important discovery。 Did Cutty
say when he would return？〃
〃No。 I am not in his confidence to that extent。 But I do know that
you assumed unnecessary risks in coming here。〃
Kitty shrugged and produced the wallet。 〃Is Mr。 Hawksley awake？〃
〃He is。〃
〃It appears that he left this wallet in my kitchen that night。 It
might buck him up if I gave it to him。〃
The nurse； eyeing the lovely animated face； conceded that it might。
〃Come； I've been trying futilely to read him asleep； but he is
restless。 No excitement； please。〃
〃I'll try not to。 Perhaps； after all； you had better give him the
wallet。〃
〃On the contrary； that would start a series of questions I could
not answer。 Come along。〃
When Kitty saw Hawksley she gave a little gasp of astonishment。 Why；
he was positively handsome！ His dark head； standing out boldly
against the bolstering pillows； the fine lines of his face definite；
the pallor … he was like a Roman cameo。 Who and what could he be；
this picturesque foundling？
His glance flashed into hers delightedly。 For hours and hours the
constant wonder where she was； why no one mentioned her； why they
evaded his apparently casual questions。 To burst upon his vision
in the nadir of his boredom and loneliness like this！ She was
glorious； this American girl。 She made him think of a golden
scabbard housing a fine Toledo blade。 Hadn't she saved his life？
More； hadn't she assumed a responsibility in so doing？ Instantly
he purposed that she should not be permitted to resign the office
of good Samaritan。 He motioned toward the nurse's chair； and Kitty
sat down； her errand in total eclipse。
〃Just when I never felt so lonely！ Ripping！〃
His quick smile was so engaging that Kitty answered it … kindred
spirits； subconsciously recognizing each other。 Fire； but neither
of them knew that； or that two lonely human beings of opposite sex；
in touch； constitute a first…rate combustible。
Quietly the nurse withdrew。 There would be a tonic in this meeting
for the patient。 Her own presence might neutralize the effect。 She
had not spent all those dreadful months in base hospitals without
acquiring a keen insight into the needs of sick men。 No harm in
letting him have this pretty； self…reliant girl alone to himself for
a quarter of an hour。 She would then return with some broth。
〃How … how are you？〃 asked Kitty； inanely。
〃Top…hole； considering。 Quite ready to be killed all over again。〃
〃You mustn't talk like that！〃 she protested。
〃Only to show you I was bucking up。 Thank you for doing what you
did。〃
〃I had to do it。〃
〃Most women would have run away and left me to my fate。〃
〃Not my kind。〃
〃Rather not！ Your kind would risk its neck to help a stray cat。
I say； what's that you have in your hand？〃
〃Good gracious！〃 Kitty extended the wallet。 〃It is yours； isn't it？〃
〃Yes。 I wanted you to bring it to me the way you have。 If I hadn't
come back … out of that … it was to be yours。〃
〃Mine？〃 … dumfounded。 〃But … … 〃
〃Why not？ Gregor gone； there wasn't a soul in the world。 I was
hungry； and you gave me food。 I wanted that to pay you。 I'll wager
you've never looked into it。〃
〃I had no right to。〃
〃See！〃 He opened the wallet and spread the contents on the
counterpane。 〃I wasn't so stony as you thought。 What？ Cash and
unregistered bonds。 They would have been yours absolutely。〃
〃But I don't … I can't quite；〃 Kitty stammered … 〃but I couldn't
have kept them！〃
〃Positively yes。 You would have shown them to that ripping guardian
of yours； and he would have made you see。〃
〃Indeed； yes！ He would have been scared to death。 You poor man；
can't you see？ Circumstantial evidence that I had killed you！〃
〃Good Lord！ And you're right； too！ So it goes。 You can't do
anything you want to do。 The good Samaritan is never requited； and
I wanted to break the rule。 Lord； what a bally mix…up I'd have
tumbled you in！ I forgot that you were you； that you would have
gone straight to the authorities。 Of course I knew if I pulled
through and you found the wallet you would bring it to me。〃
Kitty no longer had a foot on earth。 She floated。 Her brain
floated； too； because she could not make it think coherently for
her。 A fortune … for a dish of bacon and eggs！ The magnificence；
the utter prodigality of such generosity！ For a dish of bacon and
eggs and a bottle of milk！ Had she left home？ Hadn't she fallen
asleep； the victim of another nightmare？ A corner of the atmosphere
cleared a little。 A desire took form； she wanted the nurse to
come back and stabilize things。 In a wavering blur she saw the
odd young man restore the money and bonds and other documents to
the wallet。
〃I want you to give this to your guardian when he comes in。 I want
him to understand。 I say； you know； I'm going to love that old
thoroughbred！ He's fine。 Fancy his carrying me on his shoulders
and eventually bringing me up here among the clouds！ Americans。。。。
Are you all like that？ And you！〃
Kitty's brain began to make preparations to alight； as it were。
Cutty。 That gave her a touch of earth。 She heard herself say
faintly： 〃And what about me？〃
〃You were brave and kind。 To help an unknown； friendless beggar
like that； when you should have turned him over to the police！
Makes me feel a bit stuffy。 They left me for dead。 I wonder … 〃
〃What？〃
〃If … it wouldn't have been just as well！〃
〃You mustn't talk like that！ You just mustn't！ You're with friends；
real friends； who want to help you all they can。〃 And then with a
little flash of forced humour； because of the recurrent tightening
in her throat … 〃Who could be friendless； with all that money？〃
Instantly she felt like biting her tongue。 He would know nothing
of the sad American habit of trying to be funny to keep a wobbly
situation on its legs。 He would interpret it as heartlessness。 〃I
didn't mean that！〃 With the Irish impulsiveness which generally
weighs acts in retrospection； she reached over and gripped his
hand。
〃I say； you two！〃 Hawksley closed his eyes for a second。 〃Wanting
to buck up a chap because you re that sort！ All right。 I'll stick
it out！ You two！ And I might be the worst scoundrel unhung！〃
He drew her hand toward his lips； and Kitty had not the power to
resist him。 She felt strangely theatrical； a character in a play；
for American men； except in playful burlesque； never kissed their
women's hands。 The moment he released the hand the old wave of
hysteria rolled over her。 She must fly。 The desire to weep；
little fool that she was！ was breaking through her defences。
Loneliness。 The two of them all alone but for Cutty。 She rose；
crushing the wallet in her hand。
Ah； never had she needed that darling mother of hers so much as
now。 Tears did not seem to afford relief when one shed