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only so long as he did not know； so much the better。
With careful step Hawksley manoeuvred his retreat so that it brought
him to Cutty's bedroom door。 The door was unlocked。 He entered
the room。 What a lark！ They would hide his own clothes； so much
the worse for the old beggar's wardrobe。 Street clothes。 Presently
he found a dark suit； commendable not so much for its style as for
the fact that it was the nearest fit he could find。 He had to roll
up the trouser hems。
Hats。 Chuckling like a boy rummaging a jam closet； he rifled the
shelves and pulled down a black derby of an unknown vintage。 Large；
but a runner of folded paper reduced the size。 As he pressed the
relic firmly down on his head he winced。 A stab over his eyes。 He
waited doubtfully； but there was no recurrence。 Fit as a fiddle。
Of course he could not stoop without a flash of vertigo； but on his
feet he was top…hole。 He was gaining every day。
Luck。 He might have come out of it with the blank mind of a newborn
babe； and here he was； keen to resume his adventures。 Luck。 They
had not stopped to see if he was actually dead。 Some passer…by in
the hall had probably alarmed them。 That handkerchief had carried
him round the brink。 Perhaps Fate intended letting him get through
… written on his pass an extension of his leave of absence。 Or she
had some new torture in reserve。
Now for a stout walking stick。 He selected a blackthorn； twirled it；
saluted； and posed before the mirror。 Not so bally rotten。 He would
pass。 Next； he remembered that there were some flowers in the
dining room … window boxes with scarlet geraniums。 He broke off a
sprig and drew it through his buttonhole。
Outside there was a cold； pale April sky； presaging wind and rain。
Unimportant。 He was going down into the streets for an hour or so。
The colour and action of a crowded street； the lure was irresistible。
Who would dare touch him in the crowd？ These rooms had suddenly
become intolerable。
He leaned against the side of the window。 Roofs； thousands of them；
flat； domed； pinnacled； and somewhere under one of these roofs
Stefani Gregor was eating his heart out。 It did not matter that
this queer old eagle whom everybody called Cutty had promised to
bring Stefani home。 It might be too late。 Stefani was old； highly
strung。 Who knew what infernal lies Karlov had told him？ Stefani
could stand up under physical torture； but to tear at his soul； to
twist and rend his spirit！
The bubble in the champagne died down … as it always will if one
permits it to stand。 He felt the old mood seep through the dikes
of his gayety。 Alone。 A familiar face … he would have dropped on
his knees and thanked God for the sight of a familiar face。 These
people； kindly as they were … what were they but strangers？
Yesterday he had not known them； to…morrow he would leave them
behind forever。 All at once the mystery of this bubbling idea was
bared： he was going to risk his life in the streets in the vague
hope of seeing some face he had known in the days before the world
had gone drunk on blood。 One familiar face。
Of course he would never forget … at any rate； not the girl whose
courage had made possible this hour。 Those chaps； scared off
temporarily； might have returned。 What had become of her？ He was
a1ways seeing her lovely face in the shadows； now tender； now
resolute； now mocking。 Doubtless he thought of her constantly
because his freedom of action was limited。 He hadn't diversion
enough。 Books and fiddling； these carried him but halfway through
the boredom。 Where was she？ Daily he had called her by telephone；
no answer。 The Jap shook his head； the slangy boy in the lift shook
his。
She was a thoroughbred； even if she had been born of middle …class
parentage。 He laughed bitterly。 Middle class。 A homeless；
countryless derelict； and he had the impudence to revert to
comparisons that no longer existed in this topsy…turvy old world。
He was an upstart。 The final curtain had dropped between him and
his world； and he was still thinking in the ancient make…up。 Middle
class！ He was no better than a troglodyte； set down in a new
wilderness。
He heard the curtain rings slither on the pole。 Believing the
intruder to be Kuroki he turned belligerently。 And there she stood
… the girl herself！ The poise of her reminded him of the Winged
Victory in the Louvre。 Where there had been a cup of champagne in
his veins circumstance now poured a magnum。
〃You！〃 he cried。
〃What has happened？ Where are you going in those clothes？〃 demanded
Kitty。
〃I am running away … for an hour or so。〃
〃But you must not！ The risks … after all the trouble we've had to
help you！〃
〃I shall be perfectly safe； for you are going with me。 Aren't you
my guardian angel？ Well； rather！ The two of us … people； lights；
shop windows！ Perfectly splendiferous！ Honestly； now； where's the
harm？〃 He approached her rapidly as he spoke； and before the spell
of him could be shaken off Kitty found her hands imprisoned in his。
〃Please！ I've been so damnably bored。 The two of us in the streets；
among the crowds！ No one will dare touch us。 Can't you see？ And
then … I say； this is ripping ！ … we'll have dinner together here。
I will play for you on the old Amati。 Please！〃
The fire of him communicated to the combustibles in Kitty's soul。
A wild； reckless irony besieged her。 This adventure would be
exactly what she needed； it would sweep clear the fog separating
one side of her brain from the other。 For it was plain enough
that part of her brain refused to cooperate with the other。 A
break in the trend of thought： she might succeed in getting hold
of the puzzle if she could drop it absolutely for a little while
and then pick it up again。
She had not gone home。 She had not notified Bernini。 She had
checked her luggage in the station parcel room and come directly
here。 For what？ To let the sense of luxury overcome the hidden
repugnance of the idea of marrying Cutty； divorcing him； and
living on his money。 To put herself in the way of visible
temptation。 What fretted her so； what was wearing her down to
the point of fatigue； was the patent imbecility of her reluctance。
There would have been some sense of it if Cutty had proposed a
real marriage。 All she had to do was mumble a few words； sign
her name to a document； live out West for a few months； and be
in comfortable circumstances all the rest of her life。 And she
doddered！
She would run the streets with Johnny Two…Hawks； return； and dine
with him。 Who cared？ Proper or improper； whose business was it but
Kitty Conover's？ Danger？ That was the peculiar attraction。 She
wanted to rush into danger； some tense excitement the strain of
which would lift her out of her mood。 A recurrent touch of the wild
impulsiveness of her childhood。 Hadn't she sometimes flown out into
thunderstorms； after merited punishment； to punish the mother whom
thunder terrorized？ And now she was going to rush into unknown
danger to punish Fate … like a silly child！ Nevertheless； she would
go into the streets with Johnny Two…Hawks。
〃But are you strong enough to venture on the streets？〃
〃Rot！ Dash it all； I'm no mollycoddle！ All nonsense to keep me
pinned in like this。 Will you go with me … be my guide？〃
〃Yes！〃 She shot out the word and crossed the Rubicon before reason
could begin to lecture。 Besides； wasn't reason treating her shabbily
in withholding the key to the riddle？ 〃Johnny Two…Hawks； I will go
as far as Harlem if you want me to。〃
〃Johnny Two…Hawks！〃 He laughed joyously； then kissed her hands。
But he had to pay for this bending … a stab that filled his eyes
with flying sparks。 He must remember； once out of doors； not to
stoop quickly。 〃I say； you're the jolliest girl I ever met！ Just
the two of us； what？〃
〃The way you speak English is wonderful！〃
〃Simple enough to explain。 Had an English nurse from the beginning。
Spoke English and Italian before I spoke Russian。〃
He seized the wooden mallet and beat the Burmese gong … a flat piece
of brass cut in the shape of a bell。 The clear； whirring vibrations
filled the room。 Long before these spent themselves Kuroki appeared
on the threshold。 He bobbed。
〃Kuroki； Miss Conover is dining here with me to…night。 Seven
o'clock sharp。 The best you have in the larder。〃
〃Yes； sair。 You are going out； sair？〃
〃For a bit of fresh air。〃
〃And I am going with him； Kuroki；〃 said Kitty。 Kuroki bobbed again。
〃Dinner at seven； sair。〃 Another bob； and he returned to the
kitchen； smiling。 The girl was free to come and go； of course； but
the ancient enemy of Nippon would not pass the elevator door。 Let
him find that out for himself。
When the elevator arrived the boy did not open the door。 He noted
the derby on Hawksley's head。
〃I can take you down； Miss Conover； but I cannot take Mr。 Hawksley。
When the boss gives me an order I obey it … if I possibly can。 On
the day the boss tells me you can go strolling； I'll give you the
key to the city。 Until then； nix！ No use arguing； Mr。 Hawksley。〃
〃I shan't argue；〃 replied Hawksley； meekly。 〃I am really a prisoner