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〃Whatever will become of them … the little kings and princes and
dukes？〃 After all； thought Kitty； they were human beings； they would
not suffer any the less because they had been born to the purple。
〃Maybe they'll go to work；〃 said Cutty； dryly。 〃Sooner or later；
all parasites will have to work if they want bread。 And yet I've
met some men among them； big in the heart and the mind； who would
have made bully farmers and professors。 The beautiful thing about
the Anglo…Saxon education is that the whole structure is based upon
fair play。 In eastern and southeastern Europe few of them can play
solitaire without cheating。 But I would give a good deal to know
what has happened to those emeralds … the drums of jeopardy。 They'll
probably be broken up and sold in carat weights。 The whole family
was wiped out in a night。。。。 I say； will you take lunch with me
to…morrow？〃
〃Gladly。〃
〃All right。 I'll drop in here at half after twelve。 Here's my
telephone number； should anything alter your plans。 If I'm going
to be godfather I might as well start right in。〃
〃The drums of jeopardy； what a haunting phrase！〃
〃Haunting stones； too； Kitty。 For picking them up in my hands I
went to bed with a banged…up leg。 I can't forget that。 We
Occidentals laugh at Orientals and their superstitions。 We don't
believe in the curse。 And yet； by George； those emeralds were
accursed！〃
〃Piffle！〃 snorted Burlingame。 〃Mush！ It's greed； pure and simple；
that gives precious stones their sinister histories。 You'd have
been hit by that horse if you had picked up nothing more valuable
than a rhinestone buckle。 Take away the gold lure； and precious
stones wouldn't sell at the price of window glass。〃
〃Is that so？ How about me？ It isn't because a stone is worth so
much that makes me want it。 I want it for the sheer beauty； I want
it for the tremendous panorama the sight of it unfolds in my mind。
I imagine what happened from the hour the stone was mined to the
hour it came into my possession。 To me … to all genuine collectors
… the intrinsic value is nil。 Can't you see？ It is for me what
Balzac's La Peau de Chagrin would be to you if you had fallen on it
for the first time … money； love； tragedy； death。〃
An interruption came in the form of one of the office boys。 The
chief was on the wire and wanted Cutty at once。
〃At half after twelve； Kitty。 And by the way；〃 added Cutty as he
rose； 〃they say about the drums that a beautiful woman is immune to
their danger。〃
〃There's your chance； Kitty；〃 said Burlingame。
〃Am I beautiful？〃 asked Kitty； demurely。
〃Lord love the minx！〃 shouted Cutty。 〃A corner in Mouquin's。〃
〃Rain or shine。〃 After Cutty had departed Kitty said： 〃He's the
most fascinating man I know。 What fun it would be to jog round the
world with a man like that； who knew everybody and everything。
As a little girl I was violently in love with him； but don't you
ever dare give me away。〃
〃You'll probably have nightmare to…night。 And honestly you ought
not to live in that den alone。 But Cutty has seen things；〃
Burlingame admitted； 〃things no white man ought to see。 He's been
shot up； mauled by animals； marooned； torpedoed at sea； made
prisoner by old Fuzzy…Wuzzy。 An ordinary man would have died of
fatigue。 Cutty is as tough and strong as a gorilla and as active
as a cat。 But this jewel superstition is all rot。 Odd； though；
he'll travel halfway round the world to see a ruby or an emerald。
He says no true collector cares a cent for a diamond。 Says they
are vulgar。〃
〃Except on the third finger of a lady's left hand； and then they
are just perfectly splendid！〃
〃Oho！ Well； when you get yours I hope it's as big as the
Koh…i…noor。〃
〃Thank you！ You might just as well wish a brick on me！〃
Kitty left the office at a quarter of six。 The phrase kept running
through her head … the drums of jeopardy。 A little shiver ran up
her spine。 Money； love； tragedy； death！ This terrible and wonderful
old world； of which she had seen little else than city streets；
suddenly exhibited wide vistas。 She knew now why she had begun to
save … travel。 Just as soon as she had a thousand she would go
somewhere。 A great longing to hear native drums in the night。
Even as the wish entered her mind a new sound entered her ears。 The
Subway car wheels began to beat … tumpitum…tump！ tumpitum…tump！
Fudge！ She opened her evening paper and scanned the fashions； the
dramatic news； and the comics。 Being a woman she read the world
news last。 On the front page she saw a queer story； dated at Albany：
Mysterious guests at a hotel； how they had fought and fled in the
early morning。 There had been left behind a case with foreign orders
incrusted with several thousand dollars' worth of gems。 Bolsheviki；
said the police； just as they said auto bandits a few years ago when
confronted with something they could not understand。 The orders had
been turned over to the Federal authorities from whom it was learned
that they were all royal and demi…royal。 Neither of the two guests
had returned up to noon； and one had fled； leaving even his hat and
coat。 But there was nothing to indicate his identity。
〃Loot！〃 murmured Kitty。 〃All the scum in the world rising to the
top〃 … quoting Cutty。 〃Poor things！〃 as she thought of the gentle
ladies who had died horribly in bedrooms and cellars。
Kitty was beginning to cast about for more congenial quarters。
There were too many foreigners in the apartments； and none of them
especially good housekeepers。 Always； nowadays； somebody had a
washing out on the line； the odour of garlic was continuously in
the air； and there were noisy children under foot in the halls。 The
families she and her mother had known were all gone； and Kitty was
perhaps the oldest inhabitant in the block。
The living…room windows faced Eightieth Street； bedrooms； dining
room； and kitchen looked out upon the court。 From the latter windows
one could step out upon the fire…escape platform； which ran round
the three sides of the court。
Among the present tenants she knew but one； an old man by the name
of Gregory； who lived opposite。 The acquaintance had never ripened
into friendship； but sometimes Kitty would borrow an egg and he
would borrow some sugar。 In the summertime； when the windows were
open at night； she had frequently heard the music of a violin
swimming across the court。 Polish； Russian； and Hungarian music；
always speaking with a tragic note； nothing she had ever heard in
concerts。 Once； however； she had heard him begin something from
Thais； and stop in the middle of it； and that convinced her that
he was a master。 She was fond of good music。 One day she asked
Gregory why he did not teach music instead of valeting at a hotel。
His answer had been illuminative。 It was only his body that
pressed clothes； but it would have torn his soul to listen daily
to the agonized bow of the novice。 Kitty was lonely through pride
as much as anything。 As for friends； she had a regiment of them。
But she rarely accepted their hospitality； realizing that she could
not return it。 No young men called because she never invited them。
All this； however； was going to change when she moved。
As she turned on the hail light she saw an envelope on the floor。
Evidently it had been shoved under the door。 It was unstamped。 She
opened it； and stepped out of the humdrum into the whirligig。
DEAR MISS CONOVER：
If anything should happen to me all the things in my apartment
I give to you without reservation。
STEPHEN GREGORY。
She read the letter a dozen times to make sure that it meant exactly
what it said。 He might be ill。 After she had cooked her supper she
would run round and inquire。 The poor lonely old man！
She went into the kitchen and took inventory。 There was nothing
but bacon and eggs and coffee。 She had forgotten to order that
morning。 She lit the gas range and began to prepare the meal。 As
she broke an egg against the rim of the pan the nearby Elevated
train rushed by； drumming tumpitum…tump！ tumpitum…tump！ She
laughed； but it wasn't honest laughter。 She laughed because she
was conscious that she was afraid of something。 Impulse drove her
to the window。 Contact with men … her unusual experiences as a
reporter … had developed her natural fearlessness to a point where
it was aggressive。 As she pressed the tip of her nose against the
pane； however； she found herself gazing squarely into a pair of
exceedingly brilliant dark eyes； and all the blood in her body
seemed to rush violently into her throat。
Tableau！
CHAPTER V
Kitty gasped； but she did not cry out。 The five days' growth of
blondish stubble； the discoloured eye … for all the orb itself was
brilliant … and the hawky nose combined to send through her the
first great thrill of danger she had ever known。
Slowly she backed away from the window。 The man outside immediately
extended his hands with a gesture that a child would have understood。
Supplication。 Kitty paused； naturally。 But did the man mean it？
Might it not be some trick to lure her into opening the window？